The Best Gift ..... Ever

Thanksgiving was over.  Black Friday sales were slowing down.  One day we were thankful for what we have.  The next day we shopped for more.   Maybe we ate too much or spent too much money but most of us reflected on what we appreciated about our lives -- our families and friends.

The question was once posed to me "What gift have you received that you appreciated the most?"  It only took a micro second to remember my favorite gift - ever.  I am acutely aware of it on a regular basis.

It was 1987.  My husband and I were going through a rough patch of bad luck.  It seemed that no matter what we did to get ahead, we were thrown two steps back. We had taken a huge financial loss and did not have any income at the time. Jobs were more than scarce and every day seemed to bring a new dilemma.

It was Christmas time and there was no money for any gifts or turkey dinner.  Please don't misunderstand me.  There are things a lot more important than exchanging gifts but it was a harsh reminder of how difficult the year had been. Although we remained optimistic, the future looked pretty grim.

An Apology - Bill Cosby

I  AM  SO  SORRY.  I didn't want to believe you.  How could I believe that America's Number One Dad could be a monster?  I poo-pooed the blog posts I read.  I got angry at the women who were getting their 15 minutes of fame by talking to the media.  It was not possible.

One of the first exposures I had to this 'nonsense' was on Carol Cassara's post, Bad Behavior Writ Large.  I am an avid follower of Carol's daily posts.  I respect her but come on -- Bill COSBY? That post was written on my birthday and on my 42nd wedding anniversary, just three weeks later, it was confirmed how WRONG I had been.

Were You Born With It?

Are you born with a natural ability to sell or is it learned?  Even though I have been in sales as long as I can remember, I can't answer that.

I have trained many people how to sell, but I believe that is different than a natural ability.  I will rarely buy something when the salesperson is pushing me.  If I am walking through a mall and someone wants me to sample their product or service, I will smile and walk quickly away. Personally, I don't look at that as selling but plain obnoxious.

If you are interested in a humorous look on how NOT to sell, I wrote a blog post about it a few months ago called 10 Ways To Guarantee You Do NOT Make A Sale.  Have a look here to get some valid tips on what NOT to do.