Ray's Daily

The Daily is shutting down tomorrow

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Note: This will be the last Daily for a week or so as I will be on special assignment and rather than burden the staff with creating new ones while I am busy we are suspending operations. If you need something to do there are 1,500 or so past Dailies at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/.

Since you might want something to do while I am gone why not commit to doing what will make you happy, Ralph Marston calls it singing to your own special songs. So while I am busy for a while I will look forward to listening to your song. Here is what Marston has shared with us.

 

Your own special songs

Allow yourself to be yourself. If you don’t want what the world says you should want, have the courage to say so.

Your greatest opportunities for making a difference in this world flow from your unique perspective. Explore, strengthen, celebrate and express that perspective every chance you get.

It’s not a matter of being different just to be different. It’s a matter of being honest with yourself and others about who you truly are.

You have your own special songs to sing. Sing them with passion, just because it feels so right.

What the world tells you is to be like everybody else. What the world needs is for you to be you.

Give to life the unique beauty of your own special making. Allow yourself to feel how good it feels, and to see what a positive difference the real you can make for everyone.

~~~

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”

Lao Tzu

~~~

Father Murphy roared from the pulpit to his parishioners: “The drink has killed millions– it rots their stomachs and they die in agony. Smoking has killed millions–it coats your lungs and you die in agony. Overeating and consorting with loose women have also killed millions.”

“Scuse me, Father,” hollered O’Reilly from the back, “but what is it that kills the people who live right?”

~~~

Wife says to her husband, “What did the doctor say!”

“He said I should slow down.”

And her comeback is, “How does a man who has been rear-ended by a recliner slow down?”

~~~

Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now – always.

Albert Schweitzer

~~~

Jewish Weddings

What are the main differences between orthodox, conservative and reform???

At an orthodox wedding, the mother of the bride is likely to be pregnant.

At a conservative wedding, the bride is likely to be pregnant.

At a reform wedding, the Rabbi is likely to be pregnant.

And at a reconstructionist wedding, the groom is likely to be pregnant.

~~~

I know you can be overwhelmed, and I know you can be underwhelmed, but can you just be whelmed?

~~~

A fourth grade teacher was giving her pupils a lesson in logic.

“Here is the situation,” she said. “A man is standing up in a boat in the middle of a river, fishing. He loses his balance, falls in, and begins splashing and yelling for help. His wife hears the commotion, knows he can’t swim, and runs down to the bank. Why do you think she ran to the bank?”

Little Mary raised her hand and asked, “To draw out all his savings?”

~~~

The pilot announced that “the weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they’ll try to have them fixed before we arrive”.

~~~

Jane had a system for labeling homemade freezer meals. She would carefully note in large clear letters, “Meatloaf” or “Pot Roast” or “Steak and Vegetables” or “Chicken and Dumplings” or “Beef Pot Pie.”

Everyday when she asked her husband what he wanted for dinner, he never asked for any of those meals. She decided to stock the freezer with his various requests. What he really likes.

In Jane’s freezer now you’ll see a whole new set of labels. You’ll find dinners with neat little tags that say: “Whatever,” “Anything,” “I Don’t Know,” “I Don’t Care,” “Something Good,” or “Food.”

No more frustration for Jane because no matter what her husband replies when she asks him what he wants for dinner, it’s there waiting.

~~~

“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll.

The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!”

Oscar Wilde

~~~

A couple was celebrating their golden wedding anniversary on the beach in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Their domestic tranquility had long been the talk of the town.

“What a peaceful & loving couple.” everyone would say.

The local newspaper reporter was inquiring as to the secret of their long and happy marriage.

“Well, it actually dates back to our honeymoon in America,” explained the man. “We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona and took a trip down to the bottom of the canyon by horse. We hadn’t gone too far when my wife’s horse stumbled and she almost fell off. My wife looked down at the horse and quietly said, ‘That’s once.’

“We proceeded a little further and the horse stumbled again, this time causing her to drop her water. Once more my wife quietly said, ‘That’s twice.’

We hadn’t gone a half-mile when the horse stumbled for a third time. My wife quietly removed a revolver from her purse and shot the horse dead. I shouted at her, ‘What’s wrong with you, Woman! Why did you shoot the poor animal like that? Are you crazy??’ ”

She looked at me, and quietly said, ‘That’s once.’

“And from that moment… we have lived happily ever after.”

~~~

“My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.”

Rodney Dangerfield

~~~

A doctor said to his patient: “You have a slight heart condition, but I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Really, Doc?” the patient replied. “Well, if you had a slight heart condition I wouldn’t worry about it either.”

~~~

All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was.  I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory.  I was naïve.  I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.  It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with:  that I am nobody but myself.

Ralph Ellison

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Look for the good

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”

Voltaire

 

I don’t know about you but over the years I have learned just how valuable the ability to appreciate really is and when it comes to people expressing your honest appreciation can be the glue that strengthens the bond between people. I just don’t understand why there are so many folks that seem to have lost their ability to appreciate and often even go out of their way to find fault. It is really foolhardy to believe that your ability to put someone else down raises your stature when in fact it just lowers it.

I also believe that you can refine your appreciation skills to the point that even a small flower along the road can generate as much warm feelings as a great piece of art in a world class museum. It is when we sharpen our ability to appreciate our outlook on the world brightens and we are rewarded with numerous pleasurable moments each day.

Best of all is the many times we discover opportunities to tell someone just how much we appreciate them and what they do. The world would be a much better place if we spent more time telling folks how grateful we are for their service, their friendship, their smile and in my case especially their kindness. So my friends I recommend that you and spend less time finding fault and more time appreciating. Here is an article written by life coach Judy Widener that I think is worth your time, she shares her thoughts on appreciation.

The Politics of Appreciation

We all like to be appreciated. Everyone understands the value of acknowledging others, too. And yet, I observe others passing up hundreds of opportunities to appreciate every day. At this point in my life, I actively look for and pounce on chances to groove on others. But I wasn’t always so magnanimous.

There was a time when I would keep score. When I didn’t feel confident or powerful, appreciating others felt like giving away my power. I felt that I was diminished somehow by the act of giving. I’ve pinpointed 8 ways my weak confidence would block me from appreciating others. Can you relate to any of them?

1. Comparing. You have more stuff and/or power than I do. If I give you acknowledgment, it adds more to your pile and my pile is smaller in comparison.

2. Me first! I need to be appreciated before I’ll feel like appreciating you. I haven’t been appreciated enough, in the right way. My bucket must be full before I’ll feel like adding to your bucket.

