#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #SettlingGrudges #ReachOutToSomeone
Few of us are going much of anywhere these days.
In these weird times, some of us are reaching out to people with whom we have become estranged.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article June 21, 2020, telling the stories of how some people are reaching out to family members, friends and others to whom they haven’t spoken in, perhaps, years.
Talia Frolkis, 32, of Madison, Wisc., couldn’t remember why she hadn’t spoken to her older sister, Liza, in nine months, the article says.
“Who can remember the specifics? There’s always some dramatic thing happening with family,” Talia says.
So, Talia called. Both sisters apologized, according to the article.
“I think it’s a very good thing if the virus is prompting people to repair old relationships,” the article quotes Margaret Moore, founder of Wellcoaches, a company that trains professional health care coaches.
Let’s delve deeper into this. First, the coronavirus and its effect on our lives is prompting loneliness, or other mental maladies.
If you are lonely, others are, too.
It’s allowing us lots of time to think – about everything. It allows us to think of our own mortality.
To whom do you want to deliver a message before something happens to you?
Still, this, too shall pass. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t “clean things up,” as Moore put it in the article, with someone.
Who knows? That person may have something you need to know about.
Speaking of something you ned to know about, if your job security is less than stellar – that goes for most everyone – know that there are many ways out there to make money without having a traditional job, or depending on government aid. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
Remember, if you reach out to someone with whom you’ve been estranged for a while, don’t think about settling scores, or rehashing whatever it is that split you apart.
Think only about repairing the relationship. You can’t repair a relationship without talking to the other person. Someone has to make the first overture.
Remember, too, during this time, we don’t always know who is ill, who is really suffering etc.
We don’t always know who needs comfort, even if you can’t physically visit them.
If you know someone you really need to talk to, make a call. More than likely, they’ll be home, or not very far away.
You could make help that person deal with everything we are all dealing with. You could turn into that person’s hero.
Peter
Monthly Archives: July 2020
FABLE FOCUSES ON MOTIVATION
#sharks #goldfish #motivation #coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve
Goldfish wait to be fed.
Sharks search for, and find, food.
Author and motivational expert Jon Gordon uses his fable, “The Shark and the Goldfish,” to teach that one cannot control circumstances. But he or she can control how he or she responds to them.
So, are you a shark or a goldfish?
One can ponder that for quite some time. So you may want to have the aggressiveness of the shark, but sharks eat other creatures. Maybe you don’t want to do that.
Maybe you like the idea of the goldfish swimming around in a bowl, getting fed regularly. But, how boring is that? Besides, do you really want to be that dependent on someone else?
Gordon’s book, according to the online teaser for it, points out that many businesses are built during recessions.
Recent reports about the loss of manufacturing jobs during the coronavirus pandemic also talk about some manufacturers retooling to make personal protective equipment, masks and other disease-fighting gear that once again are in short supply.
The pandemic is also making decisions difficult for some businesses, schools etc. Do they open? Can they stay open? Can they reasonably protect customers (students) and staff?
It boils down, in large part, to money vs. lives – or, lives vs. livelihoods.
Those determined to succeed will find ways to protect both. Others will wait to see what happens. Still, others, out of fear or depletion of resources, will give up entirely.
If you are among the latter group, and, say, have to close your business or lose your job permanently, what will you do next?
Will you expect someone, or something, to take care of you? Will you wait to be fed, like Gordon’s goldfish, or will you look for food, like his shark?
The good news here – and there is almost always good news in any situation , if you look for it – is that there are many ways out there to earn a potentially great income, without having a traditional “job,” or owning a business that could one day own you – or, that you have to shut down.
You don’t need specific, or advanced, education, experience or background.. However, you need a willingness to look at something that may never have crossed your mind to do. And, if you see what others have seen, you need to diligently work at it, with whatever time you might have. Plus, you can do it safely from your home, in times of spreading disease.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
If there is gold in those hills, being a goldfish won’t cut it. Someone isn’t going to bring it to you.
Certainly, sharks are creatures you don’t want to run across, but adopting their desirable characteristics will serve you well, regardless of uncertainty in the world.
Run, walk or swim for what you want. Just go after it. Don’t wait for it to come to you. Be open, be persistent. Don’t be passive and lament over what has happened. Be active, look for the good and claim it for you and others.
Peter
KIDS MOVING TO THE CITY FINDING EDUCATION IMPORTANT
#salaries #CollegeDegrees #urban #rural #coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve
Workers in Georgia with a four-year degree earn 66 percent more on average than those with associate degrees, and 101 percent more than those with only a high school diploma.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pulled that statistic from a study titled “College Earning Across States and Metropolitan Areas.” She discussed the topic in a June 16, 2020, column.
“I don’t want to say everyone should go to college, but the returns to higher education are pretty considerable in Georgia,” Downey quotes John Winters, an Iowa State University economist who authored the study.
