Originally posted on Facebook HERE

There is so much going on in my life right now, it feels like I wasted my whole summer… I can’t believe it’s almost September already. I blinked and it’s almost fall. Ugh… did I do anything I wanted to do? (sigh)…

I bought a new bicycle. Rode it once. Didn’t shoot baskets at all. I hurt my leg a few weeks ago and it’s been extremely painful to play shows. I played all the shows anyway. But I haven’t been working out or running at all… did I see any bands?… nope. Well, what the heck did I do?…

I basically worked. Whether it was with my day job or my band — almost every day was spent doing one or the other. Mostly the day job, though — transitioning back to Edward Jones has been, and continues to be, an insane amount of work. And we’re doing it at a speed they’re never seen before in company history, they tell us. Well… that’s all fine and good — but the pressure is ridiculous. I think we’re all ready to just go back to normal asap. It’s certainly had an effect on the entire office both physically and mentally. Add in time to play shows with the band… and there have been no real breaks at all. I’ll be working today. I’ve been working every Sunday, just trying to catch up…

So — I sat here this morning thinking how I just wasted my summer — and you know, I guess that’s one way to look at it. But it’s not really the way I like to look at anything in life. When I really think about it, it went so fast because we were focused and determined to get the job done, and we came together and just did it. And we had some fantastic help along the way. We’ve made some great new friends. The band has been kicking ass, adding more and more fans all summer. So much positive feedback. Over 95% of our clients are coming with us, and those conversations have been extremely humbling for me. We do the work we need to do to get the job done.

And today, the words of wisdom uttered for years by my friend Marty Straub, a fellow bass player who I met online years ago, are resonating in my head. Every email he sent, every page on his website had the quote “enjoy whatever happens”. I don’t think I gave it a lot of thought at first other than it was a nice tagline for him — but the older I get, the more I see the wisdom.

ENJOY WHATEVER HAPPENS

If we can master this, we’ll be better off for it. So much easier said than done. How can we possibly enjoy a car breakdown, an illness, death of a loved one, a crushing breakup, or any number of things that happen in life that aren’t all that enjoyable on the surface? We have to pause.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t feel the emotions of ll those things, we absolutely should and need to. But maybe the car breakdown, for example — while you’re in the midst of it, it isn’t fun at all… but maybe it leads to something amazing. Maybe that car breakdown is the best thing that ever happened in your life. Maybe it just leads to a new car. Who knows?… the point is — instead of just losing it and falling into despair wondering how this is going to play out, just realize — we’re all just actors in this play we call life and we get to determine how we see and react and process what’s given to us. Often, while we’re in the middle of something that could really be life changing for us, we have no clue. Because the plan that’s being presented to us comes from God, or the Universe, or whatever higher power you want to believe in. And when we start to look for the magic, a funny thing happens.

We find it.

We find magic in every moment when we see life this way. There will be waves. There will be upset. There will be anger and sadness, and loneliness… take it in. Feel it all. Enjoy it. Within the sadness of losing a loved one, there is love. Within the anger of feeling taken advantage of, there is a life lesson. We control how we perceive the moments we’re given. Enjoy it all. Someday you’ll look back and see — so many the things that were the toughest to go through led to the best things life had in store for you.

So, why not make a conscious decision to enjoy it all?

We’re gonna take the ride. It will be scary. It will end sooner than we’d like. We will know every feeling and emotion at some point. Frustration, love, anger, compassion, gratitude, sadness… always look for the silver lining. You’ll never find it if you don’t try.

Surrender to all that is amazing and incredible with every moment we’re given. I am so grateful for all of them. And I mean all of them, too.

Enjoy whatever happens. It’s better than the alternative.