changing the world

The Leftover Halloween Candy

You stocked up
on Halloween candy,
both to give out to customers
and to give out to trick-or-treaters.

You didn’t give out
as much candy
as you expected to do.

Halloween is over.

What do you do
with the leftover candy?

You COULD continue
giving it to customers
but some of them
will view the candy
as being leftovers or ‘old’
and that isn’t something
you likely want associated
with your business.

I give our leftover candy
to the food bank.
Needy people enjoy treats also.
It makes them feel good.

And that puts more badly needed positivity
out into the world.

Change the world
or A world.
Donate your leftover Halloween candy.

Giving Out Treats

Today is Halloween.

Some of your customers
are likely to be
HUGE Halloween lovers
(like myself).

They will dress up
in costumes
or in orange and black
or in Halloween-themed shirts
to shop in your business.

They might dress their pets up.
They might bring their kids
in their costumes.

Ensure you have treats
to give them.

Hide them under the counter
if you wish
and bring them out
‘as a surprise.’

It will delight them.
It will delight others.
They are more likely
to show up in costume
next year.

AND it creates an ‘event’
for you.
It creates buzz.
It creates happiness.

Give the Halloween lovers
treats today.

Don’t Vote To Eliminate Your Own Business

US National Teamsters
refused to
endorse a US Presidential Candidate
even though
one candidate supports unions
and the other candidate,
if he could,
would eliminate all unions
and throw the union leaders in jail.

That’s bullsh*t thinking
and bullsh*t strategy.

It is the same type
of strategy
that put a union-hating leader (Ford)
and party (the Conservatives)
in power in
Ontario, Canada.

And you know what
is happening now
in
Ontario, Canada?

Union jobs are being eliminated
and the rollout of new unions
are being blocked.

We should support political leaders
who support us.

For you and me,
those are
leaders who are favorable
to small business.

Fascists are NOT favorable
to small business
or start ups of any kind.

Don’t vote
to eliminate your own business.

The Easy Mode

When I need to quiet
my brain,
I often play
a solitaire-type game online.

I have it set
on the easiest mode.

Why?

Because the rest of my life
can be extremely challenging.

I’m building businesses
and trying to make the world
a better world.

I don’t need challenge
in my entertainment.

There are quite a few
‘easy modes’
in life.

We can do things like
pre-authorize bill payments
or outsource snow removal
or rideshare
instead of driving ourselves.

Every aspect
of your life
doesn’t have to challenge you.

Pick the easy mode
on some activities.

Tell People You’re Proud Of Them

I’ve recently posted
about this
but,
with the clip of Catherine O’Hara
telling Macaulay Culkin
she was proud of him
going viral,
I felt we might need to hear it
again.

Tell people you’re proud
of them.

That’s all you have to say.
“I’m proud of you.”

Those four words
are super powerful.

How powerful are they?

They’re so powerful
hearing them said
to another person
can make people happy.

One of my online buddies
told me she replays the Catherine O’Hara clip
at least once a day
and she imagines Catherine O’Hara
is saying those words to HER.

Tell people you’re proud of them.
It will change their lives
for the better.

Ask For One Favor At A Time

A loved one
called today
to ask for favors.
Favors.
Multiple favors.
Six to be exact.

And they weren’t easy favors
to grant.
Each one will take
at least a couple hours
to tackle.

She thought she was being efficient
by saving up the favors
and asking for them
all at once.

Nope.
She was greatly diminishing
the odds ANY of them
will be fulfilled.

I would have put aside time
to do one of the favors.

I don’t have 12 plus hours
to do things for her.

And when I heard her list,
I felt…
taken advantage of,
used,
like an unpaid unappreciated
employee.

It wasn’t a nice feeling.

Ask for one favor
at a time.

Have Treats For In Store Halloween Shoppers

Yes, there is a push back
in some religious neighborhoods
against Halloween.

So think about
whether or not
you wish to promote Halloween
heavily.

But consider having
a basket of treats
stored under the counters
for Halloween celebrating shoppers.

If a shopper in costume
or buying Halloween items
approaches
your cashiers,
instruct them
to give that shopper
some of those treats.

It will delight
both your employees
and your customers.

Delighted customers
become loyal customers.

Your Good Deeds Will Eventually Go Public

When I help others,
I do it
as quietly as possible.

I don’t want the recognition.
That’s not why
I’m helping others.

But I know
my good deeds
will eventually go public.

There’s always a trail.
And we live in a world
where everyone has a recording device
and is constantly using it.

Someone WILL say something
or post something
or tell someone.

When I help others,
I accept that will happen.

You don’t have to tell others
about your good deeds.

Someone else
will eventually share
that news.

And it will be more powerful
because it is being shared
by that someone else.

There is no need
to broadcast your good deeds.

Deciding On Your Legacy

We decide our legacies.

We influence
how people remember us
when we’re here
on this Earth
and after we’re gone.

If you want to be
remembered fondly,
with joy,
with caring,
do the things
that leave that legacy.

Build more
than you destroy.
(And yes,
this includes building businesses.)

Love more
than you hate.

Give more
than you take.

Support more
than you punish.

Help more
than you hinder.

It is basic math.
Positive contributions > Negative contributions
= Being Missed After We’re Gone.

It is truly
THAT easy to leave
a wonderful legacy.

Tell People You’re Proud Of Them

Yesterday, I told
a loved one
I was proud of them
and all they’ve accomplished
thus far
in their life.

She cried.
She hadn’t heard that
from…anyone else.

She HAD heard
a LOT of criticism.
We all do.

People are quick
with the negatives
and slow (if at all)
with the positives.

Tell someone
today
you’re proud of them.
Change their world
for the better.