“One takeaway from the study is that job market opportunities for those without a lot of education are not very robust in Georgia,” Downey quotes Winters.
In Winters’ study, those with a bachelor’s degree strongly out-earn workers with associate degrees, with more than 25 percent earnings advantage in all but three states: North Dakota, Alaska and Vermont, Downey writes.
If a young person wants to live in the metro area, it’s clear from the study that getting some higher education would be a really good idea,” Downey quotes Winters.
“Whether to go to college always has to be the kid’s decision,” Downey quotes Amber Northern, senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which sponsored Winters’ study.
There are two things at play here. First, kids who go to high school in a small town or county, and want to move to a city, where they believe the action is, are advised to get a college degree.
The second thing is that the kids have to make the decision whether college is right for them.
Suppose a kid has a rough home life in rural America, and has planned to move out of Mom and Dad’s house as soon as possible after graduation.
What if that kid learns that college is either unaffordable, or doesn’t believe college would be a great move for him or her – at least not worth going into debt to make happen?
Such a child should know that there are many options out there that can allow him or her to earn a good income, regardless of education, background or experience.
Here’s the rub: the child has to be open to looking at the many alternatives to college, or even a traditional “job.” Here’s the bonus: if the child IS open, and likes what he or she sees, he or she can live anywhere he or she wants. It not only requires openness to looking, but also the ambition to pursue, even if he or she needs to take a traditional job at the beginning to earn a living.
To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
A college degree is certainly desirable to have. Some degrees can be parlayed into a decent career. Others give you knowledge that has a narrow focus in the overall job market, and may not convert to a lucrative income.
Also, who knows how the college experience is going to change in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic?
Regardless, no education is wasted. But, the practical consideration to going to college may supersede the desire for a degree.
As Northern says, it’s the kid’s decision.
But, a child’s ambition to get a degree may not be enough. He or she could be saddled with a huge debt for many years after graduation. If he or she doesn’t get a job from which he or she can live, AND pay down the debt promptly, AND save for the future, the decision is easier.
If he or she believes a good job is ahead with a degree, the decision is harder. That’s where an open mind and a lot of ambition could synergize into something really special.
Peter
SPORTS AND THE VIRUS
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #sports #NoSports
What does a sportswriter do when there is no sports?
Mark Bradley, sports columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, took on that subject in a June 21, 2020, column.
Bradley wasn’t complaining about having no games to cover. It’s just that, well, sports may change a good bit even after the pandemic has settled down.
Many sports leagues have begun practicing. Some will play a limited amount of games in a single location, to avoid travel. Disney World seems to be a popular spot for that.
And forget about crowds in the stands. In fact, the PGA Tour (Professional Golf Association) has already started playing, without fans on the course. NASCAR (stock-car racing) has done the same.
The media days for college conferences, the SEC and ACC in particular (Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences), will be done virtually, Bradley writes.
“What if our (newspaper) representatives can accomplish little more on site than to watch a press conference on a laptop?” Bradley asks. He points out that his newspaper, and undoubtedly a lot of other media outlets, are saving a lot of money on travel for these sportswriters.
Yes, the pandemic has affected almost every aspect of our lives. We are home most of the time and, at least sports fans fret, there is very little live sports on TV.
At least the pro golfers can play to some fans when they play on courses that have homes on them. Many golf course residents, at least from observation on TV, are having a few people over to watch the matches. It was tough to see whether social distancing was appropriately practiced.
To top it off, positive coronavirus tests are increasing in many areas. Even some athletes are testing positive and have to quarantine, as do those who come in close contact with them.
From those numbers, it appears this virus is not going away anytime soon. We must still be diligent about practicing the mitigation techniques: mainly wearing a mask in public when you possibly could get close to people; keeping at least six feet, preferably more, away from others, except those with whom you live; and, washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, with soap and warm water. When soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer can act as a substitute. Soap and water are the best hand cleaners, but carry some sanitizer with you in your car.
Other sports columnists have also posed this question: If you are a pro athlete, is an abbreviated season, with abbreviated pay, worth the risk of playing at all? Some are deciding not to.
It’s presumed that they have a little money in the bank to tide them over and the virus can produce a potentially career-ending illness – even death. These athletes love to play their sports, but they have their careers and families to think about, as well as the preservation of the various sports leagues from which they make a living. It goes back to the debate about lives vs. livelihoods.
So, if you are missing your favorite live sports, you may get a taste soon. But it’s probably a great time to contemplate where your life is headed AFTER the virus subsides. Do you want to go back to your old job, or would you look to do something different – something you may have never thought you’d do, but that could pay you more than the job you probably hate. (By the way, it seems Bradley likes his job).
If you give that idea some thought, and want to check out one of the best of many vehicles that can bring your dreams closer to reality, message me.
You could find a home run hidden there. But you have to look to find out.
Bring sports back, SAFELY. You don’t want the virus touching them all.
Peter