Ray’s Daily
September 23, 2021
Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things
Kenneth Branagh
I know we spend a lot of effort in our search for happinss and it is time well spent. It would be easy to let today’s difficult chalanges get us down. For me I prefer to find things to generate happiness rather than waiting for happiness to find me.
I have been a fan of best selling author, Gretchen Rubin, for some time. She has developed into an expert on happiness. Here are some editied tips I got from her web site for your consideration.
How to Be Happy: 10 Extremely Practical Tips to Try Now
By Gretchen Rubin
1. I realized pretty quickly that, rather than jumping in with lengthy daily meditation or answering deep questions of self-identity, I should start with the basics, like going to sleep at a decent hour and not letting myself get too hungry.
2. Do let the sun go down on anger. Expressing anger related to minor, fleeting annoyances just amplifies bad feelings, while not expressing anger often allows it to dissipate.
3. Fake it till you feel it. Feelings follow actions. If I’m feeling low, I deliberately act cheery, and I find myself actually feeling happier. If I’m feeling angry at someone, I do something thoughtful for her and my feelings toward her soften.
4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly. Challenge and novelty are key elements of happiness. People who do new things―learn a game, travel to unfamiliar places―are happier than people who stick to familiar activities that they already do well. I often remind myself to “Enjoy the fun of failure” and tackle some daunting goal.
5. Don’t treat the blues with a “treat.” While it’s easy to think, I’ll feel good after I have a few glasses of wine…a pint of ice cream…a cigarette…a new pair of jeans, it’s worth pausing to ask whether this will truly make things better.
6. Buy some happiness. I’ve learned to look for ways to spend money to stay in closer contact with my family and friends; to promote my health; to work more efficiently; to eliminate sources of irritation and marital conflict; to support important causes; and to have enlarging experiences.
7. Don’t insist on the best. There are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met. When they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied. Maximizers want to make the best possible decision. Satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers expend more time and energy reaching decisions, and they’re often anxious about their choices. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
8. Exercise to boost energy. I knew, intellectually, that this worked, but how often have I told myself, “I’m just too tired to go to the gym”? Exercise is one of the most dependable mood-boosters. Even a 10-minute walk can brighten my outlook.
9. Stop nagging. I replaced nagging with the following persuasive tools: wordless hints (for example, leaving a new lightbulb on the counter); using just one word (saying “Milk!” instead of talking on and on); not insisting that something be done on my schedule; and, most effective of all, doing a task myself.
10. Take action. Some people assume happiness is mostly a matter of inborn temperament. Although it’s true that genetics play a big role, about 40 percent of your happiness level is within your control. Taking time to reflect, and making conscious steps to make your life happier, really does work.
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“If you can’t do anything about it, then let it go. Don’t be a prisoner to things you can’t change”
Tony Gaskins
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You Know Your Church Is A Redneck Church if:
The finance committee refuses to provide funds for the purchase of a chandelier because none of the members knows how to play one.
People ask, when they learn that Jesus fed the 5000, whether the two fish were bass or catfish, and what bait was used to catch ’em.
When the pastor says, “I’d like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering,” five guys and two women stand up.
Opening day of deer season is recognized as an official church holiday.
A member of the church requests to be buried in his 4-wheel-drive truck because “It ain’t never been in a hole it couldn’t get out of.”
The choir is known as the “OK Chorale”.
In a congregation of 500 members, there are only seven last names in the church directory.
High notes on the organ set the dogs on the floor to howling.
People think “rapture” is what you get when you lift something too heavy.
The minister and his wife drive matching pickup trucks.
The service wine is Boone’s Farm “Tickled Pink”.
The final words of the benediction are, “Y’all come back now, ya hear?”
~~~
One nice thing about egotists: They don’t talk about other people!
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A man said to his wife one day, “I don’t know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time.” The wife responded, “Allow me to explain it to you. God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!”
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“In a restaurant choose a table near a waiter.”
Yiddish Proverb
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The math teacher posed this problem, “A wealthy man dies and leaves ten million dollars. One-fifth is to go to his wife, one-fifth is to go to his son, one-sixth to his butler, and the rest to charity. Now, what does each get?”
The savvy student answered, “A lawyer!”
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Carmen Mariano
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Success never rests. On your worst days, be good. And on your best days, be great. And on every other day, get better.
The U.S. Treasury announced it is recalling all of the Alabama quarters that are part of its program featuring quarters from each state. The quarters are being issued in the order in which the various states joined the U.S.
“We are recalling all the new Alabama quarters that were recently issued,” Treasury Undersecretary Jack Shackleford said Monday.
“This action is being taken after numerous reports that new quarters will not work in parking meters, toll booths, vending machines, pay phones, or other coin-operated devices.”
“The problem lies in a design flaw,” Shackleford said.
The winning design was submitted by an Auburn University student.
“Apparently,” Shackleford said, “the duct tape holding the two dimes and nickel together keeps jamming the coin-operated devices.”
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Keep a green tree alive in your heart and a songbird may come to sing there.
Chinese Proverb
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A factory owner said to a store owner, “Thank you, Mr. Smith, for your patronage. I wish I had twenty customers like you.”
“Gosh, it’s nice to hear that, but I’m kind of surprised,” admitted Smith. “You know that I argue every bill and always pay late.”
The factory owner said, “I’d still like twenty customers like you. The problem is, I have two hundred.”
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Why is “bra” singular and “panties” plural?
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“Look at ME!” boasted the fit old man to a group of young people. “Every morning I do fifty push-ups, fifty sit-ups and walk two miles. I’m fit as a fiddle! And you want to know why? I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t stay up late, and I don’t chase after women!”
He smiled at them, teeth white, eyes glittering, “And tomorrow, I’m going to celebrate my 95th birthday!”
“Oh, really?” drawled one of the young onlookers, “How?”
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“Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.”
Immanuel Kant
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A fellow was walking along a country road when he came upon a farmer working in his field. The man called out to the farmer, “How long will it take me to get to the next town?”
The farmer didn’t answer. The guy waited a bit and then started walking again.
After the man had gone about a hundred yards, the farmer yelled out, “About 20 minutes.”
“Thank you. But why didn’t you tell me that when I asked you?”
“Didn’t know how fast you could walk.”
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It is essential to our well-being, and to our lives, that we play and enjoy life. Every single day do something that makes your heart sing
Marcia Wieder
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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.
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