The headlines roared about the closing of a major plant and as a result, more than 3,500 people would be out of a job. The spokesperson for the company said, “The skill sets of those impacted do not line up with the long-term trajectory of the business”. What has this got to do with being a husband?

After that, another expert commented on the situation. His take was: change or die.

As a result of the announcement, it got me thinking. We focus so much on our lives to develop skills to get a job. What about the skill set to be a husband and a father? Does a school even exist to teach us? Our very social fabric depends on this. Wives eventually lay us off in the form of divorce. Kids downsize us by not wanting to spend time with us.

Men are natural boneheads. We are fixers, insensitive, visual, and selfish. These inherent qualities do not help us in the role of a husband.

When I first got married, I thought I had arrived in heaven. All my problems are resolved. Marriage is a very expensive place to find out who you are. The spouse is like a mirror. The weaknesses magnify. It is a relationship where you learn by trial and error. You learn as you move along.

Some have a false idea that if they marry someone who practices a certain faith or same ethnic background, it will be different. However, all statistics point in the other direction. Study after study shows that it is no different.

Fatherhood has its joys and its challenges. In a marriage, you change from focusing on you to us. The equation changes with children. The shift in family dynamics brings its own ups and downs.

When I come home tired, I just want to switch the TV, eat and just chill. Jean wants me to play. She wants me to listen to how her day went. She wants me to comment on her paintings. Debbie just laughs all along. Most times, it is fun. Sometimes it is all about self-denial.

Change or die rang in my ears. Modern men have to develop a whole set of soft skills. For instance, listening, patience, kindness, gentleness, communicating, cooking, helping with chores, and changing diapers. For those with strong patriarchal backgrounds giving her importance and equality is important.

Here are some important skills to develop to be a husband:

• Show appreciation
• Listen
• Do not interrupt
• Do not flirt
• Have boundaries
• Be intentional
• Make your marriage a priority
• Watch your tongue
• Validate her emotions
• Be aware of your body language
• Be disciplined
• Say ‘I love you’ daily
• Be open to change
• Be kind and compassionate
• Support her dreams
• Character, character character
• And finally, remember what Nathaniel Bonner said ‘No amount of success is worth personal failure at home’.

End of the day, both roles have made me a better human being. It has made me a balanced person. It has changed my view on life. Jean in all her innocence says I have to become a better listener. She is only 17 years old. I have a long way to go. Children just speak the truth.

The post Ten Skills Required to be a Successful Husband appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

I am in my 25th year of marriage. I am reminded of Michelle Obama, who said that “Our greatness comes when we appreciate each other’s strengths, when we learn from each other, when we lean on each other”. I make mistakes all the time in my marriage. Antoine de Sainte-Exupery reminds us that “One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born.

As we approach Valentine’s Day, love your spouse, treat her with respect, give her a big hug, and appreciate that she is different from you.

Appreciate your partner

I am having dinner with Debbie, Brian, and Sarah two weeks before my wedding.

Brian was the minister who was going to marry me. This was an opportune time to pick his brain.

Brian was a decade older. We did not have much in common. We had our disagreements. He was married for a while. I did respect him because he had a great marriage. He adored his wife.

Brian, what is the secret to a great marriage? I was expecting the following answers:

– Go to the e-harmony website and look at the 29 characteristics to have to be successful
– Pray together
– Spend quality time together
– Do not go to bed angry
– Keep the fights clean and the s.. dirty
– Be sensitive to her
– Just humble out and say you are sorry
– Build a triangle with God being the third

All of the above were great points. However, he surprised me with “enjoy each other’s difference”.

To be honest with you, I did not take what he was saying seriously. I was focusing more on the wine and the steak. I was excited about the wedding. 

After the honeymoon phase, things were becoming clearer. I was type A, Debbie was type Z negative. I was a hardcore disciplined individual. Debbie thought that word was Latin. I made 3 months 1 year and 5-year plans, Debbie flew by the seat of her pants. I was outgoing and carried my heart on my sleeve, Debbie was the stiff upper lip Scottish.

