Some irritating buzz words I've been hearing a lot lately...

We've all been reading the paper, watching the news and listening to podcasts over the past number of months. Every day brings more questions than answers, and we tend to go in circles. Seemingly every conversation we have nowadays is about either the virus or politics (with some sports mixed in).

I recently caught up with my friend Carla Rosenberg. We talked a little about the world these days and mentioned some irritating buzz words that we need to clear up and, in some cases, just stop using entirely...

1. "Pivot" – everyone is pivoting their operations…You pivot as many times as you can, as fast as you can, as smart as you can. This is simply called "life" and "business." We all need to be changing, growing and adjusting! It's how you win! You must always stay on your toes and constantly pivot...365 days per year. 
2. "The New Normal" – What does this even mean? What was the old normal? I never knew normal to begin with! If you knew someone that was "normal," it just meant you didn’t know them very well.
3. "Social Distance" – I was doing this before it was a thing! 
4. "Unprecedented Times" – You know... this isn’t the first global pandemic and we have had some crazy difficult times before...and we will have them again! As I have said many times, life is difficult! Nobody said our lofty goals will come easily. Everything happens for a reason - so live it, love it, learn from it, and grow from it!
5. "Flatten the Curve" – Sometimes I wish I paid more attention in school growing up, so I would know more about linear graphs. I can't even tell you what class this is from!  I can't remember the last time I studied these graphs. I don't think our country has ever studied linear graphs and data tables of a global virus growth as much as we have today...has "flattening the curve" worked? Or are we simply being smarter?
6. "Zoom" – Who knew? And by the way, just because you have a Zoom call, it doesn’t mean the call has to be 45 minutes! It's okay to just talk for 10 minutes. I am "Zoomed out." Can't we just do an phone call for ten minutes, catch up and move on?

I'll tell you one thing I know for sure, my mother would've LOVED these Zoom calls. She NEVER trusted me when I told her where I was. Every time I was at a "friends" house she would ask for their parents' number just to call and make sure I was actually there (I usually wasn't - sorry Mom). She always needed verification, and if a 45 minute Zoom call was an option back then, it would've been a no-brainer for her. I guarantee you she would jump all over that opportunity.  

By the way, I understand the severity of all political movements in the nation today. I stand against ALL HATE. Nonetheless...can we please have one day with out talking politics and the virus (and that includes all the news/media too)!
 
 A few quotes of the day that make you say "hmmmmm":  
 

• "Having patience is faith…Patience is about waiting."
• "If you are going to believe everything you read, start reading your bible or the book of your ancestors."
• "There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or to accept responsibility for changing them"
• "Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so"
• "You can't have gratitude and be upset at same time"
• "You can't have faith and fear at same time"