Is it a betrayal to post on Instagram about an article from another social media platform? And is it sacrilege to suggest that a business column is a valid topic for a bookstagram page? I may be tempting the far-off echo of thundering apocalyptic hoofbeats, but you see where I am going here. Because one of my coauthors of Relevance: Matter More, Tom Hayes, just started writing a column for the MN Chamber of Commerce. He posted his first column on LinkedIn, where I discovered it. It’s filled with the sage advice we discussed as Relevance came together. Which made me miss our editing meetings to discuss book revisions and life in general. It’s been ten years since we launched Relevance, and I’m still wistfully missing those thoughtful debates and Tom’s grinning Irish humor. But I digress. In Tom’s column, he’s writing about tips to help small businesses make their way through tough times, but this advice could apply to writers too, or anyone, really. “There are a handful of lessons that I can share that made a difference [when my agency suffered a series of defeats]. It is also true that when we ignored those lessons, things did not go well. Persistence. Don’t let your energy or your focus flag. As my old coach, Ron Kostelitz, would say, “As long as your legs are moving, you will be okay.” Think anew. Don’t let what brought you success in the past calcify into what you will do forever. Meet the new world with new thinking. (This is where Tom’s article subtly ties in with Mr. Bell’s quote to kick off this post.) Create with Joy. As you create the next iteration of your business, be sure to avail yourself to the joy that comes with creating something new that will serve others in a new way. Joy is the amazing elixir that makes bad times fade from memory.” I am strolling into this May weekend smiling at the idea of opening new doors with joy as the amazing elixir that lights my way. QOTD: Is there a doorway in your past that you almost missed because your focus was on the closed door instead of the possibilities? 🚪 #RelevanceMatterMore #Doorways #DoorsCloseDoorsOpen #AnotherDoorOpens #ClosedDoor #QuoteOfTheDay #AmazingElixirJoy #Joy 🚪 @mnchamberofcommerce