She forgave easily. I did not know how to spell forgiveness. I did not have patience, she had all the time in the world. I was prideful and full of myself. She was humble, down to earth with no pretensions. The big one. I was born in a home surrounded by about 10 women. Debbie was raised by her dad. She brought the toolbox into the wedding. I was brand conscious; she did not know the difference between a Toyota and a Mercedes let alone between a Chateau Laffite Rothschild and a Chilean Red. Enjoy each other’s differences, I said to myself. Easier said than done.

It finally hit me what Brian said. Did he give this advice to every couple who asked? He probably knew both our temperaments. No matter what it was wisdom?

It made me look at life differently.

Rather than seeing Debbie’s shortcomings, I just appreciate that she is different. It makes me understand why we are in each other’s life. Opposites attract. Marrying someone unlike you is exciting and challenging. Marrying a clone is boring. It also helped me to appreciate my own past and why I react the way I do.
The home does not have to be pristine clean every time. We do not have to be perfect. It also helped me get off the performance-driven treadmill.

It has helped me in my friendships. I do not get upset or angry just because someone disagrees with me. I am glad someone has another angle. It is ok to be friends with a tree hugger or a left-wing hawk. I need to have compassion for that 40-year-old legalist, who has never had a job, lives at home but sends me countless emails inviting me to all these life-changing events. It is his way of doing things. 

It has helped me in my business decisions. Being emotionally intelligent help, you make rational decisions. I might look at a business from a pure momentum play. Another has a bottom’s up approach. Alternatively, someone has a top-bottom way of doing research.

It has helped me deal with other Christian denominations. It has made me accepting, less judgmental, finding common ground and looking at the heart rather than playing church Olympics.

A friend recently remarked that he has known me for the last 30 years and this is the happiest I have ever been. Another remarked I am balanced.

I am sure it has to do with me getting older, wiser, married and being a father. A big portion of it is “enjoy each others difference”.

The post Appreciate Each Others Differences appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Be a rebel on purpose.

When you think of a rebellious person, what comes to your mind? The dictionary has about 45 synonyms for the word rebellious. Fractious, anarchistic, bellicose, difficult, refractory, and seditious are some of the synonyms. The autonyms for rebellious are happy, obedient, compliant, and manageable.

I like to use the word out of the box thinking or approach rather than rebellious. When someone has a different method, approach,  or framework for the desired result or outcome is called an out-of-the-box approach or thinking. Every once in a while, we have to question the status quo. Be a rebel and ask questions.

2000 years ago, Jesus’s approach towards women was a classic out-of-the-box approach. Jesus never disgraces, belittles, reproaches, or stereotypes a woman. From the woman who touched his garment to healing Peter’s mother-in-law and Jairus’s daughter, asking to drink water from a woman at the well in Samaria, and his love for Mary and Martha. Martin Luther, through his writing, started the Reformation movement. Dr. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela all brought unique and different methods of dealing with the issues they were facing. We would not have electricity today if Thomas Edison had not had an out-of-the-box approach. Finally, for our generation, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, through Apple and Microsoft, have changed the way we do things. They asked questions.

Linda Breedlove is the author of Embrace the Change: Be A Rebel On Purpose. I talk to Linda about being a rebel on purpose.

Linda welcome. I want to know a little about you.

I have been married twice, I have 3 children, 2 sons, and one daughter. I was a happy child but had a domineering father and I married far too young the first time mainly to get away from home. I married the wrong men, they were much like my father, and I allowed that to change me to not believe in myself and my abilities. I had lost my self-esteem and any confidence that I had. It wasn’t their fault; it was mine for allowing it to happen. I really didn’t like myself, let alone love myself. It took me many years to realize that it was me that needed to change, changing husbands wasn’t going to do it. Several years ago, I changed my entire outlook on my life, including losing weight, getting myself healthy again with proper nutrition and exercise, and changing my attitude. I went back to my childhood to find out why I wasn’t happy and figured out that even though I had a good childhood, I was never encouraged to use my abilities and I was told that university was a waste of time for me because I would only get married and have children. I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I also wasn’t given the chance to find out. I rebelled when I was 18 but it was short-lived for my father told me that if I left home then, I wasn’t allowed to come back ever. Scary for a young girl to hear those words. My book is about my journey to health, happiness, and learning to love myself again.

