There's a DEER! with Steve and Bunny

The deer. So we're going to start with if we can see this deer. Steve, tell me if you can see the deer. Can you see him now?

Giant deer.

I mean, he's probably not that big. Well, first off, it's a doe, right. So we should be sensitive to that. So she is probably not that big, but like the Southern California girl and me is like, whoa, it's a big deer.

Yeah, I know. We have this whole family that travels through our yard and apologies in advance for loud road noises. I also just went outside to sit outside. We've got this kind of creek that goes down there.

Beautiful.

And this one family of deer will come through multiple times a day. And sometimes it's like 15. It's a little frightening at first.

Well, so it's kind of like my version. Okay, so first off, for everybody listening, I know we just jumped into this conversation, but Steve and I were talking about like just having a regular discussion and that's the whole purpose of these difference makers discussions. And then this big deer went through my front. Didn't come through my front window, but like walked by. So I was like, we gotta hit record and like show. I was in the middle of saying like, this would be like if Steve was just hanging out at my house and we were having a discussion. And so we brought you into the middle of our live discussion on this big deer in the middle of nowhere. But what I was saying is I feel like it's my version of the Venice canals of like, I'm seeing more deer and like more wildlife. And you know, I ride and so I've been riding these. We're making like new trails and stuff. And so it's just kind of crazy because I've seen like a huge owl. I've seen, you know, obviously some deer. They're the most frightening things to see on horseback because to a horse, like any kind of rustling in the trees has got to be a giant horse eating monster. But yeah, like it's, it's, it's just been kind of awesome. I don't know. Are you going into. Because I know you're still doing the recording. So are you going back into gather?

I actually just came from there our last day there because we moved offices. But yeah, our team has been primarily remote, although we just started doing three half days a week together in person, which feels like just glory. It's so nice.

Is it like fireside? Like, take me there. Like is it around like a fire pit? So you have social distancing? Do you make some mores? Like, I want to live vicariously through you since my team is on different continents.

Yeah, we actually did that the first time. Well, yeah, it was a good guess. We started in the garage because we just opened this new membership recently and we're putting together packages, like these gifts for people who joined. And so we were in the garage kind of assembling. We had the gloves and masks on and everything. And then we were kind of talking like, yeah, we've all been quarantined for like two months and we're all healthy, so let's just take off the masks and talk and. No, it was nice to be together because you, you know, I mean, you lose so much. You lose so much in terms of just signals and non verbals and body language, not being in person. So that was really fun.

Yeah, it's my husband, he posted something that was like, is anyone else tired of all this Covid stuff? And, you know, I told him, I was like, you kind of got to stop, like, antagonizing, like, being. I feel like sometimes he's just antagonistic on social media for the sake of being antagonistic. But he has a. He has a different view on life because he's military. And so, like, sometimes the humor is just not for the civilian side. I work with a lot of military and so I can keep up with it, but I'm like, when you post it on Facebook, like, there's. There's got to be some kind of filter there. Which is ironic since his entire job is why we have, like, freedom of speech and stuff, for better or for worse. But so he posted it and we had a discussion about it, and this was just last night. And he's like, well, aren't you tired of it? And I was like, I'm at home, like, with my snoring. Great Dane, you know, like, I don't have to get on a plane. I don't have to, you know, do the run through the conference center to make sure I'm on a stage or like, I have more time to be more present for clients. And I wrote that ebook, like, during this time, I was like, I don't know, like, I think once. And this may go to the podcast that you just did about, like, habits and rituals, but I meditate at least once a day, and that's kind of how I start my day. And so when I shifted my mindset to, like, this is my reality, like, not this is my new normal, or not anything like that, because I'm not under the assumption that anybody's life was normal. But, like, what if this is happening for me instead of to me? Like you said you appreciate being with your team now, so I enjoy social distancing.

