At its heart, Say It Now urges people to reach out to those who have made a profound difference in their lives, expressing gratitude and appreciation without hesitation. This simple act can change lives. But for nonprofits, gratitude is not only a personal expression—it’s also a vital tool for building stronger, more resilient communities.

Imagine a volunteer who has worked tirelessly for years, never expecting recognition. Imagine the impact of receiving a heartfelt note of thanks, acknowledging the difference they’ve made in the lives of countless individuals. Imagine a donor being told that their contribution didn’t just fund a project but changed the course of someone’s life. These moments matter, and they are what Say It Now is all about.

But the ripple effect doesn’t stop there. When someone receives a genuine expression of gratitude, they are more likely to express appreciation in return. This creates a chain reaction of acknowledgment, intention, and connection. The gratitude doesn’t just stay between two individuals—it spreads throughout communities, empowering people to build stronger, more supportive relationships.

For NGOs, Say It Now represents an opportunity to create a gratitude-driven culture. By publicly and privately recognizing staff, volunteers, donors, and beneficiaries, nonprofits can foster an environment where everyone feels valued. And when people feel appreciated, they are more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to remain committed to the cause.

Beyond the organizational impact, Say It Now is shaping the way communities interact. Whether it’s thanking a frontline worker, a teacher, or a neighbor, the movement reminds us that gratitude strengthens the social fabric that holds us together. For NGOs working in areas affected by social inequality, displacement, or conflict, gratitude can serve as a healing force—one that brings people together and reminds us of our shared humanity.

In the end, the Say It Now movement is not just about individual acts of gratitude; it’s about creating a global culture that values appreciation and connection. By embracing this philosophy, NGOs can become the driving force behind a world where gratitude leads the way.

Photo Credit

Photo is from iStock

During his TEDx speech, Green asked a question that resonated deeply with his audience: Why wait? Why do so many of us delay sharing the words that could uplift someone, offer closure, or strengthen a connection? For Green, the regret of unspoken gratitude is personal. His journey to founding Say It Now was sparked by his own reflections on missed opportunities to acknowledge the people who had made a significant impact on his life. He came to realize that the moments we often regret the most are the ones in which we failed to let someone know how much they meant to us.

“Don’t assume you have time,” Green told the audience, encouraging everyone to take immediate action. For Green, expressing gratitude isn’t just about kindness; it’s about enriching the lives of others by sharing the appreciation we often keep inside. His message is as simple as it is profound: relationships are the cornerstone of our lives, and expressing gratitude for those relationships should never be postponed.

At its core, the Say It Now movement isn’t about casual “thank yous” or fleeting acknowledgments. It’s about creating deep, meaningful connections through genuine expressions of gratitude. Green emphasizes that it’s not just about recognizing someone for a single moment—it’s about recognizing the ongoing, sometimes quiet ways in which others help shape our lives. Whether it’s a mentor who offered guidance during a difficult time or a friend who supported you through a personal challenge, Say It Now is about telling those people how much they’ve contributed to who you are today. “Relationships matter,” Green says. “Close relationships are a treasure.”

The impact of the movement extends far beyond personal relationships. Green is quick to highlight how gratitude has profound ripple effects, benefiting mental health, overall well-being, and even workplace culture. Research has shown that gratitude strengthens interpersonal relationships, improves emotional health, and fosters positive environments. In workplaces, leaders who express appreciation create teams that are more engaged, collaborative, and motivated.

Say It Now encourages us to break the cycle of postponement and to take action—whether that’s by writing a letter, making a phone call, or speaking to someone face-to-face. By doing so, we create a cycle of intention and acknowledgment. This ripple effect builds a legacy of gratitude, inspiring others to pause and reflect: Who helped me along the way? Who made a difference in my life? Expressing gratitude not only strengthens the connection between you and the recipient but also motivates others to do the same. In this way, gratitude spreads from one person to the next, creating a broader culture of appreciation.

Since Green first took the stage at TEDx, the Say It Now movement has grown into a global initiative, touching the lives of millions. Over two million expressions of gratitude have already been shared through letters, phone calls, social media, and personal interactions. But for Green, the goal is bigger than numbers. The next milestone is to reach 10 million expressions of gratitude, but the ultimate aim is to build a worldwide community where gratitude is a daily practice and human connection is prioritized.