When you get up in the morning, what motivates you. What is your why?

My morning begins at around 4 am, sometimes 3:30. I seem to have this inner alarm clock that tells me it’s time to get up and get my party started. Those are the words I use every morning because I believe every day is a celebration (now that I’m way over 60). I find that time of the morning such a wonderful time to collect my thoughts, get inspired, and write a few posts, work on my blog, and my podcasts. You ask what motivates me? I get motivated simply by being alone when it’s peaceful and there is no one to interrupt me. When it gets daylight early, I love to watch the sunrise, and when it’s still dark out, I look for the moon and the stars. I wasn’t always this inspired but I have learned that I am a force to be reckoned with, I have something in me that I need to tell the world. And I have been lucky enough with my first book that many other people have thought the same thing. My next book, ‘Dream Bigger Be a Rebel on Purpose’ is due for release this November.

So often the students that got A+ is still working for somebody, the B’s are toeing the line. The rebellious who got C’s, who thought outside the box are running companies, creating wealth and value. How does that correspond to your book, Embrace the Change, Be a Rebel on Purpose?

Interesting question. I wanted to add Rebel on Purpose to my titles because I feel that rebellion is purposeful action. I was rebelling against all my old beliefs and ways. I rebelled against the fact that I had lost my self-esteem and my confidence. Everything that I do now has a purpose to it whereas before I had no direction, no determination. I had no desires and goals and I had no idea how to change myself.

I began each day by telling myself I was worth every moment of change that I wanted to see in myself, little steps. It took me a few years, but I did change everything that I wanted. I tell people now that each day is a new beginning and if you screwed up the day before, so what! That was yesterday! Resume your little steps today and soon you will be headed in the direction of your desires.

By the way, I wasn’t a very good student as well. I was too much of a ‘daydreamer.’ I daydreamed about traveling to far off places. I used to lay in the grass and watch the clouds go by and see myself on a magic carpet flying all over the world. In school, my knuckles were rapped constantly because the teacher would catch me staring out of the window instead of doing my schoolwork. The teachers always put in the report cards that I had so much potential, but I wasn’t using it. They called me a daydreamer; I call it visualization.

You are the motivational voice for women. I am trying to empower and inspire women to live balanced lives. Talk to me about this motivational voice?

That was told to me by the woman who read my book before it was even published, and it has stuck ever since. I was honored and humbled that she said that, and I have tried to be that voice ever since. I only have my own journey, but I hope to be able to help other people understand that they don’t need to take as long as I did to find their passions and their purpose. If I can help one other person do that, I’m happy.

A lot of us finally figure out what we want when we grow up. I believe it is never too late. I personally got married in my 30s, had a kid in my late 30s, went back to MBA school in 40s and now trying to run a blog and podcast. Talk to me about your own process of growing up?

I am the eldest of 4 siblings and my mother worked. I was the one to make sure my siblings got home from school and picked up the youngest one from the sitters. I made sure that they did their homework before they went out to play. I learned to cook by the time I was 12. I made sure dinner was on the table for my father when he came home from work. (my mother usually worked later than he did) I knew how to be responsible. I knew that I had to be because they depended on I wasn’t happy being the responsible one all the time, but I knew I had to. I did help me to grow up quickly though. I spent most of my adult years being ‘the responsible one.’ I married too young and had 2 sons by the time I was 23. I knew I wanted something else, I just didn’t know exactly what it was back then. All I knew was that I wanted to travel and stop being the responsible one sometimes. That didn’t happen for many years.

I truly believe everything that happens to me is 10%. When I get up the next morning and ready to face the world that is 90%. I do not like to ask why me instead of what now and not be the victim. Walk with me as to how we need to react when life just knocks us down and sometimes throws a knock out punch.

