EXCLUSIVE: I open the book for Weekly Rhythm readers

Last week I told you I’d be sharing a little from the book I’m writing.

Here it is. The first ever sneak peak into my first book. Exclusively for my subscribers. This is the opening section of the book.

This book started while teaching a first semester college class. During an ice breaker, I opened myself up to take questions from the class. The topic of my family came up and I was sharing some details appropriate for a group of people I didn’t know that well. At the time of this event, I had been married for 18 years and my four children ranged in age from 15 to 5. I’m not sure how long I talked about my kids, but it wasn’t the length of time I talked about them that made this event lodge in my memory.

May I share something with you? I wear my emotions on my sleeve. In corporate speak, my nonverbal communication is an opportunity for me. In plain speak, whatever I’m feeling will typically show up on my face. Happiness. Disgust. Sadness. Frustration and impatience. Rolling my eyes doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem anymore. At least no one has told me as much. There’s a positive and shadow side to this character quality. I seem to attract a certain type of person and absolutely repel the other.

Let’s get back to the classroom and the ice breaker. This was a group of college students and we were still learning each other's names. The kind of topic we’re talking about was “What kinds of things do you want me to know about you?” Before getting too deep into learning the students' stories, I wanted to share mine with them. I wanted them to know me and feel safe with who I am. This is how I ended up talking about my wife and children.

A girl raises her hand and asks me a question I won’t forget. She asks, “How are you smiling when you talk about having four children?” This flabbergasted me. I was greatly surprised. Astonished.

Several emotions went through my head as I processed this but my response was, “Because I love them.”

The next day in the class we were working in groups on a lab project. I was speaking with them on a topic that wasn’t curriculum related, but this same girl who shocked me the previous day interjects to the group, “Well, he’s married with four kids and happy about it. He must be doing something right.”

Maybe you’re thinking, “Just what I need. Someone to tell me how awesome he is while I’m failing.”

It hasn’t always been this way.

For you to think about this week:

1. We can often get lost in our own story without an outside perspective. We can think our situations are awful when someone else may see our lives and chide us, “You don’t know how good you’ve got it.”

2. Think of people around you. Whose stories don’t you know? Who can give you perspective?

For you to act on this week:

1. As you go about your week, slow down and be aware of who’s around you. Who can you take the time to ask, unhurriedly, genuinely, “How are you doing?” You may get a quick answer but you can be that person who says, “No really. How ARE you doing? I want to know.”

You never know what someone else’s story might be. Taking the time to stop for one person around you could have a greater impact than you can imagine.

Top tweet of the week:

That’s it for this week! I’m working on coordinating with a fellow father from Twitter who is on an incredible self-transformation because he decided he needed to take action.

This is near and dear to my own story. You’re reading one element of that right now and I can’t thank you enough.

If you found this newsletter beneficial, would you share it with a friend?

Talk to you soon!

~ J.P.

Book Update: Still in editing.