The movement has sparked conversations about the importance of expressing gratitude in all areas of life—from personal relationships to the workplace. Say It Now encourages us to go beyond the surface and reflect on the deep impact people have had on our lives. As Green has said, “It’s not about saying ‘thank you’ for something small. It’s about recognizing those who have played a significant role in shaping who you are.”

The message is clear: don’t wait. Time is fleeting, and the opportunity to express your gratitude may pass you by if you wait too long. By fostering a culture of gratitude, Say It Now is helping to build stronger relationships and create lasting legacies of appreciation. Whether it’s a heartfelt conversation, a simple letter, or a phone call, the time to act is now.

As Say It Now continues to grow, the movement invites us all to stop, reflect, and express gratitude to the people who have shaped our lives. The power of gratitude is transformative—it creates connections, deepens relationships, and enriches both the giver and the recipient. In Green’s words, “Close relationships are a treasure.” Say It Now encourages us all to cherish those relationships, to nurture them, and to let the people in our lives know just how much they matter. It’s a message of hope, connection, and community—and it’s a message that resonates across generations and cultures.

Whether through letters, social media, or face-to-face conversations, Say It Now invites you to be part of a global movement that changes lives—one expression of gratitude at a time. With every word spoken and every message shared, we are reminded of the importance of acknowledging those who have made a real difference. And in doing so, we enrich not only their lives but also our own.

Photo Credit

Photo is by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Drawing on thousands of notes from team meetings at his dealerships, the book was initially a professional reflection. However, with encouragement from his wife Diana and one of his daughters, Priestner added deeply personal stories, revealing a side of himself his children barely knew. In the opening chapter, Priestner recounts a chaotic childhood marked by alcoholic parents and financial instability. Despite these challenges, he says, “If the book helps anyone, I’m thrilled.”

In an interview, Priestner shared how his personal journey mirrors the hidden struggles many others experience, particularly the challenges that often remain unspoken. “We all have a story,” he said, noting that his transparency about his past was motivated by a desire to help his children and grandchildren understand his life better.

Priestner’s entrepreneurial journey began when he dropped out of university to sell cars, determined to avoid the financial hardships his parents faced. His determination quickly paid off—he became the top Chrysler salesman in Canada within his first year. From there, his career took off, and at the age of 26, he and his twin brother Mike bought into a struggling Chrysler dealership in London, Ontario. Within a year, the dealership turned around, and new car sales tripled.

However, the pressures of success took a toll. Priestner battled alcoholism, saw his first marriage end, and experienced a rift with his brother. But over time, he sought mindfulness practices and Buddhism, finding peace and balance in both his personal and professional life. He attributes much of his growth to working through his emotions and stresses the importance of this ongoing effort: “If you’re not working on that, your life is going to be pretty tough.”

Having founded AutoCanada, Priestner left the company in 2017. His book not only recounts his business success but also serves as a testament to his personal growth and journey toward contentment. All proceeds from the book go to Well-being Canada, a mental health initiative founded by Priestner and his wife Diana, which focuses on providing youth with wellness tools.

For more information, or to purchase the book, visit www.notesforthechildren.com or find it on Amazon.

In times like this we tend to procrastinate and our activity often comes to a grinding halt. There are things we want to achieve, but they’re just not happening for us right then. There are some big tasks to complete, like maybe finishing that marketing report, or business proposal, or lyrics to a song, but we just can’t get into it. Or perhaps it’s that job or extra income we are looking for that’s not happening as quickly as we would like.

So, we let our thoughts wander and engage in all kinds of unproductive activity that helps the time pass. All the while, scattered around us are little jobs we could do. That pile of paper on the desk that we’ve been putting off sorting through. The unread inspirational emails some friends have sent that we have saved in an email folder called “read me later”. The document that’s sitting on our desktop called “my to do list”. Maybe it’s the car that needs vacuuming, the dog that needs a walk, a friend we should call, the lawn that needs mowing or that pile of stuff sitting in the car port that we just keep walking past. When we ignore these things long enough, we begin to not notice them at all.