One of the biggest lessons that I learned on my journey back to me was that I didn’t have to be responsible for everyone else around me. I wasn’t responsible for my husband. I wasn’t responsible for my children when they grew older. And I definitely wasn’t responsible for my siblings anymore.

I was tired of everyone else’s expectations of me. I have never taken on the victim’s attitude and I have always believed that I am responsible for everything that I do and every choice that I have made.

I am an extrovert. I love hugs, kisses, and feeling the human touch. Covid has been my night. Humans, we are made to connect with one another. What does isolation do to the human soul?

I have written many essays on covid19 and I believe deep in my heart that we as humans will learn a deep and valuable lesson from this calamity. The first few months of being in isolation unnerved me greatly. I think the feelings that I had were of desperation mixed with hope for the future. It was an agonizing time for me, and my writing helped me to stay positive and focused on the future. Most of us cannot handle being away from others for long periods of time. We are a race of social people; we need a human touch to keep our sanity. Connecting over social media works for a short time, but it’s that coffee with friends, that need for interaction, and most of all those hugs that are missed. I missed all of that. Social media, while I’m thankful we have it during this unprecedented time, can’t fill that void.

Change is difficult. Covid has changed our world forever. I want to know what is your advice on how to deal with change?

I love change, I try new things all the time. I feel that a lot of positives will come out of the pandemic. I had no idea how to change the things that I wanted to change in myself when I first began my transformation but I soon learned to list all my dreams, my desires, and my goals. I had many of them and it took me a few years to accomplish what I wanted to change. Each time I was able to cross something off my list, I realized that I could add something else to it. You see, change is never finite, it is always happening. When I finally realized that if I wasn’t happy with one of my changes, I could simply change it again. We do not have to stick with a change if we aren’t completely satisfied with it. I found out that if I worked on something daily, I could accomplish my goals for the change I wanted to see in myself. However, I also learned that by taking little steps in the direction that I wanted to go, I would get there eventually. I learned that one of the most important things to have is patience.

Women empowerment… what does it mean to you. What can society do better?

Women’s empowerment is very personal. Each one of us has something in us that we feel we need to change in order to become the woman we want to be. Society has told us that we must act in certain ways, dress in certain ways, be the model we see in fashion magazines. We must be the perfect parent, the perfect wife or we have failed. I see that not only with women, but I see it with men as well, however, I feel women tend to take it to heart more than men which makes the biggest difference. I think women feel things differently than men. I do see things changing slowly now but we have a long way to go. We need more powerful women in politics, in business and we need to see less discrimination in wages.

Women are often afraid to show their powerful side because they fear they might lose their femininity. Men need to stop treating women as inferior and treat them as equals.

I am a big believer in peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, love unconditionally, and acceptance. Do we have anything in common?

Absolutely my beliefs as well. However, many of us will speak about, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness. When it comes right down to it though, each one of those words comes from having compassion and being able to forgive. Forgiveness is a personal act. It is for our own peace to learn to forgive.

Loving unconditionally means we have reached that state.

As my wife battles cancer, I am focusing on gratitude, hope, and resilience. What advice do you have for my audience who are in the tunnel and right at the bottom of the peak?

I am so sorry to hear about your wife. My heart goes out to both of you. Each of us goes through different battles and it depends on how we respond to those events in our lives that make the difference. If we respond with negativity, we will be despondent all the time. Not that we always need to be positive, but we need to remember that our responses can make us or break us. We need to remember that there is always a glimmer of hope. You have it correct when you focus on gratitude and resilience as well. Gratitude equals happiness. Be in the moment, for tomorrow is never promised.

My mother used to sing this song all the time, Que sera, sera what will be, will be. She was the one that always told me that things happen for a reason, which may not be apparent to you right now.

Everything that happens though is making us stronger for the future. We never know what the future has in store for us and we never should be so arrogant to think that we do.

