Out With The Trash And In With The Treasures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know letting go is a tough thing to do

But it may be the best decision for you

 

The clock keeps on ticking and days fly on by

You can’t get ahead and you’re ready to cry

 

Social media is a rabbit hole that’s ever so deep

Use it wisely or suffer the perils of lost sleep

 

Unproductive activities will slow success down

Keep yourself focused and don’t clown around

 

Give up the clients who don’t follow through

They are lacking respect for all that you do

 

Wisest of biz coaches will always profess

Discard the rotten eggs and savor the rest

 

Bid a grand farewell to needless irritation

Say goodbye to anguish and aggravation

 

There’s an audience out there who’ll always be true

All those customers and clients who believe in you

 

Clear out your hard drive of unwanted files

Make trim and lean your new personal style

 

Network with people who will bolster your passion

Collaboration and bartering are always in fashion

 

Harvest inspiration and release all that worry

This isn’t a race so there’s no need to hurry

 

You don’t have to panic or clamor or sweat

Because all of that icky will lead to regret

 

Zero in a project that will bring in the dough

And then market it smart and market it slow

 

Let go of the stressors and all of the pressures

It’s out with the trash and in with the treasures!

******************************************************************************

This month’s Word Carnivals topic is “Letting go: How and What to Trim to Keep Your Business Lean and Focused”.  My post is just one of many.  Play ring toss, step up to the shooting gallery, or ride the merry-go-round by checking out the rest of the Carney posts here:  November 2012 Word Carnivals

 

 

  • nice poem i didn’t have an idea of writing poems in the blogs but this is an unique idea thanks for it!!

  • Hi Mel,

    I loved your poem!

    It was very interesting and so much truth to it. I had to let a client go the other day. The guy wasn’t following through. Some times this just has to be done.

    • Oh, Hiten, I’m so glad you caught this one!

      I’ve been writing poetry for years and this post was an opportunity to share an important business-related message via my love of rhyme. 🙂

      Good for you for releasing a client who wasn’t following through!!

  • Melanie,

    You’re a talented poet! Great to meet on my blog. This duo is my favorite.

    Zero in a project that will bring in the dough

    And then market it smart and market it slow

    It makes complete sense and for that reason people will ignore it. I love it!

    thanks, G.

    • What a pleasure to see you here, Giulietta! Thanks for knocking on my door today.

      I was totally enamored with your “masks” post and I really enjoy your style of writing. In addition, I checked out some of the logos you’ve designed — very unique, stand-out designs.

      Your compliments are much appreciated and I’m truly pleased you enjoyed my poem. Who knows? I may plunk a little more poetry down here one of these days soon. 😉

  • Melanie, Thanks for this! It’s so important to our happiness to have clients who appreciate and value our work.

    Thanks for this fun post.

    “People are not tools” is a cool way I’ve heard this said.

    Happy Holidays from the Unconventional Parents Community!

    • Delighted to meet you, Chris, and thanks for the visit!

      We have something in common …
      Daughters. 🙂
      I’m a single mum with four daughters and my youngest are twins. Let’s face the music, Chris … women will rule the world. LOL!

      My sentiments, precisely …
      ” It’s so important to our happiness to have clients who appreciate and value our work.”

      Happy Holidays back at ya and I hope you’ll drop in again soon. So glad you found some value in my poem.

  • I had to come back and read this again, Melanie. I have a feeling I will continue to come back and reread it whenever those feelings of overwhelm creep in. I love so many lines, but this one really resonates:

    Network with people who will bolster your passion

    Collaboration and bartering are always in fashion

    It reminds me of the conversation we were having on Sarah’s blog. Networking, collaborating, and bartering are three separate concepts, and we often try to blur the lines. (Or at least I do!) I suppose life itself is really a combination of all these. Fortunately, we have the ability to separate, analyze, and synthesize into something that works for each of us and the greater community.

    • Oh, Tammy, you’re a gem! Really happy our paths have crossed in the blogosphere.

      I agree … we sometimes do “blur the lines” between networking, collaboration, and bartering. I have a hunch Sarah is going to be wellspring of ideas and knowledge on this issue. 🙂

      Thank you for knocking on my blog door today! Would love to have you drop in again.

  • What a lovely piece of poetry. You brought a smile to my face today! Thank you. Love all your writing Melanie.

    • Any time someone leaves my blog with a smile on their face, I’m smiling, too. 🙂

      Thanks for the kudos, Dorien, and your unending support.
      xoxo

  • Flat out awesome sauce! It’s all so true, I love it. And it’s good to know that there’s a lot of us out there dealing with this. I’m in da club!

    • You’re most assuredly not the only member in “da club”, Kerry! 😉

      So happy you stopped by to catch my poem. Thank you kindly for the compliment. 🙂

  • Judy Bowker

    This is great! Very creative and so true! There are employers and clients out there who just don’t appreciate what it takes to do social media and they stray from doing it correctly to just get it done. I have absolutely thrown away the trash and I’m swimming in treasure working for Brooke at B Squared!

