My neighbor across the street spent the ENTIRE day working on his yard. Yesterday was one of those amazing first “perfect weather”, I’m going to skip work and conquer the world kind of days! (I know this because I received at LEAST 15 sub calls in the morning) Lets just say that the Tuesday list I originally had set for consisted of EVERYTHING indoors. My husband even left me in the morning with a hug, kiss, slap on the butt and “enjoy your day Cinderella!” BLAH!
There are generally two things a person can say that will REALLY get me moving. Tell me “ I CAN’T” do something (challenge me) OR build me up with a compliment that refuels the embers. “Why do you build me up, buttercup baby…”!
When I stepped foot on the deck with my coffee to let the dogs outside in the morning, the sun was beaming and something about the air said “come and get me.” It was a “start the morning with a LONG RUN” kind of day. I was closing the garage door behind me to set out & there it was; my new sparkling Golden Eagle, begging me.
Half of that 7 mile run I repeated to myself “you don’t buy a jeep and not take the top off on a day like today” And then other half of the run that voice on the other shoulder said “ you crazy, foolish, stupid woman; do you not recall how difficult the process of putting it up and taking it down was with TWO people?” Flashback of cuss words. frustration and anger filled my joints. I recalled my husband telling me “well, you’re never going to be able to take that off when you want unless the weather looks good for a month.”
You know what, “&*^%&) THAT!” I returned from my 7 mile run, opened the garage door, blasted the music and took that top off – BY MYSELF! (And a good portion of the time thinking “oh crap, what am I doing. Oh crap, getting this back on is going to be torture”) And then I sent the hubs the obligatory victory “look what I did” picture, knowing damn well the response I likely would get. He didn’t disappoint;
WHY do we let fear be such an action/fun sucker?
I had to run one last errand while he and the older son were at baseball practice – and the top was still off so why not crank the tunes and take the younger for a little drive?! I really was trying to enjoy “take me down to the paradise city” except that there were a few dark clouds. I MAY have pulled over in a parking lot to check the radar. “If it rains, we are doomed… AND SOAKING WET!”
My husband was planning to return from baseball practice with a project (help crazy, foolish, stupid wife put soft top back on jeep because it is going to rain ALL DAY tomorrow) But I had this vision. It was glorious actually! Picture it… he pulls into the driveway to find me sitting with a beer in hand, leaning on my jeep WITH THE TOP ON! Oh, it’s happening.
CUE THE LAUGHING. And I am talking rolling, tears flowing laughter my friends.
My neighbor was STILL outside doing yardwork. You know what he SHOULD have been doing…? It would probably have “gone viral” on you tube had he recorded my version of “How to put your soft top on your jeep – ALONE! By crazy, foolish, stupid woman neighbor”
There were lots of jolly “on-lookers” taking evening Spring strolls. One guy politely asked if I needed a hand; “NO THANKS BUDDY! I AM DOING THIS BY MYSELF!” I opened doors and shut doors and climbed in the back and on the fender. I had it up and then took it back down (a couple times). I pulled up a You Tube video “How to put soft top on Jeep Wrangler with ONE PERSON”. Don’t listen to THAT dude! “What is this for? Why can’t I find that strap he is talking about? There should be a tool for this. That piece doesn’t fit right… UGH – AHH.. Help me Tom Cruise!”
I had to keep cuss words out of the process since the neighbor kids were playing basketball in the driveway. The neighbor girl was busting up as I pulled down repeatedly on the back fabric chanting “WORK WITH ME!” At one point I was dancing in my driveway and doing yoga poses. My hands were flipping sore. My fingers going numb. I don’t care about my nails, but if I did, they were GONE – damn zippers. My younger son tried bringing me a beer (Oh buddy, nice thought but Mommy cannot have that beer until this top is secured)
It is 2019, right? Why isn’t there just some button you press on this thing and WALLA! Better yet, isn’t there an app for that? “Buy a Jeep” they say. “It will be FUN, they say!” I check the time. My VISION is still vivid. “ I got time, I got time…” Ok, I’ll cut to the chase.
HELL YES I had a beer in my hand when he pulled in that driveway. HELL YES I got that soft top back on BY MYSELF! VIC-TOR-Y! SUCCESS.
So… the 10 Golden Eagle lessons: (that have NOTHING to do with putting the top on a jeep)
Create the VISION. The goal, the objective, the dream; whatever it is – you must vision it and visualize with PASSION & purpose. You aren’t going to go after something that you aren’t able to visualize. So what is it that you want? Today, this week, month, year?
START – BEGIN – GO
“SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP” (as my Dad used to say) DON’T GIVE UP! Parts may be difficult, tiring, frustrating, painful, involved, stressful, blah, blah, blah. STOP complaining. STOP making excuses. STOP placing limits on what you are capable of. Get busy. Keep Going. You had the vision, pull it up again.
I could add another 7 bullet points to make a good “10 lessons” but honestly, just start with those three. And do you want to know the difference between those who succeed and those who do not – Number # 3 THREE.
Want to know what my next vision is? Creating an actual, helpful, REAL, it works “How to put your soft top cover on your jeep solo, in UNDER 10 minutes!” YouTube tutorial; By crazy, foolish, stupid wife.” It may not happen tomorrow BUT….
“I CAN • I WILL • WATCH ME!”
What is it Cardi B sings… “ I see it, I like it, I want it, I GOT it!” Yeah, it’s like that!