3. Competition. There’s a limited supply of stuff and power. Giving any away increases my anxiety about not being able to get enough stuff for myself.

4. Holding a Grudge. You took my stuff (money, success, love, respect, dignity, power) two hours/days/weeks/months/years ago, you jerk, so there’s no way I’m gonna give you a compliment!

5. Judgment. I think you don’t deserve it. The implication is that appreciation must be earned; it’s a reward for effort expended. And I get to decide when you’ve done enough to earn it.

6. Expectation. I don’t want to give you acknowledgement because you’re expecting me to. The gift is a given. My appreciation of you isn’t special to you.

7. Fakeness. I fear you’ll perceive my gesture as disingenuous, that I’m patronizing you, and that you’ll reject my gesture.

8. Fear of Rejection. I feel vulnerable when I appreciate, so I won’t acknowledge you if I’m scared you’ll reject my gift.

I lost a lot of power and energy when I focused on avoiding being bested, or to feeling compelled to keep up with an arbitrary, manufactured standard. Every time I lost power, I lost an opportunity to connect joyfully with another. And isn’t that what makes life worth living?

~~~

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”

Marcus Aurelius

~~~

The little church in the suburbs suddenly stopped buying from its regular office supply dealer. So, the dealer telephoned Deacon Brown to ask why. “I’ll tell you why,” said Deacon Brown. “Our church ordered some pencils from you to be used in the pews for visitors to register.”

“Well,” interrupted the dealer, “didn’t you receive them yet?”

“Oh, we received them all right,” replied Deacon Brown. “However, you sent us some golf pencils…each stamped with the words, ‘Play Golf Next Sunday’.”

~~~

A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy: “So your mother says your prayers for you each night? Very commendable. What does she say?” The little boy replied, “Thank God he’s in bed!”

~~~

Daddy, where did I come from?” the seven-year-old asked.

It was a moment for which her parents had carefully prepared. They took her into the living room, got out the encyclopedia and several other books, and explained all they thought she should know about sexual attraction, affection, love, and reproductions. Then they both sat back and smiled contentedly.

“Does that answer your question?” her father asked.

“Not really,” the little girl said. “Marcia said she came from Detroit. I want to know where I came from.”

~~~

Time may be a great healer but it’s also a lousy beautician.

~~~

Dear Mom and Dad,

I feel miserable because I have to keep writing for money. I feel ashamed and unhappy. I have to ask for another hundred, but every cell in my body rebels. I beg on bended knee that you forgive me.

Your son, Marvin.

P.S. I felt so terrible, I ran after the mailman who picked this up in the box at the corner. I wanted to take this letter and burn it. I prayed that I could get it back. But it was too late.”

A few days later he received a letter from his father. It said, “Your prayers were answered. Your letter never came!”

~~~

“Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?”

Groucho Marx

~~~

The first morning after the honeymoon, the husband got up early, went down to the kitchen, and brought his wife her breakfast in bed. Naturally, she was delighted.

Then he spoke: “Have you noticed just what I have done?”

“Of course, dear. Every single detail!”

“Good. That’s how I want my breakfast served every morning.”

~~~

I know what Victoria’s Secret is: Nobody older than 30 can fit into their stuff.

~~~

The priest was at the side of a dying man. Whispering firmly, the priest said, “Denounce the devil! Let him know how little you think of his evil!” The dying man said nothing.

The priest repeated his order. Still the dying man said nothing. The priest asked, “Why do you refuse to denounce the devil and his evil?”

The dying man said, “Well, if you really want the truth, until I know where I’m going, I don’t think I should make him mad!”

~~~

“Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.”

Zig Ziglar

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

I am glad that you’re different

“Don’t be afraid to be who you are because you are the only person who knows you best.”

Saredo Ali

I just spent the weekend with my brother and his wife who took time to visit us in Indianapolis for a couple of days. They truly march to a different drummer having been adventurers for about 30 years. In the recent past they were on a National Geographic expedition to Antarctica, a month or so ago they spent weeks on a fourmasted schooner sailing in Malaysian and Thai waters. They have backpacked in China, India, Russia and all over Europe. They currently live in the summer on a river barge in France and winter on their boat in San Diego. Their current life style is much more sedate than it was in all the years they spent in the pacific islands, some uninhabited, and in Asia. When they decided to slow down they sailed their 35 foot boat from South Africa to South America by themselves. Their adventures have been well documented over the years.

They truly are not your average couple but neither would most of you be considered average either, and that is great. Just think what it would be like if we were all the same. I know I love the freedom I have to be myself. I also love the people I get to spend time with these days, for they are exceptions to the norm just like you are and that makes my life interesting. The sad reality is that too many of us don’t realize how special we are. Most folks see every one of their own flaws while noticing the good things in others. Sometime ago writer Erin McNaughton wrote about her uniqueness, here is what she said in part.

 

I go about life in a very pragmatic way, yet I’m also given to capricious behavior. I love having a stable job with regular hours, but I equally long for the freedom to travel on a whim and live without long-term commitment to anything. It seems to me a bit of a dysfunctional combination. Is it really, though?

Each of us is unique, strange, beautiful, and paradoxical in our own wonderful way. Everyone has their strengths, their struggles, and an unrivaled combination of these traits. Thus, each individual has their own special super powers, an entirely novel perspective of the world, and dreams that only they can bring to fruition. Why do we strive for a boxed in average when there’s still so much possibility within ourselves? What is “normal” anyways?

The more I think on it, the more I realize that I don’t want to live someone else’s life. Maybe I want stability, challenge, and adventure. But that doesn’t mean I have to go about it the same way as everyone else.

With our unique personalities, experiences, and dreams, each of us has the opportunity to carve our own special niche in this world. Maybe it’s time we get untangled from societal expectations and unrealistic perceptions and just start living in alignment with our personal dreams and values. Whatever I do in life, I want to feel alive. And I want to make a difference. I don’t believe that’s possible while striving to live up to the standard of average or pursuing the conquered and worn out dreams of someone else. Life your life your way.

Averages are for arithmetic. Just because you fall into someone else’s categorical norm that doesn’t mean you can be easily classified, that doesn’t mean that everyone else’s rules apply to you. Don’t allow yourself to be defined by averages, percentiles, and imposed numerical boundaries. Live your life in spite of those numbers. If you want to do something, than go out there and make it happen.

You are not average. Live your life in a way that will prove that.

~~~

“Having a low opinion of yourself is not ‘modesty.’ It’s self-destruction. Holding your uniqueness in high regard is not ‘egotism.’ It’s a necessary precondition to happiness and success.”

