Ray’s Daily
September 13, 2022
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”
H. Jackson Brown, Jr
These are interesting and somewhat difficult days. I have a close friend who is gravely ill. I am scheduled for more medical tests and diagnostic procedures. I also have to make some financial moves that are complicated by my poor eyesight. I am blessed by having children who help me with it all. I don’t know what I would do without them. It is their help and my commitment to staying positive that helps me through what have become difficult times.
The following article reminds us to keep focused on our own needs.
4 Hard Things to Start Doing for Yourself
1. Tune out the cheap shots people take at you. Don’t waste words on people who deserve your silence. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is nothing at all. Seriously, before you waste it on anger, spite or frustration, think of how precious and irreplaceable your time is today. Give yourself a permanent break from the drama that can be easily avoided—just don’t engage in it. Life is just too short to argue and fight.
2. Remind yourself that the ability to not overreact, or engage too deeply in other people’s drama, keeps your mind clear, your heart at peace, and you fully composed in otherwise uncontrollable situations. With practice, inner calmness can be your human superpower.
3. It’s incredibly easy to overestimate the significance of a single decision, outcome, or event in the heat of the moment. But you must remind yourself to take a deep breath when things don’t go your way. Your results in the long run—good or bad—are always the byproduct of many small decisions, outcomes, and events over time. The truth is we all fail sometimes. The greater truth is that no single failure ever defines us.
4. There’s a big difference between empty fatigue and gratifying exhaustion. Life is short. Invest daily in meaningful activities. And don’t wait around! Too often we wait—because we think we need to “find” something new or different to be passionate about. But that’s not true. If you want more passion in your life right now, act accordingly right now! Put your whole heart and soul into the next thing you do. Not into tomorrow’s opportunities, but the opportunity right in front of you. Not into tomorrow’s tasks, but today’s tasks. Not into tomorrow’s run, but today’s run. Not into tomorrow’s conversations, but today’s conversations. I’m absolutely certain you have plenty in your life right now that’s worth your time, energy, and passionate focus. You have people and circumstances in your life that need you as much as you need them. You have a massive reservoir of passionate potential within you, just waiting…
Stop waiting!
Angel Chernoff
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“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”
Epictetus
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She said: Using a new painting program on my computer, I managed to come up with a very credible still life of fruit. I made a color printout and sent it to my daughter, a graphic designer. She called when it arrived. “Isn’t it good?” I asked.
She chuckled, and in a tone that echoed mine from years ago, replied, “Mom, it’s beautiful. We put it on the refrigerator.”
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A real friend never gets in your way–unless you happen to be on the way down.
Dr. Wayne Dyer
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A priest is walking down the street one day when he notices a small boy tying to press a doorbell on a house across the street. However, the doorbell is just out of his reach.
After watching the boy’s efforts for some time, the priest moves closer to the boy’s position. He steps across the street, walks up behind the little fellow and, placing his hand kindly on the child’s shoulder leans over and gives the doorbell a ring.
Crouching down to the child’s level, the priest smiles benevolently and asks, “And now what, my little man?”
To which the boy turns and yells, “NOW WE RUN!”
~~~
I went to a store to buy some insecticide. “Is this good for beetles?” I asked the clerk.
“No,” he replied. “It’ll kill ’em.”
~~~
A beautiful young blonde woman was appearing in court to face a public disorder charge. When her name was called out in the court foyer, she brushed her hair, checked her make-up, took a deep breath, and walked into the court and took to the witness stand. The charges were read out, and she was asked how she pleaded.
“Not guilty,” the blonde answered emphatically.
The prosecution council then approached the blond and said, “Is it true that on the 11th of December, last year, you committed acts of gross indecency with a one-legged dwarf – who was waving a union jack – -on the roof of a car, whilst traveling at over 100mph through the centre of London, in a blizzard…and you were totally nude”?
The blonde composed herself, looked straight at the prosecution council and calmly said…..”What was the date again”?
~~~
Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.
Barry Switzer
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Ten Things A Cat Thinks About
1. I could have sworn I heard the can opener.
2. Is there something I’m not getting when humans make noise with their mouths?
3. Why doesn’t the government do something about dogs?
4. I wonder if Morris really liked 9-Lives, or did he have ULTERIOR motives?
5. Hmmm … If dogs serve humans, and humans serve cats, why can’t we cats ever get these STUPID dogs to do anything for us?
6. This looks like a good spot for a nap.
7. Hey — no kidding, I’m sure that’s the can opener.
8. Would humans have built a vast and complex civilization of their own if we cats hadn’t given them a reason to invent sofas and can openers in the first place?
9. If there’s a God, how can He allow neutering?
10. If that really was the can opener, I’ll play finicky just to let THEM know who’s boss!
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I took a course in speed waiting. Now I can wait an hour in only ten minutes.
Steven Wright
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A man and his wife left Richmond, Virginia and set off for New York City.
They had called their relatives beforehand and told ’em they’d be up in two days. Four days later they arrive in New York, the relatives say to them “Why are you so late getting here?”
The two replied, “We saw signs for clean restrooms every 20 miles and we had to clean 30 before we even got to DC.”
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“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that’s in us.”
Angela Bassett
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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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