Remembrances (Remembrance Day)

Remembrances (Remembrance Day)

It started in grade school, continued through my high school years and never waned during my adult and now my mid-life years.

While I cannot explain my affinity it is as much a part of me as my freckles.

Wadded Kleenex is jammed in my pockets for the tears I know will come. Sun, sleet or snow I stand in unity at a Cenotaph of my home place of the moment (Kitchener, Hespeler, Guelph, Thornhill, Scarborough), shuddering at times from the day’s harsh weather, but, no, more honestly the shudders rise from the sorrow my heart bears for the dead, the lost, their loved ones.

I remember being tyrant-like to my brother when we were young, because I would make him watch the TV ceremony from Ottawa – the before and after. There has always been a pull, a need I never understood, compelling me to mark the day in my small significant way.

Blessed to not have experienced the war I only heard snippets and stories from my Grandpa Rayner and his time in the Sudan (and I was in awe of the mammoth and colourful butterfly tattoo on his chest!). He was a decorated Sargent Major in the British army and my father, a Korean Veteran, never speaks of his time serving – and for me … I was too young to remember Vietnam, so it was during my time at the University of Guelph that I found the honoring and respect equal to my heart.  War Memorial Hall at Guelph is a beautiful historic building honouring our veterans and I recall President Rozanski, one year, delivering a compelling and moving service, so moving I wrote thanking him and his staff.

When my daughter Michelle was born in 1987 I vowed that while the rest of the world rather ignored Remembrance Day (pitiful turnouts!) I would share with her my thoughts and feelings of the day’s importance. Each year I took her out of school and we spent the day together – first the Cenotaph, then lunch, then Michelle and Mommy time.  Just to be grateful, to be free, to be alive and to be Canadian.

One year when Michelle was 8 or 9 she was so moved she wrote a poem for our veterans and the Cambridge Times published it! … So sorry that I do not have a copy which has been lost in all my moves … we were so proud of our little girl – she got it!

This year my husband Bob and I volunteered as poppy people – you know – those folk you see with boxes in front of stores and it was a wonderful experience – yes, even here in the GTA people stopped to talk and share their stories of how war has touched them, their family or to say thank you.  Tears again traced my cheeks, this year, a balm to my sorrow.

Tonight we attend a Remembrance ceremony and tomorrow I’ll be at the local legion’s Cenotaph — Kleenex in hand, tears no doubt will fall, this time I feel my heart will be lighter as we begin to fully honour our valiant heroes and heroines.

Christine

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Looking Back and Moving Forward

What’s possible?

If you are a business owner or sales professional now is the time for dreams, plans and action steps for the new year and here are a few ways to help you start the process, so let’s get curious together: You’ll need a note pad and pencil or your tablet/phone.

Looking Back:
  1. Celebrate your successes: list 3-5 successes in 2016
  2. For each success how did you celebrate? Jot down each celebration you had.
  3. For those that slipped by without recognition – what will you do now to reward your accomplishment?
  4. What happened this last year that you didn’t anticipate?
  5. How did you manage this unexpected change?

          A.  List what you did well           B. If it recurs – what will you do differently

 

Moving Forward:
  1. Aspirations: What do you want for the coming year? I mean REALLY, REALLY want — It may be more sales, increased income, less stress and more family time.  Here is where you dream BIG — jot down your big,big, hairy audacious goals!
  2. What does having this dream give you — what’s your reward? Perhaps a new summer deck, a vacation, stress-free ‘me’ time, time with your family and friends, less work and more play …. you get the idea — what’s the payoff for you — YOU – no one else counts here.
  3.  How will you know you’ve got it?  What sign-posts will you see? ie: I work only 2 evenings instead of 3 evenings per week, I’ve earned and saved money to attain my goal. Now, create tangible points for each dream for you to track your progress to.
  4. What needs to happen to make these dreams this coming year? Be specific, be concise – what action steps need to happen.Here’s a formula for you to use in business and home:For example if my dream is to go to St. Maarten (my FAVOURITE holiday spot!) in December 2017 I need to do the following things:
    1. Research cost
    2. Set my budget with monthly saving goal (goal setting)
    3. Put in place weekly and monthly savings program (action steps)
    4. Check-in and benchmark my progress to what’s actually happening (accountability)
    5. Tweak (accelerate/decelerate or modify my original plan) (adaptability)
    6. Do the happy dance and celebrate!Continue to work your plan and enlist support of friends, colleagues or a professional to help you stay on track (good intentions and all of that!), stay focused and motivated to reach YOUR dreams.

      A Business Example:
      1. Goal: Increase # of sales
      2. Research: What is my target – income/sales target etc.
      3. What do I need to do to reach my goal (ie: what # of prospects, presentations and closes do I need)
      4. What level of activity do I need for each step above to reach my goal? (action steps)
      5. Check-in and benchmark my progress to what’s actually happening (accountability)
      6. Tweak (accelerate/decelerate or modify my original plan) (adaptability)
      7. Do the happy dance and celebrate!Continue to work your plan and enlist support of friends, colleagues or a professional to help you stay on track (good intentions and all of that!), stay focused and motivated to reach YOUR dreams

      Business planning tools and resources are available to help you in business as well as “Your Winning Package” my tool to help you to become YOUR champion in life – to track and celebrate your successes (daily, weekly, monthly) and if you’re interested in receiving this, just send me an email Christine@FusionEnterprises.net or holler to me at 1+ 647 274 0033   ‘