Bobbe Sommer

~~~

Harold was an old man, he was sick, and he was in the hospital.  There was one young nurse that just drove him crazy.  Every time she came in, she would talk to him like he was a little child.  She would say in a patronizing tone of voice, “And how are we doing this morning, or are we ready for a bath, or are we hungry?”

Old Harold had had enough of this particular nurse.  One day, Old Harold had received breakfast, and pulled the juice off the tray, and put it on his bed side stand.  He had been given a Urine Bottle to fill for testing. The juice was apple juice.  So…..  you know where the juice went. The nurse came in a little later and picked up the urine bottle.  She looks at it.  “My, but it seems we are a little cloudy today…..”

At this, Old Harold snatched the bottle out of her hand, pops off the top, and drinks it down, saying, “Well, I’ll run it through again, and maybe I can filter it better this time.”

The nurse fainted……  Old Harold just smiled

~~~

Only a mediocre person is ever at their best.

~~~

A young boy was looking through the family album and asked his mother, “Who’s this guy on the beach with you with all the muscles and curly hair?”

“That’s your father.”

“Then who’s that old bald-headed fat man who lives with us now?”

~~~

All food is Fat-Free – if you don’t eat it.

~~~

A feminist is getting on a bus when, just in front of her, a Hassidic elderly Jewish man gets up from his seat. She thinks to herself, “Here’s another man trying to keep up the customs of a patriarchal society by offering a poor, defenseless woman his seat,” so she pushes him back onto the seat.

A few minutes later, the elderly man tries to get up again. She is still insulted so she refuses to let him up again. Finally, the old Jewish man says, “Look, lady, trouble I don’t want, but you’ve got to let me get up….. I’m twelve blocks past my stop already!”

~~~

Never leave your wife’s anniversary present in a Wal-Mart bag.

~~~

She told me these observations on growing older.

~Your kids are becoming you… and you don’t like them… but your grandchildren are perfect!

~Going out is good. Coming home is better!

~When people say you look “Great”…. they add “for your age!”

~You forget names… but it’s OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

~Your husband is counting on you to remember things you don’t remember.

~The things you cared to do, you don’t care to do, but you care that you don’t care to do them anymore.

~Your husband sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than he does in bed. It’s called his “pre-sleep”.

~Remember when your mother said “Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident”? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident!

~You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” switch.

~When GOOGLE, ipod, email, modem… were unheard of and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table.

~You use more 4 letter words…” what?”…” when?”???

~Your husband has a night out with the guys but he’s home by 9:00 P.M… next week it will be 8:30 P. M.

~You read 100 pages into a book before you realize you’ve read it.

~Everybody whispers.

~Now that your husband has retired… you’d give anything if he’d find a job!

~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet …. 2 of which you will never wear.

~But old is good in some things:

old songs

old movies

And best of all OLD FRIENDS!!

~~~~~~

“If you celebrate your differentness, the world will, too. It believes exactly what you tell it—through the words you use to describe yourself, the actions you take to care for yourself, and the choices you make to express yourself. Tell the world you are one-of-a-kind creation who came here to experience wonder and spread joy. Expect to be accommodated.”

Victoria Moran

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Follow her advice, you’ll be glad you did

“The wisest men follow their own direction.”

Euripides

 

I had a busy weekend with my world traveling brother and his wife stopping by for the weekend before going on their next adventure. Fortunately the cold that took me down last week subsided enough for me to enjoy their visit. They will be leaving for the West Coast in an hour or so to again roam the world. Meanwhile I have a lot of catching up to do so it will be a busy day. As I was going back in my files I found something that my friend Vince, a former colleague from my UNIVAC days, sent me a few years ago. I am now at the age where I can verify the wisdom of the writer. So here we go, great rules to follow for the good life.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written.

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of whom God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come…

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.”

~~~

“When what we are is what we want to be, that’s happiness.”

Malcolm S. Forbes

~~~

A guy walks into the human resources department of a large company and hands the executive his application. The executive begins to scan the sheet, and notices that the applicant has been fired from every job he has ever held.

“I must say,” says the executive, “your work history is terrible. You’ve been fired from every job.”

“Yes,” says the man.

“Well,” continues the executive, “there’s not much positive in that.”

“Hey!” says the guy as he pokes the application, “At least I’m not a quitter.”

~~~

“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”

Bertrand Russell

~~~

A young blonde secretary was describing her evening’s exploits to a friend.” After dinner,” she said, “he wanted to come back to my apartment, but I refused. I told him my mother would worry if I did anything like that.”

“That was smart,” her friend said, approvingly. “Then what happened?”

“He kept insisting, and I kept refusing,” the secretary said.

“You didn’t weaken your resolve, did you?” asked the friend.

“Not one bit. In the end, we went to his apartment. I figured, let his mother worry.”

~~~

I think it’s the end of progress if you stand still and think of what you’ve done in the past. I keep on.

Leslie Caron

~~~

My new girlfriend, Karen, got a job at a local hardware store. “The owner doesn’t want us hanging out with our friends,” she said. “If you stop by, tell them you’re my brother.” On my first visit, I walked to the customer service desk and asked the older woman there, “Is Karen around?” When she looked at me quizzically, I added, “I’m her brother.”

She smiled. “What a nice surprise. I’m Karen’s mother.”

~~~

“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.”

Oscar Wilde

~~~

A young couple was delighted when their long wait to adopt a baby came to an end. The adoption center called and told them that they had a wonderful Russian baby boy, and the couple took him without hesitation. On the way home from the adoption center, they stopped by the local college so they each could enroll in night courses. After they filled out the forms, the registration clerk asked, “Whatever possessed you to study Russian?”

