Nature is often my university.

I love native flowers. Wildflowers.

Here is a lesson they continue to teach me.

Saint Therese Lisieux spoke of this as well. This is hers, ours, and my story in my own words.

I’ve never seen a flower not want to be a flower.

They reach out and own exactly what they are. If they are seen by human eyes or not. If they are trampled, burned, put in a container, or used for a wedding ceremony. Each one plays a role. And loved by God.

We should accept who we are to the very best of our ability. Yes, not many of us are roses or lilies. But we are all a flower. We all can shine as bright as we can. We can all do it for Love.

In God’s love for us.

God loves every flower, even though they last only a few days. How much more he must love us.

We just must learn to just “be”. And know that role is important to God. To you. To everyone.

Amor Fati. Love of fate. A stoic term popularized by the emperor Marcus Aurelius. Now only to accept your fate but learn to embrace it. Embrace your path and the struggles that you will find in it.

Enjoy your own flower. Don’t long to be a different one. Or one that blooms earlier or later. You are your own chosen flower.

The next time you see wildflowers find the smallest ones. Adore it as if it was the only flower. They are each remarkable in their own way.

Now do that with humans. Adore each one. They are remarkable in their own way as well.

Love more,

Joel

“Come aside and rest awhile.”  – Jesus

Matthew 6:31

When I was 15, I helped install a horse fence. One hole every 8 feet. For as far as I could see. We worked from about 6am until 5pm with a 30-minute break for lunch. I forgot to wear a belt one day, and burnt my bum. Worked 50-hour weeks when I was 15. I still remember those lunches under a tree. My mom packed the best lunches for me. Sometimes the farmer would bring us a lemonade. The backhoe dug the hole, I had a shovel and threw the dirt aside or took out a rock if needed. I worked with a hard-working son of a gun named Dick Dornacker.

The rich horse farmer offered me a job at the end of the fence project. I took a lot of pride in that, he must have thought of me as a good worker. Told him I worked for my dad. That was the end of that.

In college, I always worked a University job, a job off-campus and I reffed flag football or basketball games. 3 jobs and I took a full-time workload.

My dad would take me to work at Campbellsport Building Supply; drive me there, we lived together. We opened the gate every morning. Closed it every night. First there, last to leave. My dad was that kind of awesome boss. Saturdays, I worked every Saturday growing up and even early into my marriage. Easy stuff 7am until noon, but sometimes until 1pm.

I have interviewed hundreds of people. Maybe more. I have had so many talks about overtime pay. Explaining you can make a ton of money here if you just look at the overtime available. If they asked about flexibility or a 40 offer work week…that was a red flag for me.

Then the pandemic hit. We went to 32-hour work weeks at Drexel, and still got shit done. I have read Tim Ferris’s book “The 4 Hour Work Week.” I went back and re-read it. I re-thought everything.

I realized a lot of the time I spent at work, the 50-60 hour work weeks, and one day a week at a work event at night “networking” was probably just burnout and a lot of downtime with not as much impact as I thought. I could still have a blast (I have always loved my job, team, and customers) but cut out the bullshit and work less, I knew that deep down. Also as a leader, I need to leave a gap for others to make good decisions. Always being there I end up being a helicopter work mom. Yikes.

We went to 40-hour weeks 2 years ago. As a company. It allowed for a lot more HAPPINESS. It worked! We stayed efficient, effective, and BALANCED. We changed people’s LIVES.

I didn’t. I couldn’t let my team down. What the hell would I do anyway? I don’t really have any hobbies.

However, I must lead by example. I must break away from old habits.

3 weeks ago, I went to a scheduled day a week off. 4/10s if you will. I still respond to texts and emails and calls on that off day no problem…I know no other way.

How has it gone? It’s been clunky. Weird. I have “off” tomorrow. That barely even makes sense to me or my family. Dad is home… Why? Is he Ok? I haven’t really told most people.

I told our CFO to take down my salary by 20% to reflect the fewer work hours. She hasn’t even done so yet… I am guessing she doesn’t believe it yet either (I’ve worked with her forever).

I have to lead by example. My good ideas come when I am off. Each day is now important at work. I make a BIGGER impact by prioritizing. I see some salesman here still working a ton…but not being EFFECTIVE. Chasing more money. Chasing. Always chasing. Hopping from fire to fire. I am hoping I can lead them to a better place by setting a good example.

The relaxed organized salesman will PROPEL our company to new heights!

I think I can actually be a better leader AND have 20% more of my LIFE away from work to make a bigger impact on the world by working 4/10s. I’ve contemplated this for years. It’s GO TIME.

I’m not scared. It’s just like a deep breath into the unknown. It’s clunky.

I don’t know what this looks like. I guess you have to start somewhere.

I don’t need more STUFF. STUFF leads to more work, more stress, and more problems. I need more TIME.

This gives me that.

Maybe I’ll build a horse fence.

Peace.

Joel