Absence Makes The Heart…

I have mentioned many times in this blog of mine that I’m a sentimental guy. When I latch onto something I am not only loyal to a fault but fiercely dedicated to whoever or whatever is important to me.

This is a continuation of last week’s post called Not So Silly Signs. I thought I would write about it again this week and expand the topic about not only loving what you do, but missing your work when you’re not doing it. Stay tuned to the end, please.

Since I started my online business and have been working at home, I have found that there are a lot of benefits. I get to choose how I spend my time, I prioritize tasks I feel are important, and I even get to choose when I have lunch and what snacks are available in the break room (my kitchen 😊 ).

An unexpected perk is the ability to see my grandchildren pretty much anytime I want. We are very blessed that they live close to us and we can go see these young children and play with them and love on them to our heart’s content. However, it seems that my heart is never content in this area as I have the desire to be with them all the time. In short, they make me smile and they make me feel young.

My wife is my best friend. But other than her, I have found that the people I desire to be around the most are my family, specifically, those young smiling, wonderfully made perfect faces! Guilty as charged… I am a proud grandfather! This last Saturday my grandchildren and their mom left to go see some family out of state for a few weeks. My son will be joining them later.

What I didn’t plan for was how much I would miss them. I know, it’s silly, they’re just going to be going for a few weeks and I get to see them all the time. But I have become accustomed to their presence. Thank goodness for FaceTime as I still get to see their faces and hear their sweet voices. Being a grandparent is a unique experience. It is so strangely odd to watch your children have children and that bond you make with your children’s children is indescribable.

I try to learn from every experience in life and this one is no different. No, I’m not grieving their loss because I haven’t lost them. I’m just missing them because I don’t currently have the opportunity to drop everything and pick them up for a playday. From this experience I am reminded not to take things for granted.

There are so many things that we take for granted when things are going well. For example, when we are not ill, we tend to just go on with our normal routine without a thought about being thankful that we’re not sick. But when we’re sick, we really think about being well.

I’m not heartbroken that my children and grandchildren are gone for this short time. I just miss them and missing them gives me the unique opportunity to be thankful for them and thankful for the time that I get to spend with them. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Those words ring true!

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

I never knew that running an online business could be so difficult and so rewarding at the same time. In my previous career I found fulfillment over what we were able to accomplish with the resources available. But this online thing is different… different in a good way.

I have total control over many things and that hasn’t always been the case. There are things that impact my business that I cannot influence, yet I have the ability to adjust and pivot as needed. I wasn’t always able to do that in my previous career.

When things are challenging in my new business, it is easy to forget why I am doing this and it is also easy to forget all of the good that comes from sacrifice and overcoming those challenges.

I have found that when things are not going as planned and if I practice mindfulness and live in that moment, I usually find a way around or out of a challenge.

As I think about what I’ve been able to accomplish over the last few years, I can’t imagine not doing what I’m doing right now. I would absolutely miss it. I would not only miss the work, but I would miss what this business has given me. It has given me the gift of time to spend with those that I want to spend time with whenever I want. It has given me a new found sense of pride that I still have the ability to learn new things and be successful. It has given me energy in a way that I did not think was possible for a guy my age at this time in my life and career.

Yeah, I would miss my business if it were not around.

As I previously discussed another blog post, it is vitally important to take a break when a break is needed. It is necessary to understand that my business does not define me but is a part of me. And when I need to step away, I will absolutely take the time that I need to gather myself. But I know I must return! I know I must return because I know the rewards it gives me, which are more than just financial security. It is so much more!

So, when I step away, I find myself missing it. But I also find myself prioritizing my life in a different way. With my former job I worked all the time. When I was not at work I was still working in my mind.

I find now that I am working all the time but it is a different type of work. It is the type of work that gives me the fulfillment that is needed, and that makes it worthwhile. It is the type of work that allows me to drop what I’m doing to take my wife to lunch. It is the type of work that allows me to take a phone call from my daughter-in-law and grab a kid or two to take to the park so that she can accomplish something or go shopping. It is the type of work that allows me to be me, again!

I am grateful for the chance to do what I do as I know not everybody has the same opportunity. And I would absolutely miss it if I were not able to work my business and write these silly blogs.

I’m curious, are you in a situation where you would miss what you are doing for a living if you lost it? If not, are you open to investigating new experiences to have that feeling?

Last week I talked about being open to receiving signs of when it’s time to make a change and embrace an opportunity. Today’s sign is to appreciate what you have while you have it!

I think it’s time to take a break from what I’m doing right now and consider tapping a few buttons on my phone hoping that a little child will answer with a big smile and saying those words that melt my heart every single time, “Hi Pop!”

“It is my practice to try to understand how valuable something is by trying to imagine myself without it.” — Herb Kelleher

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” — Steve Jobs

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

“Parenting is serious business. Grandparenting? That’s stand-up comedy with snacks.”

“I’m not saying my work from home setup is too relaxed, but I just did a Zoom meeting with a dog, a cup of coffee, and no pants.”

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

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