Ray's Daily

Ray’s Daily

January 29, 2021

http://rays-daily.com

Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.

Katie Reed

I got some great news yesterday. I learned that a plan has been put together that when implemented will allow me to regularly visit my wife in the memory care unit where she now lives. I will have to first be tested to make certain I am virus free, then I will be tested every week. I will also be required to wear a face shield in addition to my facemask.

Visiting with Nancy will be my top prioriety so I must make sure that I don’t take on too many other responsibilities while also staying positive. I will be avoiding overload while my wife and I add aditonal together time to our 67 years of marriage.

I found the following in Self Improvement Newsletter at SelfGrowth.com.to offer wise suggestions as to how I can best manage my time.

17 Ways to Boost Energy and Save Time

Garrett J. Braunreiter

1. Enjoy the moment. – Create the “ideal” atmosphere” for you to be able to concentrate on what you’re doing. Listen to music, be outside, whatever gives you energy and makes you feel good to get the job done faster.

2. Surround yourself with a calm environment. – Play soothing music. Instead of scurrying to fix dinner right when you get home, take some time to wind down by reading the paper, going for a walk, spending time with your kids.

3. Get some shut-eye. – According to the National Sleep Foundation, a lack of restful sleep results in poor mental performance, more accidents, and lack of concentration. 

4. Simplify. – This is a tough one. What most people think they can achieve in a given amount of time is unrealistic.  Simplify.  What MUST be done today?  When those are done,  then, what other things would you like to do if you have some more time?

5. Break away for a daily mini-vacation.- Take 10-15 minutes each day to do… NOTHING.  The point is to RELAX.  No multi-tasking relaxation.  Your mind must be free of everything else.

6. Drink some tea. – It’s kind of hard to gulp down hot tea.  Several kinds can actually relax you, like chamomile tea.

7. Sit in a rocking chair. – Make good use of yours, or buy one

8. Breathe deeply. -. SLOW  DOWN.  Focus on EACH breath – in through the nose, out through the mouth. Concentrate on nothing but inhaling and exhaling.

9. Shift activities. – If what you’re doing is making you anxious, simply do something else. Here’s a guideline: for  every 45 minutes of heavy concentration, give yourself 10-15 minutes  of mindless rejuvenation.

10. MAKE yourself smile. – Keep a funny cartoon or joke nearby and look at it often.  . Laughter is a great stress reliever, and it helps you feel good.

11. Stop procrastination. – Tackle and eliminate the task NOW.  It takes more energy to put off a job than to JUST GET IT DONE.

12. Strive for EXCELLENCE, not perfectionism. – Stop focusing on what could go wrong.  Commit to COMPLETING the job, e.g. give yourself deadlines. If you need to go back and refine later, fine, do it.

13. Say NO. – Think about everything you say “Yes” to: community involvement, errands for others, visiting, running around. Do they benefit you? If not, SAY NO.

14. Turn off technology periodically. – TURN OFF your pager, cell phone, and/or fax when you don’t want to be bothered.

15. Get rid of the clutter. – Start each day with a clean desk or clean office.  You’ll be more efficient when things are in order.

16. EXERCISE. – Many times when we say we don’t have enough time to do things it’s because we’re wasting time sitting on our duffs for too long because we’re too tired. Get  moving!

17. You are what you eat.- Energy comes from feeding yourself foods that are packed with nutrients and don’t bog you down with a lot of calories.

~~~

Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.

Christopher Germer

~~~

Here are some of the rules observed by those who park where I do.

Rule No. 1: When waiting for a parking spot, stop in the middle of the road, don’t signal, and orient your car diagonally to prevent others from passing.

Rule No. 2: Always park on the lines, taking up as many spots as possible. Diagonal parking is preferred.

Rule No. 3: In a crowded parking lot, if you find a spot and have the opportunity to pull through to an adjacent one, drive up halfway and stop on the line, taking both.

Rule No. 4: As you pull into a spot, if you see that the space ahead of you is empty and you see another driver signaling to take it, pull though and take it from him.

Rule No. 5: Always park close enough to the adjacent car so that the other driver must grease up with Vaseline to squeeze into his or her car.