Yeah. There are a lot of goods to be had. Like, we're talking a lot about quarantine exit strategy right now. And I'm just really grateful. It's forced us as a company to get really focused and focused on the right things. And I've heard a lot of stories like that where even just opening our eyes to where. Where the best opportunities are, but also where we shine and what. What we're really meant to do. Like, where is our focus supposed to be in the first place? And, you know, you mentioned the quarantine. Like, here's my concern right now. I think. I think that this next phase, however many months, will be harder than the quarantine in a lot of ways, because at least then for a couple months, it was a really clear rule. Like, here's what everyone's supposed to do, you know, black and white, end of story. But now we're entering this gray phase where the rules aren't very clear. Everyone kind of makes them for themselves in a sense. And I'm just concerned. You mentioned, like, meditating and mindset, trying to. I'm trying to really have extra grace with people because I'm concerned that we're all going to get so judgmental of each other. And, you know, I am choosing to approach it this way and you're choosing that way. It's like, you know, people at the store are all doing it differently and we're just going to start getting mad at each other because we have different viewpoints and such. I mean, you know what? There's some. There's a line like, if we're at the store and we're supposed to be wearing masks and you sneeze in my face. Well, yeah, I think that's probably fair for me to be upset about that. But if we're just choosing to approach it a different way, that's different. You know, that's. That's going to be varied for a while and just the awkwardness of social norms with friends and family.

So, Steve, just To be clear, 2019, I can sneeze in your face and you're not going to be upset with me.

Yes. Yeah. Well, actually, let's set a date for when this is all quote unquote, over and we can just meet somewhere and you can sneeze in my face.

No, that's so disgusting. Like, I don't even want. It's so gross. I. One of my friends posted like he's got several children and he's, you know, quarantined and he's out on the west coast and he took a picture of his kids and, and he is like the irony and the fact that I'm quarantined with four living, breathing petri dishes. You know, like Covid doesn't know like anything against or doesn't have anything against these guys because, you know, I don't know. We have a three year old and she is constantly like has snot running down her nose and just, just like coughing and you're like, is she sick or is she just like, I don't know. I don't. The older one, it's been, it's five years between them. So I often find myself being like, was this how it was? And what I've learned is just like in business, every business owner is different. Every kid is different. Like every day is different with each kid and each business owner, you know, so like just be present, show up, be open minded and take it as it comes. Because you know, some days you're going to get sneezed in the face and some days are going to be absolutely awesome. I'm not going to the store because of my heart condition. I fall into that immunocompromise. So I love the fact that we live way out in the country and so like we do one like in town run and then everything goes in the garage and is, is decontaminated and then brought into the house. And I am not involved in any of that because I'm immunocompromised and I sit on the porch with a big smile on my face. So that's probably not fair to the rest of my family.

But you know, do you have one of those deep freezers, those big chest freezers?

So we have two refrigerators and zero ice makers. My dad made that observation. I don't, I don't use ice. Like, I don't. I just stopped. I think it, I was at a tournament or something for softball and this performance person said like drinking like room temperature water was better for your body than the shock of like an iced Gatorade or ice water or something like that. Like. And then when I got diagnosed with my heart condition, they also told me like, drinking.

Can you still hear me?

There we go. All right. That was just like a brief pause. But my dad came over this weekend and he's like, you don't have ice? And I was like, no, I don't. I don't have ice, so. And I lived in Ecuador for a bit, and, like, I don't know, it's. When we lived in Southern California, the one thing when we went to Mexico, like, for a surf trip or for, you know, going to the sand dunes or whatever was like, you don't drink the water or the ice. And so, like, when I went to Ecuador, I didn't have any ice. And so. But it was just so funny because it literally was Sunday, where he's like, you have two refrigerators and two freezers, no ice. Yeah, yeah. I've lived my life without ice for however long. And that's the thing. I even order no ice. If we go to a restaurant, I.

Don'T know, I wouldn't complain.

Is this Marquette? I have to know.

Oh, on the shirt.

Yeah.

It's kind of awkward angle, because I'm in one of these Adirondacks. Leaning back. Michigan. University of Michigan.

Oh, Michigan. Okay. I don't know. I saw the big M and I thought it was Marquette. I was, like, gonna go there with you for a second, but then I.

Think it is the same kind of block. And so is I'm sitting here in Midlothian, Virginia, and I think it's like, Midlothian High School. Some kind of high school around here is the same exact block M and colors as Michigan, so.