I believe there are some very important dynamics at play here. Two of them are resolution and motion.

Let’s start with resolution? Musicians understand this quite well. Melody is about tension and release. We’ve all watched thrillers and heard the tension in the sound track. Imagine stopping the soundtrack at that point of tension, rewinding it a bit and playing it again to that same point of tension, then doing that over and over again. There is no resolution; instead, there is dissonance and it doesn’t feel all that nice. Consider this: All of those little things we don’t complete create dissonance in our lives. It may not be apparent, but under the surface, subconsciously, a little voice is crying out for resolution. The more unresolved things we have in our lives, the less room there is for creative thought. It’s as if we have told ourselves that we can’t start anything new until we finish all of the other things we started.

What about motion? You can’t steer a parked car! You need to be moving in order to get somewhere. You need to take action to see some kind of result. When you start to move again, things that were not so apparent will come into sharp focus. For instance, while you are mowing the lawn, that last line to the lyrics you have been writing just might pop into your head or perhaps it’s the solution to a problem that was preventing you from finishing that business proposal. Besides, the air and exercise will do you good!

Take a moment and clear your mind. Close your eyes, take some nice slow deep breaths and relax. Now, open your eyes and look around you. What little thing will you complete? You might ask, “But where do I start?” Wherever you want! Pick one and finish it. Then move onto the next one. If you do, you will be in motion and you will bring resolution into your life. You will be creating space where there had been clutter and it is within that space that you will find new ideas and the solutions you are seeking.

Photo Credits

Image from the Microsoft Clip Art Collection

First posted at synaptici

Originally Posted December 23, 2010
Updated on September 7, 2024

It’s celebrating 20 years in our community and has seen more than 5,000 souls pass through the home, including my own father’s in 2007. He had lung cancer and was living at home, becoming increasingly ill. He came from a time where you don’t ask anything of anyone, including your own children, and managed for a long time on his own. However, it was getting more and more obvious that he couldn’t do it for much longer. My older sister, who worked in the community and knew a lot of people, managed to get him into the centre. He was so relieved. I remember he woke up one morning while there, and a nurse was standing over him. He looked up at her and said, “Oh, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.” He was happy there, in a place where he had his own room with a patio and a big bathroom. He had refused to go to the hospital, so this was so much better for him. Family and friends came to visit. After 3 days, my Dad passed away. He was at peace; no more suffering. He died a graceful death without beeps and wires and people screaming or running around in the hallways. It was a place of quiet and calm and it made the process easier for us too.

And so, many years later, my friends and I joined countless others and walked to raise money for this amazing place. Our team is called On The Wings of Angels. By 8:15 am we were warming up with others who were running, walking or riding bikes. There were children as young as 3 or 4 who walked and young men and women who were no doubt running for their loved ones, grandmas, grandpas, aunts or uncles. So many people have been touched by cancer and so many have had their lives turned upside down by the illness. But today in the crowd you could feel the love. There was, to me anyway, just this vibe, a very heart-warming presence. Perhaps it was the spirits of all those souls. They were with us. I hope my father was watching as the ladies and I started on our walk.

I didn’t finish the 10k but managed to do 5k, which was pretty good. And that included a hill! So I was happy I at least finished that. There were three of my friends who did the 10k and that was awesome! We managed to raise $3,700 of our $5,000 goal. Teresa Burnatowski was our star fundraiser and brought in $2,700, but we all worked at getting the cash in. And we all donated as well to this cause that is so dear to my heart and to so many other families. Helping to raise this money felt good! And maybe that, too, was what made this event so important. We all felt we were doing what we could to keep this organization running.

With my friends and family along with me, walking by my side, I could not be more grateful or happy! It brings such joy to be with those you love. Raising money for such a wonderful organization is just a bonus.

Photo Credit

Photo courtesy of Martha Farley – all rights reserved

To start living a full and happy life, first, you need to figure yourself out. What exactly do you like and enjoy? What have you been dreaming about for many years and still have not realized? Don’t waste your life waiting for Monday or the New Year to start changing your life for the better. Monday may never come.

