SUPER-SIZE ME

Hey! Is the noise getting to you? Maybe I'm allowing my age to show, or my impatience, but I so look forward to the 5th of November.

The roar of wardrobe costs, robocalls, and Socialism will quietly fade away for a year or 2.

And we will then be left with....

The knowledge of "now we know." No more polls, no more pundits, a little less pandering. Welcome to your new normal.

Will it be quieter? Maybe, maybe not. But this election process, to me, has been an agonizing endeavor in its attempt to make us feel small.

And I've done small before. Didn't like it then, certainly cannot stomach it now.

So, how do we rid ourselves of small? Here's my list--feel free to add to it if you wish:

1. Don't talk down to me.

2. Don't try to scare me.

3. Don't throw God and Jesus in my face--I have my belief system that works for me.

4. Don't lie to me.

5. Have the balls to say "I don't know."

6. Don't feel the need to yell to get your point across.

7. Treat me the way you would want to be treated.

8. Leave your historical baggage out in the car--I don't need to be a part of it.

9. Don't tell me I don't love my country.

10. Respect our differences.

I'm sure there's more, but these are the ones that come to my mind in this moment.

Yeah, small works on Halloween when Mrs. Smith says, "Oh, you look so cute dressed as that bunny--here's another Tootsie Roll!"

Other than that, I can't think of a good use for small.

By the way, I never dressed as a bunny.

MAKING THE MANTRA STICK

I have a wall-hanging in my office. It is a quote from Thoreau and reads: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.”

This is strategically (and decoratively) placed near the door, so when a client leaves my office it could be the words, that resonate with them as they step back into their world. At least, that is the hope.

So how do we make this mantra stick? And I am speaking not just for those who sit on my couch, but for myself, my friends, my family, the citizens of the world.

God knows, it is quite the challenge given the current political/social/economic climate throughout the planet. And God knows it is difficult given the self-induced stress, pain and guilt that many of us carry on our backs each and every day.

I guess I could playfully punch them in the arm, give them a robust Sarah Palin wink and send ‘em on their way! You betcha!

Or perhaps not.

No, I think perhaps the best approach is one that is quiet, thoughtful, and supportive. Because of the fast-paced nature of this city and our daily lives, we often run from task to task, from meeting to meeting, without taking a deep breath, taking a look in the mirror and asking “How are you doing right now?”

So your homework today: " How are you doing right now?"