Journaling

Lately (as in the last 6 years) I have concluded that journaling is an art form. I used to journal a lot & found a lot of satisfaction that came as a result. However, after getting married, opening a restaurant, moving from one construction project to the other, & raising 2 stubborn bullies... it is definitely a lost art form. Who really has time to sit down & reflect all of their thoughts onto "paper"? Or whatever their medium may be? I do wish I was that person. So this week, I wanted to journal. I don't have any exciting photos to post & the fact that I can barely walk up the stairs at work now w/o needing a break are less than noteworthy. However, there were still significant strides this week that I feel need remembered.... even if it is just in "words."

On a professional note: we are moving forward leaps & bounds in implementing new structure, management & delegation. With baby boy on the near horizon & Indianapolis in the distance, it needed to be done. Many lessons are being learned. For one, someone can only learn what you teach them.... duh, right? It is harder than it sounds. I am finding that to be a good manager or leader, one must teach. One must show. One must be patient & willing to answer any question that comes their way with detail & enthusiasm. How can someone do what you expect them to do unless you teach them? It sounds simple. It sounds like an easy plan to implement. It is not. I have found that even the most "saint-like" of creatures do not like to give away all their secrets. It is not easy to swallow your pride & allow someone to not only learn your job, but potentially do it better. It is not easy to delegate. It is easier to do it yourself & get the credit. We are working on this in the restaurant. Many of us (including, eh-hem, me) are learning the lesson that in order to be a successful leader, one must let go. And although it may be a tough road to get there, the end result is competent, successful managers who accomplish what you did... and yes, maybe better. So on my way to the "no one needs me" office I will find solace & a grateful heart that we do have staff who are competent. We have staff that are eager & willing. We have staff that are trustworthy. And yes, we have staff that.maybe.quite possibly.on a good day.do it as well, if not better, than we did.

We are planning our structure for Indianapolis. We are talking flow charts & management structures & job responsibilities. We are talking about who is going to be where & when... 2 days a week, 3 days a week, full time? Caleb had an 8 hour meeting with our architect one day to start finalizing interior decisions & fixtures. We have to start choosing materials & furniture & placing orders within the NEXT MONTH! The allure of this new restaurant off in the distance is becoming a full speed cyclone blazing into our current anatomy. We had a feeling once the new year hit, it would come fast.... we are prepared to buckle up!

On a personal note: we are learning to be more responsible. Yes, I said it. We are "growing up" & taking more responsibility with the decisions that we've made. We are finishing a lot of the undone projects around the house. We are walking our dogs twice (twice!) a day. We are committed to creating a stress-free environment in our home that excites us each time we walk in the door... We are replacing unnecessary anxiety with responsible actions that are intentional & thought out. Instead of just getting frustrated, we choose to fix whatever is frustrating us. Now I am sure this sounds like common sense to many people... but in a world where work & home & friends & pets & rest have a very blurred set of boundaries, it is often hard to find the balance. It is hard to find peace. Because of those decisions, & despite the extra effort to accomplish those things, this has been a much more peaceful week.

So the picture of the post could be of a very pregnant lady trying to run around a restaurant & show her managers what exactly it is she does on a day to day basis. Or the picture could be of a man who is practically laying on the bar after 8 hours of going over blueprint after blueprint after blueprint. (If they were actually blue, that would make it a bit more exciting) Or it could be of a happy puppy who has discovered that his owners do love him enough to take him on walks & give him peanut butter bones. Or better yet, it could be of a laundry room that has been finished after discussing it for nearly 18 months! But the picture that I want to paint in my memory is not visual. It is the feeling of joy that comes when you see a "student" experience success. It is the thrill that comes when you greet the unknown with arms wiiiiide open. It is the love that you feel when all that little puppy wants to do is cuddle up & fall asleep with his head on your leg... or stomach... or chest. : ) It is the feeling of peace that transcends all understanding & the grace that allows you to finish a week... and then start a new one with renewed motivation.