Balancing Kids, Family Life, Work, and Fame

This week’s Blog Topic was inspired and requested by none other than my Facebook friend Maria Strickland.

The week of Jan 12th has been quite a busy week indeed. I realized late on Wednesday that I had yet to write a blog for this week, so I put a post on my Ahmed Hassan Celebrity Landscaper page. I asked for inspiration for today’s blog post because this week’s project is very time and energy consuming.

Maria offered a suggestion, and this morning I’m refreshed and ready to delve in head first! First of all, I want to acknowledge and share with so many of you that while you might see me as some big time celebrity, I waiver and waffle at this notion. I consider myself a regular guy. I know that I’m popular and all, but I’m in no way an “A List” celebrity. Here’s a funny story that I’ve rarely shared. When I was a kid growing up, I watched a cartoon character named “Richy Rich”. What fascinated me about this cartoon character was that he was so much different than I was. He was white, I was black. He was rich, I grew up poor. He had everything; I was taught by my dad, mom, and step mother Mabel, to appreciate everything I did have.

I actually remember stating to God or the Universe, “I don’t wanna be rich”. It was one of those prayer like affirmations that we sometimes make when we “claim” something. We’ve all heard that money is the root of all evil and I distinctively remember this Richie Rich character having so many challenges to deal with because he had so much money. I was like, “I just wanna be comfortable, but not rich”. It wasn’t until my 30’s that I realized that being comfortable in today’s society was considered being “rich” by the standards I was raised by.

You see, everything is relative. Some people might see me as some big time celebrity that’s got it made. In fact, I’m that same kid who’s been hustling, doing yard work all my life. I finally decided that I would be “ok” with being rich. Yet, I want to also be responsible and enjoy my life, family, and fame. I’m not rich now, but I am willing and wanting to experience the reality so I continue to prepare.

You’re probably wondering, “So what about the balancing act that Maria asked about?”. When it comes to balancing and being there for my kids, I could not do it without Tiffanie. It’s Tiffanie who is the primary chauffeur, back to school mom, the one that pays the bills, and the one that creates most, if not all, of the structure that the Hassan’s have at home. Tiffanie and I are business partners, friends, lovers, and co parents. I often refer to us as “Power Partners”. We have teams of others that we work with in order to do all that we do, but it’s she and I that manage all things Ahmed Hassan Celebrity Landscaper, as well as Ahmad Hassan Landscape Services.

I actually run and maintain 4 businesses. I create and provide web video assets and content for my industry and national brands like Monrovia Nurseries, Hunter Industries, FX Luminaire, and Shindaiwa, just to name a few. I also do personal appearances at home, garden, and builder shows around the country. I continue to maintain and operate my own business in the greater Sacramento area, and in 2014 we began operating a couple of small nurseries in Shingle Springs where we live. The way I manage everything is with a little bit of patience, understanding, love, and inspiration. I’ve learned that being perfect is overrated, it’s merely a matter of being present.

I love my wife and kids. I love my fans and friends. I love my work and creating beautiful, functional, outdoor living spaces. I love teaching and inspiring others to find, explore, and exploit their passions. I continue to dream up new things and ideas because I’m in love with life. Truly I am! There’s absolutely no reason that Yard Crashers should have become as big a hit on television as it did except that it was a show with this crazy, energetic guy who was in love with what he was doing. He actually knew something about landscaping, building, creating, and gardening.

That brings us full circle to the work I have this week. I am going to design, build, create, and develop a new presentation for the Like Water Event at Free Flow Academy’s Rocklin, CA location. It’s a health and wellness event happening this weekend. I’ll be right there in the gorgeous space that my team and I are developing. Everything I do requires the help, assistance, and buy in from so many others. This weekend’s event is no different. This space is an area that a couple of Master Gardeners are going to use. I’ll be using it to host a workshop on Gardening, The Original Crossfit.

I’m tired and fatigued this week because I’m creating. I work within the metaphysical realm, designing, plotting and planning. Then I utilize all of my natural powers to communicate, explain, design, acquire, and create what it is that I see in my minds eye. It’s tiring work. It’s physically and mentally taxing. Yet it is what my life looks like and I’ll continue down this path. I love life and seek to do everything, and experience anything, I see as beautiful and worthy while I’m here. Thanks for this mornings inspiration Maria Strickland. Thank the rest of you all for reading.

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