I was not having a wonderful day.  In fact, it’s been quite a frustrating day with one thing after another.  Typically when I have these types of days, I look forward to a good, hard run later in the afternoon.  Not today though!  I did my 7 miles early in the morning…on the darn treadmill!  I guess you can say my not so wonderful day started somewhere between “early” and “treadmill”!

My day wasn’t so terrible where I needed to bring in the big guns – my wife – for support!  However, I had to think of a something to change my mindset.  Locking myself in the office or venting to a co-worker was out of the question.  I went for a walk but that didn’t work (see Take a Flight).  The old “hang in there” and “it will all be over soon” just makes me more frustrated because someone other than me should be hanging…and soon!

Then, out of nowhere, I heard in my head:  “Hello, it’s a wonderful day at Tabor Road Tavern!”  That’s it.  That’s what I needed!  A silly, ridiculous but positive mantra.  Using a mantra works when I need to push through a run or up a hill at mile 12, so why can’t it work for this?  (But why this mantra?  Not sure but maybe I was just hungry!)  So, every time I was getting to that point of frustration, I’d say to myself, “Hello, it’s a wonderful day at Tabor Road Tavern.”

The mantra worked almost too well because I became distracted.  I started to wonder if anyone ever called Tabor Road Tavern just to hear a cheerful sounding person on the other end of the phone say, “Hello, it’s a wonderful day at Tabor Road Tavern”.

Yes, of course I called them.  Here’s how the conversation went:

Cheerful Person: Hello, it’s a wonderful day at Tabor Road Tavern.  How may I help you?

Me:  Uh, hello.  Can I ask you a question?  Has anyone ever called just to hear you say that it’s a wonderful day at Tabor Road Tavern?

Slightly Uncomfortable Person:  Uh, not me personally but maybe someone has.

Me:  Maybe someone just needed to hear someone, somewhere was having a wonderful day and that they knew such wonderfulness existed at your establishment.

Laughing Over the Phone Person:  I wouldn’t put it past someone to have called for that reason.

Me:  Just wondering.  I needed to hear it today.  Thanks for your time.

Still Laughing Over the Phone Person:  You’re welcome.  Any time.

It truly is a wonderful day at Tabor Road Tavern…and mine has gotten a bit better too.

Note: Tabor Road Tavern (www.taborroadtavern.com) is one of our favorite restaurants.  In fact, the Harvest Group owns a variety of excellent establishments in the New Jersey area.  I highly recommend you try them all!