The post Linda Breedlove: Be A Rebel On Purpose appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Anna is 31 years old from Stavropol, Russia and has lived in St. Petersburg for 15 years. She graduated with a degree in clinical psychology. However, she did not pursue it as she did not like it. She presently works as a purchasing manager for a chain of stores that focus on clothes for tourists.

She loves dancing, listening to music, photography, traveling, painting, spending time in nature, by the sea or in the mountains and leading an active life. She is not interested in going to Mars and loves Earth and everything it has to offer.

Anna wants people to know that Russians are “kind, sincere, hospitable, united and fair people. We do think differently. We are a resistant bunch as life is difficult in Russia. However, we enjoy life.”

For the first time, I have conducted an interview through Google translate which made it interesting.

Talk to me about the city you live in? What is the food, restaurant, and fashion scene? Why should we visit it?

Stavropol is small, beautiful, and picturesque with a population of 900 thousand people. In 2018, it was in the top 10 cleanest cities in Russia. Stavropol has a rich history, is close to the mountains, and is incredibly beautiful. We do not have a lot of restaurants. However, our cuisine is famous for its dishes that are hearty, spicy, rich, and colorful. The food is like our people, temperamental and welcoming. As our guest, you will be well-fed, cheerful, and happy. Once you visit Stavropol, you will never forget it. When you visit, see the sunrise against the mountains as a backdrop. The mountains are 3257 meters above sea level. Also, drink our delicious wine and dance the folk dances with us.

How important is your family to you? What are some of the fun things you do with them?

Family is a sensitive and very difficult topic for me. My father passed away eight years ago. I live with my mom and we focus on enjoying life. My mother makes very beautiful jewelry with her own hands. I love to visit the mountains with my mother and she paints beautiful landscapes. I also snowboard.

We have a family curse which is funny and mysterious. We have all had our front teeth knocked out during childhood. When I was 7 years old, a boy from high school pushed me. I fell and knocked out a tooth. My dad at the age of 8 had his tooth knocked out while playing hockey with a friend in the yard. My mom at the age of 9 was involved in ballroom dancing and accidentally knocked off her front tooth.

What does women empowerment mean to you as a 21st-century woman?

The woman of the 21st century has been given many rights and this has led her to become stronger, powerful, and independent. Men are not taking care of women and cannot accept matriarchy in a family setting. Women take care of everything in the home and cope with all the issues. I find it a challenge to find a man to start a family with. I had a few relations with men and found them weaker morally.

Life is difficult for all of us. Help me understand something difficult you went through and what you learned from it?

The death of my father has been the most difficult and tragic event for me. It affected me personally. I had to grow up, make decisions and become responsible fast. Until my father’s death, I was a carefree person. I knew my dad would always be there to take care of my problems. My mom got depressed and we dealt with his death together.

My paternal grandmother had a tough time as she buried her husband and her only son. I spend a lot of time with my grandmother as she gets lonely. I go to the park and the movie theatre with her. I have it good and do not complain.

How has social media changed you?

Social media is part of our everyday life. My day does not begin with coffee but going through the news feed on Facebook, Instagram, and VK on my smartphone. You soon realize you get so immersed in it that it takes all your free time. You do not have time to develop an independent mind or read literature or go to the theatre. You get caught up in it and see other people live their lives. I finally realized that it was invading my private space and so I do not see the news feed as often.

If you had a choice to have a meal with 5 men or women who would it be and why have you chosen these people and what question would you ask them?

I would love to go for dinner with my father and talk to him about how much I miss him and how life is not the same without him. The second is Lesh. I would not go to a restaurant with him but to the seashore. I would make a tent and have a romantic dinner with sandwiches and a thermos of herbal tea. The third would be Jared Leto. I am fascinated with his creativity and outlook on life. I just want to be around him and enjoy the meal. I would like to have dinner with Pavel Durov the founder of VK and Telegram in a luxury restaurant in Dubai. I admire him and his success and would like to ask him about his business skills, taking on risks, and embracing failure. Finally, it would be someone from a teenage shelter. I would like to mentor her. I would tell her to stay from alcohol and drugs and to become the best she can.