5 main ways to get rid of the monotony of life

One of the best ways to get rid of the routine and monotony in life is to go on a trip. People never come back the same from a trip. This is an opportunity to experience the lives of others, communicate with interesting new people and witness new cultures that have completely different views on life. A wide variety of destinations are available to you now.

Depending on your preference, freezing Iceland, the exotic Philippines or ultra-technologic UAE are some great choices. If you choose UAE, you could try something new. For example, there are sports cars for rent in Dubai that will provide you with an unforgettable experience. Renting a car will allow you the freedom to see the hidden corners of the country. And by the way, renting even a supercar is very affordable.

Surround yourself with positive people

Communicate with those who know how to live and have fun. Do not hesitate to speak with your loved ones about your experiences and feelings. Each person should be able to give you at least one good piece of advice on how they cope with monotony. Positive people look at life differently, can give you confidence, and can teach you to be in the moment and cope with difficulties. Communicate, share experiences and much can change.

Look at how children behave, how they know how to enjoy every little thing, every new little achievement. Don’t be indifferent, connect with your friends and family. Visit your parents or a friend you haven’t seen for a long time. These things help a lot to get rid of routine.

Engage in self-development

Reading books on self–development, watching educational movies or documentaries, doing yoga and meditation will help you develop spiritually. Start changing what you do and life will also change.

To get rid of the routine of family life, start with these steps. Become more attentive to your loved one. Learn to listen and have a deeper understanding about the person you have been living with for a long time. Look for common interests, new things you could do together. Volunteer somewhere together, take up golf, or dog training.

Life will become much brighter and more interesting if you start learning something new

In general, it is very useful to reflect on your goals from time to time. It doesn’t have to be something global. You can set a goal to learn something new or see a new country, jump with a parachute or ride a bike. Go to foreign language courses, master new specialties. Why not learn how to cook delicious meals? Or repair computers or master Photoshop.

There are many online courses for every taste. Learn to meditate or study astrology. In general, the main thing is that you should be open to anything new and interesting.

Look for inspiration

Read books about interesting personalities or watch motivational and inspiring films. All of us need examples to start growing and developing.

Try to drink a green cocktail instead of coffee in the morning. Go to work not by car or minibus, but by tram, or get up earlier and walk there. Ennoble the workplace and make it a more fun and colorful environment. In the evening, do not always cook dinner, but go to a new restaurant or pizzeria with your family. Out of habit, do not sit on social networks late, but take an evening walk around the city or a park in your neighborhood.

Take responsibility for your life and for yourself. You have to be the master of your own life. Learn to find happiness in yourself, love yourself, live with an open heart and soul, love, rejoice, admire, and learn. Live to the fullest, because you have only one life and you don’t know how many days you have to enjoy it to the fullest.

Photo Credit

Photo are from iStock

Guest Author Bio
Ellie Yantsan

I am a digital marketer with more than 10 years of experience. I am a contributor to Content Marketing Institute and regularly quoted as an expert in large media outlets. My job is to make your business known all over the Internet.

I used to work in retail, and a big emphasis was on ensuring customers moved through the checkout line in a timely manner. No matter what, the priority was to keep the line moving. As an example, if a product fell on the floor and broke, we didn’t fixate on the glass shards, oblivious to what was going on around us. A clean-up crew was called, and another register was immediately opened for the remaining people in line. It was understood that after dealing with the immediacy of the situation, we needed to take quick action towards solving any issues that may have developed as a result. It occurred to me I may have unknowingly used this strategy to keep things moving in my personal life.

At the end of 2018 my vehicle broke down, I was suddenly miserable in a job I once loved and a relationship I really wanted to work, apparently wasn’t going to. On top of all of that, I was given notice I had to move. I struggled heavily with the gravity of the situation, and took time off work to think. I was in a bad way, and not just because of the circumstances. I knew if I didn’t change the way I was looking at things, I’d really be in trouble.

I gave myself a week to feel everything I needed to feel and, after wiping the streaks of mascara from my face one last time, made some liberating decisions. I decided not to fix my vehicle, choosing to make my bike and city transit my new transportation options instead. I vowed to do the best I could at work, with the understanding that if I became unbearably unhappy, I could make a change. I surrendered to the reality of my relationship and let it go in the direction it needed to, with love and as much understanding as I could. And instead of scrambling to find another place to live, 2019 began with that idea indefinitely on hold. I put my whittled-down belongings in storage and embraced the hospitality of friends and family, and said yes to various house sitting opportunities.

