Walk Into the Future

Category: Mentoring

  • First Day of School Vibes!

    original_adcdf8c8-7ce1-4ddf-9f83-d8cbde61039a_20240821_080702

    “The first day of school is the beginning of a new chapter in life”.

    (Unknown)

    What’s the best that can happen?  This is one of my new mantras for 2024.  I started leveraging this within the work environment and decided to expand to the Walk into the Future blog.

    This is a simple question with the potential for huge returns in daily life and activities.

    I decided to bring this concept to life for the first day of the 2024 – 2025 academic year.  The first day is always filled with excitement and the promise of big things happening with campus partners, students and employers looking to hire talent.

    I made a promise to one of my friends to wear a tuxedo on the first day of classes last year.  We laughed at the concept at the time but agreed we would rock tuxedos and walk around so students could see how great we looked.  This would have been out of character for both of us, so we were sure to get some weird looks and questions from students, faculty and staff.  Why are you wearing tuxedos to work? Well, the first day of school came and went last year but I did not wear my tuxedo as planned.  My friend Frank passed away unexpectedly, and I didn’t feel right wearing my tuxedo.  I didn’t want to have to explain why I was wearing the tuxedo—thought it was too soon to complete the agreement and didn’t want others to feel bad.

    So, fast forward to this year and my mindset has changed.  What’s the best that can happen?  Wearing the tuxedo was a great way to honor the agreement I made with Frank and put a smile on the face of others.  Not many people knew about the agreement so my tuxedo entrance at work caught a few people off guard in a good way.

    The ironic aspect of my first day of school outfit was the impact it had on different generations. 

    People close to my age focused on the tuxedo, my shirt and tie.  They were extremely complimentary of my formal outfit and how it made me stand out. 

    What’s the best that can happen?  The students had a completely different view of my outfit.  I decided to add a little flair to my outfit by rocking blue and white Air Jordan 1’s instead of formal dress shoes.  Wanted to have fun with the outfit and the Air Jordan 1’s gave me a way to enhance my outfit and create conversations at the same time.

    Students that never would have approached me kept coming up to introduce themselves and ask me about my J’s (that’s what young people call Jordan Brand shoes).  Had no idea what they were talking about but played it off since they were interested in talking to me.  The students did not view me as an Associate Vice President but a fellow sneaker head who likes to wear formal clothing while rocking J’s. 😊  The day was filled with smiles, laughter and bonding over my decision to finally wear my tuxedo to work. 

    My colleagues were curious as to why I was wearing a tuxedo to work and were understanding when I told them the true reason why I wore the tuxedo.  I decided it was time to honor an agreement I made, and they fully supported it once I let them in on the secret.

    What’s the best that can happen on the first day of school?  Rocking a tuxedo with J’s is a great way to get multiple generations talking and sharing experiences.  I had the most fun just walking around and saying hello to people—the outfit seemed to disarm folks and made them want to chat.

    The experience was great for me and I’m happy I completed the pledge.  Will I rock a tuxedo again next year?  Yep, I will bring the outfit out again to connect with the next wave of students.  What’s the best that can happen?  You decide!

    Irie!

    “The first day of school is a blank page in the journey of education”.

    (Unknown)

    original_13e42680-a309-4dc4-8ef9-67d560989f56_20240821_080707

  • Five Minute Thursday: Favorite teacher

    Resized_20200119_135346_94342322931771

    “My teacher gave me the best gift of all…believing in me”.

    (Unknown)

    The Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt has been a fun detour with my blog writing. Never thought I would enjoy a scripted prompt this much, but it has become a staple writing exercise for me.

    So, let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run.  Not sure if I shared this in an earlier post but I am a proficient typist.  I signed up for 10th grade Typing 1 class with designs to meet girls in high school.  Turns out the skills I learned in this class as a 15-year-old have propelled my professional life and opened numerous doors for me.  I would not be able to crank out weekly blog posts without the ability to type and put my thoughts down. I type as fast as I think so getting a lot of content completed is an easy task for me.  Never imagined my attempt to meet girls in high school would provide me with a skill that helped me separate from my peers.

