What Excites You?

What are you doing to fill time during your quarantine? Some people are taking time to read books for fun again, something they haven’t been able to enjoy doing with scheduling distractions of normal life. Many others are getting in shape, volunteering, making masks or whipping up some banana bread. In my house Patrick has been re-building the pickup truck he bought from the ground up, all by himself - YouTube has a wealth of information to teach you a new skill - he also loves to go fishing nearly everyday. My daughter Sarah has been hiking, listening to podcasts like crazy, having Zoom calls to catch up with friends, and is even teaching herself how to code. Matt has been enjoying working in the yard, doing puzzles, and most notably dreaming about when we can return to Anguilla once it is safe to travel again. We also might catch him secretly watching Summer House on Bravo wishing he was in his 20’s. (re-living the 80’s again!)

So, what excites me? After working in corporate for over 22 years, I took a package that afforded me some great new freedoms; for the first time in a long time, I had the time and option to re-think what I wanted to do with the next chapter in my life. Initially, I did what came easy; I consulted with a former coworker in the same industry we had been working for years, but that no longer interested either of us and we eventually closed that business. I decided that what I really want is flexibility in my life to make my own hours and to take time off when I want, to learn about things that I’m curious about. It was clear from the beginning that I don’t like being bound by corporate constraints, so Piper and Dune became my passion. Piper and Dune can be run from anywhere, as long as I have my laptop and someone to help fulfill orders.

It always bothered me that I never got a Master’s degree, so guess what? I saw a Master’s in Organizational and Strategic Leadership program offered at Quinnipiac University that interested me; I enrolled. I had forgotten how much I love to learn new things. The experience gave me confidence to keep exploring, I even hooked Matt into taking a course with me by Marie Forleo called B-School where she taught us about E-Commerce - something we desperately needed to learn for Piper and Dune. Then there’s a thought that teaching high school or college students in business might be fun, although having to pass the math portion of the exam to obtain my teaching certificate is not going to be an option for me at this point in my life! All of these activities have been occupying me during COVID-19. Matt jokes that someday when I’m finished getting my doctorate (which I’m not doing…) that I need to have some “stupid fun” - probably wise words given what we’re all dealing with right now.

If there’s anything positive to come out of COVID-19, I hope that you get the opportunity to take the extra time to tap into a new interest to reinvigorate your spirit. It may require you to be brave, or to take a risk but think of the fun and confidence you will gain in yourself. At the very least, think of the stories you will tell about your experiences. The song “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” by Darius Rucker is a good one to challenge yourself by. Imagine what your life would be like if you pursued all your dreams and passions. Take a risk and bet on yourself. Even if it does not work out exactly as you would have hoped, you will be better for it, “Explore What Excites You!”

“Like” us on Instagram and Facebook, tell us what “new” thing you are doing that excites you (keep it clean!) We will select 5 winners who have inspired us with their stories on 5/31/2020; winners will receive a Piper and Dune T-Shirt!

Chris