    • Count your blessings and your lucky stars, Judy!
      You are definitely “swimming in treasure” with Brooke.:)

      You’re right …
      Oftentimes there’s a lack of appreciation as well as a lack of respect on the part of those who don’t truly understand what you do.

      Proud of you for throwing away the trash and thank you so much for the visit today.

  • This is brilliant, Melanie! I read a lot of blog posts too, and this one will definitely stick with me. Love it!

    • In the blogosphere, Robin …

      “Sticky” is good! 😉

      Thanks for the visit and I’m very happy you liked my poem.

  • I agree with Sandi – Dr. Seuss would be proud. I’m rediscovering those books with my 4 year old right now. Interesting thought – what would the illustrations look like?

    • Wonderful to see you here, Nicole! Have you purchased your alien abduction insurance yet?

      I have a hunch your four-year-old is going to enjoy Dr. Seuss as much as I did when I was young. 🙂

      ” … what would the illustrations look like?”
      Since I have no artistic talent whatsoever, it’s hard to say. I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler. LOL!
      But if I could draw, I’d create illustrations with an “Alice in Wonderland” feel. I’d definitely want to include an illustration of the “rabbit hole” (a.k.a. social media) 😉

  • LOVE this! You are too clever AND so right! Thanks for your business creativity and for making me smile!

    • Many thanks for the compliments, Brooke, and I feel great you’re exiting this post with a “smile”. 🙂

  • Melanie, terrific post and marvelous advice! I loved it!

  • Rich

    I found in this post
    A novel way
    To present an idea
    With words at play

    I found in this poem
    Your talent and wit
    Rhyming and reasoning
    The subject in it

    I loved the poem, my Mel.

    Rich
    143

    • Thank you! It’s plain to see the rhyming bug has bitten you, too, Rich. 😉

      Wrapping my arms around your poetic kudos,
      Mel
      143

  • Fabulous Melanie. Had just been having a chat with my husband who is a poet about the uses for poetry and bingo, you just showed another one. Business verse. i love it.

    What better way to make a good idea stick then with the meter of poetry. Actually after I read your poem, I found I read all the comments as if they were rhyming too. Sort of gets into the brain doesn’t it.

    Your last two lines were classic.

    Let go of the stressors and all of the pressures
    It’s out with the trash and in with the treasures!

    To which I might add:
    And make having fun one of life’s good measures!

    • OH, Sandy! Your line rounds out my poem … perfectly! 🙂

      “Business verse” …
      Do you think there’s a market out there for this rhyming stuff? LOL!

      Your husband is a poet? That’s awesome. I’d love to take a peek at his poetry. Pass a heaping portion my way, would you?

      “Sort of gets into the brain doesn’t it.” You betcha! 😉

  • Melanie, you just opened my eyes to a fabulous way to get a point across and keep readers engaged to the end of the post — poetry and clever rhymes too. I wish I had your talent for expression! My advice is to illustrate this and offer it as an ebook. People will love it.

    • Let’s face it, Clare …

      You’re brilliant!
      And I thank you, immensely, for your suggestion. I hadn’t thought about creating an ebook to illustrate my “biz poetry”. 🙂

      I’ve been writing poetry since elementary school, Clare, and I love it. Maybe it’s high time I start sharing my passion for poetry with small biz owners. 😉

  • Fun approach, Melanie! My favorite line is the same as Sharon’s…it’s “bolster” that got me, for some reason. I also appreciate the reminder that it’s not a race! We are bombarded constantly with “If you don’t use new social media platform X, your competitors will!” and it always makes me feel icky. 🙂

    • I think I know why “bolster” caught your attention, Evan …

      It’s precisely what we Carnies do — support, nurture, praise, encourage, and lift one another up. 🙂

      Ooh, this is really “icky” and I hate it, too:
      “If you don’t use new social media platform X, your competitors will!”

      But this is exactly why we need to keep doing what Sharon suggested in her post … TRIM. Keep trimming.

      It’s so easy to jump on board with all the new social media platforms. And they’re pretty darned enticing, aren’t they?! However, the novelty soon wears off when you realize it’s not humanly possible to engage in conversations on 6, 7, 8, or more social media venues every day. I refuse to let someone “guilt” me into taking on more than I can handle. I’ve been biting off more than I can chew for years and it’s starting to wear me down.

      Very pleased you stopped by! 🙂

  • No. freaking. way. I can’t decide what I love more about this: the rhyming of irritation and aggravation or “all of that icky”.

    Melanie, this was a great message wrapped in fun. I read a lot of blog posts in a day but I’m pretty sure none will stick as much as this one. Next time I’m making an important business decision, I’m just going to ask myself what part is all the icky, and get rid of that!

    • Carol Lynn — thank you! Your comment has me grinning ear to ear. 🙂

      All of that icky
      Gets pretty sticky
      Don’t welcome it in
      Or business gets tricky

      Couldn’t resist laying a little more “icky” – ness on the blog. LOL!!

      So happy you dropped in.

  • This poem is filled with win.

