I cried on my birthday
April 8, 2009 by fladlien
Filed under Uncategorized
Yesterday, April 7th, was my birthday. I spent it doing everything I love to do… I conducted two webinars, did an hour and a half “follow up” video recording for our members at http://videosalestactics.com, and conducted two personal one-on-one coaching sessions.
I still had time stop by my mom’s and visit her… cook a gourmet vegetarian pizza and eat carrot cake and open gifts with her.
One gift I got was this hideous, ugly looking 1970′s Monster figurine that when you switched a button, it would growl and its eyes would light up red. It’s literally the ugliest toy I’ve ever seen. And it’s what I gave my brother Ryan for Christmas (we had a weird sense of humor toward each other).
Little did I know the next day he comes out of his room and tells my mom, “We’re giving that to Jason for his birthday!” My heart strings were already being tugged.
The other two gifts I got were a book Ryan made for school and a lock of his Ryan’s hair, which I didn’t know my mom had. When I saw the hair, I immediately begin to cry. I remember when Ryan was sick, I’d always rub his head and touch his hair.
I sat and cried pitifully for 10 minutes. Then I felt better. I then went home and gave one of the best webinars of my life with Robert Plank for our video sales tactics members. Then, right after the almost 3 hour webinar, we hopped back on the call and recorded additional content for our members.
Robert kept saying through the recording that I was in a particularly good mood. I was. I can’t explain it. After I cried, I just felt better. Like Ryan was there to comfort me. Then I went to sleep last night and I had all sorts of wonderful dreams with him in it.
All in all – it was the best birthday I’ve ever had.
I also go a present from a client of mine who has become a very close friend. It was an email. It was a very touching email about how much positive impact I’ve had on his life, and his family’s life. My life purpose has always been to leave a positive impact on the people I meet, and to get a response like that, written from the heart, was the icing on my birthday cake.
I got to do everything I loved doing on my birthday… I spent about 12 hours yesterday delivering value in the form of information that will help people better their life. I spent time with my family. I got great presents from clients. And I really felt like my brother was right there with me.
Now as I reflect on this, I realize: Even if it wasn’t my birthday, I would’ve spent the day exactly the same way. I simply love what I do. That’s the real secret to my productivity. I love the opportunities that my business makes available to me.
And it’s no accident it’s happened this way. It was through deliberate cultivation of habits and skill. It was the unwillingness to settle for anything less than what I knew I was capable of. It was having the knowledge to experience the pain of discipline now, knowing that it hurts far less than the pain of regret…
My message for you is simple: please make today special. Every day really is a gift, as wishy washy as that sounds. If today was your birthday, what would you be doing? You should live at least part of everyday like it was your birthday.
Because in a way it kind of is… every day is the birth of a new opportunity to bring you one step closer to achieving what you were destined to achieve.
Thoughts?
I know how you feel about your brothers. My nephew had leukima and it nearly killed him. I remember getting the phone call that this was probably it and I drove up 3 hours to see him. It was hard to see him in a bed, not awake, and having to say goodbye without him saying good bye back to me. The nurse came went in with us to tell him we were there and he suddenly shot up and looked at us and tried to wave to my girlfriend (now wife). It had been the first time he was awake in days because they intentionally put him under and he fought his way back up to greet us.
Two years later after all the Chemo it came back in his spine and he had to undergo chemo again. It was harder for this time and he cried for the first time during his four year fight.
He’s now a pre-teen having lived with his chemo since 2005. He’s finally back in school now.
My greatest regret is that the work world stole all the time I should have been at his side. All the time I’ve struggled at internet marketing and making money. I should have been there.
I feel your pain Jason, as far as watching someone you love suffer. You were and are a good brother.
Happy Belated Birthday Jason!
Best wishes and blessings. Happy Easter Season too.
+Faith
GOD’S BLESSINGS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY, JASON! My birthday wish isn’t belated, because God is timeless. I loved reading about your birthday with your Mom and RYAN…!!! Nita
Belated Happy Birthday Jason. May god bless you & fulfill all your desires from the utmost depth of your heart.
WOw. THanks for reminding me of what I had decided I wanted to be about a little over a year ago.Bravo for you and how inspiring to see someone so young to “get it.”I have seen so many youngsters these days to be about nothing but themselves.I have purchased some of yours and Roberts products.I am looking forward to the upcoming videos training and hope it can be my vechicle to making a difference as you and Robert have.THanks for the inspiration(58 year old ex autoworker)
Nick H
Happy Birthday, Jason! And you are how old? Know what? I think bringing your emotions to the surface is what made you have a good webinar. So often we become mechanical in our work. I’m glad you had an awesome day! And thank you for sharing your humanity with us. We all cry, too. Deb
Happy Birthday, Jason! I’m glad you enjoyed it. And you’re right – everyday is a gift. Too bad more people don’t realize it. Also, I always tell my family and friends that you should show someone that you love them while you still can and while they can still appreciate it.
Happy Birthday – you’re a rock star in so many different ways!
Jason – Ryan’s gift to you was a profound means to provide inspiration to others in a way that only the deepest of emotions can reveal. I was there with you when you described that 1970s Monster figurine and when you held that lock of hair in your hands. I understand loss and courage and triumph. Your post was truly from the heart and I can only imagine the emotions that must have replayed when you were writing it.
