You're my best friend

When I was in elementary school one of my friends asked me "Are we best friends?"  I was shocked at the question because I had never thought of labeling any of my friends.  I assumed because we hung out all the time that we were GREAT friends.  Adding a title to our friendship was scary because this would be a huge commitment.  From now on we would tell people this, I would be in his wedding, he could always sleep over, we help each other talk to girls and we would give each other answers on test questions.  All this ran through my head.  He noticed the pause, and was hurt that my reply was so delayed.

Recently I was married and asked a long time high school friend to be my best man.  He was PUMPED! We didn't talk much in college, which was ok, but after the wedding we talk often.  I think that by telling him how special he is to me opened up our relationship even more.  I was willing to be vulnerable, admit his importance in my life, and strengthened our friendship. 

Don't ask someone, just tell someone they're special.

...oops.

So this one time when my wife was younger and made mistakes, her dad told her to drink all her milk.  She didn't want to so she poured it down the sink.  He later came back and asked her "did you drink all your milk?" She responded with a big yes!  Well he had seen the milk left in the sink and knew she had lied.  She had nothing to say for herself.
Ever been caught in a lie like that and the only thing you have to say is "..oops".  It can feel really shameful and embarrassing.  I once thought that people wouldn't like me if I told them the truth about me.  I recently realized people like me when I tell them the truth about something awful, than to lie about something good. 

Her dad eventually forgave her : )

It's not you, it's me.

So I used to work for this marketing business that allowed me to stand in Sam's club and ask EVERY person who walked by "HEY did you see this?"   Well not everyone was interested so I received a TON of "No thanks" At first it didn't bother me, but then I started to take it personally.  "Why were they so aggressive" I thought "I'm only doing my job. Couldn't they at least buy one to be nice?"  But what about the person I approached? What were they thinking? "Oh crap, I really don't want this" or "I'm really in a hurry!" 

After being rejected in the store hour after hour I became really sensative to my wife's encouragement.  Little compliments built me up to feel like I could bench press a sumo wrestler.  It was interesting how 5 hours of rejections was over come by 5 minutes of praise from someone who truly matters to me. 

Encourage someone you like.
 

WANT FAST MONEY?

Well it actually doesn't exist.  For the longest time as kid I wanted to make alot of money in a short amount of time with little effort.  As it turns out that desire still hasn't left me.  I'm sure there might be some sort of business idea or lottery ticket that will land me the $1 million I've been hoping for but I've come to understand something different.  To make the million dollars requires real effort and dedication.  Along the way discovering who I am when things are hard, what I believe in when no one is holding me accountable, or what takes priority over my limited free time.