My mom had some sayings which resonate with me and my brothers especially during challenging times.  One saying is that, “It is not what happens that matters, but how you respond to what happens.”  Other famous sayings from our society is, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Too often, something happens to us and we naturally get affected by the event, letting it get the best of us.  This negative event affects our morale and psyche which can in turn affect our spouses, children and others.  If it is pervasive in our area, it can even affect the society at large.

People that come out of adversity stronger generally have a positive attitude.  They set daily goals to accomplish to feel productive each day and set long term goals for the future.  They change their mindset to enjoy life’s simple pleasures like going out for a hike or sunbathing outside.  My family used to “go on an adventure” to a supermarket, home goods store, or to just go for a drive.  It does not take money to survive and thrive, but an upbeat attitude and a realization that we will get through this and persevere.

Some of the things that I do with the employees of Ironclad Property Management is to challenge them to do some fun things during the weekend.  Here are the answers from this week:  One employee is going to build a porch on her Meriden property and explore Wallingford.  Another is going to take her daughter to a park in East Hartford or Manchester.  I plan to explore nice hiking trails with my family in Southington and Plainville, eat ice cream in Middletown, Middlefield or Durham and enjoy going canoeing or kayaking near Portland.

By having fun plans for the weekend, we work to bring excitement and joy to our lives, break up the endless lockdown, and revitalize our hearts and souls to be our best each week.  This makes us better at serving our owners, vendors, and tenants.  Bringing happiness and excitement during this pandemic is contagious.  It shows the American spirit to overcome any and all adversity and makes people want to be around us.  Perhaps you can make some short and long term goals and make sure to do something fun this weekend too.