Last year a dear friend challenged me to find one word that I could focus on all year; a word that permeated all aspects of my life. I searched for a single word that was not only a call to action, but also caused me to think creatively and more importantly allowed for reflection. My word for 2013 was perspective. Each time I encountered a new challenge personal or professional I found myself pondering my perspective. How would my actions influence my outlook or the viewpoint of others? How might my perception sway the action of others to move to a new vantage point? What might I take away from a situation if the variables changed and would I think or behave the same way in 3 months, 12 months or 3 years? I learned so much last year.

In January I selected GRACE as my word for 2014. The inspiration for grace came from being blessed to have a successful business and a healthy family, demonstrating random acts of kindness and serving with honor. I looked forward to fulfilling the promise of grace in the coming months.

With the year nearly half over, I find myself reflecting again on whether or not I have honored my word. I am so thankful that the business continues to prosper and my quest for learning continues. I am so appreciative of the people around me who support and sometimes defend my strict work ethic and our insane levels of customer service. To this end I will continue my focus on performing RAOK (random acts of kindness) and creating a working environment that is fun, engaging, informative and growth oriented.