Sometimes You Just Have to Step Away

No. I'm not walking away from my job! Get that out of your mind right away. (Yeah, I can hear a few of you muttering though...). Sometimes you just have to step away and relax.

Sarah and I spent the past 4 days in Northern Michigan. We really enjoy ourselves on these mini-vacations. We've been spending long weekends to week-long vacations on the Leelanau Peninsula for quite a few years now. Here's a quick shout out to Tammy at Nature's Rentals. She's been great to work with. If you are considering renting "up north", use her. Tell her that Sarah told you to call!

Stepping away from the busy work schedule was refreshing. For today's post I'll be stepping away from my normal "sales" insights and provide a quick glimpse into the past four days.

Thursday:

1. Photography in Traverse City at the Grand Traverse Commons. There's nothing like a nutcase pretending to be a photographer on the site of the former Northern Michigan Asylum. (Just in case you're curious, the nutcase is me, not my wife. She's the true artist!)
2. Wine Tasting at the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula - We discovered another new friend, although he sounds like he might be a little accident prone, at Bluestone Winery
3. 4 Mile Run - downhill and uphill.
4. Dinner at Fischer's Happy Hour Tavern, located just south of Northport

Friday:

1. Wine Tasting on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail
2. Lunch in Sutton's Bay at the 45th Parallel Café
3. Hike and Photography at the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain and the abandoned ski resort. For some fascinating reading about a controversial subject, check out the Leelanau Blog.
4. 4 Mile Run - downhill and uphill
5. Dinner at Western Grill in Glen Arbor

SIDE NOTE: Friday night the wind blew incessantly. Hard to sleep. Thought the windows were going to implode. Fun stuff!

Saturday:

1. Relaxing morning drinking coffee and reading the GR Press and Flipboard on the iPad while Sarah went out to shoot some more pictures around the area.
2. Gill's Pier Winery - yup, it was only 11am, but hey, you have to start some time, right? I'm not a huge Cherry Wine kind of guy, but their Cherrio Wine is stellar!
3. Lunch at The Cove in Leland
4. Photography around Historic Fishtown in Leland
5. A little more wine tasting...
6. No 4 Mile Run - Too dang windy... Super windy - and cold!
7. Dinner at a very cool new Bed & Breakfast/Inn called Little Traverse Inn. The pub is called The Gastro Pub. Take some time at that webpage to learn more about this recently re-opened facility. The wait staff was great, as was the food!

Sunday:

1. 4 Mile Run
2. Breakfast: Asparagus/Tomato/Feta Omelet
3. Coffee/GR Press/Flipboard
4. Sarah goes out to shoot some more photographs
5. 11am. Pack up and leave.

Now about those 4 Mile Runs and the hills.... Yeah, on 2 of the 3 runs, the hills kicked my butt! I walked about halfway up. I hate walking when I'm supposed to be running... Ego & Pride!

On Thursday, it was a slow slough, and walk, up the 1.2 mile hill on Sugar Loaf Mt Road, from M-22 up to the top and our condo which was located on the 18th hole of Sugar Loaf The Old Course Golf Course)

Friday, I thought I would reverse my route, fully knowing that it was going to be a downhill/uphill route either way. However, my logic was if I go down the long 1.2 mile hill on Sugar Loaf Mt Road, then I'll only have the big ass hill on S.Town Line Rd. The Problem: I was so focused on the big ass hill that I forgot about the 2 other slightly less big ass hills that follow. (Yes, Mallory, I feel your pinches for my poor word choice all the from Marquette). Once again, the hill kicked my butt. Ran up half. Walked the rest of the way up. (Although I did run up the next two...)

Now it became a challenge! I made up my mind that I was going to conquer the S. Town Line Rd big ass hills - all three!

As you know, Saturday, no run.

So, Sunday AM @ 7:45am I head out. Down the 1.2 mile hill on Sugar Loaf Mt Road. Turn right on to M-22. (Only 1 car passed me. I was able to jog in the middle of road where it was level). Turn right on to S. Town Line Rd and there it is - the big ass hill!

It's a brutal 1.7 mile climb punctuated by this first, and the true big ass hill. The two lesser big ass hills are yet to come. Conquer B.A.H #1 and be rewarded with two more bad boys.

