Kodak and me

The inventor of the camera files for bankruptcy today in Rochester, New York. Founded in 1892 by George Eastman, Kodak brought photos in to our lives first in black and white and later in color. So how could a 120 year company fall to its knees? What struck me was how the mighty fall and how no one including Kodak is off the hook from failure or change. This reminded me how volatile life is and that our perceptions really stamp out our future. Like a picture that captures a moment in time, it's how we perceive events that really mark our future. And this reminded me of my descent.

For years, I thought my life was a complete disaster in all ways. It began the summer I quit one of the most stressful jobs I ever had. I worked in a construction office where one day my boss was there and the next day he was in jail. I was not bombarded by press or police but family and I do not know what is worse. But when it's the people who you thought you could trust really move the earth beneath you. It was here that marked my slide into unemployment and self-doubt.

As I beat myself up at the fact I chose to work for this company, unbeknownst to me, a not so nice guy I questioned all my decisions and actions that lead to this. As I did this, things around me began to fall apart and I spent the summer beating myself up. I put on weight and a very negative outlook and the spiral just continued. When my son failed to get into one of the most sought after private schools, I blame myself for not spending more time with him and his studies. I left no part of myself unscathed.

How does this relate to Kodak, today, while I can admit this trek into beating myself up and being unnaturally hard on myself, I can say shit happens and you must learn from it and go on. Simply that. Don't lull or fret over how things could be different, just make them different. Change your perspective, even if you have to imagine it. Do whatever it takes to move on quickly, I took my time examining each and every decision I made that lead me to end up working for a shady guy. As I spent days, months and a year in my head, I lost touch with what really matter: Life.

Kodak will restructure and pull through bankruptcy by not holding onto things that didn't work in the past, as did I. I will admit cutting the chains that anchored me to the past were difficult and painful but even more rewarding and fulfilling. Gone on with your day.