    My fifth prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  My Favorite teacher—Mattie Fouraker.

    I officially met Mrs. Fouraker in the 10th grade, and she was my typing teacher.  She took a special interest in me and decided that I would learn how to type well in the year we had together.  She also decided that I was not in her class to meet young ladies and put me on the far end of her class so my interactions would be limited.  She made a point to get onto anyone who distracted me while I was in her class.  This set-up created a typing incubator that allowed me to thrive in her class and taught me a valuable skill that I leverage daily.  I was recognized as the best typist in class with a 65 words per minute with 99% accuracy rating—not bad for someone in class just to meet girls. 😊  Our football coach always made a point to identify I had the best hands on the football team—not bad for a wide receiver.

    Mrs. Fouraker made a point to keep taps on me throughout the rest of my time in high school.  She always made me feel special and provided life advice on the best way forward.  I never took another class with her, but she continued to mentor me daily.  I progressed to Typing 2 the following year but did not enjoy the class as much because I was just another student to the teacher in that class.  My typing skill level remained sharp based on the tools Mrs. Fouraker helped me develop in my time with her.

    Our relationship continued during my time in the Air Force.  We shared cards and letters over the years that helped us stay connected over the decades.  She remains one of my biggest advocates and follows the Walk into the Future blog weekly.  I will visit her when time permits when I return home to Jasper, Florida.  Mrs. Fouraker lives one town over in White Springs, Florida and it puts a smile on my face when I stop by.

    Amazing what a teacher that believes in you can do to propel your life forward!

    Thanks, Mrs. Fouraker for guiding me over the years! 😊

    Who is your favorite teacher?  Do they know that?

    Irie!

    “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery”.

    (Mark Van Doren)

  • IRSC River Talk

    River Talk

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

    My Walk into the Future continues to provide me with opportunities for growth. These growth opportunities are leveraged to create additional tree branches (mentees).

    My latest adventure was a partnership to return to the IRSC River Talk show to share information about my areas of responsibility and to answer questions posed by the host.  I did a spot on River Talk maybe a year and a half ago.  It was still a new show on the IRSC Radio Network, and we covered a lot of ground for that show.

    River Talk has a new host, and she reached out to ask if I wanted to come back on the show to provide an update on my departments for her listeners.  I rarely say no to an opportunity to share information, so I agreed to a return engagement.

    Met the host in the radio studio a few minutes before we started recording.  She identified she had done some extensive research on me (LinkedIn, Blog, Leadership training) and was excited to learn more about me during the interview.  I thought this was going to be a standard interview about my work at IRSC, but it turned out to be that and a lot more.

    The format provided a platform for me to share information about my current role, leadership pursuits, training program, what brought me to IRSC and why I got into higher education.  The interview allowed me to reflect on my WHY and share this information with listeners.

    Areas covered:

    • My current role as Associate Vice President, Advising and Career Services
    • What brought me to IRSC and the Treasure Coast
    • My Air Force background
    • Authentic Leadership
    • Why I joined the Air Force
      • What did I learn about leadership?

    I’m sure I missed a few other topics from the interview. 😊

    Give the full interview a run here:  https://www.wqcs.org/rivertalk-at-indian-river-state-college/2024-08-08/dr-calvin-williams-associate-vice-president-of-advising-career-services-and-chief-retention-officer-at-indian-river-state-college

    Let me know your thoughts!

    Irie!

    “If everyone is moving forward together, then success will take care of itself”.

    (Henry Ford)

  • Authentic Leadership

    IRSC

    “Leaders lead”.

    (Calvin Williams)

    Yes, I’m starting the Walk into the Future blog post by quoting myself.  I’m not on a power kick or displaying an extraordinary amount of hubris. 

