What Keeps You Up At Night?


“What keeps you up at night”, is a question I usually ask when I work with clients to ascertain what part of their business is the most worrisome. The answers can be very insightful and range from IT issues, to security, to how to remain relevant. In my case, the question started with an obvious answer. The clue, it has four legs, a big mouth and breath smelling of tuna. Unfortunately, my brain kicked into overdrive and ignited a series of thoughts leading to a rather fitful night of sleep.   


The biggest culprit for my latest sleepless night was my Furbaby. Furbabies are the newest addition to Urban Dictionary and refer to over spoiled, pampered pets with fur. As I laid awake listening to the scampering and racing about that occurs around 3 AM with my two Burmese Cats, I thought of a million things I needed to follow up on. We all have those kind of nights don’t we? Those creeping thoughts that won’t let you rest as they crawl around in your half-awake brain. Random but just provocative enough to keep you from dropping into the abyss of sleep that lies just on the other side of those crazy ideas darting to and fro in your mind. On this particular night, Rosie the Riveter and Uncle Sam had wedged an idea in my head. Don’t ask!


So I began, 99, 98, 97, all the way down with a singular focus of mindlessness and nothingness to zero. Maybe this time sleep will come. My eyes and appendices feel heavy signaling their need for rest. Then a yowl and a thump from the other side of the door. I begin again, 99, 98, and 97. As the alarm blares signaling 7:30 all is quiet, I stretch and yawn then lumber out of bed to hit the snooze. The lists start again, to-do, to-call and to-follow up, all registering in my mind. I head to the kitchen for a boost from my best friend, coffee, the ever ready companion, ally of the sleepless night steams through the fog in my head as the hot molten liquid washes down my gullet and soon all is well again.


For those of you with pets, I think you will agree the companionship outweighs the antics most of time.  I look to the corner of my bed and see two cats huddled and curled up in a conjoined circular ball, sound asleep and gently snoring. I resist the urge to pinch them and brew another cup of coffee while I get ready for what lies ahead.


Jodi Cross is a marketing consultant, speaker and writer and can be reached at jcross@crossnm.com.