So you're just open to receiving all of it?

Sure, yeah.

So three times a week, half days with the team. What is one other silver lining that we can leave with before we transition out of this discussion?

Well, I would say what you and I were chatting about right before we started recording, which is just rhythms, and I like the word rhythms, but habits, routines, you know, you can call it a lot of different things, but I think there is a real opportunity right now. And if anyone hasn't yet, I would encourage them to. To kind of just evaluate your routines. And I feel like a lot for a lot of people, they've been forced to look at that and maybe never had in their whole life. But I know for me, it's been good to look at how do I use my time, what do I take in, what do I put out there and really start to hone in those routines. You know, I was just thinking about this driving back from the office today, because I haven't really been driving anywhere for months, and it was so nice and so energizing just to listen to a podcast, which was part of my routines before. Like, on my commute, I always listened to certain podcasts and for me, that kind of deep thinking or strategic thinking or like, I mean, for me, it's a lot of business type of podcasts or self improvement stuff. And it's, that's a big energy boost to me. And I didn't realize till that rhythm was gone how drained I would feel through the week without having any of that. So I don't know, you probably have a million examples too. But I think for me, a silver lining is definitely looking at rhythms and routines that are in our life, because it's not a question of if we have them or not. We all have them. The question is, did you make them intentionally or not or did they happen to you? And so I feel like that's a big win for people right now who are taking some time to think about it.

Yeah, that awareness is gold, you know, just that awareness, like you said. So it can happen to you or it can happen for you and with intention. So I think my silver lining is this, you know, you and I have worked in literally the same spaces, but never really had the chance to sit down and like, it's, we've always done it in kind of a social setting. And so this is one of many opportunities to intentionally collaborate, intentionally sit down and have a meaningful conversation and not make it like, let's grab coffee, but like, me show you my giant deer, you know, and like, you know, for you to tell me kind of what's on your mind. I, like, I'm honored and blessed that you took the time to share that with me. And I feel like I'm just able to be a little bit more present than, and it means more. I'm not taking it as for granted as if you were just like, hey, why don't you just come down and let's have coffee? You know, like, you cut out this part of your day to be able to have this conversation and we got to know each other as humans instead of like, what can you do for me? Or what can I do for you? And that. And that's not how either of us operate, but it was just kind of the cadence of life, you know, and like the vibration of what was behind every meeting. And so to be able to connect with somebody else that I know for a fact. And we'll have Steve's information posted below with his gorgeous face and link to all of Steve's goodness. But, you know, he's, he's a business owner that is, is doing it to make a difference and doing it to, you know, in an intentional, meaningful way, not just growth for growth sake, but growth for the sake of making a difference. So that's my silver lining, is the fact that you and I got to connect.

Yeah, I agree with that. I think it's fun to have this. This channel, this kind of zoom or video conferencing channel, really focus us in more like that. Apart from the fact that my back hurts more now because I'm sitting in this square frame all day, not moving.

But, yeah, I haven't mastered, like, the, like, pushing on the frame thing yet. I've tried it a couple times, but I gave up on the virtual backgrounds because the. I was reading, like, Psychology Today, and they said that, like, people don't trust. There's not as much trust if you have a virtual background versus, like, my kids bookshelf. My sleeping. Oh, just so you get Guinness in here. My sleeping gigantic beast, you know, so it's not an interaction with Bunny unless you get Guinness. So. Yeah, But I love your bird, too. Your bird in the background. That's. I don't know if you have that bird, like, on cue.

Yeah, he's got some beef with me, or he just has something to share. I guess he's waiting for us to chime him in.

Yeah. Well, if somebody speaks bird or, you know, like, maybe it's like, I am Groot. We have to get some kind of translation going.

If anyone has that, please let me know.

I'm sure it's in Google Translate, so you just have to run through it. Midlothian neighborhood bird.

Yeah.

All right, Steve, I'm gonna let you go. And thank you for being here. Thank you for making a difference. And I will put all the stuff below on the website, and then I'll share it with you when it's all good and live.

Yeah. Thanks for having me.

All right, bye.