So, today I travelled a couple hundred miles from home to indulge in breakfast at my absolute favorite coffee shop. Sadly, the shop is closing next week, but the next part of the owners’ and employees’ journey will certainly be just as rewarding and exciting.

Having said that, I will certainly miss them. The service was always incredible, and I feel like I’ve connected with the staff here... in spite of the distance and the infrequency of my visits.

I’m currently reading The Happiness Project, and it’s providing me with some profound insights into myself and my life. It’s an admirable mission to strive for happiness, although it may oftentimes require a bit of soul searching. In it, the author has her twelve commandments she lives by and keeps returning to when encountering obstacles, the first of which is “Be Gretchen.”

Be you.

That’s powerful, isn’t it?

I have always enjoyed road trips, whether in small, fun groups or in solitude. For me, it has always been about the journey... not the destination. That’s not to say I don’t have dreams or goals, I’m just enjoying the ride. Sometimes, I’m afraid that the journey often distracts me from achieving the dream or the goal—a very real possibility, so I’m still striving to find that balance between enjoying the adventure and making progress towards something that will, at the very least, support my habit.

Which is why I’m okay with today’s adventure. It gave me a moment to visit some people I genuinely care about, and to wish them well. It gave me an opportunity to leisurely enjoy breakfast. I’m sitting in a rocking chair by the fireplace, just reading my book, writing this post, and sipping my Earl Grey.

Some days, life is pretty good. Actually, most days are if you take a step back and put each day in perspective.

Enjoy life. Enjoy yourself. Be you.

Last night I decided to take in a movie. I’m always obsessed with period pieces, and history, and pop culture, and history of successful (and not so successful) businesses, plus I always enjoy Michael Keaton’s performances... so I screened The Founder in a theater all to myself.

Keaton, as McDonald’s Ray Kroc, used a lot of inspirational quotes from history as he practiced persistence. I give you this quote, apparently attributed to Calvin Coolidge: (emphasis mine)

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

That really speaks to me. “Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.” Shit, that’s the story of my life!

Seriously. Like, I need that right in front of me at. all. times. I need that quote in front of me so I can get that handled.

Ironically, I used to practice persistence myself. No, it wasn’t to get what I wanted in life or business.

It was to get a girl. The girl. The one from high school that you can’t get out of your mind.

And I was such a chump at the time. Had I known then what I know now, I’d have interpreted “You are SO persistent” as “You are SO CLOSE!”

But no, I misread that and shut that shit down. And lost her.

It was many years later, before I finally had her, at the drive-in. Are the lambs still screaming, Clarisse? We fell in love that night, for one night.

Yet, I still have to get it through my head: persistence is NOT a bad thing. Persistence will get you what you want. More than talent. More than genius. More than education.

Press on.

What i'm listening to:

Absolution
The Pretty Reckless
Going to Hell

I’m getting used to this idea of the power of positive thinking. Occasionally you get these glimpses of it.

For instance, there’s a line from Bridges of Madison County that spoke to me... and has become one of the themes of my life.

If you look at change as something you can count on, then it can be a comfort. There’s not many things you can count on.

Combine that with the axiom mentioned in Mad Men:

Change isn’t good or bad. It just is.

It becomes apparent that change is, quite possibly, the only constant in our lives... maybe even the universe.

Which means change is to be embraced. Change is to be celebrated. We can change. We can have it all.

But it all starts within. I am committed to change myself and my life for the better.

I’ve got this. Time to hold my breath and jump right in.

What i'm listening to:

Another Day in Paradise
Phil Collins
... But Seriously

There’s this meme that pops back up on the Facebook now and again. It always makes me laugh, even though deep down it makes me sad.

I saw a guy today at the coffee shop. He had no smartphone, tablet or laptop. He just sat there drinking his coffee. Like a psychopath.

This is the reality we live in now. Seriously, what did we do before cell phones?

Today, I went out to run errands and grab lunch. About halfway to the grocery store, it occurred to me I forgot my phone at home. No big deal, this time I know what I need to pick up and don’t need to rely on the list in the phone, and I’m not expecting any calls anyway.

I didn’t really miss it... until lunch. On the occasions I eat alone, the phone is there to draw me into another world. Today, however, I just sat there. Eating my lunch. Like a psychopath. No, not really, but that meme was on my mind the entire time. It was nice to converse with other diners and people watch for a change.

Maybe I’ll leave it at home again. A reminder that there is a world outside of our pockets.

What i'm listening to:

I Wanna Go
Britney Spears
Femme Fatale

Wow!

It’s also been ten years since I’ve set any sort of reading goal for the year and held myself accountable for that goal. That year I set a meager goal of 18 books. Looking back, I hit 16 of 18.

Not certain how I feel about that.

This year is definitely about rebuilding myself and my life and holding myself accountable. One realization that has helped me back into the proper mindset is this: I’m exploring a new business opportunity, an extraordinary, timely and trendy business opportunity. Successfully landing only TWO clients, will replace my income at my current day job. Successfully landing EIGHT, opens up the entire world for me.

Don’t get me wrong. While this appears simple, it’s not “easy.” There will be plenty of hard work, but it’ll be liberating to work for myself again, and no longer punch a clock that I spend the rest of the day watching... bored out of my mind because I’m not doing anything that excites me or builds passion.

To that end, this year, I’m setting the lofty goal of 50 books read by the end of the year. Ten years ago, I might have considered that totally unattainable, but I’m currently devouring information and books and I’m eager to learn how to better live and market myself doing so... so fifty, it is.

Ideally, I’d like to hit 50 early and see just how many books I can read in a year.

Plus, to hold myself accountable, I’ll occasionally check-in with posts like this, but I’ll also maintain a list to the right of books I’ve finished, in addition to the “Currently reading” that has resided there... forever.

One down...

What i'm listening to:

Kickstart My Heart
Mötley Crüe
Dr. Feelgood

Wow... I remember when this was announced. An iPod. A phone. A portable internet device. All in one.

Revolutionary.

I kid about going back to my flip phone someday, but honestly iPhones have features I could never live without. Like number blocking. And wired earbuds.

I hope someday the phones get small again. But for now, my iPhone SE makes me happy.

I'll have to dig out my original iPhone and play with it for a bit tonight. Truly an innovative device...

And the red death held sway over all.

Seriously, I hate being sick.

What i'm listening to:

Sit Still, Look Pretty
Daya
Daya EP