Living Like Jon: What I Learned About Life and Facilitation from a Beloved Neighbor

Confession: I experimented last month with batch recording and scheduling posts. The positive is that I was consistent in posting, and when life got busy or scary, I wasn't scrambling to meet my goal of completing a blog post. Productivity for the win.But productivity isn't everything. It's useful, and I'm not saying I won't continue. However, the downside is that it wasn't authentic. Last week, my scheduled post about agendas went out. I was upbeat and perky, which was truthfully not how I was feeling.I was grieving in real life. My neighbor, Jon, died on February 12 during a difficult surgery for the pancreatic cancer he had been battling for over a year. He had actually been doing really well (I often forgot he was sick because his quality of life was better than most who don't have cancer). But he was willing to take the chance to ensure he had a longer life.My family and I are very close neighbors and friends with Jon's family and their three kids. We all cherished what we had. It's so special to have the kids run across the yard to play, communicate on walkie-talkies, and their play afforded us time to work, rest, or connect with each other as adults.With that context, I want to share what we can learn from Jon, what I learned from him and admired about him up close and from my kitchen window. It aligns with what I share with you weekly about productivity, self-development, collaboration, connection, and creativity.Lessons from Jon1. Prioritize Your Health Every DayDuring my early mornings while making breakfast for my kids, I saw their upstairs barn light on daily. Yes, they have a barn, and it's adorable. That light was Jon, working out in his home gym, likely listening to Macklemore. Before I had kids, I was the one working out at 6 am. But he gave me hope that I would get back to that when my youngest gets older. Because of him, I started doing bodyweight reps near my kids. That's how I've been doing it for the last few years, all because Jon reminded me every morning to get it done!Prioritize your health, especially in the winter when you suffer from seasonal affective disorder. I never told him that, but it's true.2. Make Time for Impact and DelightJon was a lot like me. He leveraged his work-from-home schedule to the fullest. He understood how to be efficient and impactful at work and align his schedule accordingly. He didn't want to wait until after work for his daily bike ride or to mow the lawn when the weather was right (and when the kids weren't home so he could do it in peace). He made time for that during his day. I tried to do the same, and we'd wave to each other on the trail by our house during my daily walks, or from my garden as I was harvesting pickles.Sometimes we'd chat at their pool with the kids, talking about the ridiculous number of meetings we had that day. He told me, "I book Teams meetings with myself on a regular basis." He knew the secret to success, and sometimes, I think of him when I do the same (but we don't use MS Teams at work...gross).Seeing Jon do this inspired me to think about my ideal day and figure out how to make it happen, including that walk or short gardening task. I still do this, even if I need to be on a meeting at the same time! I want the small delights to be woven in.3. The Spark of FacilitationWhen I told Jon that I was growing in my practice as a facilitator, his eyes lit up. He knew what I meant. Most people have no clue, so it's nice to be immediately understood. He said that he went on a leadership retreat at the Center for Creative Leadership and recalled how cool it was to very efficiently gather ideas and make confident decisions. I was in a time of doubt, wondering if my passion had tangible results and business value outside of the contexts I worked in. He affirmed it did. He even supplied me with some "slicky" sticky notes and icebreaker cards he acquired. I keep them close to my heart and with my facilitation supplies!Jon knew that the secret to facilitating success at work was to facilitate it in life. He was deliberate in everything he did as a person, leader, husband, father, and neighbor. He affirmed and appreciated the deliberate process of facilitation in achieving success. He gave me the confidence to keep pursuing this dream!4. Play and Rest Are As Important As ProductivityJon liked to have fun. During the pandemic, he advocated getting a pool. He wanted his home to be a place for play and connection. He had a vision for creating an outdoor hammock lounge and the next day he was making it happen. My kids complain that our backyard isn't nearly as cool. Thanks to him and his wife, Leanna (love you, if you are reading this), my kids now have the BEST childhood memories with great friends and neighbors.What I cherish in my heart the most is this story: My son Henry (currently 5) has every toy version of a yard tool imaginable - a chainsaw, a lawnmower, and a weed whacker. Henry followed Jon around for hours, "touching up" Jon's weed whacking job. He'd follow behind. If Jon took his shirt off to work, Henry would take his shirt off too. Jon even would give him money from time to time for his hard work.One day, after hours of working in their yard, we sat by the pool. Henry asked Jon when they would get back to doing yard work. He said something like, "Henry, we work hard...and now we play and rest." He said that with an intensity that resonated to my core. Right there, his values in simple words: "Work hard, and now play and rest."Rest in peace, Jon. Thank you for how you have inspired me and so many.As I discussed with his wife, Leanna, this morning, #live_likejon is the new mantra I will keep in my heart and mind.AI Generated Key Takeaways (in case you want it)* Prioritize your health daily, even in challenging times.* Balance productivity with authenticity in your work and life.* Make time for impact and small delights throughout your day.* Recognize the value of facilitation skills in both professional and personal contexts.* Remember that play and rest are as crucial as productivity for a fulfilling life.* Live deliberately and inspire others through your actions and values.* Cherish and nurture meaningful connections with family, friends, and neighbors. Get full access to Confessions of a Creative Leader at creativeleaderconfessions.substack.com/subscribe