Don't get comfortable with short-cuts

When I was younger, I had Saturday morning chores. Vacuum and dust the entire house. I should share that mother was THE most meticulous, tidy, neat-freak in all the land- she is a professional housekeeper and is insane when it comes to cleanliness. My direction was- move all furniture, pick up all trinkets, and get “under there” to do the job COMPLETELY; absolutely no "half-a$$ing" (this is still my mother favorite term of endearment when you don’t finish something). Eventually I independently deemed that two people in a small home could only manufacture so much dust and “filth” in 7 days… I mean, really… why move every piece of furniture, risk stubbing my toe nails and bruising shins EVERY week. In my estimation- I could skirt around the furniture, around the place mats and about every 3 weeks or so… actually move them as directed and vacuum and dust “under there” as she was so passionate about.

Well- she caught on. Unbeknownst to me, she began hiding pennies under things! Really? Who does this over “potential” dust! She began hiding pennies under place mats, trinkets and rugs – to see if I had actually picked the item up and cleaned underneath. I remember the day she unveiled her master strategy… after weeks of me assuring her about moving the furniture and picking up the trinkets for dust, she showed me the undisturbed pennies planted all over the house.

I’ll never forget her explanation. Autumn- if you are going to do something, anything, with your energy… it’s worth your best. In order to give it your best- you have to do give it your best "every time". You have to do it over and over again- sometimes whether you see a difference or not… YOU CANNOT GET COMFORTABLE taking short-cuts or you will talk yourself into taking short cuts every time. Give it your all, whether you feel like it or not. At the time- I thought it was "just cleaning" but for my Mom- that was her livelihood, that was her pride and that was "her way" of teaching me a powerful lesson.

Happy Birthday C-4… thank you for teaching me that anything worth doing is worth doing right- it’s worth your full attention and dedication- and never get comfortable with taking a short cut. If it's important, give it your all and give it your best-whatever that may be- and do it every time.