Rule No. 6: When getting out of your car, hit the adjacent vehicle with your door really hard.

Rule No. 7: When driving through the parking lot, ignore the painted lanes and drive diagonally from one end to another at a high rate of speed.

Rule No. 8: When stopped in front of a store and waiting for a friend/relative to make a purchase, make sure that you are stopped in the middle of the road. The same rule applies to picking up and discharging passengers.

Rule No. 9: When a vehicle from the opposite direction is signaling and waiting for a parking space, position your car so that you are in his way and let the car behind you take it.

Rule No. 10: If you have handicapped license plates, use up a regular parking spot.

Rule No. 11: If you hit the adjacent car with your door and leave a dent, wait for a car, which is painted the same color as yours, to drive down the aisle looking for a place to park. Then back out, giving up your spot like “Mr. Good Guy,” and park somewhere else.

Rule No. 12: If the vehicle in front of you stops to let a pedestrian cross or another vehicle turn, pull into the lane of opposite traffic and attempt to pass him.

Rule No. 13: When exiting a shopping center into a busy road, exit through the narrow “ENTER ONLY” driveway, stick the nose of the car into traffic, and wait.

Rule No. 14: When driving through a parking lot with alternating one-way aisles and angled parking spots, drive the wrong way. Then when you see a parking space, take 20 minutes to do a 12-point turn to pull into it.

Rule No. 15: Always leave your shopping cart behind or tightly between parked vehicles.

Rule No. 16: Empty your ashtrays on the ground in shopping center parking lots. While you’re at it, dump out all the garbage, too, including that Wendy’s or McDonald’s bag sitting in the back seat from breakfast.

Rule No. 17: If you are forced to change an infant’s diaper in a parking lot, leave the soiled diaper under the car next to you.

Rule No. 18: When another vehicle is waiting for you to pull out of a spot in a crowded parking lot, take your time. Adjust the mirrors, your seat, and the radio. Roll down your window, light a cigarette, and eat your lunch. Feel free to go through your shopping bags and look at what you just bought.

Rule No. 19: When pulling into a parking spot, if there is a shopping cart in the way, lightly tap it with your bumper and send it rolling into another car. Then, when you step out, if the cart is still too close, push it down the parking lot aisle and let it go. While the cart is flying solo, turn around and walk toward the stores.

Rule No. 20: When walking back to your car in a busy shopping center, gesture to other drivers waiting for a spot to make them think that you are getting in the car and leaving. Then walk between the cars to the next aisle and do it again.

Rule No. 21: When shopping at the mall, which requires you to load your bags into the car and go back in to do more shopping, do NOT tell the driver who is sitting patiently watching you load your car and signaling for your spot.

Rule No. 22: When walking back to your car, if you notice other shoppers walking past your car to get to theirs, press the buttons on your key chain remote so that your car’s alarm makes a sudden loud “BLOOP BLEEP” that scares the crap out of them.

Rule No. 23: If you don’t see a speed limit sign posted in the mall’s parking lot, there isn’t any!

~~~

“The First Law of Philosophy” For every philosopher, there exists an equal and opposite philosopher. The Second Law of Philosophy: They’re both wrong.

~~~

Abe asked, “Is my face dirty or is it just my imagination?”

Mollie answered, “Your face is clean but I don’t know about your imagination.”

~~~

A guy took his blonde girlfriend to her first football game.

They had great seats right behind the bench.

After the game, he asked her how she liked the experience.

“Oh, I really liked it,” she said, “especially the really tight pants and all of the big muscles, but I just couldn’t understand why they were killing each other for 25 cents.”

Dumbfounded, her date asked, “What on earth do you mean?”

“Well, I saw them flip a coin and one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: “Get the quarter back!”

~~~

A woman hit a pole between the drive thru lanes at the bank where I work. She was furious and complained that if the pole wasn’t there she wouldn’t have hit it.

~~~

With every act of self-care your authentic self gets stronger, and the critical, fearful mind gets weaker. Every act of self-care is a powerful declaration: I am on my side, I am on my side, each day I am more and more on my own side.

Susan Weiss Berry

~~~

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

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

Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than twenty years to 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@comcast.net. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are hundreds of  readers from around the world.