It wasn’t an easy time, but at the end of those seven days, I realized I was fixating on the ‘broken’ parts of my life. I didn’t necessarily know what to do, but I knew I needed to take some sort of action. I need to do something – anything – to at least feel empowered to create my next chapter as opposed to waiting for life to continue to ‘happen’ to me. It didn’t change the reality of the circumstances, and I had no idea if the choices I was making were the right ones. But after I was finished feeling sorry for myself and got through the ugly crying, I knew the priority was to figure out how to deal with the issues I was facing.

Ultimately, seven months after making those first life-changing decisions, I did leave my job. And although I’m grateful for the experience, it was the best thing I could’ve ever done. And I can’t help but look at it now as just one of the many actions I took to keep my own personal ‘line’ moving.

Photo Credit

Photo by Carol Good – all rights reserved

My great grandfather started Hunting Creek Fisheries in the late 1920s. Allegedly President Roosevelt purchased goldfish from him with Winston Churchill in tow. Storied stuff. Camp David, then called Shangri-La, is a mere four miles away. My grandfather assumed leadership. He was passionate about aquaculture, modernized the business, and grew it over time. He passed it onto my father and aunt. My cousin oversees the business today.

Back in the early 1980s, the place was booming. I remember my dad working countless hours on the farm. For a time, we lived on the property, but he was a ghost. He poured himself into his job. He was a young parent and I suspect he partly hid in the work, but he also cared about the family business. Because of his work ethic, he had to miss many occasions that were important to me. I coined a phrase to try to change his mind: “Of course you have to go to work. The fish don’t know it’s my birthday.” I wanted him to feel guilty.

I would insert the appropriate holiday, occasion, or need: “The fish don’t know it’s Christmas.” “The fish don’t know it’s graduation.” “The fish don’t know I need a ride.” On and on. The fish didn’t know a lot. Over time, we have reconciled his absence. And, as it turns out, fish have memory. The three-second myth is just that, but, I would argue, the fish don’t know it’s science.

I did not follow in my family’s footsteps. The fish were not for me. Instead, I had a successful career in the performing arts – behind the scenes, not in front. In the spring of 2019, I walked away from it to become a full-time dad. Grateful for the opportunity, I planned to stay at home for six to eight months, and then start looking. In January, I began teaching. The workload was going to increase in the fall. I was easing back into the fray. A search firm reached out to me for a high profile job, requiring a significant move. Exciting. I still had it! My husband and I began investigating a potential relocation. Then, COVID struck, and it all went away. So, I continued to assume daily child-care duties, drink too much wine, and wallow in what could have been. That is when I had an epiphany.

The fish don’t know.

I began to wonder if a phrase created to sting, could instead become an affirmation. And, by reimagining it, could I carve out a process to help me get unstuck. COVID has affected so many people, upending their lives in ways more dramatic than mine. I’m hoping the fish can help us all move forward at a time when everything feels as if it’s in stasis. Here’s the deal: The fish don’t know we’ve hit pause. And, that’s good.

The fish don’t know you feel like a fraud.

Imposter syndrome haunts many of us. Having stepped away from a career and now considering a re-entry is beyond daunting. It does not help that the job market is at an all-time low. For many who have lost their job, I’m certain the feelings are similar if not angrier. Once, I picked myself up from the initial blow of work oblivion, I found myself stuck in a cycle of toxic self-doubt. Why would anyone hire me now? What do I have to offer? Who would give me the time of day? I’m irrelevant. I was a SPOD (Sucking Pit of Despair). Then I realized, I’m the only one doing this to myself. This is is an opportunity to think and promote myself in a different way. I don’t need to focus on what the career trajectory should be. I don’t even want to do what I was doing before. I need to focus on how I can add value because adding value negates being unqualified. Let’s embrace this philosophy, rather than hide from it. There is an opportunity for us to do the work we’ve always wanted to do. Our value proposition can be our guide.

