Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Life

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Adventure, Blessing, Grateful, Gratitude, Life, Thankful, Thanks, wonderful

Every day, I like to wake up and remind myself to be grateful of the simple things.

Miranda Kerr

The life you live is a blessing. I am grateful for every moment I am here, to live, to love, to laugh, to learn. Each experience we have builds on the next and the next and the next.

Looking back there are plenty of examples when life was tough. I wouldn’t trade any of them away. All these experiences got me to where I am today. I am grateful for every hurt, every betrayal, every lapse in health, every disappointment, and every failure. They all contribute to my life.

As time passes by,  the bad things fade and the good things remain. Things always get better. That’s the nature of life.

Enjoy the beauty of simple things and simple moments. A warm cup of coffee while you look at the snow outside your window. A shared moment with a loved one knowing exactly what each other is thinking. A good meal with family and friends. Laughing so hard you can’t breathe. Enjoying a book with a cup of tea and spending your day in pajamas. I could go on and on.

 

You have your own memories and moments that bless your life. Be grateful for every moment you have been alive. Life’s adventure continues for all of us.

Until next time…

Dave

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Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Thank-You Letters

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Appreciation, Feel Good, Good service, Grateful, Gratitude, Letters, Thank-You Notes

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

“If you have someone in your life that you are grateful for – someone to whom you want to write another heartfelt, slanted, misspelled thank you note – do it. Tell them they made you feel loved and supported. That they made you feel like you belonged somewhere and that you were not a freak. Tell them all of that. Tell them today.”

Lisa Jakub

All of us owe a great deal to our teachers, mentors, parents, siblings, friends, and any number of other people who have helped us in one way or another. Today’s posting is about thanking people with a short thank-you note or letter. It is a great way to build relationships, express your gratitude to a fellow human being, and it makes you feel good too!

One of the practices I tried to keep during my years in recruiting was writing a thank-you note. I have taken this practice to my everyday life as well. Have you ever been served well at a restaurant or place of business? Obviously, you’ll say Thank you when you are served and you’ll leave a tip, but why not write a special thank-you note for a server that took extra care to make sure your meal was extra special?

What about a job interview? As a recruiter with more than 20 years of experience, I’ll tell you that a thank-you note can sway a hiring manager in your direction, particularly when you and another candidate are equally qualified for a position. I sent thank-you notes to anyone who visited me in my office for an interview with me.

I have received thank-you notes throughout my recruiting career. I cannot tell you how nice it is to get a heart-felt note from a consultant, thanking me for helping him or her get a job. I also appreciated a kind note from my manager who felt I was doing a good job.

Thank-you notes can be used for any occasion. They tell a person you are grateful for their time and you appreciate what they have done for you.

Should you hand-write a thank-you note or type it? There are some that posit hand-written notes because they are more personal. Unfortunately for me, my handwriting is so bad, I can barely understand it myself, let alone someone I am sending my note to. In my case, a printed letter, signed at the bottom worked better.

What about emailing a thank-you note? I think they are appreciated but fail to achieve what an actual hard-copy letter does. We get emails all the time, but rarely get snail mail, unless it is a bill or a sales pitch. It is the rarity of receiving a letter from someone that makes a mailed thank-you note so impactful, compared to an email. Who knows? I enjoy living a paperless lifestyle, but hand-written or printed out letters are a real treasure.

It is important we express gratitude for the things we have, the blessings that come to us every day, and the things we possess. It is also important to express your gratitude to the people that help you, love you, and service you. I can’t explain it, but the feeling you get from doing kind things for other people is irreplaceable.

Take time to thank people for what they do for you. If you receive outstanding service from your dry cleaner, your dentist, doctor, or the maintenance shop you frequent, take time to send a nice letter to them. It is also nice to send a letter to that person’s manager. This really goes a long way.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. I hope each of you takes time today to thank someone who has served you in some way. It is a great practice. Have a great Thursday, readers.

Until next time…

Dave.

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Thank You New Followers

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Comments, family, followers, Friends, God, Gratitude, Life, Thank you

This week I thank all of my followers. I am grateful for the new followers this week and I am grateful for the comments left by a few of you (These make my day!).

