Every Monday Morning, real estate agents at Audu Real Estate congregate at the companies' corporate office for a weekly ritual. Bolstered by cups of coffee and armed with notepads, they wait in expectation for the games to begin. You never know what will happen at an Audu Real Estate weekly meeting!
On any given week agents can be found engaged in an animated discussion about the Code of Ethics, obtaining indepth knowledge about short sales & foreclosures, reading and discussing a well regarded author, or taking a field trip outside the office to view Parade Homes. It's 2-3 hours of power packed learning which agents say leaves them feeling not just informed but also inspired!
When I developed a Mentoring Program for new agents, I divided the course work into 3 major components. Business Skills, Real Estate Skills & Personal Development Skills. On a surprisingly practical level, the Inspiration Component which is part of the Skills & Personal Development section has yielded some of the Mentor Programs most memorable "teachable moments."
Recently, I shared with our agents about my experience with a Gratitude Journal which I kept for several months last year. It was simply a notebook in which I recorded, on a daily basis, the variety of blessings and "happy coincidences" that occurred on any given day. There was just so much negativity in the press about real estate that I decided to find out what would happen if I decided to apply a disciplined approach to recording "good news" as it happened in my life and business.
During a recent review of my journal, I was struck by the wide gamut of happenings that seemed to show up in my daily entries over a 3-4 month period. From a few dollars off on an item or a coupon for something I was just about to buy... to thousands of dollars being earned at an especially opportune time. The more time I spent being grateful...it seemed that there was more to be grateful for.
After our training, I went out for a late lunch with my husband. As we sat down to eat, we noticed a $10 bill on the floor next to us. He picked it up and headed over to the lady at counter to keep in-case someone came back to look for it. I sat down with my lunch somewhat stunned by yet another "coincidence." I NEVER just find money! 
That $10 bill was a message to me that opportunities and provision are all around us if we choose to look for them. There were several dinners sitting at nearby tables, but no one had noticed that there was money lying on the ground in plain sight!
I'm struck by the picture of the mossy undergrowth around the trunk of the tree. I wonder what may be hidden just beneath our feet? Perhaps, something as elegant and simple as the rare fall leaf that retained it's brilliant color in-spite of the blanket cover of snow. It's easy to be so busy anxiously peering over our shoulders at the past or focusing on the looming obstacles ahead that we inadvertently miss the beauty underfoot! It's even easier to ignore the myriad of ways that blessings emerge inspite of life's many challenges.
I think that opportunities tend to occur when we are tuned in to receive them. Capturing them has a lot to do with living in grateful expectation that they will appear and then being open to receive them when they do.
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Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511. Thanks for visiting our blog. Here are links to some of our most popular posts for you to enjoy!
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Lola,
As always, beautifully written. Your eloquence is only matched by your wisdom.
Thanks for all you share.
Eric
Hi Eric, you beat me to it! Thanks so much for stopping by to read and leave a comment.
Life is a do it to yourself proposition. "The Secret" isn't a secret, it's real. So if you are grateful, you are given much to be grateful for.
I've not tried a Gratitude Journal. I have a notebook that isn't doing anything, I think I'll give it a try.
It seems that wherever you put your focus, those are the results you welcome into your life. And if you don't like what's in your life, it's time to look in the mirror to see what you are doing to welcome your outcome to you.
Sadly this sounds fairly cliche, but it's so powerful and so true.
Hi Lola! I see what you were referring to from your comment on my post! Thanks for directing me here.
You know, the world's media is negatively focused... the reporters say..... "it's news" but we all know that the emphasis seeks to publicise the worst profiles of people and events.....
...... and here we have "THE GOOD NEWS" always an expected end of greatness.... even though we do not deserve it... who'd want to focus on anything else?
Hi Lola,
Wow, what a uplifting post, thank you so much. I'm giving you a 5 on this one. I love the message, the way your presented it, the graphics and also for sharing your links to your mentoring program. Very well done!
Thank you.
AMEN Diane! Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. I was encouraged by the positive message on your blog post! We were thinking along similar lines. :)
Hi Lynda, Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. I'm glad that you were encouraged by this post.
Lola,
It sounds like your office is a great one to work in. How could anyone not benefit from the wisdom you impart to others? This post is no exception. The gratitude journal is a great idea for turning one's thinking away from the negative pressures of daily life to the positives that are more often than not hidden by our worries. I'll have to start one today.
Thanks.
Awesome and after meeting you, it so true to the person you are.
Lola, opportunities do abound. Most people are so "fixated" on their daily routine that they just can't see them. Since you have exceptional vision it is your duty to let them know what is available "to be picked up" just like that $10 bill.
Bill Roberts
Very true Therese! We're so glad that you are a part of Audu Real Estate. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment.
Missy, Appreciate your comment. Thanks
Hi Kathy, Thanks for stopping by to read and comment. Active Listening is an excellent discussion topic for a sales meeting. These are the types of skills that create not only a successful business, but also a successful life!
Bill, It is very easy to get so immersed in the "drama" of life that you miss the blessings. I remember reading a book that addressed this issue called "The Tyranny of the Urgent." The thesis of the book is that the tyranny of what seems to be so urgent at the time, often turns out to be unimportant in the long run. Learning to discern between what is urgent and important vs what seems urgent and ultimately doesn't matter is true wisdom. Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts.
Chris, Thank you for your comment. It is appreciated.
Margaret, your quote says it all "You have to be receptive to opportunity, or you won't recognize when it collides with preparation." Thanks for sharing your experience and insights. I have found this to be increasingly true in my own life as well.