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COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL
— April 20-May 3, 2016
American Subcontractors Association Colorado
‘The Voice of Colorado Subcontractors’
3575 South Sherman Street, Suite 3, Englewood, CO 80113
303.759.8260 •
B
lack Friday lines
begin forming
on the eve of
Thanksgiving.
Going downtown Denver
to a professional sporting
event, plan to stand in line!
Department of Motor Vehicle,
now there is a line, take a
number! Need to catch a
plane? Get in line or check in
online and then get in line at
the airport. Most everywhere
we go we stand in line and we
are euphoric if we are first in
line, remember this!
Live everyday like it is your
last. We often reflect on this
thought when we are con-
fronted by loss or a significant
life change. This thought
urges us to make every day
count and take no day for
granted. It suggests that we
must do something to make
evident that what we are
doing is important, the most
important thing we can do.
I have experienced a tre-
mendous amount of stress
over the last couple of years.
If I were living each day as if
it were my last I would have
walked away from the stress
and failed many people. I have
discovered what it means to
“get in line.” In other words,
join the human race. What
does matter is what I know
today that I did not know
before. I hope the lessons I
have learned will help you
manage stress to a positive
outcome. By the way, I’m still
a student, a better one, but
still learning.
I have a small plaque in
my office. It reads, “This
too shall pass, now would be
good.” Isn’t that great! Things
change and most likely the
greatest change will be you.
Let’s talk about this a bit.
Stress is personal, it is
yours. Like any difficult situa-
tion or circumstance, confront
it and own it. Don’t depend on
anyone else to alleviate your
stress. There are others who
will share your stress, empa-
thize, but know that they will
manage it differently. Stress is
a matter of perspective and to
expect someone else to allevi-
ate your stress invites them to
view the situation from your
perspective. What you need is
a fresh or dif-
ferent perspec-
tive. Stress is
REAL and a
result of REAL
issues and cir-
cumstances.
Now what?
Patience
is a must in
managing
stress. Lack of
patience increases stress. This
is where you can appreciate
all the times you stood in line,
waited in line and were at
the end of the line. You didn’t
know that you were engaged
in a personal growth exercise,
patience development.
Given the stressful situa-
tion, what is the worst that
can happen? The gold nugget,
control that outcome, manage
it and put it on your timeline.
The path is the same, but you
are taking charge of the situa-
tion and that just feels better.
Most likely managing what
you can control impacts the
outcome. Along the way, you
will gain new skills, develop a
new understanding and appre-
ciation for others and arrive
in tact and whole, albeit, a bit
tired and in need of a vaca-
tion.
Have you ever taught some-
one to drive? Imagine that
you are riding shotgun with
a student driver at the wheel,
going over Red Mountain
Pass, 11,000 feet above sea
level through the San Juan
Mountains in southern
Colorado. No guard rails, rock
slides, 8% grade, switchbacks
and the scenery is so spec-
tacular it is a distraction. At
this speed you will be on this
road in the dark, not good.
Your next birthday will have
come and gone and you are
graying in the meantime. You
can’t take it any longer, you
have the driver pull over (I’m
not sure where you would
pull over) and you assume the
driver’s seat. You are in con-
trol, you exhale and you are
on your way. The Pass is just
as treacherous and your driv-
ing speed has not increased
and you arrive at your
planned destination tired and
relieved, but you made it.
Remember how things were
before all the stress? What did
you like doing? Are you still
doing those things? If not, get
to it. There is something to
be said about being kind to
yourself. I can expand on this,
but it too is personal. What do
you like doing? Set aside all
the reasons and barriers that
prevent you from going for a
walk, playing a board game,
taking a drive, gardening,
cooking, golf… just do it and
do it now!
Perspective is everything.
Stress will propel you into
action and cause complete
apathy. Neither will alleviate
stress because they do noth-
ing that goes to the cause. Did
I mention that perspective is
everything?
Many years ago a men-
tor, friend and colleague of
mine dropped by the office
to give me a book,
The Four
Agreements by Don Miguel
Ruiz,
a story of one man’s
journey based on ancient
Toltec wisdom. The book talks
about beliefs that we hold,
limit us and rob us of joy and
create needless suffering. So
what are the agreements; be
impeccable with your word,
don’t take anything person-
ally, don’t make assumptions
and always do your best. The
final chapter in the book is
titled, A New Dream and
confronts the fact that your
dream is your creation and
that today is not to be lived as
though it is your last, but as if
it is your first.
You see, to live each day as if
it is your last requires you to
do all sorts of things, satisfy
the important things (impor-
tant to you) in your life. Get
your priorities in order and
then you will be fulfilled and
on target. Stressful!
To live each day as if it is
your first allows you to be,
and that determines what you
will do. To look at each day
as if it is your first allows you
to learn from mistakes, cel-
ebrate wins, grow, relax, play,
work and create your dream.
Whatever you feed, is what
grows and thrives. Know that
this path is hard work but
pays big dividends. Literally, I
will stand in line. But really, I
don’t do lines!
Last or First, Seems
Backwards Doesn’t It?
Debra L Scifo
ASAC Executive
Director
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ASAC LEADERSHIP
ASAC President
Rusty Plowman
Delta Drywall, Inc.
Vice President
Carl Cox III
Excel Environmental, Inc.
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Diane Hills
Diamond Excavating, Inc.
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Richard Forsberg
Forsberg Engerman
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Platinum Renovations
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Jim Donaldson
A.I.A. Industries, Inc.
Director
Troy Tinberg
AllPhase Landscape, Inc.
Director
Don Appleby
Holmes Murphy
ASAC Executive Director
Debra L Scifo
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Mark Gruskin
Senn Visciano Canges
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Kristen Thomson
Tierney Paul Lawrence, LLP
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Peter Scifo
OBS Consultants
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Melissa Ryman
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Jamie Martin