Thank you for sharing and happy birthday.
Dawn
Happy Birthday Jason,
I am Les’s wife and this touched me deeply. My husband talks about all that you are showing him and I have noticed a change in him for the better. He is more motivated and our son says you are great. You have helped his daddy find his niche and we both love having a happy daddy. A friend of mine once told me not to live in the past because that is what it is, the past. don’t live for the future because it is not here yet. Most of all live in the present, because that is what it is, a gift of a beautiful day.
Thank you for helping my husband find his present.
Happy Birthday Jason.
You truly are changing people’s lives.
Lance
Happy (although belated) Birthday, my friend!
Wishing you all the best!
-K
P.S. To hear a great interview that Jason & I did- visit:
http://www.tinyurl.com/ryantribute
Jason hello
1st – all the best for this birthday and all your other birthdays this year
2nd I had wet eyes too when I read your post.
especially when you mentioned Ryans hair-lock.
this is you
connecting deep emotional feelings and using them as booster for your work.
stay like you are. maybe charge more
Roberto
Lance Armstrong said before cancer he had good days and bad days. After cancer he has good days and great days.
When I live in the NOW I do pretty good.
Happy NOW Jason.
Tom
Jason, Happy birthday belatedly, I was very touched by your moving story and it makes me appreciate my family more and wish that I had that type of closeness with my family.
Jason,
Great to see you make the best out of a lousy situation. Just one more testament to your resilience, which is also indicative of our strength as human beings.
Best Regards,
Jack
P.S. If ever there was an oxymoron: “gourmet vegetarian pizza “
Hi Jason,
Happy birthday again. And thank you for celebrating it with us. Your joyous outlook and warmth is truly inspirational.
A lot of people talk about changing the world. You’re doing it.
Jason, words cannot express how grateful I am for your presence in my husband’s life. You have made a huge impact on our family’s life. I look forward to meeting you in person one day. Thank you!
Hi Jason,
Your joy is definitely full. What a wonderful, heartfelt birthday to experience the joy of having a sweet brother, a loving family and vivid memories.
Although I don’t know you personally, you are one of the most productive people I’ve encountered and a true inspiration to others.
Jason – It’s great that you focus on the postive aspects of losing someone you care about. Even tho you’re saddened, you look at the good memories & enjoy them.
I try to not take life for granted & be grateful for all that I have, especially loved ones. I hug & kiss my daughters frequently, I’m too conscious that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing the great inspiration.
“We live between birth and death ~ Or so we convince ourselves conveniently ~ When in truth we are being born and ~ We are dying simultaneously ~ Every eternal instant ~ Of our lives…” (from “Death and The Flower” by Keith Jarrett… who is actually more pianist than poet and whose music you might also enjoy, Mr. Piano Fingers…)
I’m SO glad your birthday ROCKED, Jason. My Magic 8-Ball indicates it’s the beginning of a VERY GOOD year for you. Thanks for letting us tag along!
Happy Birthday again Jason, It takes a real man not only to cry, but to admit it. The better I get to know you, the better I like you. You’re the man. Glad Dennis introduced me to you. Hope you don’t mind, but I’ve hitched my star to your wagon.
Hey Piano fingers 2.0 Jason Many More Happy Returns!!
Hey, Jason, I’m happy you had a good one, and that Ryan was with you. Losing someone that close, and that young, just doesn’t seem fair, but ability to see the blessing and deal it with it in such a positive manner gives me even more respect for you than I already had, if that’s possible.
A belated Happy Birthday Jason – you already know more about life than many people learn in 5 or 6 decades. Crying is a good cathartic, it helps you heal and I’m glad you were able to do that.
Ryan was very lucky to have a brother like you. I wish you many, many more wonderful birthdays and memories. They spice up life as we age.
Thank you for sharing with your readers so freely,
Much care,
Donna
Wow dude, you made me cry too lol. That’s an awesome story. I don’t want to imagine what you went through when your little bro passed. I have an almost 8 year old son and the thought of ever being without him is way more than I care to think about.
Those were the best gifts ever, those are way more valuable than anything they could have ever bought you.
As my son always says “Dad, today is my unbirthday” and I always say “well happy unbirthday to you little man” because sometimes I think he knows the value of squeezing the most out of every moment of the day more than I do and I am trying to learn that from him. Kids can teach us a lot if we just listen sometimes.
So yeah, today I have been following your lead. I have already accomplished more today than I had planned to do, and I’m not done. I am loving building my business again instead of being burned out on it. Thanks for the bits of inspiration like this you continue to share, you are a wise dude. Keep it coming!
Happy Every Day, Jason!
You inspire and uplift so many people with your infectious energy.
Theresa
..oh, and happy birthday too!
Brilliant Jason. You are truly an inspiration to me about how you have a greater goal for what you are doing, you are passionate, you have fun, and you are a product producing machine! I am just hoping for a bit of that to rub off on me. You have definitely touched my life and I look forward a successful journey and love being a part of what you and Robert have created here. It is a great group of people and very different to anything else I have ever been a part (or not part) of.
Thanks for everything.
Happy Birthday Jason. Great post! Touching and inspiring.
Yesterday was my brother’s birthday too.
Your buddy from Dallas,
Tim