The fish don’t know where you worked.

The idea of place and placemaking is a darling concept for philanthropists. The pandemic reiterated not only how addicted we are to places, but also how those places can vanish in a flash. Aside from our homes, attachment to a place now seems odd. Often, we connect work with a place. When we talk about our work, we talk about where we worked. We assume others know what we’re talking about. Suddenly, places feel pompous. But, if we distill our work down to its core, rather than attributing it to a place, it becomes more meaningful. For me, I gave tools to artists. Those tools allowed them to create something, and feel supported while doing it. That is my truth. Some of the fancy places I worked don’t even exist anymore. Let’s detach ourselves from these places, and focus on what we’ve learned. This is not only a fair and equitable approach to our collective experience but helps to inform our value proposition. Move the knowledge to the top of the resume. Let’s promote our skills, not the places where we worked. Places are more fleeting than we thought.

The fish don’t know you have an MBA.

This is a good thing because MBAs are bad now. Regardless, I did it. Yes, I can sound like I know what I’m talking about in a room full of finance people. But, yuck! Going back to school allowed me to present a constant stream of diverse content. I generated gobs of it and received uncensored feedback from experts and peers. I met demanding deadlines with teams. I remembered how to be an active listener. And, I made sure whatever story I was telling, be it numbers or narrative, was cohesive. This was an exercise in refinement. But, you don’t need an MBA to do this. We’ve all had to overcome an obstacle or work with a group of people to finish a task. Experiencing criticism and working against deadlines was par for the course pre-pandemic. While neither are often positive, we can learn from those experiences because they prove we are adaptable. Adaptability is more important than a piece of paper. For me, I adapted to the demands of graduate school, but before attending, I adapted to new cities, new environments, and new demands. I have never said the word contango since graduating. Even thinking about times when I’ve had to adapt to something new, has been a helpful guidepost in navigating this journey.

The fish don’t know it’s your birthday.

The art of caretaking needs to be more celebrated than it is. Many of us have cared for or nurtured someone or something in our lives. I like to think I was nurturing to friends, plants, and the occasional goldfish. No amount of nurturing prepared me for the epic change that took place when a child entered my life. Priorities shifted immediately. I was creating structures and setting boundaries for another human. Work took a back seat because I need(ed) to be present. I didn’t want to miss anything. Now, fifteen months in, I realize that sometimes I have to let the crying continue as hard as it may be. And, I acknowledge that walking away can sometimes be healthy. A little bit of danger and a little bit of space is sometimes necessary for natural growth to happen. When my dad left to go to work, he still loved me, but also, he knew I would be ok. Leaving can be a gift. He gave me the space to understand I was everything I needed to celebrate or solve a problem. Let’s use this time of introspection to understand how to do both for ourselves. We are often all we need.

So, what else do the fish not know? Think about it. If you’re stuck, throw your frustrations into the pond and let the fish help you push through it. I’m confident they will provide a new perspective. The landscape ahead will be different. But, because the fish don’t know, we have more freedom to see a path forward. Reinvesting in ourselves and what we have to offer is time well spent. The fish can help us think less about what we should be doing, and spend more time promoting the value we can bring to ourselves and others.

Photo Credits

Goldfish pond Image by jia xu from Pixabay

Goldfish – by pouria oskuie on unsplash

Guest Author Bio
Ian Tresselt

Ian is a freelance copywriter, collaborator, and recovering nonprofit executive.  He lives in Maryland with his husband and daughter.  Ian is passionate about design and likes to collect mid-century seascape paintings. 

I got pulled over doing 55 mph in a 35-speed zone (see I knew I wasn’t driving that fast). I told myself, “It’s ok Christine, you’re not going to get a ticket, because this man of the law who serves his country is way too kind. So, apologize, smile really big, act like you had no idea that you were driving that fast (which is true). And start crying if you need to.” I didn’t start crying, but I probably should have.

