Ray’s Daily
June 22, 2022
Time wasted is existence; used is life.
Edward Young
I am finding that it is getting too easy to procrastinate. I really must put my act together and do better. I have learned in the past that letting tasks linger offers nothing of value. So here I go again. A new beginning.
The following thoughts of Angel Chernoff reminded me of how it is all up to me.
3 Hard Choices that Make You Happier in the Long Run
1. In a world that often seeks easy rides and immediate gratification, we must learn the beauty of effort and patience. Be strong, present, and steadfast. Remember, life doesn’t always give you the circumstances and people you want; it gives you the circumstances and people you need… to learn, to grow, and to fall in love.
2. You can’t do it all. Be mindful today and choose wisely. Say “no” to good things so you are able to say “yes” to important things. Truth be told, the quality of your life ten years from now will greatly depend on how well you respect your present priorities.
3. The secret to getting ahead today is to focus your energy not on fixing and fighting the old, but on building and growing something new. Reset and step forward. There’s nothing about your present circumstances that prevents you from making progress, one tiny step at a time.
Think about it…
How often do you glance at your phone instead of being present with the person in front of you?
How often does the draw of comfort plague your best intentions?
How many workouts have you missed because your mind, not your body, told you that you were too tired?
In the past year alone the answer to all three questions is probably “lots and lots” for most people, including myself sometimes. And obviously these questions can be reworked and applied to other areas of our lives too. The bottom line is that we all have patterns of thinking and behaving that hold us back.
Truth be told, your mind needs to be exercised to gain strength. It needs to be worked on a daily basis to grow. If you haven’t pushed yourself in lots of small ways over time—if you always distract yourself and avoid doing the uncomfortable things—you’ll almost certainly crumble on the inevitable days that are slightly harder than expected.
So my challenge to you is this:
Choose to exercise when it would be more comfortable to sit around. Choose to do the tenth rep when it would be more comfortable to quit at nine. Choose to create something special when it would be easier to consume something mediocre. Choose to put down the phone when it would be easier to zone out.
~~~
Begin while others are procrastinating. Work while others are wishing.
William Arthur Ward
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A college senior took his new girlfriend to a football game. The young couple found seats in the crowded stadium and were watching the action. A substitute was put into the game, and as he was running onto the field to take his position, the boy said to his girlfriend, “Take a good look at that fellow. I expect him to be our best man next year.” His girlfriend snuggled closer to him and said, “That’s the strangest way I ever heard of for a fellow to propose to a girl. Regardless of how you said it, I accept!”
~~~
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein
~~~
A good woman died and went to Heaven. When she arrived at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter offered to take her on a tour of the facilities. As they walked past the halo depository, she noticed a sort of fence off in the distance
Intrigued, she asked St. Peter if they could look at it. “What’s a fence doing up here?” she asked.
“Oh, that’s not exactly a fence,” he replied. “It’s a balcony railing. You see, some folks arrive here and find that certain friends or loved ones aren’t here, and realize they must have gone to Hell. So we have an arrangement with the Adversary whereby our folks can stand at the railing and look down and find their loved ones.”
So they approached the railing, and the woman looked down. She spotted a group of people wailing and tearing out their hair while demons poked them with pitchforks. “What’s the matter with that group?” she asked. St. Peter took a look. “Ah,” he said. “Those are Southern Baptists who went to dances.”
Then she noticed another group, screaming while they walked on red-hot coals. “What are they being punished for?” she asked the saint. He looked and replied, “Those are old-style Catholics who ate meat on Friday.”
Another group caught her attention. They were being whipped with scorpion tails, and screaming. “And their sin?” she asked. St. Peter looked and said, “Oh, those are Episcopalians who used the wrong fork.”
~~~
Those who wish to sing, always find a song.
Swedish Proverb
~~~
Three men are sitting stiffly side by side on a long plane flight. After they’re airborne and the plane has leveled off the man in the window seat suddenly says, distinctly and confidently, in a low voice, “General, United States Army, retired. Married, two sons, both surgeons.”
After a few minutes the man in the aisle seat states through a tight-lipped smile, “General, United States Air Force, retired. Married, two sons, both judges.”
After some thought, the fellow in the center seat decides to introduce himself. With a twinkle in his eye he proclaims, “Master Gunnery Sergeant, United States Marines, retired. Never married, two sons, both generals.”
~~~
How do you tell when you run out of invisible ink?
~~~
A few friends and I were discussing diet tips. When it was mentioned that getting enough exercise and sleep were just as important as watching food intake.
Someone responded with surprise that sleep was a factor.
Another replied: “Of course sleep has a lot to do with dieting. The only time I’m not eating is when I’m sleeping!”
~~~
Patient: “It’s been one month since my last visit and I still feel miserable.”
Doctor: “Did you follow the instructions on the medicine I gave you?”
Patient: “Yes, I did. The bottle said, ‘keep tightly closed.'”
~~~
Often greater risk is involved in postponement than in making a wrong decision.
Harry A. Hopf
~~~
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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