It was still dark outside. Customers had lined up with their lawn chairs and sleeping bags. Some had been there all night. The store had not opened yet, but the excitement buzzed around us. We were in the storeroom, receiving last minute training, watching videos from around the world showing our fellow employees, people just like us, handling a day like today.
My brilliant manager looked each one of us in the eye - and said:
Our store was built for days like this.
She explained to us that our store wasn't built for the average Tuesday afternoon, where we had one very friendly customer who knew exactly what they needed and just handed over their credit card to make a simple purchase.
Our store was built for days like today. Lines out the doors. Frustrated customers. Excited customers. Disappointed customers. Equipment not working. Employees going too slow. Or too fast. This was the day that our store was built for. And this is the job we signed up for.
I recently shared this story with our Rowdies - and they were off and running with this idea. What started as a story about an inspiring store manager has become a mantra for the Rowdified.
In case you don't know about the Rowdies yet, let me fill you in. We are people who question our thoughts. Who have the courage to create change. We do not tolerate unnecessary suffering. We hold ourselves responsible for our own beliefs, emotions and actions. We deliberately create a life that we want.
To put it simply: We do happy. As a verb.
And we were built for days like this.
Not to say that we don't wish for those easy-breezy Tuesday afternoons where everything-just-goes-perfectly. Of course we all want that.
But we know we were built for way more than that.
We were built for days like this.
Days where we are challenged. Days where our dogs are sick. Our kids are upset. Our relationships fall apart. Our feelings get hurt. Days where we end up alone. Or with others.
We were built for days like this.
Days where communication breaks down. Where fingers are pointed. Where love is lost. Or found.
We were built for days like this.
Days where we want to shop, eat, drink or do anything other than just be in our own skin. Where we want to run, or cover our eyes, or pretend.
We were built for days like this.
We were built to be strong. To weather the storms. To love. To hope. To find the truth. And to have the courage to live it.
And whether you are a Rowdy or not... This is the job that we all signed up for.
Now...
Go live the life you were built for.