This gentle giant did write me out a ticket for speeding, but he was also kind enough to give me a break. He gave me $150 break, thank you, thank you, thank you. Instead of the $300 ticket that I should have gotten for speeding 20 mph over the speed limit, he felt bad and gave me a ticket for 5 mph over the limit. (The apology must have worked. My dad always said, “If you ever get pulled over, use your manners and always apologize the minute they come to the window.”) Talk about being thankful. I couldn’t stop thanking the Universe for the ticket I did wind up getting. I didn’t get upset at all, knowing it was actually my fault. I coughed up the fine to the multi billion-dollar highway construction project that needed funding.

That morning, I arrived at work and went about my day. I picked up the mail at the kiosk and noticed two envelopes, one addressed to me from the City of Orlando and the other from The State of NY. The one from The City of Orlando was a notice of a violation for going through a red light a few weeks ago. (I happen to believe they have the yellow lights turn much faster on the traffic signals with cameras than the traffic signals that don’t. Just sayin’.) The one from The State of NY was for going through a toll that you were supposed to mail your payment in (which I obviously forgot to do). My $5 toll payment turned into $50 and my going through a red light fine (when it was really yellow, a yellow light means to drive faster to get through the intersection right?) was $158. I am now at a $358 deficit and it’s only 10 a.m. What the Fuck???

Oh, I was just shaking my head laughing, because how is this even happening? I knew when I was going through the yellow light, and it immediately turned red as I was driving through, that I was definitely going to get a violation in the mail as I saw the camera flash go off five times. Yup they got my license plate number, can’t escape that one. And my theory is, that if you’re gonna go through a yellow light and it turns red and you get caught, unfortunately you have to accept the consequence and not bitch about it.

A few hours later I decided to go on my bank app to check my funds, knowing I would have to pay for all my mistakes that morning. I see a debit charge of $200 to Wawa (a 7-11 type store), which I never, ever frequent. You have got to be flipping kidding me??? Is this some kind of joke, am I on the show Punk’d? No, someone actually stole my debit card number and charged $200 at Wawa. It was not a joke!!! What the hell are they buying at Wawa for $200? Can someone please tell me!?! Is one person just filling everyone’s gas tanks up, saying, “Hey everyone gas is on me.” Now I was laughing harder than I thought I ever could, (especially over something like this) but I couldn’t help it, because I knew exactly why this was happening.

The Universe tests us all. The Universe wants to see how we are going to react when difficult situations come into our life. Are we going to get upset and throw a tantrum? Blaming everybody and everything? Or are we going to accept what happened and take ownership and responsibility for our actions? Life is 50/50, we have good days and we have bad days. If we had rainbow and unicorn days every day, we wouldn’t appreciate when life is good.

Life is a test and it’s our actions and how we react to things throughout our life that help show us if we have grown through our experiences. This I know was definitely a life lesson for me. It made me feel free knowing that the circumstances that happened that day, didn’t affect me. I wasn’t upset at all, not one bit. I have to say, I actually questioned if I was OK, because I was taking this so calmly.

Instead I chose to dance. A few years ago, hell yeah, I definitely would have had a totally different reaction. I would have been so upset and pissed off and you bet I would have blamed the police officer for being a jerk for giving me a ticket and for trying to make his quota for the month.

When things happen to go wrong during your day, remember that we all have a choice on how to react. By choosing to not get upset over the things that were out of my control, I felt empowered. I was in total control of my thoughts, my feelings and my actions. I cannot tell you how amazing it feels knowing that I am and will always be in control of my thinking and no one will ever be able to take that from me. Once you understand that you have full control over how you want to think about things, your life will change and start going in the direction you want it to. Don’t let silly circumstances control how you want to live. Next time, instead of getting upset, choose to dance.

Photo Credit

Photo courtesy of Christine Rizzo

First posted at Elephant Journal

Guest Author Bio
Christine Rizzo

Christine Rizzo is a Manifesting Coach and the Author of “Unleash Your Inner Goddess – Start Living the Life You Deserve”. Christine helps clients learn how to live the life they desire by unleashing their power, creating confidence, and by learning how to intentionally manifest what they deserve in life.
Blog / Website: https://www.christinerizzo.com

When she informed the staff that her ambitions as an adult were to become an esthetician or open a dog grooming business, the staff was taken aback. Don’t do that, they informed her. There was no money in those professions.

