When the sun comes up the words slowly crawl back to wait for another day. Puxatawny Phil-like, waiting for next February to come out again and see what’s up. I rarely do much daytime writing. Could be because I have other things I need to be doing or maybe there’s a coziness to the dark, a “no one can see me so I can let it all go” type of a feeling.  Regardless, if I don’t finish this today it’s because I started as the sun was caming up and the words whither with each minute. 

That was exactly the case. Today’s another day and I’m picking this post up where I left off. Kind of. Restarting means that the content will likely be completely different. I mean 22 hours older and  oh so much wiser, how could the words be anything but better. 

This morning I’m thinking of a conversation from last week. An hour plus carved out with an old friend that left us both for the better. Lots of good topics but again I found myself talking about the power of deciding. Deciding to do something or be something and just not considering the alternatives is a truly powerful thing. The Coronageddon has taught me that. That we can endure and get through things we thought impossible simply through mindset. Don’t worry. This isn’t about to turn into some sort of infomercial for a new and improved way of life. It’s free. Just hear me out. 

When the quarantine first started there was much talk about the collapse of the hospitality industry. Grave predictions of a loss of 30-60% of restaurants and bars.  90% for live music venues. As an owner of two restaurants, I bought in. It’s a cash flow business, I could not fathom being closed for 6 weeks and making it through to the other side. Yet here I am. Open, kicking and fighting and, gasp, actually improving. Somewhere around late April or early May, I just decided we’d make it and closing wasn’t an option. We got a little help from the government and we kept on. 

Seems like a one man success story but it’s not. I’m seeing it a lot. All over the industry. Yes, there will be closures, but  I wonder if when the tally comes at the end of the year if the numbers will be much different from the usual closures. Many will use the times as the reason to close. Many will fight on. There’s been a mindset shift and that new normal we all said we didn’t want has settled in. 

Once I decided that these times were nothing more than another business challenge, things smoothed out. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a long way to go but there’s no doom and gloom. Only “what’s next”.

As my friend and I talked he and I both lit up with excitement when talking about this power of deciding and it’s impact on “successes”. It’s not that simple of course. Just deciding to achieve, or to pull oneself out of a funk, or to be healthier....or is it. If nothing else, like most things the game is 90% mental. Yes there’s work. But work with the correct mindset matters more than blunt force trauma surrounded by doubt and a lack of belief. I see it over and over and over. 

So it’s Monday. Another start. Another week. 

What will you decide today?  

Will you believe?  

#hugsandhi5s