    This simple quote—Leaders lead has become a hash tag (#LeadersLead) that I hope with takeoff on multiple platforms.

    I introduced Authentic Leadership and my training program to my colleagues at Indian River State College (IRSC) in June.  I’ve leveraged Authentic Leadership within my consulting role with multiple organizations to include the Seminole Tribe of Florda and the St. Lucie County Tax Assessors office.  These sessions are designed to help organizations create leadership development programs to enhance employee opportunities and organizational growth.  I’ve chronicled my Authentic Leadership philosophy and training program through multiple blog articles. 

    We have been talking about leadership development benefits for IRSC staff for a while.  Decided it was time to introduce Authentic Leadership to campus partners to jumpstart leadership discussions and development.  I went back and forth over the best way to bring Authentic Leadership to campus because this would put me in front of my direct reports, peers and campus leadership.  Sounds simple but each group would need to understand Authentic Leadership from different perspectives.  This was a challenge and one I accepted head on—to make positive things happen.

    I went to my consulting workshop library to determine which topics I would use at IRSC.  Talking with colleagues and staff helped me identify topics of interest that would benefit the audience I would engage.  Decided to introduce the Authentic Leadership Theory and focus on the four variables within the theory.  The next topic would dig deeper into the variable of self-awareness.  The final workshop explored the concept of empowered leadership and the impact within the work environment.  The workshop series consisted of Authentic Leadership (2 workshops), The Self-Aware Leader (2 workshops) and Empowered Leadership as the finale.  Each workshop had a virtual component so folks on multiple campuses could log in and watch the workshops live or later via the recordings. 

    Authentic Leadership (AL)

    This workshop explores the 4 AL variables:  self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing.  The workshop attendees were introduced to each variable to provide context and then we got down to business of understanding how each variable impacts direct reports and the work environment.  Love asking attendees the magical question:  Who are you?  This helps them understand we all bring something different into the work environment daily and how these differences can be leveraged towards positive outcomes.  Love helping folks develop a better understanding of themselves and how this impacts the work environment.  Self-view is something most people don’t think about but should do on the journey to becoming effective leaders. 

    The Self-Aware Leader

    This workshop is a deep dive into self-awareness and the importance this variable has on effective leadership.  My overarching goal for this workshop is to force leaders to understand themselves (Who are you?) and start understanding the impact on direct reports.  Leaders who are not self-aware build direct reports who are not self-aware.  This has a negative impact on the work environment and limits organizational growth.  I added a group exercise for this session to have attendees engage with each other and share information to help them understand the levels of diversity within our work environment.  The homework from this workshop was for attendees to identify ways they can/should improve their leadership skills.

    Empowered Leadership

    The grand finale for this workshop series was Empowered Leadership.  We explored the definition of empowerment and how this impacts leadership.  Attendees were challenged to identify ways they have been empowered within the work environment and ways to expand this towards positive outcomes.  Homework from this workshop centers on leveraging new knowledge within the work environment to enhance client and staff interactions.

    I will explore the concept of introducing additional topics to my colleagues.  Will take a small break from leadership training and get back to the world of student retention and completion.

    What’s your leadership style?  What impact does it have on your work environment?

    Irie!

    “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better”.

    (Mother Theresa)

    Note:  Organizations can contact me to explore opportunities to bring Authentic Leadership training to their teams.

  • NACE24

    20240603_105254

    “Succeeding in business is all about making connections”.

    (Richard Branson)

    The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) annual conference was held in Phoenix, Arizona this year.  Last year was a defacto home conference since it was on the Disney properties in Orlando, Florida.  Loved the ease of travel last year but NACE24 was one of the best conferences I have attended.

    Why?  It’s all about location and opportunities.  I’m not a huge Disney fan and felt trapped to the property the way the conference was setup.  Also, there’s not a ton of afterhours entertainment for non-Disney fans. 