Talk to me about things you want to change about Russian men?

I want Russian men to become teetotalers. Alcoholism is rampant and has created lots of problems. Other than that, I like everything about Russian men.

The post From Russia With Love appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

I hate Valentine’s Day. The pressure to buy roses, chocolates, a card, go out for dinner, or cook a romantic meal, with wine, sensual music, and rose petals scattered all over the home to get into the mood…. Ok, wake up reality is here. Busy lives, busy careers, kids’ events, aging parents, and the stress of life is a romance killer.

A new relationship is frantic, enchanting, and electrifying. You do all these amazing romantic gestures towards one another, giddy with excitement, thrilled to know you have found an amazing person that loves you unconditionally and makes you feel special and alive.

However, as time passes by, everything becomes routine and boring. You are in the comfortable stage of a relationship. Therefore, you have to put an effort to keep the excitement going. You do not want to pull away from one another but rather be close. Here are some tips to keep the romance alive in your relationship.

Romance needs gratitude to thrive

In a relationship, taking each other for granted is the poison. Gratitude is the antidote. Gratitude helps you to hold on to your partner and be more romantic. Be grateful you have a partner in your life.

Patience does wonders for romance

We are a generation that was raised on fast food, drive-throughs, upgrading our cell phone and changing a car every few years. Sometimes we bring that same mentality into our relationship. Things are not working; I am too busy and on and on we go. Relax be patient and see how romance can bloom.

Gentleness means you need to practice humility

Try to be kind to your partner. Consider him better. Maybe you do not have to be right all the time, just to win an argument. Be kind and love unconditionally.

Romance loves a sense of humor

Have a funny name for one another. Crack a joke. The use of positive humor is good for intimacy.

Romance thrives on surprises

Do something different this week. If your spouse does the grocery shopping, you do it this week. Do chores around the home as your partner will appreciate it and romance will thrive.

Do things separately for romance to flourish

It is important to do things together. It is critical that you pursue hobbies and interests individually. This will give you topics to talk about.

Focus on the positive in your partner

Is your partner good at something? Tell him. If she is excelling at her job, let her know that. As you focus on the positive qualities of your partner, it will remind you of why you fell in love in the first place. You have the chance daily from morning until night to offer words of admiration, tribute, and affirmation that is valuable.

Buy gifts for one another

Put some thought into this and buy something personal. If your partner likes art and to paint, go and buy him some brushes and paint. This shows you have been thinking about him.

Romance adores compliments and appreciation

After a while, we can take our partner for granted. If she looks beautiful. Tell her. Run your hand through her hair. Kiss her and give her a compliment. We humans need to stay connected and love praise and positive feedback.

Send this post to them

This will send a message that this is what you want them to know and who knows you will get more love than you ever got.

Leave notes in a sticky

Leave a love note on the fridge, in the bedroom, a card or a voice mail. Let your partner know you love them, you care for them, they are awesome and you will be there for them no matter what.  Or just send a nice romantic text to them.

Spend time together

Life is fast-paced and everyone wants our attention. Never make your relationship a low priority. You have to feed it, nourish it for it to grow. The only way to do it is to spend quality time together.

Plan romantic getaways

Once in a while go for a massage together, spend the weekend at a bed and breakfast or just go out for a lovely meal. It allows you to get away and focus on each other and your needs.

Talk daily

You connect when you talk. Talk about your day, what is going on, what is bothering you and what you want from each other for this relationship to grow.

Forgive often

The number one killer of romance is resentment and lack of forgiveness. It builds a wall. Forgive daily. We hurt the people that we love the most. As a couple, it is natural that you will hurt each other daily and very often.

Binge on the weekend

Pick a weekend and plan to do nothing except watch romantic movies on TV. You will feel refreshed, revitalized and closer.

Touch often and be intimate

Intimacy and touch are vital for a long term healthy relationship. Intimacy is nurturing, connecting, being vulnerable, real and communicating your deep desires and issues.