The couple said proudly, “We just adopted a Russian baby, and in a year or so he’ll start to talk. We just want to be able to understand him.”

~~~

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”

Maya Angelou

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Beginning again

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”

Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi

 

I am fighting a cold this morning so rather than take a chance of your catching it from germs left on a new Daily I am sending you a sanitized reprint from a healthier time.

 

Ray’s Daily first published on January 18, 2005

 

Marika Stone sent me the following recently as part of her newsletter. I thought you might like this article as I know few of us are satisfied with the status quo and could benefit from some homegrown adventure.

 

As we begin the new year, our thoughts turn to the value of adopting a beginner’s mind. Beginner’s mind is a concept invented by Zen master, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, to describe a mind that is child-like and ‘not already made up.’ It’s a curious, inquiring mind, open to what comes, with no preconceived ideas or expectations. Many of us approach the second half of life with habits of mind that can hinder or slow down the process of change. Of course, transition takes time and effort, as well as introspection, research and some risk-taking. If you’re ready to think out of your own comfort zone and see where it could lead, we offer you Ten Ways to Experience Beginner’s Mind.

Other-handedness. Spend a few hours, half a day or longer, switching hands, e.g. Brush your teeth, comb your hair and butter your toast with your left hand if you’re a righty, etc. Practice awareness of how this feels inside and/or make some notes to yourself.

Here’s a version of the dictionary game that can be revealing about one’s tolerance for not knowing. Open a dictionary and choose a word you are not familiar with and use as often as you can, in speech or writing, for a whole day.

Ask your partner or a trusted friend to blindfold you and lead you through your own environment for 10 minutes. What did you discover about the space and its contents when you were dependent on your other senses?

Attend a service in a religion or denomination different from your own, e.g. A Buddhist temple or mosque. Take it in, take it all in.

Sign up for a class in a subject you would normally avoid, math or accounting, auto mechanics, line dancing, and so on. Note how it felt to be ‘lost’ in a different world, and what personal resources you had to tap to hang in there. Note it down and learn.

Turn the sound off during your favorite TV program and see how much of the story line you can pick up through lip reading and body language. What else did you notice?

Write instructions for an activity that is second nature to you for a small child or someone whose use of your language is limited. What did you notice about your sensitivity to another person’s age or culture?

Walk in someone’s shoes by shadowing a willing subject for an hour or two, at their place of work or during a familiar routine. How was it to just watch? Note it.

Found poetry. Gather a stack of magazines and a pair of scissors. Cut words or phrases that interest you into strips and paste them onto a new sheet in the form of a poem. If images rather than words are your thing, try Found Art. From your stack of magazines, choose images, words, swatches of color, logos, anything that appeals to you and create a collage. Note how this felt while you were doing it, and after it was done.

Talk to a stranger about anything other than the weather or other safe subject.

Get down on all fours and follow a crawling child for 15 or 20 minutes (tip: wear knee pads). What did the world look like from ground level? What else did you notice? Note it.

Say “Yes,” the next time you are asked to do something or go somewhere you’d rather not. How did that feel? Record it.

Dream up an activity of your own that is totally out of character for you. White water rafting for the fearful. Drawing for the artistically challenged. Juggling for just about anyone. Do it for fun, and write about it after.

~~~

The more a man knows, the more he forgives.

Confucius

~~~

Watching her mother as she tried on her new fur coat, young Lora said unhappily, “Mom, do you realize some poor dumb beast suffered so you could have that?”

The woman shot her an angry look, “Lora, how dare you talk about your father like that!”

~~~

I was carpooling with my friend Craig, he noticed that the “Check oil” light was on. He pulled into the gas station, got out of the car, opened the hood, checked the engine oil, closed the hood, then got back into the car. “Can we make a quick stop?” He asked.

“Sure,” I replied, “what did you need to do?”

“I need to stop by the auto parts place to get a longer dipstick?”

“What do you need a longer one for?” I enquired.

“Because the one I got isn’t long enough to reach the oil!”

~~~

A man who correctly guesses a woman’s age may be smart but he’s not very bright.

~~~

A friend of mine, a catering manager, lacks certain social skills–like knowing when to keep her mouth shut! While discussing a baby christening party with a young couple, she told the mother, “You look like you’ve lost most of your pregnancy weight.”

“Thanks,” came the clenched-teeth reply. We adopted.”

~~~

“Everybody keeps saying that women are smarter than men, but did you ever see a man wearing a shirt that buttons down the back?”

~~~

A woman meant to call a record store, but dialed the wrong number and got a private home instead. “Do you have ‘Eyes of Blue’ and ‘A Love Supreme?'” she asked.

“Well, no,” answered the puzzled homeowner. “But I have a wife and eleven children.”

“Is that a record?” she inquired, puzzled in her turn.

“I don’t think so,” replied the man, “but it’s as close as I want to get.”

~~~

A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.

~~~

A guy is at the pearly gates, waiting to be admitted, while St. Peter is leafing through the big book to see if the guy is worthy of entering. Saint Peter goes through the book several times, furrows his brow, and says to the guy, “You know, I can’t see that you did anything really good in your life, but, you never did anything bad either. Tell you what, if you can tell me of one REALLY good deed that you did in your life, you’re in.”

The guy thinks for a moment and says, “Well, there was the time when I was driving down the highway and I saw a group of biker guys gathered around this poor girl. I slowed down my car to see what was going on, and sure enough, there were about 20 of ’em tormenting this girl.” “Infuriated, I got out my car, grabbed a tire iron out of my trunk, and walked straight up to the leader of the gang, a huge guy with a studded leather jacket and a chain running from his nose to his ear. As I walked up to the leader, the gang formed a circle around me. So, I ripped the leader’s chain off his face and smashed him over the head with the tire iron. Then I turned around and yelled to the rest of them, ‘Leave this poor, innocent girl alone! You’re all a bunch of sick, deranged animals! Go home before I teach you all a lesson in pain!'”

St. Peter, impressed, says, “Really? When did this happen?”

“Oh, about two minutes ago.”

~~~

My childhood was rough. Once for my birthday my old man gave me a bat. The first day I played with it, it flew away.

Rodney Dangerfield

~~~

Cecil and Morris are walking to services and Cecil asks, “I wonder whether it would be all right to smoke while praying?”

“Why don’t you ask the rabbi?” says Morris.

Cecil sees Rabbi Golden and asks, “Rabbi, is it permissible for me to smoke while I pray?”

“No, you may not. That’s utter disrespect to our religion and traditions!” quickly answers the rabbi.

Cecil goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Rabbi told him.

“I’m not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try.”

Morris goes over to the rabbi and asks, “Rabbi, will it be ok if I pray while I smoke?”