    Phoenix?  Tons of local entertainment, sports and food are available within a two-block radius.

    Flew out of Orlando airport directly to the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport.  I’ve been to Phoenix multiple times, but it was exciting to venture out west again.  Decided I didn’t need a car so booked the Super Shuttle service to get me to and from my hotel.  I’m a huge Marriott traveler so booked my hotel downtown Phoenix which was only two blocks from the Phoenix Convention Center which is where NACE24 was held.

    Did some exploring on my first day in town and walked around the city to take in the sights.  There were multiple police officers in front of the Footprint Center which is where the Phoenix Suns (NBA) and Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) basketball teams play.  I’ve never been to a WNBA game and was excited the Phoenix Mercury were in town and hosting a home game.  Made my way to the ticket counter and purchased a $20 general admission ticket.  Wanted to experience the environment but not spend a ton of money just to say I was there. 😊  The arena was packed, and the crowd was energized and helped the home team win in a blowout (15 points).

    Left the ball game and headed out to get some food. Found a funky spot called Copper Blues. It’s a restaurant with live music and free comedy shows on Sunday nights.  This was a perfect spot to post up at the bar and take in the culture.  Spent about 3 hours in Copper Blues before heading back to my hotel which was half a block over—things in Phoenix are close.

    NACE24 started on Monday with some preconference sessions and attendee check-in.  No need to rush over but didn’t want to spend a ton of time in the check-in line.  The keynote on Day 1 was Soledad O’Brien formerly of CNN.  She spoke at NACE in Chicago a few years ago and did a fantastic job.  Wanted to attend her session to learn more about her current media role and the value she places on education.

    NACE is all about networking and I was able to catch up with colleagues from all over the country.  Ran into my friend Sean Collins who currently works at FAMU in Tallahassee but used to work for me at Florida State University back in the day.  Connected with NACE Board members—the current CEO, Chair and incoming Chair are all friends of mine.  It was great running into them and planning some future projects together.  The NACE community is a tight knit group, and the incoming Chair has already reached out to me to lead the Sourcing and Nomination Committee—this group is charged with selecting new board members.  It will give me insight on the process and help my efforts for a future NACE board seat—fingers crossed! 😊

    The next two days were filled with networking, checking out vendors and attending after-work parties.  There’s a lot of food, drink and fun at NACE and Phoenix provided a nice backdrop for all these things.

    The final party was held at The Duce in the warehouse district.  One of the vendors reserved the venue and provided food, drinks and live music for NACE attendees.  It was great seeing my colleagues in a different light, and everyone was having a fantastic time.

    NACE25 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next year.  I will get a chance to see my friend, Lauren Apgar again when I get up there.  Excited for NACE25 and seeing my homey! 😊

    Irie!

  • Five Minute Thursday: Inspiration

    inspirational quotes on a planner
    Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

    “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today”.

    (H. Jackson Brown)

    The Walk into the Future blog is back to give a run to the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt.

    I am enjoying the freedom this writing prompt brings to me and let’s me explore topics to help continue to move forward.  I’ve also received good feedback on the writing prompt so I’m lining up additional topics to explore over the summer.

    My third prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Inspiration.

    My overall inspiration comes from leveraging my WHY statement:  To leave people better than when I found them.  Simple concept but it helps me Walk into the Future daily with purpose.

    I developed this WHY statement with intent to use it to help move forward in life.  It also provides me with an inspiration foundation to help others. 

    I had a high school guidance counselor who did not provide me with any advice for life after high school.  I’m sure I’m not the only person who got the short end of this counseling session, but I made a promise that I would help everyone that needed assistance based on the lack of help I received almost 40 years ago.

    My inspiration for this mindset is everyone deserves a path to meet their life and career goals. 

