little greek bakery

“The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.”

– Confucius

Confucius is prolific in his writing. No doubt, due to diligence in thought and in writing.

Worked for him!

Diligence – care and consistency in tasks, even if they’re mundane. It’s an Interfanatic Virtue because not everything we want to do is sexy, but we must do it. That’s what we’re here for.

We can do diligence.

Colleen Skibsrud: Diligence in the Startup Arena

Skibsrud is familiar with the requirements of diligence. She’s had to keep after her new business like a shark stalking prey. In her new business helping the senior community of Kristiansand, Norway, she’s had to adapt and overcome the difficult obstacles that present themselves to all new business. And, some that aren’t too familiar.

Skibsrud’s goal has always been to keep her community healthy: fit, and enjoying a life of purpose. She’s able to do that through exercise classes, her smoothie and coffee bar, and the sense of belonging and invitation her community creates.

Diligence Through the Tough Times

When you’re starting out, and everyone is busy pointing out why you’re going to fail, it can be difficult to persevere through those tough workout classes with just a few clients. But Skibsrud has done that, trusting herself and trusting her process. The result is a full, busy place of business. It’s just taken time, sticking to her guns, and diligence.

She has continually sharpened her tools of business.

We’re so pleased to have assisted Colleen Skibsrud with her website. We’ve consulted, performed maintenance, and assisted with translations and transition to new booking software. And it has been our pleasure to do the diligent technical work so that Skibsrud can focus on giving her customers more of what they want. Because that’s what Skibsrud wants.

“No kind action ever stops with itself.”

– Amelia Earhart

Earhart, aviatrix and heroine, champions kindness.

Kindness is so simple, and the ripple continues forward, outward and around. Kindness makes everything better. Good-hearted people everywhere know this, and use it to their advantage.

Earhart might be shocked to see the kindness attempted on her legacy. Books, movies, search operations with few parallel have all been wrought to understand her final days.

Christina Peters: My Little Greek Bakery

An example of kindness that comes to mind (and many, many do, but I’m singling out one) is Christina Peters of My Little Greek Bakery. Christina comes from a family of chefs. She’s been a serious foodie and maker her whole life. So when she turned her attention to My Little Greek Bakery, we all knew we were in for something good.

But besides her phenomenal tasty treats, which most people undoubtedly remember her for, her kindness also stands out. She is a kind and gentle person. No, really, she is! (If you know her, you surely know her a gruff, blunt and in-your-face. And she’s that, too.) But underneath it all, she is a warm and kind person, a daughter and a mother, and a kind person who chooses to do kind things.

Kindness Always

Kindness is always a good idea. We practice it regularly and it comes back in spades. We like to celebrate kindness this week, this first week of December. When you’re out and about, shopping and writing lists, think of the kindness you can do. Let that person take that parking space away from you because undoubtedly, they feel their day is going worse than yours.

It’s not easy to be kind always. And that’s why it’s this week’s Interfanatic Virtue. Kindness makes everything better, but it sometimes takes work to keep it in your heart.

Perhaps that’s why it’s wonderful to think of Earhart when we think of kindness. So much accomplished, all through work, but surely through the kindness of others who allowed her to break barriers when it was uncomfortable to do so. And sometimes, she broke barriers even when people weren’t kind. But she never forgot those whose acts helped her, and to help others with kindness because it was the right thing to do.