Lemons to Lemonade
By: Peggy Willms
(3 min read)
Did you know August 20th is National Lemonade Day in over 100 cities in the U.S.A.? Yeah. No. Me, either.
I know we love to make holidays out of simply anything here in lovely America – Tofu Day, Swim with a Turtle Day, Throw a Rock Day, Find a Penny Day – okay I made these up, but you get my drift.
So, I thought WTH is Lemonade Day and how did it come about? I hear you now, and you are thinking why did it take you a month to write about it. Okay, okay – well I was trying to make lemonade out of my blog of lemons. No seriously, I just got damn busy.
Lemonade stands are one of the earliest entrepreneurish (I know that isn’t a word) things you can think of, right? Shy of setting up a pretend grocery store from old cereal boxes in your basement, lemonade stands were the first real businesses where kiddos could make some quick cash. Especially when that delish lemonade powder started coming in a can and all you had to do was add water. QUICK MONEY, SON! And who could believe back in the day – they really like squeezed like real lemons, man! Screw that the kiddos of today would say. LABOR.
Apparently, Lemonade Day has true meaning. In 2007, Michael Holthouse had a vision for our little business owners of today and “Lemonade Day” is the name of his strategic lesson-based program. It takes our youngsters step by step to making their dreams come true with a profit-making business plan and principles required to start a real company. There are now one million children across North America participating in this program teaching youth how to set and accomplish realistic goals, work hard, and achieve their dreams.
Super impressed, I am. I truly only thought it was a day to drink or make Lemonade. Soooo NOT. Since I live in the world of wellness, it prompted me to think about how we can think – metaphorically – in terms of making Lemons to Lemonade when we are setting our own wellness goals or trying to improve our quality of life. The concept of having a dream, putting realistic/doable steps in motion and climbing the mountain to success all make sense when you compare the two, right?! Sure, but I certainly don’t see any of us getting off that easy. Find lemons-squeeze-drink. Wellness is simply not quite that slick. Often it is a struggle just admitting that wellness has no cure and you have to do this “healthy” thing forever or that the newest damn fad pill or ordering the latest jiggly belt thing won’t shake off that extra 50 lbs. Grrr – if it were only that simple.
But we can break both down by Baby Steps and see where it gets us:
Decision: I want to make real “Lemonade.” Go find the “lemons.” What size or how many “lemons” do I need? Hmmm, do I need help finding the “lemons” or making the recipe? Do I have the equipment to make the “lemonade?” How long will it take to get all the ingredients together and produce the desired outcome.
I mean just replace lemon/lemonade with any wellness goal and it is the same process. Decide to do it, what and who do you need to get it done, take a step towards doing something – ANYTHING, keep your dream/goal in mind…and repeat.
Oh, and when you get that “lemonade” done (goal accomplished), bragging rights abound…scream from here to the moon and back. You did it. You took your whining and complaining and blaming (your sour little lemons) and cooked a new recipe (your nailed goals-whatever they are – big or small): made a doctor’s appointment, walked a 5k, cleaned out a closet, called a long-lost sister, started painting again – WHATEVER your “Lemonade” is made of – go find some damn “” and get squeezing, sista’s and mista’s.
Peggy Willms
All Things Wellness, LLC
peggy@allthingswellness.com
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