    I’ve joked about being Inspiration Man, but I take this moniker seriously.  I write this blog to inspire my readers.  I develop leadership workshops to inspire individuals and organizations.  I mentor a ton of people to inspire them to set and achieve goals.  I am an active member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) to inspire current and former team mates to do more within the organization.  I run to inspire myself to reach physical fitness goals.  I text Happy Monday and Happy Friday to my folks to inspire them to have a great day.  I also do this to let my folks know I’m thinking about them.  This has inspired several to return the favor to me and this makes me smile.

    Inspiration comes in multiple forms. What can YOU add to the Five-Minute Thursday inspiration conversation?

    Irie!

    “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world”.

    (Robin Williams)

  • Make Every Second Count

    clear glass with red sand grainer
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence”.

    (Vince Lombardi)

    This is a simple mantra but has a profound impact for me moving forward.

    I was looking for a cutting-edge angle to address over 80 staff members to launch our office retreat and emphasize the importance of the services we provide to students, parents, community members and our teammates.

    Yes, everyone knows our clients are the life blood of what we do daily. My goal was to provide a blueprint the collective group could use and implement.

    I’m a huge fan of Jocko Willink and have read multiple books he has written. I also leverage his YouTube channel to learn new things quickly.  His GOOD video is my favorite:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8

    My immediate team has seen the GOOD video multiple times, so I didn’t want to use that one again.  Went back to the Jocko library and watched videos to find something new and fresh for the retreat.  I needed something direct, short, and impactful.

    The Make Every Second Count video is short, but it packs a powerful message.

    https://bit.ly/3Khg4Kc

    We waste time on a lot of things daily but if we focus on the little things then big things happen.  Each second we work with clients is important.  How do we maximize our impact?  One second at a time.  How do we ensure our clients get what they need?  One second at a time. How do we get better daily?  One second at a time.

    One of my favorite authors is Dr. Henry Cloud. His book 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life was introduced to me as part of my graduate program.  This was a required textbook in a Career Development course I took through Liberty University.  It was the first college textbook that I kept for my personal library.  Fun fact, I carry this book with me daily and refer to it on a regular basis.

    Chapter 7 is his Principle 5:  Act Like an Ant highlights this simple concept as a way to make incremental progress.  How do ants build an ant hill?  One grain of sand at a time.  This is very similar to Jockos’ Make Every Second Count concept.  Positive things happen when you stack small incremental steps together over an extended period.  We routinely look towards a finished project but can’t get there without the small steps (grain of sand / seconds) needed to complete the project.

    Not a huge rocket science statement but one that needs to be reinforced daily to ensure everyone understands the importance of steps (seconds) in setting and accomplishing a goal.

    I used Dr. Cloud’s words to change the way I approached my PhD program.  I was always looking towards the end goal but didn’t fully engage in the grains of sand in front of me.  My grains of sand were:  one read page at a time, one chapter at a time, one course at a time.  This mindset adjustment created a better learning experience for me and helped guide me towards my goal of becoming Dr. Calvin Williams.

    I look forward to combining both concepts:  Make Every Second Count and Work Like an Ant to inspire my teams through the rest of 2024.

    What’s your favorite inspiration hack to move forward daily?

    Irie!

  • Five Minute Thursday: Mentor

    paper boats on solid surface
    Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

    “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself”.

    (Oprah Winfrey)

    The Walk into the Future blog is back and will give the Five-Minute Thursday prompt another run.

    I was surprised to hear from multiple readers who enjoyed the concept and what I put out during my first run with this prompt.  Will get a few more topics in with this format.

    My second prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Mentor.

    I have been blessed with great mentors in my professional life.  These folks have each provided me with guidance and showed me the correct way to move forward in life.  Deborah Friendly mentored me at my first Air Force duty station in Fort Worth, Texas.  Tony Greene picked me up when I went to Japan the first time.  I connected with Rich Gardner in San Antonio while stationed at Randolph Air Force Base.  The interesting thing about these mentors is they were all from Florida—just like me.  Funny how people cross your path—three of my first mentors were from my home state but I met them in other states and countries.  Life is interesting!

