Tip #3: Pause and Reflect

Tip #3 of 8 Tips for Building an Innovative Business and Life

Family and friends filled the pews at the Methodist Church in Catonsville to honor and celebrate my husband’s life. Five weeks earlier he had died in hospice after a ten-month battle with multiple myeloma cancer. My daughters and I had waited five weeks to have a ceremony, keeping the jar of ashes in the living room before sharing him with others. Instead of jumping into action, I pushed pause and reflected on how I wanted to celebrate his life.

My husband was a creative person, an innovator with a big booming laugh. I decided to have a big, loud celebration with rock and punk music playing, as people entered the church, with a full-sized poster of him smiling. The celebration was two hours long with stories and tears and laughter. After the service, we invited people to come back to our home with a moon bounce in the backyard, a chocolate fountain at the buffet and photos of Hurley: jumping out of airplanes, photos with a hawk perched on his arm and him standing beside cars, planes and fish tanks, laughing with friends and family.

The message: Live a Life Worth Celebrating

The inspiration came out of the pause. Instead of rushing to plan a memorial service, we gave ourselves time to feel and let the tears flow. More tears would follow but the pause gave us…