Recently I purchased my first physical book in I don’t even know how long. I have some schoolwork related books, but the one I got today was the first hard cover book I have actually picked up in several years.

Using a Kindle to read becasue I didn’t like having the guilt for getting rid of all my books when I was done with them. Since none of these were classic’s that would look cool on a bookself, there was never a good reason to keep them. Even the books I have lugged around since I left home sit in a box in the shed. Digital copies just seemed so less wasteful.

This perticular book is smaller in size than I’m used to, and for some reason I really find myself admiring the craftsmanship. I’m thinking this will be a good book, and that maybe I should go back to the real thing more often.

For something to be considered perfect, it has to be finished first.

In my day to day work I never really “finish” any of my projects. There will always be an enhancement to be made in the next iteration, or the next phase leading to something new entirely.

What I’m trying to say is that I rarely have to opportunity to make something perfect because I never stop working on it.

Sometimes we just have to settle with doing the best we can, with the time allotted, just to be done with the work for the time being.

Whatever it is that you are working on, it’s probably in pretty good shape if you think it’s even somewhat ready for people to see. Just go ahead and put it out there, and let the feedback point you to the next step.

It doesn’t have to be perfect to be fantastic.

Some of the most influential events of our lives happen in such a small span of time that we might not even notice it.

Someone holding the door for you, smiling when passed in a hallway at work, or a hug from a friend or family member impact how we feel.

The same interactions apply when we are rushed or angry, and speak rudely to a co-worker or server just trying to do their job. You may not realize just how much that one second of negativity affected their life.

It’s true that we cannot see what those around us are struggling with, but you also know what it is like to make it through a challenging day. A simple smile and a head nod go along way.

Taking a fraction of a moment to acknowledge and show kindness to the other humans around us will not only benefit them, but help to lift you up as well.

Since I have been spreading my time across several projects lately, because I like to ensure that I’m always physically and mentally exhausted at all times, I want to add more to my plate.

I, like so many others, try to fit so many things into our every day routine that the days just end up blurring together. Days and weeks go by faster and faster each year and its easy to forget the small thoughts and daily experiences that add a little bit of extra joy in life.

Recently I added to my workload a new personal challenge to begin writing every day. Just something small, but while also trying to avoid my blog becoming just another diary. I wasn’t sure what would fit my vision of this challenge, but then I was inspired.

Last weekend, I began the first portion of Wood Badge training. For those of you not involved in Scouting, Wood Badge is the premier leadership training for the Boy Scouts program.

Each day, our Scout Master finished the day with a short recap of the day and a lesson that we could take away and think about.

This inspired me to want to do something similar, so I’m planning to share a lesson that I learned each day while also reenforcing a daily writing habit.

Just something quick, and hopefully thought provoking.

Starting tomorrow of course.