Ray's Daily

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey!”

Barbara Hoffman

I like the way I have chosen to age. I have lots of experience with disappointment, health challenges and the many mistakes I have made. Fortunately I have learned enough that a little bit of adversity and even an occasional catastrophe are just temporary events although it has been only lately that I realized they are only because that is the way I chose to deal with them.

A couple of things this last week made me realize how glad I am that I have outgrown letting the negatives bother or worry me. The first thing that got me into my “it’s OK mode” was the mechanical virus that has run rampant through my house, first the washer and drier failed after their long life, then our built in Convection/Microwave oven died at a relatively young age and not the furnace docs are telling us that our furnace is terminally ill and its death is near, all of this of course require us to dip into our somewhat shallow nest egg. I can’t fix what is broken but I can enjoy the replacements and as always life goes on. The second thing that motivated me to accept reality without remorse was the folks I met while on my special assignment last week, the majority predicted the worst, expected the worst and felt that everything was bad even if they had to work hard to find out why, they had given up on happiness, well I am not, I don’t have time to waste feeling sorry for myself, there just is too much left for me to do and enjoy.

Here is an excerpt from an article by Liz Noelcke that I agree with, I hope you do too.

Bounce Back from Life’s Hurdles

We’ve all hit that bump in the road, the setback, the problem. What sets people apart is how they react to that bump. Are you one to spin out of control, in despair? Or do you grab a hold of that wheel and steer yourself straight? Whether it’s a school assignment, a work project, or a volunteer mission, we all encounter things that slow us down. You just have to keep in mind that a setback is only temporary and greater things lay ahead.

So how can you react when something doesn’t turn out as you’ve expected? First, be objective. Step back and look at the situation. Take responsibility where it is due, but don’t place blame on others. Is your setback really that significant, or will it just require a little extra exertion on your part? Come to terms with it and then start planning your next move. Ask for help. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to do this. Oftentimes, people are more than willing to give you support and advice, maybe even after being in a similar situation. You don’t have to be perfect; after all, nobody else is.

Bounce back. Reevaluate the goals you should have set for yourself at the beginning and retool them as necessary. Goals should be realistic and specific, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be flexible and are allowed for minor impediments. Instead of looking at your project as a disaster or failure, view it with success. Concentrate on how great it will feel after it is finally done, after you have put your all into it. Instead of focusing on a possible unsatisfactory performance one single time, take a moment to sit back and reward yourself for all that you have accomplished.

Above all, don’t live with regrets. Approach life with perseverance and dedication to the things that matter most to you. Success is never easy. It remains up to you whether you will give up, or fight through the tough battles to earn whatever it is you want.

A fragment of a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson is telling:

“Finish each day

And be done with it.

You have done what you could.

Some blunders and

Absurdities have crept in.

Forget them as soon as you can.”

Move on with your life. Keep reaching for your goals and you will achieve them. One minor setback is nothing if you really want something and are willing to work for it.

~~~

“There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornados, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control.”

Leo Buscaglia

~~~

Jim had an awful day fishing on the lake, sitting in the blazing sun all day without catching a single one. On his way home, he stopped at the supermarket and ordered four catfish. He told the fish salesman, “Pick four large ones out and throw them at me, will you?”

“Why do you want me to throw them at you?”

“Because I want to tell my wife that I caught them.”

“Okay, but I suggest that you take the orange roughy.”

“But why?”

“Because your wife came in earlier today and said that if you came by, I should tell you to take orange roughy. She prefers that for supper tonight.”

~~~

I no longer need to punish, deceive or compromise myself. … Unless, of course, I want to stay employed.

~~~

In a small town, farmers of the community get together to discuss some important issues. About midway through the meeting, the wife of one of the farmers stands up and speaks her piece. After she’s done, one of the old farmers stands up and says, “What does she know about anything? I would like to ask her if she knows how many toes a pig has!”

Quick as a flash, the woman replies, “Take off your boots sir, and count them yourself!”

~~~

“In a word, I am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always well.”

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

~~~

An old blacksmith realized he was soon going to quit working so hard.  He picked out a strong young man to become his apprentice. The old fellow was crabby and exacting. “Don’t ask me a lot of questions,” he told the boy. “Just do whatever I tell you to do.”

One day the old blacksmith took an iron out of the forge and laid it on the anvil. “Get the hammer over there,” he said. “When I nod my head, hit it real good and hard.” Now the town is looking for a new blacksmith….

~~~

One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears–by listening to them.

Dean Rusk

~~~

He said:

Last week my wife and I purchased a new computer. We ran into some difficulties while setting it up so we called the customer support phone number we found in the manual. I picked up the phone and called the number. A man answered the phone and I explained the problem to him. He began rattling off computer jargon. This confused us even more. “Sir,” I said politely, “Can you explain what I should do as if I were a small child?”

“Okay,” the computer support guy said, “Son, could you please put your mommy on the phone?”

~~~

“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”

Robert Green Ingersoll

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

 Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

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