Clean your Windshield

It’s that time of year where people will have the “new year, new me” phrase going strong. For many that will last about 2-3 weeks.  For others they will last well into mid-year. I am of the philosophy that you should make changes immediately in life. If you need to start eating healthier then go to the cupboard and fridge and throw out all unhealthy food. If you are going to stop drinking, throw out all your booze. (Rest a sure this will not happen in my house.) If you are going to start working harder on your livestock, turn off your phones and get to the barn. If you are going to sit back and re-evaluate your life while planning for new adventures, sit down and make a list. Every one of these goals requires you to clean your windshield to see what is ahead of you. 

As we go down the highway of life we have a big broad windshield in front of us. We can see great distances and have great hopes of what I'd to come in our lives. In-order to see down that road, you must clean your windshield and keep it clean. There are bumps in the road that come up on us unexpectedly. People tend to check their own past the window in the small rearview window. The rearview, although 20/20, is where we have been and should only be used as a guide to build on for where we want to go in life. There is a reason the rearview is a small window at the past. It’s meant to be only a glance and not to dwell a lot of time on our former self. Avoid looking too much at the past and you will learn to avoid future pitfalls and keep your windshield clean.

Nothing better than a hot shower after a hard day’s work. Washing away the dirt and grime of the day helps us refocus and evaluate what we have accomplished.  To make sure that we are staying on the right path, it’s critical we clean our windshield to keep that focus and see the road ahead. Here are a few cleaning tips:

1. Make sure you have closure on your past. Life can sometimes suck, whether it is a loved one passes, loosing a job, or your best show animal falling over dead. It is important to build on those bumps and move ahead, even when looking ahead is the toughest task. Make peace with what has happened, so you can prepare for what is to come in life. As a society we spend a lot of time looking, concentrating and focusing on events that have happened in our past. The past is meant to be a teacher and reminder. We must always look to the future. It’s easier to do that with a clean windshield.

2. Take care of yourself in life. My mother always said, take care of number one. That meant you must look out for yourself. Some simple items include paying your bills, put food on the table and take care of our health. These seem like common tasks, yet they are some of the most important. To be successful in life we must be healthy in body, mind and spirit. Cleaning out the clutter in your life can help you achieve that goal. Stand for your principles, be kind to others, and remember to always give back in life. This step can really help give you perspective in setting goals and cleaning your windshield.

3. Have hope and faith. Sometimes all we have in life is hope that everything works out and faith to know you will be okay if it doesn’t. Hope is what a lot of people have when they look for the next great show steer and faith that they will know how to feed and care for it to make it a champion. Faith is sending your kids thousands of miles away to go to a leadership event and knowing everything will be okay. Cleaning your windshield is key to keeping your hope and faith alive.

While heading down your road of life, not everyone we encounter is destined for greatness. Many jobs in this world are not glamorous yet much needed. Some occupations such as janitors, trashmen, and grill cooks are ones that many do not dream to obtain one day. Someone who has cleaned their windshield will see those as vital roles in the world. Especially if they build an empire of maid services that cleans houses in one of the largest cities in the country.  A clean windshield will allow you to discover very profitable business of hauling away food waste from casinos in Las Vegas to feed hogs in a feed yard. Clean windshields will allow you to discover that a grill cook can build their skills into a successful chain of food trucks. These are people that are super successful in their endeavors and took the time to clean their windshields.

So, as you go down your highway in life. Please take a minute to clean your windshield. Whether this means you get rid of someone who drags you down in life or just simply start paying more attention to the road ahead. Cleaning your windshield will always be a good piece of advice in life.

“Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.” ~George Bernard Shaw