Your Daily Focus: Snow Day
When you have the perfect career, work can become more fun than fun.
This morning my entire world has turned into a winter wonderland. It is a complete miracle of nature. The foot of snow and the brisk winds have created an artistic swirling re-design of the physical world around me. Smooth white curves, peaks and valleys replace the usual stiff lines of roads, homes, and sidewalks. It looks like a still picture of waves on the ocean. It is truly breathtakingly beautiful.
As a side effect of all the beauty nature has provided this morning, I get a “Snow Day.” Yesterday afternoon the school system, most businesses, and medical offices all announced they would be closed today. That means my son is home, I can make no professional visits to offices, and can do no errands. A Snow Day is an opportunity to do whatever I like for as long as I like, with no obligations.
As this concept sunk in yesterday, I realized I was saying to myself, “Great, I can stay home and work all day!” This feeling really created clarity for me. Most of us have a day job to pay the bills and a passion that we would spend every free moment doing if we had the choice. I realized this passion was to work on Extreme Thought Makeover… my true life’s mission.
In my book I speak about developing a life and career mission statement to use to help with all decisions about what to commit time doing in your life. The idea is to line up your energy with actions and goals that will be truly satisfying long-term.
Here’s another way to test it. If you were given a Snow Day today, what would you spend the entire day doing? You have the choice to spend all day doing what you truly love to do. If you are already doing that in your life, then your career and life are in perfect alignment.
This was really a fun realization for me. Think about it for yourself, and see what comes up. It is important. Be sure to honor the answers that come to you, and make a commitment to move toward them a little each day. Don’t forget what your Snow Day felt like.
Okay, I gotta go and enjoy the rest of my Entrepreneur’s Snow Day!
Rick,
I was so lucky as to have a snow day yesterday and today! Your post is so spot on because I spent my entire day, from 7am to 5pm working on my businesses…and loved it!
The plan today is to focus on 2 new businesses I am ramping up, read a book called Desire by John Eldridge and spend some quality time with my wife-to-be and favorite puppy!
The way you describe the landscape right now is what I see when I am in Colorado. It is all about perspective. Snow is truly one of God’s wonders. It is beautiful and pure. I love the memories it brings back to me of all the trips to the mountains.
Figuring out what your snow day would be like is a great exercise. I can’t wait to see other posts.
Kevin
Ahhhhh yes a snow day. There is a 5 ft. wave of snow blocking my garage door and a “snow angel” neighbor with a big blowing machine is clearing it as I sit at my computer in my nice warm home. And thank you Rick, I am doing exactly what I love and have been for 24 years of life coaching. A perfect thing for me to do today is get all of my papers organized for taxes….what a luxury a whole day to just puttz and organize and breathe and maybe make a couple of phone calls to friends because we will actually have time to just chat. A big kettle of steaming chicken soup is simmering on the stove and will be a reward for my snow blowing and shoveling “angels”. Thank you all snow angels.
What perfect timing. I have been sick and needed this day to catch up so I can give my clients the insane amount of energy they want for every workout. So today, I am working on a cooking class to present to my clients to help their lives become stress free in the kitchen. I can tell them over and over what to do, but when I show it to those visual learners (like myself) it’ll totally click. I haven’t had time to organize it until today. Thank you Snowtorious B.I.G. Lots of love Rick. Oh – and I get to work next to my best friend and future husband all day, this is so much fun. Back to work!
My work does not have an option to close. We are the place people stop at when they realize that they should not have tried driving. I’m the manager at a hotel. And because we have no option of closing and I run the risk of staff not being able to make it in, I spent my snow night & snow day at the hotel working. And while I do like my job, it’s not my passion. However, I do get to enjoy one great aspect of my job and that is when I am able to help someone. Whether it’s keeping myself updated and guests informed about the weather/road closings/snow plow updates, or helping to shovel someone out of their spot, or re-opening breakfast for the 3rd shifters who haven’t eaten yet and don’t dare to venture out into the snow storm, or teasing the construction crew about filling up on free cookies in my lobby and getting snow all over the hard wood floors from just having pushed other vehicles out of their stalls. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that while my job may not be my life’s mission right now, I find aspects of that mission in everything I do. There is always a silver lining, and it’s our job to find that.
Hi Amber, I love how you stated that: “I find aspects of my life mission in everything I do.” That is a really nice way to focus on the positive aspects. In turn, those positive aspects will grow and grow. You have offered great wisdom. Thanks.
It’s all in the perspective. For sure! I did the same. Except I was doinging it as the storm was passing last night. Life is such that even in the middle of the storm there are things we can appreciate.
Rick,
Snow Day! If you have children, you know what that means. I could have planned on working all day (it’s not like years ago; most of us have computer access to work now from home) but since I work every day and some weekends, it was a time I now had to spend with my child. What precious time. Every one makes the same statement, “they grow up so fast.” Make the most of every moment. We couldn’t get out the door, the snow was piled high against the door and in the driveway. It was going to be a waiting game, hoping that the man with the plow could make it to our house…so, we played, we baked cookies, we found the board games we hadn’t looked at for a while, we sang, we played music – t o g e t h e r. We all need a “snow day” with our children. We should give ourselves one even without any snow!
Laurie, I love that idea… “give ourselves a surprise snow day even without any snow”
Great one! thanks