7 Life Lessons Learned in 365 Days ??

I recently saw the sunset on another 365 days around the sun. As I journaled out the top life lessons that popped out at me I wanted to share the seven I feel applied directly to my #linkedin fam!

#1 - When it comes to your work, many of you, like me spend a lot of time in an office, around conference tables, and behind a wall of monitors. Never forget the value of getting yourself, your team or colleagues outside in nature, the conversations although usually still about work just hit on a more meaningful level. I learned this lesson well this year from my hiking after work partner Brian Baxter who pushed me to get out of the office, hit the trail, and together we came up with some of our best ideas for work while taking in sunsets like the one above! (pictured above the best Senior Leaders in the biz ?? CK Ong , Maurissa De La Mora , Dana Campbell missing Desiree Ong )

#2 - Man oh man, when your kids hit the tween and teenage years, and all of a sudden they just don't want to naturally spend all their time with you anymore it can be a gut punch. I learned this year, especially with my teenager, two valuable lessons. The first is that anytime they do want to engage, PUT YOUR PHONE away. Those moments are fleeting, trust me, you need to be present. Secondly, as your kids grow up the best way to stay connected is through experiences, so if that means at 40 picking up a new sport they are into...pick it up!

#3 - "Cliche" Warning...buuuut seriously, do everything in your power to find a place to work where you feel valued, can be yourself and have purpose. I believe many wait around for others to create memories and events, instead of being the one who does it themselves. I learned long ago from Matt Anderson that culture doesn't just build itself, it takes work and planning, put effort into creating those work experiences. ( Vy Nguyen is one of the best I have ever seen at this, always creates memorable experiences for everyone around him!)

#4 - This one hit me hard this year, please never forget that your health is no guarantee, and as we age, the time with love ones especially parents becomes so important. Both my parents had serious medical stuff this year, hip replacements, shoulder surgeries, etc. When you are doing something active like playing golf, you can fall into the trap of thinking it will be like this forever, and take it for granted, remember to live in the moment, be present, get off your phone and truly connect!

#5- It's okay to come back to an old dream that you let slide away. There are no rules to DREAMS people, except that if you believe you can or you believe you can't you are most likely right. This year I released my first book, something I dreamed up 10 years ago...the biggest lesson I learned had nothing to do with the book but more around the support I have from so many friends and work colleagues over the years. Never forget that the people in your life want to support you, want to help you, put yourself out there and you'll be surprised how many people come out of the woodwork to support. I had some incredibly talented people help me make this dream my reality, Ron Thurston , Hernani Alves , Matt Anderson , Alexandra E. Vailas , April Sabral , Tamaki Fobbs who dedicated their time to edit and add to the magic of Being a Better Presenter in One Hour!!!

#6 - The power of video and content has never been more important. You don't need editors, producers, filmers, everything you need to create content you can learn on #youtube ! Building a #personalbrand at work or on a platform like LI, is 10x easier when you produce your own content, have a point of view and remember that having a goal to help others never goes out of style! When you work for a larger company being willing to put yourself out there on camera may seem scary, however it is the fastest way to get in front of everyone and establish yourself as an expert in your field. I was reminded of this is a very stark way this past year when I had the opportunity to run a training session for Avocado with a bunch of people, many of which I have never met, but they all knew me. Why? Because years earlier in a previous life I shot and filmed all their sales training content. Now years later, I had zero resistance, was a familiar face and slid right into training these top performers due to video content I shot years before ??

#7 - I'm not a kid anymore...and that's okay. When I look at this picture (that my incredibly talented son took for a birthday gift https://www.instagram.com/tristan_bikes1/ ) at first glance I noticed the glaring white hair in the beard and the wrinkles around my eyes. However, when my son sent it to me he goes, "Dad, I love this shot of you, such an incredible sunset, and you look epic!" Not quite how I looked at it ??, but it made me realize that white hair and those wrinkles are actually a badge of honor. Although my life doesn't look like I thought it would, as a single dad I have been so blessed in my life. I have amazing kids and the best co-parent in my ex-wife who is a fierce advocate for our kids. I have an incredibly supportive extended family, friends and a job I love ( David Schulz , Sarah Schulz , Todd Riecke , Jon Frank, Kevin Breedlove , Chris Panichella , Avocado Green Brands ??????). I may not be young anymore but I feel better than I did at age 30. There are no guarantees in this life other than the moment you're in. I learned this year more than any to really take control of my life and be the lead character in my own movie!