It was a beautiful spring-like day in the northeast today. Beautiful sunshine, mid-50’s temperature wise. I went to pick up my daughter from high school because she needed a ride to work. When I pulled into the parking lot there were cars, buses and teenagers everywhere. The teens were laughing, hugging and waving to each other and just enjoying life. As we drove slowly through the traffic to get back out on the main road my daughter was rolling down her window and yelling people’s names out and teens from other cars were doing the same things. "Hi Mr. Vosler!" some of her friends yelled. I felt like saying, "Mr. Vosler is retired in New York!" I was falling right into their zest for life and I loved it. It never occurred to me that high school was like that until I thought hard about it and looked back in my own memory.

I turned to my daughter and said, "See, the best years of your life, right?" "Yeah," she said, remembering our conversation over the summer between her 8th grade and freshman years. I said, "A little job, a little money, a lot of friends and fun and hardly any worries." I miss that. But today I felt it. I was instantly transformed back to my own high school years. I felt like I was one of her friends giving her a lift to her job. I was looking pretty hot in my cool sunglasses and graying blonde hair, my SUV with leather seats and sunroof open and cool music of the day blaring with the bass turned way up as we drove down the road. Then it hit me: "My daughters friends think I’m cool!" Wow, what a feeling! Maybe I was imagining it but I didn’t care. And even better, my daughter thinks I’m cool! (Please don’t show her this blog!) I was, but for a moment, on top of the world…before the days worries caught up to me.

I’m reminded of a great quote by the Painter of Light, Thomas Kinkade who said, "I wholeheartedly offer this prescription for remaining a child at heart: Have children." And children I do have (nine to be exact.) He’s right. There’s many days where I can be transformed back into my childhood like I was today. All I need to do is walk downstairs and wrestle on the floor with 3 year old James and 5 year old Emily. She’ll be going off to kindergarten next year and then it will be just me and James. Unfortunately, I don’t take the time often enough to do that stuff. There’s always something more important to do - something to write, a product to develop, an idea to cultivate, a call to make. But I think we need that balance, especially as sales people and as entrepreneurs. We’re never going to get it all done so why do we bother trying?

My challenge to you today is to look for opportunities to be young at heart. Dream again, play again, shut off the computer at 5 or 5:30 and go be with your family. Like you, I need to heed the same advice. But I know it will be worth it. It always is.

I know you can do it and I definitely believe in you!