To which Rabbi Golden eagerly replies, “By all means, my good man. By all means.”

~~~

“There are two kinds of people who never amount to much: Those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.”

Cyrus Curtis

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Come join the senior youth movement

“You can’t turn back the clock, but you can wind it up again.”

Bonnie Prudden

A week or so ago I spoke to a group of baby boomers as well as some of their elders. My pitch was that with a tweak here, a tuck there, along with a pace change and a little life spice you can have fun and be active until you don’t care anymore. I have learned through experience that zest and verve do not require being fleet of foot or to be a regular participant in the hot party scene to enjoy the so golden years. Writer Bob White recently wrote that we have the capacity to live backwards and I am a big believer in that. Here are some of his tips.

 

How to Successfully Age Backwards

If you are at all like me, (a “Baby boomer”) you’ve probably heard expressions like “60 is the new 40.” The truth is actually that anyone can be 68 going on 50. All you need is a motivational mindset. Then you, too, can start counting the calendar backwards at each birthday. Beyond good diet and exercise — which are critical for anyone at any age — getting motivated is the key to aging well. Here are five ways to adopt a motivational mindset, launch your own age rollback and engage the world at any age:

Change your WOE to WOW ratio.

There’s nothing more de-motivating than living in a world of WOE (which is an acronym that stands for What On Earth). The world of WOE is dark and consists largely of finding fault and blame. WOE is like a leech that sucks the life spirit out of you. Its opposite, WOW (which means Wonderfully Obsessed with Winning) infuses every moment with excitement about the world. WOW is that frame of mind that motivates you to fully embrace whatever you’re doing. No, you can’t get rid of WOE — it’s part of the human condition. But you can choose to minimize the presence of WOE and focus on WOW; the key is to become more aware of WOE’s presence and to consciously opt for WOW. Try it. Keep a notebook of how much time you spend in a WOE state versus a WOW state. Then set a goal to focus on WOW for 15 minutes as you start your day. Soon, it will become a habit, and you won’t even have to think about it.

Get curious.

Many studies have shown the more you flex your mind as you age, the healthier your mind will be. In addition to engaging in brain-cell building activities like puzzles, ask questions about how things work and why things are. Nothing motivates like a good question. Find a headline story each day that you want to learn more about. Find a topic each week that you want to research through books or using online resources. Adopt the curiosity of a child. The more new things you learn, the more you’ll be motivated to discover new areas of interest.

Invest in the moment.

It’s so easy to look back with regrets or nostalgia that we forget to see the joy of what’s happening in the present. Ditto for spending time gazing into the future with apprehension or fear. Try an experiment: every day, spend five minutes focusing on the here and now, and allow yourself to feel totally invested in whatever you’re doing, whether it’s work or play. Be conscious that you’re in the moment. When you get comfortable with that notion, expand the time you spend in the here and now each day.

Let go and take a higher perspective.

When you were younger, you were probably in the mode of striving for more — more money, more status, more security or more attention. More anything. As you age, that pressure starts to diminish. But if you’re like most of us, you still likely cling to the notion you’re in some kind of a race you must win. Let it go! When you stop competing against others, you’ll be motivated to appreciate those things that really matter and you probably already have.

Do things that put you in a good mood.

Good moods don’t just happen. They come about from doing things that make us feel happy, things we enjoy. When we were younger, it was easy to feel good because we weren’t shy about letting our hair down and having fun. You can recapture that habit now. Incorporate at least one thing a day into your routine that puts you in a good mood whether it’s taking a walk, completing a puzzle or pulling out a board game or a deck of cards with friends. When you’re feeling good, you’ll likely be more motivated to try new things. And you can almost hear the clock ticking backwards.

 

Be aware a motivational mindset doesn’t come overnight. But the more receptive you are to it, the more you’ll enjoy waking up every morning — and flipping another page back on your internal calendar!

~~~

“You’re never too old to become younger.”

Mae West

~~~

“I was relaxing in my favorite chair on Sunday,” said Doug to Bill, “reading the newspaper, watching a ball game on TV and listening to another on the radio, drinking a beer, eating a snack, and scratching the dog with my foot — and my wife has the nerve to accuse me of just sitting there doing nothing !”

~~~

Why do you get on a bus and a train but get into a car?

~~~

A class professor was giving a lecture on company slogans and was asking his students if they were familiar with them.

“Joe,” he asked, “which company has the slogan, ‘come fly the friendly skies’?”

Joe answered the correct airline.

“Brenda, can you tell me which company has the slogan, “Don’t leave home without it?”

Brenda answered the correct credit card company with no difficulty.

“Now John, Tell me which company bears the slogan, ‘Just do it’?”

And John answered, “Mom….”

~~~

Always keep several get well cards on the mantel; if unexpected guests arrive, they will think you’ve been sick and unable to clean.

~~~

On a beautiful Summer’s day, a father and his eight-year-old son were lying on the grass by the river bank, looking up at the sky and watching the wisps of cloud float gently overhead.

After a few minutes of silence, the boy turned to the father and said: “Dad, why are we here?”

“That’s a good question, son. I think we’re here to enjoy days such as this, to experience nature in all its glory, the vastness of the sky, the beauty of the trees, the song of the birds, the rippling flow of the water. We’re here to help make the world a better place, to pass on our wisdom to future generations who will hopefully profit from our achievements and learn from our mistakes.

We’re here to savor the small triumphs of life – passing your school exams, the birth of a new member of the family, promotion at work, a win for the home team. And we’re here to comfort those dearest to us in times of distress, to provide kindness and compassion, support and strength, to let them know that, no matter how bad a situation may seem, they are not alone.

Does that answer your question, son?”

“Not really, Dad.”

“No?”

“No, what I meant was, why are we here when Mom said to pick her up over an hour ago?”

~~~

The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which mean never losing your enthusiasm.

Aldous Huxley

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Good morning sunshine

Waking up to a new day is a gift, appreciate it and do remember you are loved. Good morning and have a splendid day.

 

For several years I have had the good fortune of spending many hours with folks who have shared with me their concerns, needs, worries and what is going on in their lives. I have sometimes been concerned about how elusive happiness can be for some of them. I wonder sometimes if some are afraid to try and find happiness, they seem to be conditioned to believe that it cannot exist for them and if they tried to find it they would be hurt and even unhappier.

I have come to believe that the problem for many of us is our thinking that happiness will come when we accumulate wealth, or more recreational toys, or…….In truth it seems like those who believe that happiness can be bought or that it requires major changes in one’s existence only find that when they get those things that they are no more happier than they were in the past. I honestly think that true happiness is a combination of attitude and appreciation. Maintaining an optimistic attitude coupled with appreciating what we already have can brighten almost any day.

I wish I had a magic elixir that I could give to friends to make them happy, but I don’t have one. What I do have to offer is the following wishes for you. I think the author has focused on the opportunities that are open to us all if we just don’t let unhappiness bog us down.

 

May You …

by R.L. Keith

May you find happiness in every direction your paths take you.

May you never lose your sense of wonder, and may you hold on to the sense of humor you use to brighten the lives of everyone who knows you.

May you go beyond the ordinary steps and discover extraordinary results.