Be positive

Your partner is not perfect. Every human has annoying habits that drive their partner nuts. Never be quick to criticize. Always try to understand where the other person is coming from. Look at every situation from a positive perspective.

Stop pursuing perfection

The number one destroyer of relationships is perfection. Nothing is perfect. Accept the imperfections in life and in your partner.

Let go of unrealistic expectations

Take all your unrealistic expectations that you brought into the relationship and put it in a box. Never ever open it again. He will never complete you. No one ever lives happily ever after. Life happens.

The secret of romance is to give

The people who give the most are the happiest. The secret to living, where romance is thriving is giving. Give it to your partner and make her your number one priority. Go out of your way to make sure she feels secure, loved and wanted.

Kiss passionately

Forget the peck. Forget the short smooch. Make every kiss count with love and passion.

Be naughty

Go for a walk in your neighborhood. Look for spots where you can have a passionate kiss.

The post Maintain the Romance in Your Relationship With These 23 Tips appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

The Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa is a lavish, all-inclusive resort occupying a flourishing swatch of the manicured jungle with an enticing private beach, about a 45-minute drive from Puerto Vallarta. The 420 rooms have jetted tubs and furnished terraces and the master suites have outdoor whirlpools. Have a perfect Palladium romance day.

Before you read my review, I strongly recommend that you read my article on how to enjoy an all-inclusive vacation.

My review of this resort will be broken into the following sections:

Introduction

How to enjoy the food at this resort

The Chef’s table

Have a romantic day at the Palladium

Take in all the activities

Do a tour

In this section, I will guide you on how to have a romantic day at the Palladium Vallarta.

I would strongly recommend that you order room service for breakfast. Ask them to deliver a bottle of Moet & Chandon bottle.

After a nice and healthy breakfast go for a walk on the beach. Smell the fresh air and marvel at the beauty of the mountains in the distance.

On the beach, you might even notice a wedding taking place or preparation. Get inspired!

After you come back from your walk, call the Zentropia Spa and book a couple’s massage.

At the spa, have a swim, use the sauna and then head for a massage. Have a light lunch at the spa.

Walkthrough love street. It is an amazing experience.

Check out the zoo and look at the parrots who are in love.

It is late in the afternoon. Go for a nice siesta.

At around 8 pm head to Chef’s Table.

After dinner get entertained by Il Duvo.

Around 10 pm head to the adult section for a nice swim at the infinity pool.

Have a great time at the pool or head to your room. The possibilities are endless. If you want to get married, they even have a chapel. Have a great Palladium romance day.

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There’s something extraordinary about the bond between a father and his daughter—a connection so deep, so tender, that it reshapes the very fabric of a man’s heart. Garrison Keillor once wrote that “the father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage,” and he’s right. One word, one look, one question from her—and the strongest man becomes soft clay.

From the moment I heard my daughter’s heartbeat in that clinic room, my life changed forever. What began as a clinical visit turned into a spiritual awakening. Bryan Cranston captured it perfectly: “I felt an instant, radical, unconditional love that redefined love.” That’s exactly what happened to me.

This blog is a reflection—not just on becoming a father, but on becoming a better human through that journey. It’s about miracles, perspective, and the quiet, everyday moments that teach us more than any classroom ever could. Through Jean, I’ve learned what truly matters. And maybe, as you read, you’ll be reminded of your own lessons too.

The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, “Daddy, I need to ask you something,” he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan. – Garrison Keillor, The Book of Guys, 1993

From the moment she was born… I felt an instant, radical, unconditional love that redefined love. – Bryan Cranston, A Life in Parts, 2016

Focus on the miracles around you

I am in the clinic with Debbie. She is three months pregnant. After the doctor checks her out, he asks me if I want to listen to Jean’s heartbeat. I said sure. As I put the diaphragm to Debbie’s stomach and the earplugs to my ear, I hear the heartbeat.

I asked Neal, what happens next. He said Mother Nature takes over.

Neal referred us to a gynecologist. We made the trip to the clinic a couple of times and everything was fine.

