Chew On It – Freedom and Gratitude
It is wonderful to be out of the lockdown!
During the first week of freedom, I had dinners at 5 restaurants and caught up with many friends. It certainly made me appreciate what I took for granted.
While we were closed, we refurbished and installed new equipment.
The major credit goes to our maintenance manager, Peter Lawton, who set up the new punching bags, re-stained the wooden benches and managed the refurbishment. In fact, he worked diligently throughout the entire lockdown to ensure the entire club was immaculate.
Peter first started working with me in the mid-1980s at Healthland Gym, as a receptionist. He progressed to become an aerobics instructor, and then eventually managed the club. After I sold Healthland in 1997, Peter continued working with the new owners before moving onto a marketing company. I am fortunate he came back to work with me about two years ago, and hopefully until he retires back to Kiwi land.
On the personal front, I have been transitioning out of the management of Elixr as for the past year. My highly capable niece, Sue Anne, has taken over the management of Elixr. Sue Anne was working in the corporate world with Dairy Farmers and Penfolds before becoming the youngest Marketing Director at University of NSW for many years. The best thing is that she is far more capable than I am in managing a business.
A huge thank you to all our members who are back training and supporting us. The pandemic has been challenging for everyone. The challenges continue, but I have no doubt we will be back to “normal” and thriving by the end of next year.
We are very fortunate that Australia has provided financial support, free vaccinations, and kept us relatively safe. Our government has made mistakes, as people do, but they have done their best for its first pandemic. Hopefully there will not be another one in our lifetime. We have been most fortunate to be living in a world without a major war for over 75 years! How lucky are we!
I have been asked many times on how I have been coping with the lockdown and business challenges. The simple fact is – after enduring several personal tragedies and adversities – this is a walk in the park.
The outlook we choose determines our contentment. We have a propensity to complain rather than to accept, and to focus on the negatives rather than the positives. I believe the key to happiness is adapting to the changing environment and being grateful. We have so many positives in our lives. One being our home in Sydney – we live in one of the most beautiful, sensational, safe, and multicultural cities in the world.
As Aristotle said: We are what we frequently do. Most of us know what we need to do. But doing is the hard part. Persistence and perseverance are necessary until it becomes a habit. Then you become who you really want to be.