May you keep on trying to reach for your stars.

May you never forget how wonderful you are.

May you always be patient with the problems of life, and know that any clouds will eventually give way to the sunlight of your most hoped-for days.

May you be rewarded with friendships that get better and better, and with love that blesses your life forever.

May you meet every challenge you are faced with, recognize every golden opportunity, and be blessed with the knowledge that you have the ability to make every day special.

May you have enough material wealth to meet your needs, while never forgetting the real treasures of life are the loved ones and friends who are invaluable to the end.

May you search for serenity, and discover it was within you all along.

May you be strong enough to keep your hopes and dreams alive.

May you always be gentle enough to understand.

May you know that you hold tomorrow within your hands, and that the way there will be shared with the makings of what will be your most wonderful memories.

And may you always remember, each step along the way…

You are loved more than words can ever begin to say.

~~~

Tomorrow is never promised, so live for today. Put your ego aside, open your eyes to who and what’s around you. You are loved. You are cared for. You are blessed, always remember that.

Junethea Crystal Centeno

~~~

A man was caught for speeding and went before the judge.  The judge said, “What will it be 30 days or $30?”

The man replied, “I think I’ll take the money.”

~~~

Q: What do you call a schizophrenic Buddhist?

A: Someone who is at two with the universe.

~~~

She tells us:

1. Dogs spend all day sprawled on the most comfortable piece of furniture in the house.

2. They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but don’t hear you when you’re in the same room.

3. They can look dumb and lovable all at the same time.

5. When you want to play, they want to play.

6. When you want to be alone, they want to play.

7. They leave their toys everywhere.

Conclusion: They’re tiny men in little fur coats.

~~~

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands–and then just eat one of the pieces.

Judith Viorst

~~~

Why is it called a “drive through” if you have to stop?

Why are things typed up but written down?

Why is stealing from one book is plagiarism, but stealing from many is research?

If somebody vanished without a trace, how do people know they are missing?

Is it possible to scream at the bottom of your lungs?

Is there anything easier done than said?

Why would superman want to leap over tall buildings in a single bound if he can fly?

If one man says, “it was an uphill battle,” and another says, “it went downhill from there,” how could they both be having troubles?

If it’s zero degrees outside today and it’s supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

~~~

“I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me.”

Woody Allen

~~~

A small, uncertain, and nervous witness was being cross-examined.

The lawyer thundered, “Have you ever been married?”

“Yes, sir,” said the witness in a low voice. “Once.”

“Whom did you marry?” the lawyer demanded.

“Well, a woman,” the witness answered timidly.

The lawyer said angrily, “Of course you married a woman. Did you ever hear of anyone marrying a man?”

And the witness said meekly, “My sister did.”

~~~

Wouldn’t it be powerful if you fell in love with yourself so deeply that you would do just about anything if you knew it would make you happy? This is precisely how much life loves you and wants you to nurture yourself. The deeper you love yourself, the more the universe will affirm your worth. Then you can enjoy a lifelong love affair that brings you the richest fulfillment from inside out.

Alan Cohen

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Enjoy the show!

Sometimes I think God wants there to be a circus so we can show there’s another way to respond.

Tony Dungy

I was surprised by how many readers responded to yesterday’s Daily about why we should have fun this week, some from as far away as South Africa. It seems like I am not the only one who really thrives on fun. I hope you do as well.

Since I was in the mood for more I went back into my saved stuff and found something from our friend Dani at PositvelyPresent that I liked, so rather than rambling on like I usually do I am sharing what I found below.

 

Be the ringmaster. It’s your life.

If life is a circus, then you should certainly be the star in your own ring. The ringmaster controls the show. The ringmaster is the most visible performer. The ringmaster is in charge. You can’t control everything in life, but there are many things you have the power to direct. Don’t let someone else be the ringmaster in your life. Take the reins (or the whip, in this case!) and remind yourself that you have the power to be in charge of this crazy circus we call life.

You’re on a tightrope. Keep your balance.

Just like the walk across the wire is for a tightrope walker, our lives will be most successful if we find balance. Lean too far in one direction and you’ll find yourself toppling over. Balance is not always easy to master when juggling relationships and jobs and passions, but it’s essential for living a positive and present life. Imagine yourself on a tightrope and ask yourself, “Am I leaning too far in one direction?” Don’t let one area of your life — no matter how important it might seem — distract you from achieving balance.

Toss your hat in the ring. Get involved.

Like a circus coming to town, our lives are brief but wonderful. Don’t waste your life sitting on the sidelines. Get involved with activities, hobbies, friends, jobs. Say “yes” more than you say “no.” Do the things that scare you. Push your boundaries. Take the challenge of living life to the fullest. Life is a circus that’s magical to watch, but even more wonderful to participate in. Don’t waste your life being a spectator. Throw down your inhibitions and throw your hat into the ring.

Set up a sturdy net. You will need back-up.

No matter how balanced you try to be, you’ll make mistakes. You’ll slip and fall. Nothing could be worse than a fall without a net so make sure you have a strong network of people to help you get back up on your feet. You don’t need a lot of people — a few will do the trick — but you do need people who will catch you when you fall, who will dust you off, and who will help you get back up on your feet. You won’t often need your safety net, but you’ll be thankful you have it when you start to lose your balance.

Clown around. Life’s too short to be serious.

Even if you’re a bit wary of clowns (there’s just something not right about a painted-on smile…), it’s hard not to appreciate their ability to make life a comedy. Life is much too short to spend your time being serious. Take a lesson from the circus clowns and make a joke, share a laugh, do something so silly and outrageous that you make yourself crack up. Seriousness has it’s time and place, but it’s the silliness you’ll remember most. So clown around. Laugh.

~~~

Life is like a white canvass. The colors we are going to use is up to our own choosing, be it red, green, or gray.

~~~

Two women came before wise King Solomon, dragging between them a young man in a three-piece suit.

“This young lawyer agreed to marry my daughter,” said one.

“No! He agreed to marry MY daughter,” said the other.

And so they haggled before the King until he called for silence. “Bring me my biggest sword,” said Solomon, “and I shall hew the young attorney in half. Each of you shall receive a half.”

“Sounds good to me,” said the first lady.

But the other woman said, “Oh Sire, do not spill innocent blood. Let the other woman’s daughter marry him.”

The wise king did not hesitate a moment. “The attorney must marry the first lady’s daughter,” he proclaimed.

“But she was willing to hew him in two!” exclaimed the king’s court.

“Indeed,” said wise King Solomon. “That shows she is the TRUE mother-in-law.”

You know in reality most people I know like their mother-in-law often getting along better with them since they are less likely to provide the regular counsel we get from our own Mom’s, I often wonder why they don’t realize that their children’s puberty ended while they were teens, not when they are in their sixties.

Ray

~~~

A pessimist is one who is seasick on the entire voyage of life.

~~~

A woman goes to her lawyer to ask about getting a divorce.  The lawyer asks, “Does he beat you?”

“No, he does not.”

“Does he keep you short of money?”

“No, he does not.”

“Is he a perpetual drunkard?”

“No, he is not.”

“Is he unfaithful to you?”

“Ahhh, we’ve got him there. He was not the father of my last child.”

