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Our Day
Saluting a nationally recognized day that celebrates an aspect important to us introverts
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL BEACH DAY
AUGUST 30
August 30th is National Beach Day. As the summer winds down, beaches are synonymous with family time, relaxation, castle-building, and crashing waves of inviting blue waters. I hope everyone has had the chance to enjoy the magical powers of a beach this summer.
My family hit the boardwalk during our visit to Coney Island and Jennifer and I snuck out for an afternoon in Galveston but passed on a dip in the brown, sluggy, murky waters. So some beach action but no inviting waters this year.
Oftentimes we grab a Caribbean cruise and find a beach to relax on, splashing in the waters and dozing off in a hammock. Perhaps next year.
Besides the Caribbean warmth, we caught a few beaches of the Mediterranean during our most awesome cruise of 2006, the chilly, jagged beaches of Normandy, Dover, and Brighton Beach while traveling England and France, and the amazing beaches of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and Scotland during other vacations.
But my favorite beach remains South Padre Island where I proposed to Jennifer just over 29 years ago. Unfortunately, I just missed dusk by the time I found a secluded area, so she couldn't see the shimmer of the ring until we found a street light. But I saw the shimmer in her eyes in the new moonlight. And I new this would always be the beach where it all began!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL HEROES' DAY
AUGUST 26
August 26th is National Heroes' Day. We should all have heroes. People we look up to, that shape our lives and are role models for us during our toughest times.
My hero is my father, Richard Friedman. He was a family man through and through. He worked so hard to provide for his family of six and sought to spend any casual time with family - hanging out around the house, hiking and camping, watching football, canoeing or rafting. He enjoyed nature and reading, but also reveled behind the mask of local theatre. When comfortable at home, he wielded his physical brand of humor, more physical than spoken - funny faces, quirks, and gestures.
Dad was so simple he didn't even have a middle name! He was a man of few words. Yet, he conducted his life with the highest degree of honesty and integrity. Dad was indeed an introvert, though neither of us talked about that much, missing the opportunity to comfort, overcome, and embrace the shackles of traditional introversion together.
Nearly six years after his death, he remains a constant source of comfort and guidance. He is my hero!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
AUGUST 15
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. While you won’t make it far in life without putting your best foot forward, it’s hard to avoid burnout without kicking that foot up on an ottoman every now and then. Relaxation is just as crucial to a successful life as hard work is, and it’s something that should be commemorated. So, on Aug. 15, we celebrate National Relaxation Day!
INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY
AUGUST 08
August 8th is International Cat Day. I grew up with cats and dogs, including a beagle that chewed gum and a mutt named Klutz that fell up the stairs. But my family has been cat-people for decades. Most have been cuddly, cute, and low maintenance but we've had some biters and pishers in the bunch too. Still we love them and find they best match our introverted personalities!
Over the past 30 years we've enjoyed the comfort of seven cats. From top left: Bandit who just passed in July, twins Pixie & Bandit, Pixie was quite protective of Bandit, Pixie taking a cat knap, George O'Malley the Alley Cat, Skidmark the Writing Cat, Sweat Pea, K-Bear with cameo by baby Gwendolyn, and Heidi with her feather Boa.
NATIONAL GIRLFRIENDS DAY
AUGUST 01
August 1st is National Girlfriends Day. Listen, trust me, I'm completely loyal to my pal, partner, and confidante, Jennifer. And I really didn't have enough girlfriends before her to require a second hand to count on. But the ladies pictured above are the most important ladies in my life. As a group they are strong, confident, creative, talented, caring, and kick ass.
At top left are my wonderful sisters, Gayle, Michelle, and Renee. Each played a prominent role in my childhood. Thankfully, we are even closer today, sharing much of the same drive, passions, and memories though we are dispersed across the country.
My amazing wife, Jennifer, is the artist, friend, and caregiver of our family. Our daughters Gwendolyn and Madolyn are both courageous, creative, and independent in their own fabulous way.
Thank you girlfriends...one and all!
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY
JULY 30
Many extroverts and some introverts may think this is an odd Day to celebrate. But, as discussed in last week’s blog, “De-Mystifying Introversion”, the traditional definition that we Introverts may be anti-social recluses is just not true. We do like people and value friendships. I definitely value my time with family and friends. That said, I would expect I have fewer friends than many others. It is certainly harder for me to make friends. I need to relax and let my natural anxiety dissipate. I need to quickly move beyond “idle” chit-chat and dive into more substantive conversations. This involves taking a bit of a risk and making an investment in the conversation. This whole strategy can’t really happen in big, cocktail party-type crowds. Conversely, one-on-one talks in the friendship forming stage are less preferred than small group chats. I’ve found since retiring a year ago I’ve become a bit more social. Maybe I just don’t feel the pressures to build work relationships or the possible conflict in trying to create friendships in a work environment. I also think I’m not drained for forcing myself to stretch outside of my comfort zone all day that I am too exhausted to put forth the social effort after work. In retrospect, a greater effort on implementing a strategy of relaxation and small group encounters may have help create more friendships during my work years, but the good thing is its never too late to make every day an International Day of Friendship!
NATIONAL HAMMOCK DAY
JULY 22
To me, a hammock is utter peace. I think the first time I was introduced to a hammock was on my honeymoon cruise just over 28 years ago on a remote island in the Bahamas. We swayed right and left staring at the palm trees above and the beautiful blue waves cresting near the beach while my wife, Jennifer, and I dreamed of the life we had begun together. I can’t imagine what more an introvert like myself might want…love, solitude, dreams, and quiet. Every time we vacation on a cruise we are sure to find a hammock on the ship or on a beach. It never gets old! As a matter of fact, we finally bought a hammock for the backyard last year. We should each find our own happy places and visit them often. Happy National Hammock Day!
NATIONAL PANDEMONIUM DAY
JULY 14
I can't say I seek chaos or thrive with pandemonium, but as we strive to redefine Introversion, I think we can find ways to tackle life's challenges using our skills of planning, evaluating, and creatively solving problems in front of us. So pandemonium doesn't have to be an overwhelming concept, just another challenge.
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