Do Something

In the past week, I've read two books.   

The first book is called "Light is the New Black" by Rebecca Campbell.   I read it in 3 days, and if I ever actually sit down and write the book I keep talking about, I would write in this exact same style, but geared towards mental health.   It would be a personal story, followed by challenging all societal beliefs on the subject, with questions and exercises at the end of each chapter - all focused towards finding your true purpose in life and watching as anxiety, depression and despair miraculously disappear.  

Light is the New Black is laid out in that same format, but spiritually based and targeted towards women.  I absolutely loved it and might even go as far as saying its' in my top 5 favourite spiritual reads to date.   It is like the Artist's Way presented in a light (no pun intended) and easy-to-read manner.   

LOVE.  

LOVE.

The second book I read is the "4 Hour Work Week" by Tim Ferris, which is pretty freaking comical since I currently work a 0 Hour Work Week.  

Tim Ferris, I see your 4 Hour Work Week and I raise you to O.   

Boo-yah!

(Fairly certain I have never used the term Boo-yah in my life)

This was the second time I read the 4 Hour Work Week and I don't remember one word of what I read the first time.   It is absolutely brilliant, (so hopefully it registers better this time around), packed with resources on starting a business and ideas on productivity gains, and terms like "academic suicide" (which I find completely glamorizes "failing school" and I should totally use that line in the future*.)   

(*Tim didn't fail and went back to complete his degree, something I should put on my bucket list).   

Anyways, that's what I do when I don't know what to do with myself, I just keep reading something else to pass the time.  

I have officially passed the deep clean home phase, the learning "teach myself something new" tutorial stage, the be-kind-to-your-neighbours stage and the porch drop stage.   

I have now landed smack in the I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-myself phase that I have kindly relabelled as "Do Something".

I took a black sharpie to an orange sticky note and wrote in big letters "Do Something" and pinned it to my bulletin board.

It is a reminder every day to ask myself - what is one thing I could do today that would make a difference to someone or something?

***

I am really struggling with not being of service in some way during this whole pandemic.   

I have a boat load of skills and experience from years of working that all currently is helping not a single soul or company.  What this does is puts me into reflective mode on alignment and purpose and goals and I play this little unemployment exercise with myself I've done twice before.

If money was no object and you could do anything you wanted in the world, what would you do?

I have a list that seems to have stabilized this time around.

Brand Experience Consultant

Quality Auditor for Luxury 5 star resorts in the South (I realllllly want this one)

Food Critic

Travel Writer

So I make this list and then I give myself all the reasons why I couldn't possibly do any of the things that are on it.

You have no marketing experience.

There is probably 1 or 2 jobs worldwide for luxury quality auditing for hospitality and they are taken.

You don't have a journalism or English degree

See above

And then I put my dreams back onto the shelf and go back to work.

***

Friday night I ordered take-out.

(If being a food critic was determined by the number of take out orders one person could buy, I'd be writing for the New York Times).

Moving on.

Friday night I ordered take-out.

I ordered short ribs and crab cakes (don't judge my combination of choices) from a place called Downtown Bistro in Burlington.   It was amazing and the curbside service was absolutely spot on.

When I arrived to the restaurant, the owner came out to my car (in full PPE) and oozed enthusiasm and gratitude for the order.   It was bang on time, food quality was perfect and she was so friendly, there was no question I wanted to return.

As I sat eating my dinner smiling, as I always do with a good meal, I contemplated writing a little review on the Burlington Restaurant Take-Out group I'm part of on Facebook.

I fought the demons of "why will anyone care what you have to say?" and "what if no one likes it or comments?" and I got my phone and started to type.

I didn't tag the restaurant (because I had no idea how) and I didn't post a picture of my food (I ate it too fast).   I just wrote a quick little paragraph that I would rate Downtown Bistro's curbside pick up as a 10/10 and bullet points as to why.

I got two likes on the post.

My first thought was that clearly I had no food critic writing in my future, and then my second thought was - next time I will do better.

Next time I will tag the restaurant and I'll make sure to post pictures of the food and write one thing that made it memorable.   

And if my food pictures suck, I can edit them because of the PHOTOSHOP knowledge I now have!!

I will just try again.

***

I am always on the lookout for a new place to order from, and there is this hole in the wall Jamaican patty place on Beach Boulevard I wanted to try.   

(Ok, it's not a hole in the wall.   It's a guy's house and he might be awfully offended if I called it a hole in the wall.   What I mean is that ALL he does is specialize in making Jamaican patties and it's a rare little treasure of a spot that's unknown.)

(Not ALL he does.   I'm swallowing the shoe.   I mean, that IS his specialty.)

(You know what I mean.  I'm done explaining.)

I made my order online to apparently try every single option they have and we are off to the races with my next effort.

This time around I had zero expectations on what type of response there would be.   

I picked up the patties in a cake-like looking take out box and drove them on home.

I opened the box on the dining room table and took a couple of photos and then messed around with the lighting, quite proud of myself.   

Then I wrote my little tribute and made my post.

As I clicked post, I immediately started second guessing myself and wanted to go back in and edit it 100 times.

But I didn't and I totally let go and thought "I did it".

I was a little "Take-Out Reviewer" for no money and no purpose other than that I loved doing it.

Within five minutes, someone commented and wanted the link and where to order.

I was OVER THE MOON.

I was an INFLUENCER!!!!!!

Someone bought!!!!!!

I couldn't stop grinning.   

I'd actually made a difference with my post.

Over the next 24 hours (and counting), the post received 170 reactions and 42 comments of people wanting more information.

But the BEST part is this.

I forgot to pay.

(This will not be surprising to those who know me well).

So I had to go back to the little Jamaican patty shop guy's house the next day to pay for the order.

Turns out that he was kicked off the Burlington Restaurant take out group because technically his address is Hamilton, (even though door to door from my house is probably about 8 minutes....)

HE IS NOW SOLD OUT FOR 3 DAYS.

No Mon, you can't get no Jamaican patties this week..... Sold out !!!!!

I mean, how absolutely fabulous is that????!!!

I'm so glad I didn't pay and got to know that story!

Maybe I won't pay for the order I've placed tomorrow night at Tin Cup for Jerk Chicken.  

(I'm on a bit of a curried theme here).  

Who knows what I'll find out when I go and pay the next day.

***

I read somewhere that it takes 10,000 hours to be an expert at something.  

(Wonder what Tim Ferris would say to that? Based on a 4 hour work week and my math calculations, that is 48 years.)

(Feel free to challenge me if my math is incorrect.   10,000 / 4 = 2500   2500/52 = 48.   It is 48 years, right?)

(God, I hate math.)

So anyways, I've done two posts on a Facebook group and likely have a ways to go to become a Food Critic.

But today, I took a small step - and most importantly, my heart was full that I was able to be of service and make a difference to someone doing something I loved.

Maybe this Do Something phase is onto something.

Imagine if we all made a list of all the things we wanted to do in life, professionally and personally, and did something, one thing towards it every day.

I wonder where we'd all end up?

My guess is we would become a society that is fulfilled, realigned and mentally well.

** sigh **

Imagine that. 

❤