I am grateful for all the great writing on WordPress. Some stories are heart-breaking, but show how strong you are and how you are dealing with the adversities that life hands us from time-to-time. Thank you for the stories you tell.

I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for God. I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for my life. It has been and continues to be rich.

I hope each of you can see how wonderful this life is and the blessings you receive every moment.

Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Happiness is Within

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God's Love, Grateful, Happiness, Happy, Inner Calm, Inner Peace, Thankful

Image by Ruslan Gilmanshin from Pixabay

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

Have you ever taken the time to listen to one of your friends who likes to complain? Their relationships suck. Their jobs suck. Their lives suck. Every time you talk with them they complain about this or that. Have you ever wondered why people seem to enjoy wallowing in their own pity party?

 

Life is short. Why do people complain about everything and continue to do so? It’s like they are on a revolving record that never ends. Woe is me. Why can’t I get a break? Perhaps they fail to realize that happiness is cultivated within.

Life is a blessing. Life is an adventure. You are alive. You are gaining experience. God loves you. What else do you need?

I used to be on the “woe is me” roller coaster. I didn’t like my job, my marriage was falling apart, and everything I tried to do, failed. One morning I woke up and asked why do I lose when others win? I began looking inward.

What I began to realize is what today’s quote states. The answer that came through to me was this: Be happy with what you have.

I’m not advocating that you should settle. If you want something better, strive for that. While you are striving to improve your current conditions, you can still be grateful for what you have.

When gratitude took hold, I naturally became happier. I began to realize that I had enough. I had all I needed. I had a great life.

I didn’t need a new toy to be happy. I didn’t require my wife to be something she wasn’t. My happiness was no longer cultivated by things outside of me. My happiness blossomed because I made a choice—to be happy. When you realize that nothing outside of you should impact your happiness, your life will transform.

Being happy is a great way to live. Everything is brighter. Everything is joyful. Everything takes on a new light. Sure there is still room for disappointment. Sure, life will still hand you a few surprises. Be happy regardless.

If you are having difficulty with cultivating happiness, there are many books you can read on the topic. You can also take courses on happiness. They are available everywhere. I have taken a few. These courses didn’t teach me anything new, but confirmed that I was doing the right things.

 

Happiness is a mindset. You either choose to be happy or you choose to be something else. I choose to be happy, because it is so much better than being pissed off all the time. Your life changes when your attitude changes.

It starts with brutal honesty. There are a lot of folks out there that “pose” happiness. They walk around with smiles on their faces in public, they whistle or sing beyond what is normal. They carry around a facade of happiness, but anyone who pays attention can “feel” the anger, resentment, and sorrow. You can lie to yourself all you want, but you cheat yourself out of a fulfilling and happy life when you fake happiness. Be honest with yourself. Are you happy? If not, learn what happiness is. Learn how to cultivate it. Take little steps to make changes in your attitude and outlook.

When you arrive at that place where nothing can affect your happy outlook, you’ll know the feeling I am advocating. Happiness cultivated within, cannot be thwarted by other people, outside circumstances, or the weather. You carry your happiness with you. 

I wish all of you a terrific Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Gratitude Journaling Changes Your Brain

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Gratitude, Gratitude Journal, Gratitude Journaling Study, journal, Thankful, Thanks, Writing Prompts

Did you know you can stimulate a part of your brain when you write about the things you are grateful for? Read the article below, if you’d like to read about a study that explains how we can become more altruistic by being grateful for what we have.

How can you start a gratitude journaling practice? It’s simple. Start today with writing down three things you are grateful for in the morning when you first wake up and a few minutes before you go to bed at night. If you don’t know what to write about, here are some gratitude journaling prompts:

Your significant other

• Your pet
• Your family
• Your friends
• Your talents
• Your experiences
• A book you just read
• A song you just heard
• A technology device you enjoy
• God
• A religious tome
• Your dreams and inner experiences
• Your friends

When I do my journaling, I tend to hit on many areas that I am grateful for because the more I write about in my gratitude journal the stronger the feeling of gratitude grows. When you achieve a state of mind that knows you have all you need, you are more giving, more motivated to contribute, more willing to give of your time. Imagine waking up one day and realizing how great your life is, right now. It is a great place to be, which is why I start my day with my gratitude journal without fail. I like tackling my day feeling good myself and my life. It is a great place to be.

