Menu

* "Whine" Selection - Where Am I, Really?

* Appetizer - Inspirational Thought

* Main Dish - Taking the High Road

* Dessert - "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff"

Welcome to our 3rd issue of Food for Thought! The

momentum is building and we continue to receive great

feedback! Feel free to send your comments. We welcome

any and all suggestions! Sit back, relax, and enjoy

Where Am I, Really?

By Bill Shade

Thought I might try practicing a small amount of what

my co-author talked about in our last issue. I know

that my column is titled the "whine" selection and

that those of us in this profession have been known to

complain, occasionally! Yet I must share with you the

events of the recent wine dinner I had the joy of

working! Some people in the hospitality industry will

think that what I am about to describe is fiction,

believe me it is not! I saw this with my own eyes and

had the privilege of being part of the whole process!!

The other night, the small Bistro where I work had a

four course wine dinner for sixty guests. The prep

work was done, both in the front of the house and the

kitchen, thirty minutes before the first guest

arrived-miracle number one! The wine reps arrived on

time and wine was ready to be poured on time-miracle

number two! Now for the biggest miracle of all- the

entire evening was a walking, talking visual of what

happens when those of us in this industry work as a

team!! The front of the house helped the kitchen prep

each course, the owners ran food and prepped plates,

and get this, after it was over, the kitchen staff

including the chef bussed tables!! Wow!! What a joy!!

What fun we all had!! Were the customers dazzled and

amazed? You bet they were!! Will they tell their

friends? You know they will!! Team work. How simple

my life is when myself and those around me travel in

the space of psychological reciprocity!! We focused on

the solution and not the problem! We did not sit in

our little world of "look what they are doing to me",

we helped each other and it was grand fun!! Will it be

like this every night-no! Could it be? Yes!! Is this

the start of something good? I think I will focus on

it and make it so!

For more info contact Bill Shade at wwshade@bcinet.net

His business is One Who Waits. "Turning plate

carriers into professional servers"

In order to be a person filled with equanimity, you

must choose kindness over being right, most of the

time. The best place to start is with the next person

Taking the High Road

By Suzie Dawson

Recently I spoke to a bartender friend of mine about

the benefits of "taking the high road." I shared with

her that getting frustrated and annoyed with others

while working (or in life) does no good. In fact, it

will only harm you and not the people you are

frustrated with.

I went on to explain that by keeping your attention on

the positive side, you will naturally attract positive

experiences, including more money. This piqued her

interest.

I spoke to this same friend the other night at my

husband's softball game, and she told me that she has

been making an incredible amount of money at work.

She said she is no longer letting things bother her

and the tips just seem to be rolling in!

This did not surprise me. As I have mentioned in the

past two issues, it is comes down to where you put

your attention. If you focus on the negative, you

will attract negative experiences. When you focus on

the positive, you will attract positive experiences.

It is as simple as that.

So how does one go about shifting their attitude

amidst a very trying situation? Well, the first thing

to remember is that it is your life and you get to

choose how you react (or respond) to it. Remember, no

one can make you feel anyway without your permission.

The second thing to remember is that by letting others

constantly affect your attitude, you are giving away

your power. You are handing it over to them and

saying "I am yours for the taking."

Finally, keep in mind that all it takes when you are

in this situation, is a shift in focus. For example,

the next time you find yourself frustrated with an

employee or co-worker, resist the need to be right and

instead choose kindness. This will help to create a

mutually satisfying end result, which will benefit

everyone from the customer on down. Be part of the

solution instead of part of the problem. You will be

amazed at the results!

Your challenge for this week is to take back your

power. Do not let others get the best of you. The

next confrontation you are in, choose kindness over

"being right." Recognize that this is your life, and

you get to choose how you respond to it!! This will

ultimately leave you with a much greater sense of

peace.

For more information contact Suzie Dawson at

Suzie@ChrysalisCoaching.com or

http://www.chrysalis-coaching.com.

"Our outside world is a reflection of our inside. If

you want to change your business or your life, start

by looking inward."

The dessert pick for the week is the book "Don't Sweat

The Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson. This is a great

book for anyone caught up in the pressures of every

day life. In it, he suggests several ways of coping

to make life more manageable. This book is a "must