~~~

“It’s okay. I didn’t believe in reincarnation last time either.”

~~~

Two girls board a crowded bus and one of them whispers to the other, “Watch me embarrass a man into giving me his seat.”

Pushing her way through the crowd, she turned all of her charms upon a gentleman who looked like he might embarrass easily.  “My dear Mr. Wilson,” she gushed, “fancy meeting you here on the bus.  Am I glad to see you! Why you’re almost a stranger.  My, but I’m tired!”

The sedate gent looked up at the girl.  He had never seen her before but he rose and said pleasantly, “Sit down, Mary, my girl.  It isn’t often I see you on washday.  No wonder you’re tired.  Being pregnant isn’t easy. By the way, don’t deliver the wash until Thursday.  My wife is going to the District Attorney’s office to see whether or not she can get your husband out of jail.”

~~~

In my day, we didn’t have virtual computer reality. If a one-eyed, razorback barbarian warrior was chasing you with an ax, you just had to hope you could outrun him.

~~~

Thanks for the harmonica you gave me for Christmas,” Ralphie said to his uncle the first time he saw him after the holidays, “It’s the best Christmas present I ever got.”

“That’s great,” smiled his uncle, “Have you learned how to play it yet?”

“Oh, I don’t play it,” Ralphie said, “My mom gives me a dollar a day not to play it during the day and my dad gives me five dollars a week not to play it at night.”

~~~

Keep the circus going inside you, keep it going, don’t take anything too seriously, it’ll all work out in the end.

David Niven

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

Have fun this week!

Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.

 

I don’t know if it was because I was a little lethargic last week or if it was the gray weather but many of the folks I met seemed to me to be a little too serious. I did meet a couple of nurses at the hospital on Friday that were a little bit crazy, I think they perked me up as much as the iron they pumped into my body, but generally most of the folks I ran into seemed to need to smile more often.

Of course with financial cliffs, national debt ceilings, sequester debates, violence and other less than neat stuff going on around us maintaining high spirits isn’t always easy. In my case I also suffer from a body that does not always take orders well, I tell it to climb hills and it asks me if I am nuts and then proceeds to tell me to try something else, so I do. Fortunately I usually have plenty of pleasure in my life due to the fun people around me and my severe seriousness deficiency, so I do fine.

However I know many of us are at the point where we cannot depend on fun to automatically come into our lives so we need to choose to live a dull existence or take steps to make sure we provide ourselves happy days.

If you need more in your life I found the following tips for the fun deprived on WickiHow that may help.

How to Have Fun

Are you feeling bored? A little blue? Stressed out by work or school? Going out and doing something fun might seem trivial, but it’s an important part of bringing joy into your life. Having fun is all about being in the right state of mind and then doing what you love. Here are some methods to bring a little more fun into your life.

Get in the Right State of Mind

1 Relax. It’s difficult to enjoy doing anything if you’re feeling stressed out, angry or worried. Try calming techniques and organizational strategies so that you’ll feel better about enjoying your free time.

2 Identify your free time. Everyone has responsibilities, such as work, homework, chores and errands. Allot yourself enough time to get your work done, but also set aside time just for you. Create a schedule if needed. If you feel like every minute of your day is accounted for, then draft up an actual schedule and make it a point to work in an hour, or even 30 minutes, that are just for you. Use it to read a book, watch a TV show, or call a friend.

3 Disconnect. If you’ve completed your responsibilities for the day (or just need a quick break), turn off your cell phone, shut down the computer and detach from the demands of the world.

4 Reconnect with people. Make time for friends, family, and people that make you feel good. You’re more likely to have fun if you’re surrounded by people that make you happy.

Find What You Love

1 Identify your passions. Think about what activities make you feel happy, excited or content. It could be as simple as reading a spy novel or as ambitious as traveling to exotic locales. You might not be able to do it every day, but don’t lose sight of the activities you love.

Make a “Have Fun” list. You can include both the activities you can do every day, like reading the comics, and the activities you want to work up to, like skydiving!

2 Try new things. Sure, it may sound cliché, but how will you ever know whether or not you enjoy salsa dancing, tennis, Indian cooking or improv theater unless you give it a try? It may be intimidating, but you might just discover your next great passion. And you’re bound to have some fun along the way.

3 Share your passions. Invite a friend to join you at a yoga class, or teach a family member how to bake bread. Encouraging others to have fun is a great way to have fun yourself.

Create Your Own Joy

1 Take initiative. Now that you have identified what you enjoy doing, go do it! There will always be the temptation to put things off, but why not have some fun every day?

2 Make everyday fun. Try integrating fun activities into your everyday responsibilities. Do you have a long commute to work? Try listening to a book on tape. Do you have to clean the house? Crank up the music and sing and dance along while you clean. Take joy in the simple things.

3 Laugh. Never underestimate the power of laughter to instantly make you have a little fun. Even a forced laugh can sometimes trigger real laughter. Try to see the humor in everyday life.

~~~

Because of you…I laugh a little harder, cry a little less, and smile a little more.

~~~

A priest and a rabbi were traveling on a plane. After a while the priest turned to the rabbi and asked, “Is it still a requirement of your faith that you not eat pork?”

The rabbi responded, “Yes, that is still one of our beliefs.”

The priest then asked, “Have you ever eaten pork?”

To which the rabbi replied, “Yes, on one occasion I did succumb and tasted pork.”

The priest nodded in understanding and went back to his reading. After a while the rabbi asked the priest, “Father, is it still a requirement of your faith that you remain celibate?”

The priest replied, “Yes that is still very much a part of our faith.”

The rabbi then asked him, “Father, have you ever fallen to the temptation of the flesh?”

The priest replied, “Yes, rabbi, on one occasion I was weak and broke with my faith.”

The rabbi nodded understandingly for a moment and then said, “A lot better than pork, isn’t it?”

~~~

A young person knows the rules but the old person knows the exceptions.

