Fred Talk Flow #8: Being Assertive and My Two Cents on St. Louis

<p>This past weekend I visited the city of St. Louis. I checked out the Cardinals and crossed off ballpark number 14 on my list. Busch Stadium is an excellent place to catch a game and be amongst some of <a href= "https://www.freddyxvasquez.com/2022/07/fred-talk-flow-2/">America's most die-hard, rabid fans</a>. The vibe is jumping in Downtown St. Luis when the red birds are playing, and it made my personal Top 5 list when it came to parks already visited. If you're curious, the other 4 are Wrigley Field (Chicago), Petco Park (San Diego), PNC Park (Pittsburgh), and Camden Yards (Baltimore).</p> <p>What I also noticed in St. Louis was the lack of <a href= "https://www.freddyxvasquez.com/2021/05/25-commr-kevin-barnhardt-fred-talk/"> leadership and government</a> downtown. I didn't visit the rest of the city to be fair, but what I saw by The Gateway Arch was astounding. There were feces in the streets and I can't say for sure it all belonged to dogs. Questionable people in the area after dark, and even more questionable activities Sunday morning on a stroll for some coffee.</p> <p>It made me sad to think that situations like this still existed.</p> <p>I know I've made a good life for myself and I'm not ignorant to the fact that these situations exist, but I never thought it would be so apparent, so in your face. I right away found myself wondering who ran this town and what they were doing to make it better. Local government is SO IMPORTANT! Please do yourself a favor and research who you're voting into these positions of leadership! St. Louis needs help!</p> <p>I also discussed assertiveness and how important it is to not only your life but your business. I've finally reached a point in my career where I <a href= "https://www.freddyxvasquez.com/2022/07/fred-talk-flow-4-be-selfish-baby/"> no longer NEED to work with everyone</a>. That's not an egotistical statement, because it's something I should have done long ago to spare myself hours of negative thinking and energy.</p> <p>When you work with clients that lack the