Good Morning Friends! Here are my 5 Things to Consider this week!
Culture – Compassion for people’s personal experiences. Barack Obama has spoken about our ability to “recognize ourselves in each other.” Having empathy, or the ability to relate and understand the feelings of someone else is something we place extreme value on as a company and is the reason we “take people as they are.” The fact is, we can never truly know exactly how someone else feels. What we can do, as leaders, is realize that everyone has a different and personal journey that has lead them to this point. When we exercise self-reflection and compassion for our team members and their personal experiences, we demonstrate our ability to connect with and understand them. In turn, we amplify and increase our understanding of ourselves and how OUR individual experiences got us to where we are. Being able to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” will allow you to connect with them on a deeper level and helps to foster a mutual respect toward one another. Compassionate people are better able to consider their own and other’s needs and are more likely to help and forgive others. Exactly the type of leader we want.
Leadership – I found this poem in a book recently and I love it so much I want to share it with you. I want my child to grow up always knowing this poem. Please enjoy.
DESIDERATA
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann c.1920
History – The Sacred Palm. When we had the idea of doing a “speakeasy” at the High and Vine, I had a million ideas. It wasn’t until Bobby, the guy who builds our bars (and one of our best friends), finished the downstairs bar in a style that was way more “tropical and Islandy” than I had planned. I thought, we have to go TIKI down here! Most Tiki bars rely too much on kitschy shit. Lots of knick knacks everywhere. I wanted to combine that with something a little more floral and loungey. One of my favorite bars in the world is called The Peppermill Lounge in Las Vegas. It’s like stepping into the inside of a mirror ball. I would love to do more Palms one day. I’ll touch on walking through the walk-in next week!
Motivation – “if you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If YOU want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama
What I’m Reading or Watching – Brexit. This past Sunday, 60 Minutes had this really awesome segment on the former UK Speaker of House, John Bercow, and the current situation of the Brexit deal. I’m not going to explain the entire situation in this paragraph, but I find it really fascinating to watch what the UK is politically going through. You can draw many similarities between our (the US’s) current situation and theirs. Global vs. National. Def worth a watch if you have 12 min. Check it out HERE.
Baby Update – Oh what fun having a newborn is. Seriously. It’s a blast. Now sometimes, like the time that literally just happened to me, it can be challenging. I’ll set the scene. I’m on the couch, bottle feeding William, catching up on my weekly political satire when I noticed the smell of sour milk. I quickly realize the little monster had just shit his pants. This isn’t a regular thing lately because (evidently) newborns around his age stop shitting every day and switch to a “every 3 to 4 day” poop schedule. TMI, I know but you asked. Anyway, I noticed his P-jays have some dark spots on them too which means this is going to be a real fucking mess. Oh boy was it. It was like someone opened his outfit and poured hot baby shit in by the bowl full. After stripping him down, discarding the mess, washing him in the sink, and drying him off, the little fucker had the audacity to start peeing on me! I was like, “kid, are you fucking with me?!?!” I’m laughing as I type this, having changed my clothes twice tonight and thinking about how funny and oddly normal life is now. Newborns are just so helpless and funny…and stinky.
Thanks for reading! Like or hate any part of this? Let me know! I really value your feedback.
Have a great week!
5 Things to Consider Archive 