    I’m still in contact with these three folks and appreciate the knowledge they shared with me.

    The mentor I will write about today is Jan McIntosh.  He was a Chief Master Sergeant and the top enlisted Personnel Manager in the Air Force.  He oversaw Personnel (HR) operations for every Air Force Base in the world.  I knew the Chief by name but had no idea he knew me or anything about me.

    I met him during my time as an Air Force Instructor at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.  I was one of two instructors charged with training computer analysts on a new personnel database that was being integrated Air Force wide.  We built the course in record time and then had to train analysts worldwide to ensure operational integrity throughout the Air Force.

    Chief McIntosh watched me teach a few sessions and then pulled me to the side and gave me the most important piece of advice I ever received.  He asked me if I wanted to know the key to success and I said, of course.  He told me the secret to success in life was:  Be where you are supposed to be, doing what you are supposed to be doing, when you are supposed to be doing it.  A very simple concept but I put this advice into action after he shared it with me, and things really started taking off for me. 

    Doors started opening for me because I put this simple concept into action.  Promotions, better work assignments, financial wellbeing, better health outcomes, and improved relationships all came my way by utilizing this advice.

    I use the knowledge Chief McIntosh gave me in 1997 to this day and share with all my tree branches.  I also use this information in my work environment to lead my teams—yes, I share these same words with everyone on my team to show them how easy life can be if we get out of our way.

    Interesting fact—the advice Chief McIntosh gave me was the ONLY conversation we have ever had.  I never saw him or spoke with him again, but I leverage his wisdom daily and consider him one of my best mentors.  He came into my life at a time when I needed his knowledge, and he shared it with me freely. 

    Which mentor impacted your life the most?

    Irie!

    “Your mentors in life are important, choose them wisely”.

    (Bill Walsh)

  • 2023 House Hunting (Repost)

    Resized_Resized_2(2)~3

    “Home is the nicest word there is”.

    (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

    I moved to Fort Pierce in April 2020 during what we thought was the worst part of COVID-19.  Different time from what we experience today. 

    Back then, realtors and apartment managers were not allowing anyone to enter buildings.  I remember coming down to Fort Pierce to look for a place to live and office staff made me call them on the phone and speak to them while I stood outside—even though I could see them through the glass door.  It was a precaution to keep them safe, but it was a weird dynamic trying to find a place to live. 

    My intention when I moved here was to purchase a house, condo or townhouse but did not feel comfortable trying to purchase something I could not view—guess I am weird like that.

    Found an apartment complex close to my new place of employment and they allowed me to view their model apartment on my own.  There’s plenty of space here, a workout room and close to work.  Still had intentions to purchase something in this area but did not feel a need to rush the process.

    Got the urge to purchase again in the summer of 2022 so decided to put more effort into the process.  Started slowly by trying to identify areas I wanted to live in and more importantly, areas to avoid.  Got active on Zillow to start locating properties but decided to reel in my search to include condos and townhouses.  Decided early on I did not want to take care of my own lawn anymore.  Yard work was cute back in the day when I had a house in Georgia, but I do not want any part of cutting my own yard or weed eating in South Florida.

    Started touring neighborhoods on my own after finding properties on Zillow.  This allowed me to expand my boundaries and get a better understanding of different areas in Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach.  Put more energy into looking at properties in Fort Pierce and Vero Beach—eliminating Port St. Lucie was easy based on the amount of traffic there.  Keep hearing stories of how long it takes to navigate around St. Lucie West. 

    Reached out to a realtor when I wanted to get more in-depth knowledge and help with the search.  She has been in this area for a while and has a better feel for the process—I needed someone to guide me.  Gave her an idea of what I was looking for to include a price range I wanted to stay within.  She quickly found condos and townhouses that matched what I wanted, and we were off and running.

