I love this most wonderful time of the year as we mark the entry into 2012 and embark on possible changes in our work and lives which includes Maggie’s Musings! For the next year, I will write a weekly blog about my journey through 2012 along with Jack Canfield’s Success Principles. I muse about people, business and or events that I feel compelled to bring to the surface for a “shout out”.

Musings you may read:

• Change is a subject I love and contemplate ways to incorporate into my life. A recent book, Switch, by Chip and Dan Heath talks about how to change things when change is hard. They site interesting data such as “you hear people say that change is hard because they are lazy or resistant, that’s just flat wrong…change is hard because people wear themselves out…what looks like laziness is often exhaustion.” Solutions from the book focus around common perceptions: find the bright spots, shrink the change, grow your people or rally the herd. One specific tactic sited in the book is the 5 –Minute Room Rescue. “What is the most trivial thing you can do-right at this moment-that would resemble a baby step towards the goal?”
• Why is it while stopping randomly across the eastern United States one can see significant differences in service and hospitality? People are people; a tough economy is a tough economy; good service is good service, right? I contemplated this and more as we drove to PA over the holidays and would stop at various service stations. In Indiana a person could not be found to sell me a cup of coffee. In Ohio, a miscommunication as I stood at Starbucks and my husband stood at Burger King ended up with an educational experience between complete strangers at two different establishments learning about what goes into a green tea latte.
• Traveling with a half American bulldog/half Neapolitan Mastiff 15 month-old puppy, sparks many wonderful heartwarming discussions and actions between people who would never typically interact. From a semi-driver who halts his big rig to allow me and Leo to pass in front of him to the Department of Homeland Security Montana guy traveling to St. Louis who wakes up his daughter to see the most handsome dog, Leo.

From Jack Canfield’s new book, The Golden Motorcycle Gang:

“we thank you for reading our little book and sharing it with others. Most of all we thank you for joining us on the journey of self discovery…as you reflect on what your life purpose is and how you want to spend your time on planet Earth, remember that your imagination may be your most important asset.”

Thank you for reading my little column (and the Corridor Business Journal) and as I utilize my imagination, musing through 2012…join me here on my blog! Here’s to good health, happiness and positive change.