“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” Buddha

Yesterday, I lost it.

I allowed someone’s words to make me angry.

Oh, I don’t mean a little irritated.

I mean flat out, shaking from head to toe, angry.

That anger cost me a few hours of not helping someone who may have needed help. It cost me time holding and smiling with my grandson.

Heck, it even cost me enjoying a good cup of coffee.

That sad part is that anger had no impact on what made me angry to begin with. I am betting the person who shared the words that set me off had absolutely no clue that I was angry. He was likely kicking back and enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

Who is to blame here?

Shouldn’t I come up with 112 different ways to tell him that he is a complete idiot?

What would that solve?

Wouldn’t I simply have 112 more ways to get even angrier?

The truth is that I am 100% to blame for my own anger and for allowing that anger to consume me, literally stealing a few hours from my day.

ANGER IS A THIEF!

But the worst part? It wasn’t enough that I was totally lost in my own anger, I had to share it with someone else. I had to make sure to share every reason I was angry with a friend. WHY? Did I want the friend to be filled with anger too?

What kind of friend would dump this garbage on another friend’s day?

If I needed a way to blow off steam, I could have gone for a run, or written out my anger and then deleted it. I could have stood in the shower and screamed!

I think the key though is in preventing getting to that point.

If we don’t, then our moods are bound to carry over into our business life and the way that we treat our potential clients.

We truly do not have to attend every argument we are invited to.

We can CHOOSE not to get involved in discussions that we know may set us off.

We can also respectfully CHOOSE to remove ourselves from conversations that get out of hand before we lose it.

Perhaps sometimes we get so hung up on the little things that we forget what matters.

Life.

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com

Do you have a daily routine when you first turn on the laptop or PC? You know when you first make that cup of coffee while the PC is booting up and then have that pen and paper handy to jot down today’s to do list? I do not work from home but have a routine each time I get online when at home. I’m not going to talk about my routine at work because it’s different almost everyday as it’s not a at home job and I have more than one boss to deal with. Although I do work on the same account 5 days a week for the past 6 years. I’m always looking for volunteer short term projects to jump on to break things up and learn something new.

Should you break up your routine once and awhile?

Everyday I’m like a broken record. Once that laptop is logged in, I open up my email and 2 internet browsers to get me started for a bit. I do have more open because I’m always reading blog posts or spying on my friends on Facebook. Sometimes it’s unhealthy to do the same thing over and over each day 5 to 7 days a week if you are one of the lucky folks who work from home. My typical weekend online schedule is different because I do more things that involve not being home. My dad recently 2 weeks ago hired me as his landscaper so I have a second job on the weekend. I need to do a good job because it would stink to get fired by your own dad.

Do you think it’s healthy to be predictable online?

I’m sure if you have kids, they know what you do online each day so they can try to plan to do bad things while they have a few minutes or hours of no momma or dadda over their shoulder. I’m trying to change-up my online routine when I get online each day. Maybe check my feeder after I get done with my emails or write a future blog post for later in the week. Right now, before I log off for the night, I would write a blog post. This sometimes isn’t good because I’m usually dead tired and the really good idea’s or words just isn’t there. Also the coffee is out and I can’t function without coffee.

Don’t be afraid to shakeup your daily routine’s schedule a few days a week. Don’t be predictable and it’s good to do things out-of-order once and awhile. Wouldn’t you get bored doing the same thing over and over everyday?

FYI, I just wrote this blog post before visiting the V7N Forum. Usually in a few more hours I would try to write a blog post. I’m not the greatest writer in the world but keep it real and raw.

Do you have a routine each morning/day? Do you break things up a little once and awhile to keep yourself on your toes? I do hope that you know that your kids might be onto your typical online schedule when they not in school. Catch them off guard one morning instead of turning on the laptop to check your email. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

About The Author

Derek (a.k.a snakeair) runs Newbiz Advertising Blog. He spends most of his time updating his blog and helping people out on the v7n Webmaster Community.

Following a Model for Small Business Success

For nearly four years now, I have watched one restaurant after another fail in a strip center near me. I seriously began to think that it simply wasn’t possible for anyone to succeed there and that maybe it just wasn’t the right location for that type of business.

But then…

In September of 2011, a little place called Four Kings moved in.

The time has come for the common men and women to eat like royalty. We are proud to offer you unique sandwiches made with our very own breads which we make and bake fresh daily. We have fresh salads and dressings along with generous bowls of soup that are made in house with our very own recipes. Try our English Toffee and our variety of homemade baked sweets that promise to keep that sweet tooth satisfied!”

Not only has this little place survived, it is thriving!

While sitting there eating one of the best Magic Bars I have ever tasted, I began to wonder. What is it that makes this place so special? What is it that makes it so good that they are receiving top reviews and everyone is talking about them, including the local news station and UrbanSpoon?

Working through my thoughts I realized it is the very same things that we can use to make our online businesses shoot through the roof with success – the same business model that seems to make Four Kings so different from the others.

The Extra Touches That Make the Difference

You have to find a way to be different than anything else people can find.

Positive Interaction in Your Community

The folks over at Four Kings have reached out to the community around them right down to being a part of the fund raiser for our local dog park here in Universal City. The community has reached back. Why? Because community still matters to people. No matter what business you own, sincerely getting involved in your local community makes a difference. Try it!

Be Ready To Deal with the Challenges

I remember a week when a belt broke for the big mixer they use to help make their bread. Did they close down or stop selling sandwiches for the week? Nope, they worked their tails off making bread in small batches in two 6 qt kitchen aids.

How does this compare to your online business? What happens when you face challenges with your hosting company? Are you prepared and ready to move to another hosting company if needed? Or, do you just give up and blame the hosting company for why you are out of business?

It’s Way More Than the Product You Sell

It truly isn’t the fact that the cheesecake makes you feel like you died and went to heaven or that the sandwiches make you drool down your chin. It is so much more than that. It’s the way Four Kings makes you FEEL when you are there from the very moment you walk through the door. They make you feel like family.

How can we do this as online business owners?

INTERACT with your customers and potential clients on a daily basis. Don’t be afraid to get more personal on your blogs or Facebook page. Include every possible sense in these discussions. Four Kings post taste tantalizing images on their page that drag me back over and over again and let people know the special of the day.

YOU Are Your Biggest Asset!

In the end, what makes Four Kings different than anyone I have seen in similar businesses is the special folks running this place.

This is the one thing you have full control of.

Be the difference people crave.

Just my 2 cents as always….

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com