Jean was two weeks late. On the last day, as the blood pressure of the mother and daughter hit high, they asked me to go and change, since I wanted to cut the cord. In the time that it took me to change, four specialists and the nurse had already taken Debbie and performed the C section. I just saw them pulling Jean out.

They tapped her feet, gave an injection to her feet, wrapped her up, and handed her over to me.

A sperm and an egg meet to produce this baby.

It just hit me. The permutations and combinations that had to go exact for Jean.

It still boggles my mind. It is nothing but a miracle, the way the eye, nose, ear, and the rest of the body works.

All the specialists at the hospital said it is a miracle, the whole process.

As you go on your day to day, focus on all the miracles happening around you. You will be amazed.

What is important

There is a lot of noise and distractions out there in the world. Jean taught me to focus on what is important. I am responsible for raising this baby. This was an important task.

In life, focus on what is important. Too often we focus on the wrong things and end up losing the important things in our lives.

Be grateful

On our first visit to the doctor with Jean, I told Neal I was a little bit worried. He asked me why. I told him that Jean is so quiet, she sleeps well and barely cries. Do you think she is deaf and dumb? He said let us do one thing. I will take Jean and you can take my three-month-old colic son. Debbie explained to me what a colic kid is.

Try not to over-analyze everything in life. Be grateful and go with the flow.

Do not sweat the small stuff

It is so easy to get caught up in checking all the milestones. Jean would meet all the weight, height, walking, talking, getting out of diapers stage in time. Some happened earlier, some happened later.

In life no use sweating over the small stuff. If your car gets a flat tire, or the washing machine breaks down, that is life.

Give up control

I am a recovering control freak and perfectionist.  My life and home always reflected this. I write everything that needs to be done and depend on a calendar to organize my life. Once Jean came into my life, the control that I thought I had was gone.

The living room and the basement were always a mess. The family room did not look like the cover of the magazine. I enjoyed the time I had with her, not focusing on whether chores or other things had to be done.

In life, very few things are under our control. Let go.

Dance

As Jean turned four, I wanted to put her in swimming and soccer. These were two things that I had little knowledge of. After a few lessons, Jean told me she wanted to dance. The soccer registration form never got filled.

Jean has been dancing for ten years. She loves it. She lives and breathes it.

As I watch her classes, I am amazed at these talented athletes. I get tired just watching. The stretching, discipline of food, sleep, exercise, and keeping a balance is amazing.

Do not live your dreams through your kids. Play to their strengths.

Carpe diem

I loved Jean as a four-year-old. She had no regrets. She was young and free and was not negatively conditioned in any way. She had no concept of the future and no past experiences. She embraced the present. This is why kids are happier than adults.

Jean took pleasure in simple things. She loved having the sprinkler on her the whole day.

As adults, we are attached to our past and future. We are scared about the future and look at the past with regret. This constant struggle can mess us up.

Unconditional love

One evening as I was having dinner in a restaurant with Debbie during her final month of pregnancy, an older gentleman came up to me and said ‘Life will never be the same for you and you will see it from different eyes’.

Those words resonate with me daily. Jean has changed me and as a parent, you are not the same person. I have all this love for her which is unconditional. I will always be a parent, responsible for loving her.

Try loving people unconditionally. It will transform you.

Become a better person

Life has always been about me. However, Jean has taught me to make this world a better place. She is very conscious of the environment, water conservation, recycling, being a good citizen, and making a difference.

In life, if you are stuck in your way and not willing to embrace change and the positive aspects of the present generation, you really miss the boat.

Time

There is a reason I have left this as the last point. As parents, we focus on keeping the kids busy and buying them the latest games. Kids just need our time, our hugs, our smiles, and our reassurance. Kids do not care about your status, Facebook updates, LinkedIn profile, or net worth. They want your time.

I am so grateful to have learned all the above points and Jean has transformed me as a person.

Let me know of some other lessons that you have learned from your daughter.

Photo Credits:  Derek Thomson Nathan Dumlao Caleb Jones Morgan David de Lossy  lauren lulu taylor  Mikael Stenberg  Kelly Sikkema

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