Welcome To The Community

Together, we’ll dive deep and find the strength to never give up because Great Things Take Time.

It’s been a year since we started GTTT,  and I can’t thank you all for subscribing to this weekly newsletter. I truly hope that in your grand catalogue of content you consume during your week, that this newsletter is something that is helping you in some way, shape, or form.

If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe and join the Great Things Take Time Community to get content from me every Monday.

Here's what's in today's email

• Is It Helping or Hurting?

• Moments with Maurice

• What's Got Me Smilin'

Is It Helping or Hurting?

No matter how we feel, no matter what happens to us, the world keeps on turning. When we lose people we love, time doesn’t stand still; things keep on churning. In fact, if we try hard, the people we’ve lost can live on in new ways. 

Nana sits by my computer every day to stare me down while I make decisions that impact my life. While it may just be her celebration of life card, it’s a reminder that her presence is still around. 

Sure, Nana has been gone from this planet for many years, but the last year of GTTT has put her words at the forefront of everything, living on in new ways.

There are several things I’m positive that Nana would make sure I heard from her, the first being that if I had come to her with any problems, she’d ask me if it was helping or hurting. Are the things I put energy towards helping me out to grow my life in the way I want, or hurting my chances at attaining them?

Actually, I take this back. I wouldn’t be coming to Nana with my problems; I’d be forced to give them up when she’d show up unannounced at work. 

That was just how Nana was; she’d show up out of the blue to give you something you needed, whether it be to fill your fridge or make sure your house was clean, it was her language of love. I can’t tell you how many times I was at my West Side Manhattan doorman job only to catch a glimpse of her strolling past on the sidewalk. It wasn’t a coincidence, but she acted like it was, even if she came bearing lunch for me. 

If Nana were around today, you’d know she’d show up at my work. It would be wonderful, but also incredibly embarrassing. She’d gush over something she was proud about, but then get brutally honest with me or something else she might have just witnessed. Y’all think Nana is all cute and cuddly, filled with inspirational sayings, but she’d also give you a dose of tough love. 

Nana would also get me to take her for rides in a BMW, music off (just how I like it), and would ask me to punch it so she could feel the power of the car. She’d have no hesitation jumping into the driver’s seat to take it for a spin on her own. After all, she and my dad were the two people who helped me fall in love with cars, he the Cadillac convertible driver, she the Formula 1 driver. (The only time I saw Nana truly verbally hostile is when someone cut her off in traffic.)

The silver lining with losing Nana is that she is always with me and lives on in many ways. Her energy is still with us, and at the very least, I’m reminded of her weekly sending out these newsletters.

The key with Nana’s question (is something hurting or helping) is that it’s coming from a woman who grew up on the farm and lived with very little. When it comes down to it, we truly don’t need much as a society, and Nana was no different. For her, the things she wanted weren’t things, but spending time with the people she loved and doing the things that brought her joy. If something didn’t put her closer to that goal, whether short-term or long-term, then she didn’t want it. 

It’s a great lens to look through to examine the things in your life: a job is a great example. You could have a terrible job that you hate, but it gives you the funds and the time to pursue the things you want. You’re able to leave your work at the door and show up however you want for the rest of the day. On the other hand, your dream job could actually cost you more energy and stress than you expected, taking you away from your family or hobbies you love. There is a lot of grey area when it comes to how you want to live your life, and only you can determine what it means for you.

So, today, consider what would happen if Nana showed up at your work or house, or tapped you on the shoulder during your morning commute. If she asked what you had planned for the day, and whether or not it was helping or hurting, what would you say? 

What if it wasn’t Nana who was asking you the question, but one of your loved ones, would you find the time to talk to them and share? If not, why not? Why are you too busy? Is what you’re doing that important? Is it helping or hurting?

Moments with Maurice

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

If you’ve been journaling along with me, take the time to pause on the reflection and write down your answer to the prompt. Even if it feels silly in the moment, looking back on what you’ve written down can be eye-opening when you start to see patterns form.

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

The Downshift

It can be fixed! Post accident a few weeks back, I was waiting anxiously for the update on whether or not my car could be fixed or if it would be turned into parts.

Before you roll your eyes thinking I am a shallow superficial car person, let me give you a little background on cars. When you’re in an accident, the frame of the car compresses to protect the people inside. We love safety features that keep us safe so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. HOWEVER, this means that after the accident, you have to determine whether or not the car is drivable and safe. Sure, you can still drive if there aren’t things impeding how the car moves, but if you found yourself in another accident, the results could be even more catastrophic.

To keep the car so the safety is not compromised in case of another crash, they have to perform surgery and cut into the single piece circled to fix the fender.

It’s a detailed and arduous process and I’m grateful there is a way to keep this car driving for longer.

Meditation Images

Sometimes things pop up when I’m meditating (what else is your mind supposed to do but send you messages when you’re clearing out the cobwebs?) and this week it was an Oregon Sunstone. One site lists this as the zodiac stone for Leos, perhaps Nana popping in to say hi?

Starting My Morning With Great Things

A reminder for me to start my day with an intention of how I can live my life to bring Great Things.

Damn, They Put Their Foot In This

This week, I was lucky enough to hit up Llama Inn again for more tasty food. Later, a solo lunch at O’Tooles Way because if you can’t be alone with your thoughts and take yourself out on a date, you need to evaluate some things.

Remember:

-Adrian