Time to Loosen Up: Laugh More and Bitch Less

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw

by Skip Cohen

Not too long ago, I started lightening up my Friday posts. Heading into the weekend, regardless of what you have on the agenda, it takes a little work to clear your head from the day-in-day-out stress of business and life.

On the business side, I've talked to so many artists who are frustrated by ever-changing consumer trends, keeping up with technology, and dealing with the competition. Then, throw in the fact that the world is upside down. The 6:00 PM news has become one of the scariest shows to watch. We're all buried under the stress of politics, the economy, health issues, and the list goes on and on.

So, a few months back I moved to a stronger lifestyle theme on Friday posts. My goal is to remind you that you can't control the outside world, but you can manage your little piece of it. It's all tied to your attitude and making fun a priority. "Fun" is one of those words so often lost under the pressure of being a business owner.

Lou Mitchell wrote the following with the quote above: Engaging in play and maintaining curiosity and enthusiasm can keep us young at heart, regardless of age. The perspective encourages us to incorporate fun, creativity, and joy in our daily lives...Are you prioritizing fun and creativity in your life, or are you becoming bogged down by routine and responsibilities?

Here's my point this morning: Whether you're 30 or pushing 80 - you're only as old as your attitude. To modify something I learned at least 40 years ago from a remarkable motivational speaker, Ed Foreman, and put into my own words: Life is for laughing, loving, and living - not bitching, moaning, and complaining. 

Then and Now: Only difference is what's in the bottle!

Wishing all of you a terrific weekend ahead. Do your best to focus on things that make you laugh and your heart soar! And if somebody tells you to act your age, subtract at least 10-20 years. It's time to bring back the Peter Pan inside you..."I won't grow up!"