Lessons from the Pout-Pout Fish

5 years ago, if you told me that I'd be reading a Pout-Pout Fish book (huh?) to a Pre-K classroom (um, why?), I wouldn't have believed you.

First off, 5 years ago today, we had zero knowledge of our beautiful daughter Cecily. We were simply living our best lives in Boston as DINKs.

Yet, there I was today, as the special guest speaker for Cecily and her classmates, filled with gratitude for this opportunity.

Why?

Because my life today affords me the time to do this.

And taking 40 minutes out of my day delighted the kids and hopefully created a lifelong memory for Cecily.

"Remember that time Daddy J came into your classroom and ready you a story??"

For the record, I knew every one of their names, even the student who was absent. Having taken interest in knowing who her classmates were allowed me to say hi to each child, and reference something I knew about each of them.

I didn't have to take a day off from work because the nature of how we earn money today allows me to structure my life around important events like this.

Last night, we received a booking equal to three weeks of my take-home pay at my last job. Super grateful, but honestly not an uncommon occurrence these days.

Today, we recorded a podcast episode with an influential online voice who contributes to Bigger Pockets and just interviewed Grant Cardone last week.

Then, I was just personally onboarded as one of the very first "Experienced Co-Hosts" in a new program that Airbnb just launched.

Now, it's time to walk back over to school and pick up Cecily.

In a nutshell, that's my life now.

And I've accepted and embraced this evolution!

Truly, it's all connected to The Pout-Pout Fish, a favorite in our household for years.

Deep down, The Pout-Pout Fish is a story about self-acceptance, positivity, friendship, and the power of personal transformation.

As the story progresses, The Pout-Pout Fish learns to overcome his gloomy outlook on life with the help of supportive friends, showing that anyone can change their mindset and find happiness.

Now, I've always been an optimist, and never really had a gloomy outlook when my job ended back in 2022.

I already had my Plan B in motion, and simply had to activate and accelerate the plan - which I did and have made abundantly clear to anyone who has been following along with me ever since.

I certainly surrounded myself with an intentional network of other real estate investors and short-term rental operators who would challenge, support, and encourage me to keep pushing forward.

Which, frankly, was VERY different from the world I left in 2022.

So a big thank you to life for putting me in this spot.

And more importantly, thanks to the 11 Pre-K'ers who made my day with their youthful exuberance and curiosity as we learned together about The Pout-Pout Fish undersea alphabet!