I put my head down and told myself that I wouldn't look up until I reached the top. With my heart pounding and my lungs wheezing I approach what has to be the top of BAH1, I hear rustling to my left and I am promptly rewarded with 6 deer busting out of the woods and crossing the road a mere 10 yards in front of me. As I watch them cross (while still running, by the way), I notice I'm approaching the top. As I crest the hill I raise both arms Rocky-style ("Yo Adrian, I did it!"). I slow to a walk. Breathing hard (and loud, probably what startled the deer) with my heart flip flopping in my chest, I walk for about 30 feet. Starting to run again, I conquer BAH2 and BAH3. At the top of BAH3 I turn right in to the drive for the condo, returning home a conqueror.

As Chet Holmes, the author of The Ultimate Sales Machine says you have to have, “pigheaded discipline and determination” to succeed!

Sometimes you just have to step away...

Book Reading - Why

I came across a gem of an article today while scanning Flipboard. It validated my love of reading and supported the "why" I read. The article, from The Huffington Post is called: 7 Unconventional Reasons Why You Absolutely Should Be Reading Books

Interestingly enough, it also reminded me that I need to read for more than the one or two purposes I currently choose to invest my reading time on.

A quick snap shot of the 7 Unconventional Reasons detailed in the article:

1. Reading might help strengthen your "mind-reading" abilities (Science journal)
2. Reading can chill you out
3. It could help keep your brain sharp
4. And it might even stave off Alzheimer's disease
5. Reading may help you sleep better
6. Getting lost in a good book could also make you more empathetic
7. Self-help books, on the other hand, can ease depression

Some of my all-time favorite books are:

1. The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
2. Lucas Davenport PREY Series - John Sandford
3. Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
4. A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
5. Winter: Notes from Montana - Rick Bass

 

I have many, many additional favorite authors. Ivan Doig comes to mind. So does Jeffrey Gitomer and Tom Hopkins. PJ Parrish, two sisters, writes great mystery novels. So does Steve Hamilton. All of his are based in Michigan, most in the Upper Peninsula.

 

 

There's no doubt that books have formed me. Now, in addition to "forming me", I know they help me read minds, chill out, sharpen my brain, keep away Alzheimer's, sleep better, be more empathetic, and ease depression.

Books = Knowledge = Love

"The Ghosts of Fear"

Well... I've made it. I started reading Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich about 4 months ago. It was my "breakfast book".

When I'm home (which doesn't seem to be very often these days), during my ritualistic bowl of cereal, I read 2-3 pages of a personal improvement book. I've been doing it for years. (Note: For those who know, or care, I've switched from my beloved Frosted Mini Wheats to the gluten free, Cinnamon Flavored Rice Chex. Hey, I'm counting calories!)

The last chapter is called, "The Six Ghosts of Fear". I've enjoyed this chapter. So much so, that I find myself only finishing 1-2 pages each day. There have been so many discovered nuggets that I've purposefully re-read many paragraphs.

I thought I'd share some of those nuggets with you:

• "Indecision is the seedling of fear! Indecision crystallizes into doubt, the two blend and become fear. The blending process often is slow. This is one reason why these three enemies (indecision, doubt, and fear) are so dangerous. They germinate and grow without their presence being observed".

• "There are six basic fears, with some combination of which every human suffers at one time or another... Named in the order of there most common appearance, they are: POVERTY, CRITICISM, ILL HEALTH, LOST LOVE, OLD AGE, and DEATH

• "Fears are nothing more than states of mind. One's state of mind is subject to control and direction"

• "Nature has endowed man with absolute control over but one thing, and that is thought"

• "Self-analysis may disclose weaknesses which one does not like to acknowledge. This form of examination is essential to all who demand of life more than mediocrity and poverty"

• "Worry is a state of mind based upon fear. It works slowly but persistently. It is insidious and subtle"

• "Worry is a form of sustained fear caused by indecision: therefore it is a state of mind which can be controlled"

• "Kill the habit of worry, in all its forms, by reaching a general, blanket decision that nothing which life has to offer is worth the price of worry"

• "You have absolute control over but one thing, and this is your thoughts. This is the most significant and inspiring of all facts known to man!... If you fail to control your own mind, you may be sure you will control nothing else."

Here are those Six Fears once again:

• Poverty
• Criticism
• Ill Health
• Lost Love
• Old Age
• Death

Hill proceeds to offer symptoms of each fear. These sections of the chapter are the best reading!

My encouragement to you: Buy the book. You can buy by clicking the name of the book here: Think and Grow Rich

Once you've read it, start over. That's what I'm doing. Feed your mind with positive knowledge every day