Day One or One Day?

Cherry Creek Retirement Village in Aurora, Colorado, is home to residents and associates representing more than 120 different nationalities from all over the world. Cherry Creek has a diverse and beautiful associate family, and many of them speak English as their second language.

During a recent visit to Cherry Creek, I heard from several residents and staff about the challenges they face when they talk to people who do not comprehend or speak English fluently. While I was talking to the team, Anna, the housekeeping director, approached me and proudly introduced herself. Anna spoke articulate English with a Spanish accent, and she explained her own experience with learning a new language.

When Anna started working at Cherry Creek, she could not speak, read or write English fluently, but she was determined to grow with our company, so she decided to learn. Undeterred by what people said about her accent, Anna forged ahead. Today, she speaks fluently and writes well. She proudly showed me her office, where she orders items for her department and conducts business with excellence due to her tireless determination to learn and master a new language.

Anna is an example of a person who made a momentous decision. She came to a point in her life where she decided, "Today, I will make a change, and I will commit to being better than yesterday."

It's the pivotal choice between living your life according to the "One Day" principle or according to the "Day One" principle. Most people live their lives following a "One Day" philosophy. They tell themselves that "One Day" they will start working toward their goals and achieving their dreams. One Day they will start taking care of their physical health and improving their diet. One Day they will start saving and investing money for their future. One Day they will take that trip they've always dreamed of; One Day they will start looking forward to going to work or will find a job they actually love.

Sadly, the "One Day" principle often results in procrastination, followed by frustration and then despair or apathy.

Now, contrast that mindset with the "Day One" principle. Day One is the moment you decide to act on your decision and goals instead of dreaming about them. Day One is the first day you commit to discipline yourself to make small but meaningful daily steps toward your goal: working out, saving and investing, taking time to perform community service or helping those less fortunate, reading books and doing research — either to improve your current position or to learn about other options if you're unsatisfied in your current position.

Living your life with a "One Day" or "Day One" outlook is the difference between being a dreamer and being a doer.

This choice between "One Day" and "Day One" has far-reaching implications for our senior living communities and for the quality of life our associates enjoy and for the quality, happiness, and fulfillment in life experienced by our residents and their families.

Rather than believing that "One Day" we will be more kind and helpful and friendly to one another, let's make today "Day One" in this mission. Just imagine if everyone we worked with shared the same "Day One" mentality. Wouldn't that be inspiring? And when we inspire those around us, they inspire others.

Start by thinking of just a single dream or goal you've pondered recently, and then try making tomorrow "Day One" instead of merely "One Day!"