    I still was not in a rush, so I was able to view multiple properties to see how they fit what I wanted in a new home.  I was very selective on what we viewed since I did not want to waste her time or mine.  She gave me a lot of freedom in this process, so this made it more like an adventure and not a task to complete.

    The breakthrough came while viewing two condos in Vero Beach.  Both looked great online and were in nice neighborhoods, but they did not feel like home.  Asked my realtor to find others and set them up for viewing.  She agreed but decided to bump my price range up a bit and discovered a townhouse in Fort Pierce that was only two miles from where I currently live.

    I never knew there were townhouses in that subdivision—always saw the houses from the road and never ventured in there.  We set up a viewing for this townhouse two days later and made our way over to see it.  This was the first place I walked into, and it felt like it could be ‘home’.  Spacious living room, large kitchen (means nothing really), great space in the bedrooms and a large walk-in closet for me. 

    Fast forward and I put in a bid for $20k less than the asking price.  The seller countered a $5k increase and I accepted.  Got a townhouse listed above my stated price range within my price range without having to go back and forth with the seller.  Took my realtor’s advice on this process and it paid off for me—no pun intended.

    I am using my time to update a few things in the town house before moving in; removed carpet and replaced with wood laminate floors, painting the inside, tile and grout cleaning and a professional cleaning.  Did not have to rush my move-in date since my lease is still active—this worked out where I had time to update the townhouse before physically moving in.

    There are times when patience pays off and this is one for me.  Found a home two miles from where I am currently writing this blog article and I am excited to continue to Walk into the Future.

    What does HOME mean to you?

    Irie!

    “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it”.

    (George A. Moore)

  • Walk into the Future Prequel

    Resized_20240307_060055_140010558641119

    “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”.

    (Benjamin Franklin)

    Merriam-Webster defines a prequel as a work (such as a novel or a play) whose story precedes that of an earlier work.

    Simple enough, huh?

    I had an interesting conversation with a mentee who discovered my first public written work recently.  We were discussing his future work-related options, and I reminded him to slow down and not rush into anything if he was not sure.  This caught him off guard because everyone is always in a hurry to get to the next big things.  I’ve been there too but learned a valuable lesson after I got out of the U.S. Air Force.

    What’s the lesson I learned?  To slow down and enjoy the process.

    There may be a few Walk into the Future readers who may not know the prequel to this blog was my first and only (at this point) book I wrote in 2010. 

    I found myself at a crossroads in 2010 and wanted to take control of things in my life.  The book, What Now?  Take Control  Live Life; Don’t Let It Live You came together as I started to examine things in my life and look for new angles to gain and stay in control. 

    A few lessons from the prequel:

    Enjoy some time off.  Most people think they must rush from one position to the next.  This lesson was written to let readers know they can enjoy some time off without feeling guilty.  Not everyone can afford to be without a steady paycheck but for those who can there’s no need to jump back into the world of work.  My advice is to sleep in a bit, visit with family and friends and find new ways to relax.

    Take a vacation.  I took this lesson literally and started my yearly trek to Negril, Jamaica.  It was a place I always wanted to visit but never made the time.  Not working gave me the perfect opportunity to head down to Negril and discover Irie vibes.  I’ve been going back every year since 2010 and will continue for the foreseeable future.

    Reconnect.  This lesson centerson reconnecting with family and friends.  I recommend using time away from work to reach out to family members and close friends to catch up on life.  We spend so much time at work and sometimes miss out on opportunities to spend time with people close to you.

    Live life.  This lesson provides space to reassess life priorities and use free time to rediscover important things in life.  This can also be a time to find yourself—what’s important to you and what do you want to accomplish?

    There are additional lessons in my prequel and I welcome you to discover them all here:  https://amzn.to/3IktGn6

    Let me know your thoughts if you decide to accept the reading opportunity! 😊

    Irie!

    “I always kept two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in”.

    (Robert Lewis Stevenson)