Last week I reconnected with an old college friend, Kevin Savage, who recently wrote a post on his blog that got me to thinking about the things that are really important in life. It also reminded me of some conversations I had with three strangers who reminded me how important it is to see the silver linings in any challenging situation. Hitting curveballs was something I wasn’t very good at and the conversation I had with these guys was a reminder that life won’t always throw you perfect pitches, but with the right attitude you can swing away and hit the ball. I appreciate your listening to another episode in the new format and challenge you to do the following three things this week: Reach out to an old friend and reconnect. It’s actually something I’ve been trying to do regularly since the pandemic began and it’s been great catching up with people. Don’t just rely on social media to keep your relationships alive—I know it’s tempting and it’s a great place to start a conversation, but nothing beats a live chat. Try and do this at least once per week. Ask for help. Kevin and I reconnected because he came to me for advice and help. I recognize how hard it is for me to ask anyone for help and it’s something I’ve been working on. I used to feel as if I had to have the answer for everything and take responsibility for every little thing that was asked of me. This led to me eventually feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. It takes some humility to ask others for help but, if you are like me, and feel as if you have to be superman, take off the cape and ask others for help when you need it. Make the right choice. Remember that every day we have a choice to make to decide what kind of day it is going to be. We can choose to focus on the challenges/negatives of a situation, or we can choose to focus on the opportunities/positives it presents. Focus on the silver linings and you will definitely have a better day (and so will the people around you). Happy listening, and remember, books make great gifts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.