On the car ride home, we talked about that meeting. My advice to her was to follow her heart. Pursue her passion. Don’t listen to that terrible advice you were just given by alleged educators who were supposed to be there to help her succeed in life.

She did pursue her passion and became an esthetician. Today, at the age of 23, my daughter is part-owner of a salon. And guess what? The money’s pretty good, too.

Every time I think back to that conversation in that vice-principal’s office, it still angers me. It also makes me think of Mike Reid.

Mike Reid – NFL All-Pro and Grammy Award-winning songwriter.

Reid walked away from fame and celebrity at the height of his prime to pursue his passion. If you don’t know his story, you should.

In 1969, Reid was voted the best defensive lineman in all of college football. A first-round draft pick, he quickly became an NFL star.

Then, at the age of 27, he walked about from pro football, eventually seeking to make a go of it in the music industry.

At the time of his transition, Reid drew on the wisdom of his father for strength.

“He was probably the most supportive person of my decision to leave football,” Reid told the Windsor Star of his father Bill, a railroad worker in their hometown of Altoona, Pa. “He hated his job and he could see that music was what I loved.”

When Reid thinks back to that day, he has just one regret. Bill Reid died before seeing his son make his mark in the music industry.

Decades after walking away from the gridiron, Reid is still delivering powerful hits.

A Nittany Lion Among Men

An All-American defensive tackle at Penn State, Reid finished fifth behind winner Steve Owens in the 1969 Heisman Trophy voting, a rarity for a defensive player, especially a lineman. He won the Maxwell Award as the U.S. college player of the year, the Outland Trophy as college football’s top guard or tackle and the Knute Rockne Award as the game’s top lineman.

Reid had never fit the stereotype of the football player, though. He played classical piano with the symphony. In 1972, Sports Illustrated described him as “the NFL’s answer to Schroeder,” the piano-playing character in the comic strip Peanuts.

Selected sixth overall in the 1970 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, Reid was the NFL defensive rookie of the year. Five years later, at the age of 27, he announced his retirement.

“I never felt that football defined me too much,” Reid said. “I came into pro football more or less curious to see if I could compete at that level.”

It wasn’t playing football that soured Reid on the game. It was the business of football.

“By the time I quit, the World Football League had come into existence and they were drafting a lot of our players,” Reid recalled. “We were called into court to testify. I became somewhat discouraged with the route professional sports were taking.

“I had been through five knee operations, cracked a vertebrae and had a shoulder problem. The life of an athlete was no longer the life I wanted to lead.”

He’s quick to put to bed any notion that the transition from football icon to music industry wordsmith was a smooth one, or in fact his grand plan.

“I didn’t really quit football to go into music,” Reid said. “I just kind of drifted into it.

“I had studied music and earned my degree in music from college, but I never thought I would get into it professionally.”

He Writes The Songs

Though he hit No. 1 in 1990 with his single Walk On Faith, Reid prefers writing. He’s written 30-plus top-10 hits in both country and pop and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.

“They come as hard as hell,” Reid said of his songs. “I have to fight to get myself out of the way a lot. I’m a plodder, a meat and potatoes writer.”

He hit it big with Ronnie Milsap, winning Grammys for Stranger in the House, as well as Lost In The Fifties Tonight, both of which crossed over to the pop charts. Reid, 73, wrote Too Soon To Tell and I Can’t Make You Love Me for Bonnie Rait.

You might hear Adele perform one of his songs on stage in a Las Vegas casino, or Willie Nelson at the Grand Ole Opry. Reid’s work has even made it to Broadway, where The Ballad of Little Jo, a musical he co-wrote with Susan Schlesinger, won the 1997 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater.

“I tend to be sentimental,” Reid said. “I like love songs the best.

“I’m a hopeful person.”

His father’s advice is never far from Reid’s mind.

“He always told us that when we got out of bed in the morning, before our feet hit the floor, make sure you love what you are going to do that day,” Reid said.

Photo Credits

Photos courtesy of the author

Guest Author Bio
Bob Duff

A veteran journalist, Bob Duff has written over two-dozen books, including authorized biographies of Johnny Bower, Desmond Howard and Gordie Howe. He has covered the Super Bowl, World Series, World Cup, NBA Finals, March Madness and the Olympic Games.