Monday Motivation, 1.31.2022

Written by: Dawn Paciocco

Every Monday, The Rogers-Long Team meets for one of its two weekly meetings. The Monday meeting always ends with “Monday Motivation” in which a few minutes are spent listening to one team member presenting a quote, a quick reading from a book, a scene from a movie, or anything else they find motivating to provide a “spark” to the whole team on a Monday morning.

I follow a lot of people on Instagram. Family, friends, Influencers, celebrities, DIYers, and athletes. One of my favorites that I follow is Michael Robinson (@real_Mike_rob if anyone wants to follow him). For those of you who do not know who he is, Mike was drafted to the 49ers in 2006 NFL draft.  He went on to play for Seattle Seahawks and was part of the team that won the Super Bowl in 2011. I had the pleasure of hanging out with him back in 2006. He was a senior at Penn State and just had an amazing year. He came to Richmond with a friend of mine who played there and 2 other seniors. We all met at Hondo’s, then I drove them all to BW3’s and played pool. I am sure he has no recollection of that night today. And I didn’t know what a star he would become, but I did ask for an autograph for Landon that still hangs on his wall today!

Mike every morning post in his stories what he calls “Grand Risings”. He starts with saying that he hopes that everyone has started their day with all the things that you need to be the best for the day. Then he goes on with a short Motivation, message or thought, and then ALWAYS ends with “LOVE YOURSELF”. A reminder I need daily!

Last week his message was about not letting anyone stealing your joy! “You can’t steal my joy because you didn’t give it to me”. What a message! Sounds so simple right! So easy! Not always.

That message came on a day that I was struggling with something that was trying to take my Joy. The message couldn’t have come at a better time for me. There are people and there are things in your life that brings you joy. Family, Friends, Target, a good work out, online shopping, Starbucks, a good book, a gym selfie, a long run alone, making others laugh, beer, wine, The Buffalo Bills, babies, trips with friends, fishing, shopping with your daughter, golf with your son. The list goes on and on and on. Joy for some might not be what is joy for others. And unfortunately, there are always going to be people that will try to take that joy away from you. Sometimes those people don’t even know that they are doing it, and then there are those that do and just don’t care.

It is hard when others try and take your joy. All you can do is try to do what’s right for you and for those around you. And it’s not always going to be easy. But what you have to remember is if it’s not bringing you joy then you should not have to make time for it. Shut it down! There is no reason to let people in your life that try to take that joy. It’s like what Mike said, if they don’t bring you joy then why should they have the right to take that joy. My advice on how to handle those people that are in your life that try and take your joy, kill them with kindness. If they can’t get it, then that is not on you, and no excuse in the world makes it ok for them to take your joy. You be you. You do what makes you happy and if they can’t get onboard, then that is their loss.

Continue to surround yourself with the people that DO give you joy. Continue to fill your life with the things that give you joy. Do the online shopping (unless it takes your husbands joy, then take it easy), go to Starbucks. If going on trips bring you joy, go on the trips! Bring Joy to all those around you! Don’t take anyone else’s Joy! And most of all continue to do as Real Mike Rob says and “LOVE YOURSELF”!

Dawn Paciocco joined The Rogers-Long Team in September 2018 as the team’s Client Care Coordinator. Dawn spent 17 years in the financial services industry and much like Stacy, was first a client of Ben & Kevin’s before joining the team. After a couple years discussing the possibility of Dawn joining, The RLT excitedly brought her on due to her fun-loving attitude and belief in the team’s mission to build an army of people that does good, becomes better, and strives to be the best.