    Too often we take crap from clients who don’t have our best interests, or there’s, at heart. But nobody tells you that it’s okay to fire people who you were excited to work with in the first place, especially when you were the one that supposedly was hired by them.

    Opting out is an important skill that most business colleges fail to teach, even though focus seems to be the keyword of the day. Thanks so much for this post!

    • I’m nothing short of elated you’ve opened this can of worms, Nick …

      ” … nobody tells you that it’s okay to fire people who you were excited to work with in the first place”

      I don’t know nothin’ about nothin’ when it comes to psychology, but I know this much …

      Our subconscious minds are breeding grounds for dangerous messages like “Winners don’t quit” and of course, “Quitters are losers”. I’d like to slug the catbird who came up with this nonsense! Sometimes the only sensible thing to do is let go. That is, if you’re at all concerned with your emotional and physical well being.

      Thank you for commenting my poem is filled with “win”. 🙂

  • Oh my gosh Melanie, Dr. Seuss would be so proud! So many nuggets of wisdom in your poem, just might print it for inspiration!

    • Ah, Sandi … you’ve touched my heart. Thank you!

      You may not find this surprising …
      I have a big collection of Dr. Seuss books. When I was a kid, I cherished those books and read them over and over and over. 🙂

      • Don’t care how old I am, I admit it…I LOVE Dr. Seuss 😉

        • Well, that’s two of us, Sandi!

          Dr. Seuss was one of a kind and I have a feeling he’s entertaining the angels as we speak. 😉

  • A poem! What an excellent form for this month’s carnival. I’ll have to try that one next time. Good job, Melanie. (As a former English Lit major, I don’t give that praise lightly.)

    • … and I don’t receive praise like yours lightly, either, Tea. A very special thanks!

      When I was in school (you know — back in the days of the dinosaurs), I couldn’t run fast enough to my language arts classes — ANY language arts offering and I was there with bells on! 🙂

      I’m feeling giddy with the notion of setting my eyes on a poem from you. Hope you’ll give poetry a shot in an upcoming word carnival. Fun!!

    • P.S. Tea, when I was in high school, I had the privilege of being a select attendee in the Carnegie Mellon Institute Course of Literature. What an outstanding year that was! We listened to Shakespeare productions on LP’s and then critiqued. Have a hunch most of my blog readers won’t know an LP from a hole in the ground. LOL!!

  • Poetry – I love it! This is great advice in an easy to understand form, Melanie. I especially like ‘network with people who will bolster your passion’ 🙂

    • I rather like that particular line, too, Sharon. 😉

      It’s one of the biggest reasons I love being a member of our Word Carnivals group — lots of bolstering of passions going on!

      In case my readers haven’t figured it out yet, you write for a living, so I’m especially glad you enjoyed my poem. Hugs!

  • That’s got to be one of the happiest blog posts about something relatively serious! Now we know that if you want to branch out from your blog, you can easily become a children’s book writer!

    • A myriad of thanks, Woody — what a great thought and awesome compliment! 🙂

      Please knock on my blog door again soon.

  • Oops, hate it when I click “post comment” and then notice a typo – meant to say “a few years back.”
    ~Debra

    • I don’t know about you, Debra, but I would LOVE to not only visit the Cotswolds but I wouldn’t mind residing there, as well. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Thanks again for dropping in — please come back soon. Hope you’ll check out some of the other Carney posts.

  • Loved your poetry Melanie.
    By the way, a years back, a friend in London wrote me saying she was going to The Cotswolds over the holiday. I thought she was talking about a family by the name of the Cotswolds. Embarrassing when I found it was a place! Live and learn.
    Again thanks for your message and the way you conveyed it so elegantly.
    Best,
    ~Debra

    • SO delighted to see you here, Debra!

      And don’t give a second thought to “typos” — happens to me all the time when I post comments.

      Thank you for your beautiful compliment and I’m happy you enjoyed my poem. 🙂

      • Whenever I get to England again, I’ll have to check out the Cotswolds. In the meantime, I tweeted this post to my peeps.
        Thanks.
        ~Debra

        • Very sweet of you to Re-Tweet, Debra — thanks for the Tweet love! 🙂

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  • The Cotswolds is only half an hour from your front door, Keith?! Splendid! When I come to the UK, will you give me a lift to the Cotswolds? 😉

    I’d love to see the Roman villas …
    And everything there. You’re spot on. “Stunning” is the perfect description.

  • Hi Mel
    the Cotswolds – half an hour from me and stunning.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/holidaytypeshub/article-614553/Six-things—br-The-Cotswolds.html

    Thanks for the tweeties.

  • Thanks for this ditty, it’s helped me the most.
    I can’t pay you cash, but the cheques in the …….

    Struggling for a word to rhyme with most Mel – any ideas?

    Good to see you in good form.

    • Keith, you’re a poet … and didn’t know it. 😉

      I’m convinced …
      The “Post” is on the fritz. Those cheques of yours must be sitting somewhere in St. Louis or perhaps in the Cotswolds. LOL!