Page A4 - January2015

Page A4 JANUARY 2015 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A
By Nancy Weil
Oh, What a Year We Had
Imagine it is December 31, 2015 and you are
looking back over the year as it closes. Close your
eyes and picture yourself sitting at your desk or in
your funeral home or out on the cemetery grounds
and you are reminiscing about 2015. As you look
around, what changes do you see? Additional fea-
ture items? Updated decorating? New staff? Better
technology? What has gone on all year long?
Of course, you can’t know everything that will
happen in the year ahead, but if you put your-
self at the end and work backwards, you may be
surprised at what you come up with. Perhaps you
do a year-long review beginning in January and
working towards the end of December imagining
what took place each month and what opportuni-
ties appeared. Did you plan a big event? Can you
imagine the people attending and the business and
publicity it brought? What about your own per-
sonal growth? Can you contemplate what confer-
ences you attended in 2015? What new hobbies
did you take up or what did you do to enjoy those
outside activities you already have?
It may seem odd to start at the end and work back-
wards, but there is a reason for this. Most of our
business planning takes place in our left brain. We
work the budget, analyze the numbers from 2014
and set financial goals for 2015. We schedule events,
plan staff trainings and look at our “To Do” list and
move things over from 2014 to 2015. All of the anal-
ysis, planning and shifting is a function of our left
brain.
Yet it is in our right brain that our imagination re-
sides. This is where we can access inspiration and cre-
ative problem solving. This is where those “ah-ha”
moments and lightning bolt ideas occur. It is imper-
ative that you shift into your right brain in order to
gain a different perspective on your goals and plans.
By starting at the end and seeing our goals already
manifested, it allows you to gently turn off the num-
ber cruncher/practical side of your mind and instead
delve into the possibilities for the year ahead.
Doing this on your own is a wonderful exercise,
sharing this with someone else is even better. Have
conversations with a family member or colleague
speaking “as if ” something has already occurred. Each
of you add details and dimension to the conversation
and attach to the excitement of having such a great
outcome. Do not break “character” and do not allow
yourself to start to judge, analyze or dismiss (a left
brain function.) Stay with the moment and have fun
in your role playing. You may be surprised at the ideas
that start to flow or the renewed passion for the work
you do. Remember this is your fantasy and all out-
comes are not only possible, but guaranteed.
Most of our adult lives are spent in our left brain,
but watch children at play. They slip into their make
believe world so effortlessly. A tea party can be found
with just a couple of plastic cups and a guest or two.
A fort can be built from couch cushions and a cou-
ple of blankets. Where did this part of us go? Did we
outgrow the “silly” stuff of childhood and leave our
inner Peter Pan behind? Find it, take it back and re-
claim your inner child. Imagine, create and have fun
while you create the business you desire; while you see
Changing
Lives
Through
Laughter
yourself succeeding along with all of those people
around you; while you create worlds full of new
ways of doing things, new sights to see and new
plans to implement. The child within you remem-
bers how to live in your right brain of creativi-
ty and ideas, so take some time today to live out
December 31, 2015 and look back on a year that
amazed, amused and “wowed” you!
With certifications as a Laughter Leader, Funeral Celebrant, Grief
Services Provider and Grief Management Specialist, Nancy Weil is
uniquely qualified to bring new perspectives into how to best meet
the needs of the families you serve. A professional speaker, Nancy
travels the country bringing effective tools to reduce stress, combat
compassion fatigue and handle grief to companies, associations and
conferences large and small. With a passionate interest in the healing
qualities of laughter, she is known for her energetic, entertaining and
content rich programs.
As Director of Grief Support and Community Outreach at the
Catholic Cemeteries, Diocese of Buffalo, Nancy has developed the
most comprehensive aftercare program of any cemetery or funeral
home in the country. She consults with industry professionals in how
they can develop or grow their own grief support program in order
to maintain contact with the families they serve and develop stronger
relationships within their community. She is also available to conduct
staff trainings tailored to your specific needs.
Her book, If Stress Doesn’t Kill You, Your Family Might, is filled with
tools that work to reduce stress and find your “inner happy.” For
more information on how Nancy can help you and your business
grow, visit her website: www.TheLaughAcademy.com or by email at:
Nancy@TheLaughAcademy.com.
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Pape Family Funeral
Home Honors Vietnam
Veterans
Patriot Guard
Vietnam Veteran’s Moving Wall
DANVILLE,IL— Pape Family Funeral Home had the
honor of hosting the Vietnam Veteran’s Moving Wall
from November 6-12, 2014. The wall is a 2/3 size rep-
lica of the actual wall that stands in Washington DC.
The weeklong stay began with an escort by local Patriot
Guard riders, police and fire, and included multiple cer-
emonies throughout the week with special guest speakers
like the Danville city mayor and the director of the lo-
cal VA Hospital. The wall was guarded 24 hours a day by
volunteers as it remained open through rain, shine, snow,
and cold weather. The Pape Family Funeral Home, a fifth
generation owned funeral home, was chosen as the ideal
location due to its abundance in open land and the four
war memorials it houses permanently on their property.