Lift off.

The phrase 'soft launch' refers to a particular way of releasing or unveiling a service or product. It usually means that there is awareness that things will need to be improved, but there is no way to achieve this without a test period. This time of testing will require the involvement of a larger demographic or user group. The 'soft' refers to only partial or limited portions of the product being unveiled. Soft launches are normally followed by hard launches.

I'm bringing this up because last week at work, we had a soft launch of our product.

This brought me to thinking (as most things do). These postings are a soft launch of sorts. I am aware that I have kinks to work out (like my grammar and sentence structure), yet I'm ready to be run across a bigger audience. Speaking is my thing, not writing, but the practice of insight is the real product. The main difference being that when you are speaking one on one with a person, the insights you discuss seem have more 'meaning'. Most of my posts have been about the weather, but that's not to say it's not important in some way or another.

At work, the service that's being provided during the soft launch phase seemed to be menial. So distantly far from the final product, I mentally pushed myself to go further than the scope of the current objectives. I was trying to give it a purpose.

As I went through the motions I found that feedback started coming to me (from management) to pull on the reins. Slow down, think about the basics, do what we can, not what we hope to one day. I found that resonating very solidly with me. My talk about discipline, this blog, friends and just about anything else in life- all have to be practiced through soft launches. The practice demographic was also giving me feedback about the soft launch. Apparently there is value in the limited service being provided! Who would have thought?

I've started to be a little more social again and I'm remembering the importance of interacting with other humans. It has shown me that there is endless opportunity to "soft launch" everywhere. You can fully provide the product that is now available (even if unpolished). So go ahead and prepare yourself. Distribute your services to the larger demographic. Polish it, find the kinks, improve your technique and you will add valuable perspective. Patience once again comes to mind. Because by enjoy the process the wait for that final destination won't be as hard.

With that, I close with an offering to remember. I urge everyone to remember the soft launches in your life. Cherish and utilize them, because in the end, *it all matters.

it all matters.

Sometimes I don't know what to write. Which means I also don't know what to talk about. When you don't want to speak in front of a mirror, or your friends won't sit and listen to you, you still need to practice.

I want to talk about some food habits I've tried to implement into my life. Here's one of them.

When I'm short on will power, in regards to yummy food, I often have to trick myself. I'll talk myself out of eating out, by convincing myself I can recreate it at home. One of my soft points is the Wendy's Taco Salad. I walked by Wendy's twice today. YAH! I was walking, good start.

but man was I craving a taco salad. It's been forever since I had one. I used to get them all the time back when I was working for that other company. Probably a good reason I gained forty pounds while I was there.

While walking by the second time I thought to myself, "man I am really craving a taco salad." and as you can see, there is a trend here. But I don't need a Wendy's taco salad, right? I can have a taco salad of another variety. (do you want a taco salad yet?) I can make one at home.

Make home made chilli. I suggest vegetarian chilli, less fatty.
Cut and bake home fries. Freeze the sliced potato over night first and then soak them for ten minutes before baking. When very krispy, lay home fries on a bed of spinach.

Pour chilli on top, enjoy.

Hell no it's not a Wendy's taco salad.

but now I don't need one.

well.

So discipline definitely not my thing. I haven't written in a while, because I'm secretly avoiding posting. I didn't do more than one day. So I've been avoiding admitting it. To myself, to you (whoever is out there).

However, in life, we fail.

Doing better after failing is what it's all about. I will start again tomorrow and see how it goes.

good luck to you

Discipline

Definition: 1. training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character 2. control gained by enforcing obedience or order b: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior 3. self-control 4. a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity

So you can pick a definition, but everyone can find one in there that they think would benefit them. We all need a little more discipline in our lives, ok that's not true, some need less. I, my friend, need more. I will start with some basics. The point here is that I have my own definition. I'll make it simple for us. My definition of discipline, is having the ability to do something, over and over again.

Do something over and over again. Do something over and over again.

I do something over and over again all the time, daily, weekly, monthly. Over and Over. All the time.

Do something over and over again, for one hundred days, nothing hard. It just has to be done every day for one hundred days. I start tomorrow.

day 1.

alarm clocks and coffee.....

The morning is early, but not as early as it will be. The room is cold and the beeping is getting louder. The fade to wake function is genius, allowing me to be woken softly, with vigor bringing me to anger. Enough rage to get me out of my bed stomping. Stomp stomp stomp right over to the kettle, the switch is flipped. One, two, three I turn and lay back in bed. One alarm down, two to go, three in total. Another handy feature that my alarm clock has. Three alarms, three different sounds, three times. It's eleven minutes later and the 'rock' tune is on the chorus. "Click" the kettle goes, from the kitchen, timed perfectly through practice.

The french press is lined up with the grounds, sugar and cream which I grabbed from the fridge during the switch flip. I'm not angry, I'm singing along with the 'rock' tune. Grounds in the press, water on the grounds, stir and walk. I'm in bed again. I'm laying and waiting, the third of three to come. I'm not tired, I'm not angry, the smell fills the air. Deep roasted scent, filled with a light nut flavour. The air easier to breathe and rich with life. Before the third alarm plays, I've turned it off, rarely do I hear 'wave'. Thank you sweet smell and refined routine. Providing me with reward, in'scent'ive and pleasant thoughts.

Shower on, grounds stirred, press down, body washed, clothes on, coffee.....

mmmmm....

it's 7:42am and I'm out the door.