Author: Kevin Spear

I am a content creator and storyteller based in Florida, where I work for OneHope. I love digital and content marketing, writing, and the occasional doodle.

Categories
motivation

A Lesson on Timing and a Morning Run

Three Florida Flowers

It was my second day running in a new environment. The humidity was as thick as molasses. I ran past several dog walkers, an occasional fellow jogger, and an intrepid walker wearing a mask. Some waved. Others made sure not to make eye contact. 

The sun was rising. It was a great start to the day. I got some great photos of local flowers. It was much different from the day before. 

Yesterday

  • I ventured out two hours later
  • The sun was blistering hot
  • The road was busy with speeding commuters
  • I ran out of water within two miles
  • The end of the run couldn’t come soon enough

Today

  • The clouds displayed pink and orange hues
  • I didn’t feel the effects of the sun
  • It was easier to find the flowers
  • I ran two miles further
  • I felt I could go another two miles

I had plenty of excuses the day before to wait.

  • My daughter was going to work and she needed the bathroom
  • My wife and I drove through the night to reach our destination
  • My running shoes were tucked somewhere it the luggage and I didn’t want to make a ruckus while my wife slept
  • I hadn’t figured out my route

My hesitation made for an unpleasant run. I was glad when it was over. The next day, I was glad I got out early and was ready for more. It was a great reminder for me that procrastination just makes a any task harder. It can even make an enjoyable activity more difficult.

Will I need another reminder of this in the future? Of course I will! Our feelings betray us many times. And there are times when it is okay to relax and not feel the pressure of getting out there. Still, if there is something I know I need to do, this day will be a great reminder for me.

What are you putting off that is only making a task more difficult? I urge you to take the reins and put yourself in control instead of letting your feelings make you miserable before and after a task.

Three Florida Flowers
Categories
motivation

When pride and haughtiness blinds us

Cartoon of a boy who is about to fall into a manhole. Another boy says, "I'm sorry you were proud. Just stop!"

Our society has tried to make pride a good thing. Perhaps it is because it is too broad of a word in the way we use it today. We tie pride to our self-worth, joy, dignity, and delight. But it can also be used to describe an inflated ego, haughtiness, disdain toward others, and a refusal to consider another’s opinion.

When I drew this cartoon, I thought of the many times I let pride trip me up. It has caused me to look down on others. It has also caused me to be too stubborn to change for the better. It’s why I value this proverb so much:

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)

Pride gets us in trouble when we can’t see the other person’s point of view. It leads to our destruction when we can’t work with others and refuse to grow because it may cause us to admit we were wrong about something.

I am proud of my wife and kids. I am proud of the work I have been able to do and the living I have made the last several decades. But may I not be too proud to learn from someone else. May I be humble enough to admit when I’m wrong and change course. May I keep my nose down and open my eyes before I fall into a manhole. And may I not be so proud of missing the first one, that I fall into the second one.

Cartoon of a boy who is about to fall into a manhole. Another boy says, "I'm sorry you were proud. Just stop!"
Categories
motivation

Why I admire Dandelions

Photo of a backyard with two dandelions among green grass

I admire dandelions because they keep coming back in spite of man’s best efforts to put them down. May we learn a lesson from them on perseverance.

Last week, I saw the first one. In a sea of grass, a lone dandelion popped up from the ground. It isn’t supposed to be there. The place we rent from does regular fertilizing and weeding. In fact, when I look to the left and right, I see no evidence of another weed. There is nothing but a sea of green grass…except right there!

Then last night, I saw that the lone dandelion had a friend. In spite of man’s best efforts, a dandelion plant is thriving and producing two flowers. You have to admire that kind of determination in spite of the best efforts of men with sprayers and spreaders.

Even as a child, I’ve always admired dandelions. They kept me from focusing on baseball and soccer. They were always more interesting than the games. I loved picking them and proudly presenting them to my mom. My grandmother would harvest them and make dandelion greens. Yes, the greens are edible. And if you like spinach, you’d love dandelion greens. Don’t laugh until you try them! Here are some legitimate recipes:

Life Breaks Us

We all have discouraging moments. The last three months have been ripe for disappointments. If you live for any length of time, one of the following will happen:

  • Your heart will be broken
  • Loved ones will disappoint you
  • You will develop an illness
  • Friends will come and go
  • You will be passed over for a promotion
    • It may be because you’re too good at what you do now
    • Or it may be because someone doesn’t trust you over a thing you can’t control like:
      • Race
      • Gender
      • Age
      • Not in “the” Clique
      • Your personality
  • You discover a “stable” job was not that stable when you were laid off
  • A total stranger will say something hurtful, whether they intended to or not

Unfortunately, we live in a broken world that tends to break people.

We have a choice

  • We can choose to let those that break us define us
    • Unforgiveness leads to bitterness
    • Bitterness leads to hurting others
    • We stay stuck
  • We can forgive, persevere and rise above the brokenness
    • Instead of hurting people, we become healers
    • Instead of going with the crowd, we become changemakers
    • Instead of staying stuck, we move on and become a light to the world

I admire dandelions because they just keep coming back in spite of the best efforts to keep them down. May we learn a lesson or two from them on perseverance.

Photo of a backyard with two dandelions among green grass
Categories
Business Business Cartoons motivation

Customer service is turning lemons into lemonade.

Cartoon of a boy at a lemonade stand and a girl. the girl says, "How's your customer service?"

If you are in customer service, you’ve had to face a lot of lemons lately. It has been nearly impossible to give customers exactly what they wanted when the whole world was turned outside down. Yet the best customer service representatives turn lemons into lemonade.

When I drew this cartoon, It didn’t occur to me how sales and customer service do this every day. Instead, I was thinking of how even a humble lemonade stand owner can benefit from customer service. I didn’t think about the sour events customer service representatives face every day.

One of my friends works in the billing department for a hospital. She has fielded calls from people who have been affected by the financial hardships of COVID-19. Both couples in a family have lost their jobs. Or maybe someone just wanted to talk about the disease. She’s done a lot of listening. She’s shed tears with customers that are going through tough times.

About a year ago, our plant was going through some capital improvements. We hit some snags with installing and testing the new equipment that caused jobs to be late. It was a very rough time for our customer service department because they had to field the calls of frustrated customers that were used to excellent service. I was impressed by those in the department that took the time to listen and be helpful even when they may have felt there was little they could do.

Excellent customer service looks like the following:

  • Treat each customer the way you want to be treated
  • Taking the time to listen to the customer even when you may not agree with them
  • Offer solutions that may not be exactly what they want, but involves compromise
  • Being an advocate for the customer while avoiding making unattainable promises

In the end, if we’re in business, we are all in customer service. Everyone wants to know they are being listened to and that the other person cares about their plight.

Cartoon of a boy at a lemonade stand and a girl. the girl says, "How's your customer service?"
Categories
Quotes

Enthusiasm and Perseverance

One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life.

Edward B. Butler in Instant Inspiration

Did you think life was supposed to be easy? Who told you that? Surely you didn’t believe all those commercials over the years that promised the good, easy life if you just bought their product, did you?

Right now, it may be difficult to maintain enthusiasm. You’re not going to get much help from the news media or social media. You may find some gold if you filter out all the bad information. But you may have to dig through a lot of manure to get to the treasure.

Keep going, though. Keep going with the right mindset! Life is truly a long journey. It isn’t over until you breathe your last breath. And even then, I believe there is an eternal glory awaiting.

You may fault me for being a person of faith if you wish. But it takes faith to keep your enthusiasm for thirty or more years. There is something better. Keep striving for it. Don’t expect things to be easy now, but know better days are coming.