Ray's Daily

“The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.”

Thomas S. Monson

One of the ways I believe we can keep life interesting is to periodically take inventory of where we are at, where we are going and how we are feeling. There is no way we can drive a stake in the ground and expect to stay in one place as we age as the world provides us new challenges and opportunities.

Of course just knowing where we are just offers us a starting point for where we might go. In my case I am always looking for suggestions as I plan my journey into the future. One of my favorite sources is the Positively Present blog written by Danielle DiPirro. On her recent birthday she shared things she had learned in her thirty-two years of life. Here are some of them that hit home for me.

YOUR DEFINITIONS WILL CHANGE. I’ve learned that what you think of big concept words (like “love” and “career”) will change over time, and will constantly keep changing. What the word “love” means to you at 20 isn’t what it will mean to you at 30.

GRATITUDE IS EVERYTHING. It might sound cliché, but gratitude is emphasized often for a reason. The more you focus on what you have, the harder it is to waste energy on what you don’t have. Every time I’ve focused on feeling grateful, my attitude (and life) has changed for the better.

IT’S OKAY TO ACT LIKE A KID. Having a childlike sense of wonder is, sadly, something a lot of adults lose as they get older. I’ve tried to hang on to mine as much as I can, indulging in as many kid-like activities as I can get away with. Being a kid is fun and it doesn’t have to stop when you’re a grown-up.

CLOSE FRIENDS > LOTS OF FRIENDS. I’ve found that it’s more important to have fewer close relationships than to have lots of superficial friendships. This might not be the formula for everyone, but, for me, connecting on a deep level with people is rewarding, and it means focusing attention on the most important relationships.

IF YOU’RE UNHAPPY, LEAVE. I’ve been in many relationships and friendships in which I was unhappy and I just stayed where I was because it was more comfortable than changing. This is not a good plan. If you’re not happy for a long period of time and for good reasons, leave. Life is too short to waste it in unhappy relationships.

IT’S OKAY TO SAY NO… Never one to shy away from stating how I feel, I generally don’t have trouble saying no when I need to, but there have been some situations in my life when I said yes and I should have said no in an attempt to please others. Don’t do this. Saying no is saying yes to yourself.

YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to trust myself. Deep down, I always know what’s best for me. A lot of the time I ignore that voice that has the answer and do what feels good in the moment and that doesn’t always go so well. Trust — and listen to — yourself.

YOU CAN’T CONTROL IT ALL. No matter how many times life has taught me this lesson, I think I’ll always struggle with it. I enjoy being in control, but there’s a lot of life that is out of our hands. We cannot control it all. Learning to let go of control is the best way to handle life’s unexpected ups and downs. 

AVOID NEGATIVE PEOPLE. It took me a surprisingly long time to learn this one (perhaps because for so long I was pretty negative myself), but it’s so, so important. Avoiding negative people (or limiting the amount of interactions with them) can change your life in the most amazing ways. Life should not be wasted on those that bring you down.

TRY TO STAY IN THE NOW. The desire to stay present is one of the reasons I started Positively Present in the first place, and it’s still a challenge for me. I know how important it is, but it’s hard to stop my mind from wandering to the past or the future. But the point is: I keep trying. It’s hard work, staying present, but I’ve learned how important it is and I keep at it.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND. One of my most popular blog posts is this one, and I think it’s for good reason. Having an open mind is very beneficial. It changes you — and the way you see the world — for the better. It can be challenging to do at times (especially with long-held beliefs), but I’ve learned that it’s always worth the effort.

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“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Mahatma Gandhi

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There was a gentleman in the hospital bed next to me. He was covered with bandages from head to toe. I said to him, “What do you do for a living?”

He said, “I’m a former window washer.” I asked, “When did you give it up?”

He replied, “Halfway down.”

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Ever wonder why we make vitamins in flavors so children will eat them, then child proof the regular flavored vitamins?

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Ten Things You *Don’t* Want to Overhear Over an Airline P.A. System……..

1. Ocean crossing flight: This is your Captain speaking, I just wanted to take this time to remind you that your seat cushions can be used as floatation devices.
2. Hey folks, we’re going to play a little game of geography trivia. If you can recognize where we are, tell your flight attendant and receive an extra pack of peanuts.
3. Our loss of altitude allows a unique close up perspective of the local terrain. I assure you that it’s all part of our airline’s new commitment to make your a flight a sight seeing extravaganza.
4. Goose! Bogey at 2 o’clock….one on our tail!!!! Eject!!!! Eject!!!!!!!
5. Ummmmmm….Sorry……(silence)
6. (As the plane turns around right after takeoff)….uhhhhh….we have to go back ….we ..we ….uhhhhhh ….forgot something…..
7. I’m sure everyone noticed the loss of an engine, however the reduction in weight and drag will mean we’ll be flying much more efficiently now.
8. Fasten your seat belt. (same tone your friend with the suicidal driving tendencies uses when you get in the car).
9. This is your Captain speaking….these stupid planes are a lot different than the ships I’m used to.. so you’ll have to give me some leeway…
10. It would be a good idea if right now everyone closed their shades and watched the in-flight movie.

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Good judgment comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

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He said: When we moved cross-country, my wife and I decided to drive both of our cars. Nathan, our eight-year-old, worriedly asked, “How will we keep from getting separated?”

“We’ll drive slowly so that one car can follow the other,” I reassured him.

“Yeah, but what if we DO get separated?” he persisted.

“Well, then I guess we’ll never see each other again,” I quipped.

“Okay,” he said. “I’m riding with Mom.”

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“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

Dr. Seuss

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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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