~~~

They tell me that:

Only a true Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption, and that you don’t “HAVE” them but “PITCH” them.

Only a true Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of “yonder.”

Only a true Southerner knows exactly how long “directly” is – as in, “Going to town, be back directly.”

Only a true Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who’s got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad.  (If the neighbor’s trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin’!)

A true Southerner knows that “fixin'” can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.

Only true Southerners make friends while standing in lines.  We don’t do “queues,” we do “lines”; and when we’re “in line,” we talk to everybody!

True Southerners never refer to one person as “y’all.”

Every true Southerner knows that eating tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee is perfectly wonderful; that redeye gravy is also a breakfast food and that fried green tomatoes are not.

Only true Southerners say “sweet tea” and “sweet milk.” Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it – we do not like our tea unsweetened.  “Sweet milk” means you don’t want buttermilk.

And a true Southerner knows you don’t scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway.  You just say, “Bless her heart” and go your own way!

~~~

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”

Kimberly Johnson

~~~

The Animal Defense League staged a protest against furriers in Beverly Hills Friday. The group isn’t stupid. They choose to protest fur rather than leather because it is a lot safer to throw paint on elderly rich women than Hell’s Angels.

~~~

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.

Groucho Marx

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.

How well do you know yourself?

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Aristotle

Today I am substituting an Iron infusion at the hospital for my daily exercise. The Iron will boost my blood and restore some energy which is always good; I look forward to again being the rejuvenated me. I am often amazed at how things can make our lives better. My medical stuff − medications, Pacemaker and the like work wonders but so does my exercise and all the things I get to do. Mainly I think it is the fact that I understand that what I get to do boosts my spirit leaving little reason to complain. The good news is that it is never too late for anyone to rejuvenate their lives; all we have to do is start and maybe make an attitude adjustmentl. All we need to do is discover more about ourselves so we can leave what might be holding us back and add good things that will brighten our future.

Here in part is something I found on the Change blog that I think is helpful for those who have decided they want to invest in their future by discovering what can make them happier. I am not sure who wrote it but I know I like what he says.

 

The 7 Keys to Discovering Your Life Purpose:

 1. What makes you smile? What makes you smile?  It’s okay if you don’t know, just keep on living and looking until you find out.

2. What are you curious about? What are you curious about?  What do you want to learn about?  More specifically, “What books do you have in your library?”  It’s a sign of your purpose, if all you have is cookbooks, then that’s a sign.  If you’ve only read books on cars, then that’s a sign.

3. What do you notice? The mechanic notices something wrong with the car, the hairdresser notices when someone’s hair is out of place, the speaker notices a boring speech.  What do you notice; it’s a sign of your purpose.  I notice when things are not orderly or practical, this is a sign of my purpose.  This does not fully explain my purpose, but it’s one additional piece to the puzzle.

4. What are you passionate about? Passion is a key to your purpose; it’s a sign of your purpose.  If you’re passionate about self development, then maybe there’s a helpful book that you are destined to write.  If you’re passionate about cooking, then maybe you’re supposed to be a cook, if you’re passionate about singing, then maybe you were born to be sing. What’s the lesson?  Discover your passion and it will be one step in the direction of discovering your purpose.

5. What would you do for free?  What would you do for free?  What have you done for free in the past?  Have you fixed someone’s car, washed someone’s hair?  Whatever it is, it’s a sign to your purpose.

6. What do others hear you say?  What do those close to you always hear you talking about?  Maybe you should ask them, because it’s a key to your purpose.  If you’re always talking about cars, then that’s a sign, if you’re always talking about Web sites, then that’s a sign, if you’re always talking about real estate, then that’s a sign, what do you talk about?

7. What do people complement you on? What do others say you’re naturally good at?  Do people love to hear you sing?  Design is a sign of purpose.  Trees don’t talk and elephants don’t fly.  How you’re designed is a sign.  It’s a sign of how you should be spending your time.  When you spend your time doing what you do best, then you will succeed.

~~~

“I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.”

Hermann Hesse

~~~

Note: If you are not a resident of FLORIDA or never have lived in hot, humid south Florida, youmay not understand the weight of this blessing!

Bless this house, oh Lord, we cry.

Please keep it cool in mid-July.

Bless the walls where termites dine

While ants and roaches march in time.

Bless our yard where spiders pass

Fire ant castles in the grass.

Bless the garage, a home to please

Carpenter beetles, ticks and fleas.

Bless the love bugs, two by two,

The gnats and mosquitoes that feed on you.

Millions of creatures that fly or crawl, In FLORIDA, Lord, you’ve put them all!

But this is home, and here we’ll stay,

So thank you Lord, for insect spray.

~~~

“I’m dating a guy who’s twenty-one. That’s seven in boy years.”

Lisa Goich

~~~

She said: Curious when I found two black-and-white negatives in a drawer, I had them made into prints. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were of a younger, slimmer me, taken on one of my first dates with my husband.

When I showed him the photos, his face lit up. “Wow, look at that!” he said with appreciation. “It’s my old Plymouth!”

~~~

Regrets and recriminations only hurt your soul.

Armand Hammer

~~~

THE TODDLER’S RULES

* If it is on, I must turn it off.

* If it is off, I must turn it on.

* If it is folded, I must unfold it.

* If it is liquid, it must be shaken then spilled.

* If it is solid, it must be crumbled, chewed or smeared.

* If it is high, it must be reached.

* If it is shelved, it must be unshelved.

* If it is pointed, it must be run with full speed.

* If it has leaves, they must be picked.

* If it is plugged, it must be unplugged.

* If it is trash, it must be removed, inspected and thrown on the floor.

* If it is closed, it must be opened.

* If it does not open, it must be screamed at.

* If it has drawers, they must be rifled.

* If it is a pen or pencil, it must write on refrigerator, monitor, TV or table.

* If it is full, it will be more interesting empty.

* If it is empty, it must be more interesting full.

* If it is a pile of dirt, it must be laid upon.

* If it has a flat surface, it must be banged upon.

* If it is a paper, it must be torn.

* If it has switches, they must be pressed.

* If the volume is low, it must go high.

* If it is a bug, it must be swallowed. If it doesn’t stay on my spoon, it must be dropped on the floor.

* If it is not food, it must be tasted.

* If it is food, it must not be tasted.

* If it is dry, it must be made wet.

~~~

 “The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.”

Bob Moawad

~~~

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.

This daily is sent only to special people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at https://raykiwsp.wordpress.com/ currently there are about 2000 readers from around the world.