What can I use for my gratitude journal?

That’s the easy part. You can use anything. If you are digitally minded, you can use Evernote, Microsoft One Note, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or any number of paper journals or digital journaling apps. I try to stay in the digital realm because my penmanship is so bad I cannot read my own writing. I also like having my journal available anywhere I go.

Do you journal? If not, why not? My gratitude journaling takes about 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. If all of these benefits are available, why not take a chance and start your own gratitude journaling practice?

If you do journal, share what you use for your journal. I’m curious about how many people in my readership actually have a gratitude journal and gain the same benefits I do.

As a reminder, the article is linked below. It’s a short read, but will show you how the people in this study benefited neurologically from this simple, but powerful addition to their day.

Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

 

Reference

Barlow, J. (2019). Writing a daily diary can literally change your brain. Retrieved from: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/writing-a-daily-diary-can-literally-change-your-brain/

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – There is Always a Way

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Contented, Grateful, Happy, Service, Solutions, Thankful, There is always a way

“Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.”

Ralph Marston

I’m sitting in an easy chair with my laptop, composing this posting. It is humid today, with an expectation of rain later on. While I write, I take the time to think. I think about the peacefulness in my work area. I think about how comfortable my chair is. I think about all the terrific things I have access to on my laptop. Life is good.

When I take time to contemplate the blessings in my life, a feeling of peace washes over me. It is a child-like feeling, knowing all is where it should be, and there is nothing to worry about. During these times I am compelled to give of myself, realizing that the giving of service to life is more important than receiving anything.

My wife and I get together on Skype a few times a week. For those of you who do not know it, I had to retire early to come home and help out my parents. My Dad was diagnosed with dementia a few years back and he has started the downhill slide that anyone with these types of disease experiences. I did not want my wife to miss out on a teaching career she dedicated so much of her life to. Thus, she is in Arizona teaching and I am here helping out my folks. I love her so much.

Anyway, my Dad cannot be left alone anymore and gave up driving in 2016. This situation requires either me or Mom staying here when one of us has errands to run or events to go to. When both of us have to go somewhere, my sister comes down and hangs out with Dad.

Some would look at my situation and feel sad about it. I do not. My wife is doing well, and we stay in touch all the time. I also write her letters each month to keep her updated on things here, and she tells me what’s going on with our stepdaughters and her teaching there. It is tough sometimes because I miss her so much, but the connection between us is strong. We are doing what we have to. I am grateful for her.

Some would look at my life and think it was horrible luck that has struck us. I do not. Life hands us all kinds of things to deal with and we have chosen to deal with it in our own way—a way that allows both of us to do what we have to. We chose to stay together, supporting one another, loving one another. Our situation reminded me of so many veterans of WWII who were separated from their loved ones for many years. The only thing they could do was write letters, some of which, would take months to get to one another because of the unpredictable mail system in the military at the time. They made it. This led me to believe we could do the same, when my situation at home struck. The difference, we can talk and video chat anytime we want. It is an awesome benefit to be able to see one another and talk to one another anytime we wish.

If you are in a situation that you believe is untenable, take some time to think about potential solutions that are available to you. There is always a solution. There is always a way. 

Well, I’ll end this here. I hope each of you is having a terrific Wednesday.

Until next time…

Dave

 

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Gifts

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Blessings, Gifts, God, Grateful, Gratitude, Life, Reverence, Unique

Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. – Leo Buscaglia

We all have talents. We are all good at something. Today, I am grateful for the natural gifts I have been blessed with.

One of my greatest gifts is my affinity for learning. I have always enjoyed school and learning new things. Now that I am done with formal schooling, the freedom to learn new things is important. I enjoy learning about everything. Obviously, I am focused on learning more about computer programming, writing, and continuous self-improvement, but I am always interested in finding courses on topics ranging from history to philosophy. I consider this ability to learn and my curiosity to be great gifts.

What gifts do you have? What God-given gifts do you have that you are grateful for?

If you are unaware of them, take a moment and do a personal inventory. What do you do for a living? What hobbies do you have? What do you enjoy doing? Your gift is in there somewhere. Maybe you have an affinity for exploring and adventure? Maybe you enjoy the gift of great motor skills and video games are your forte? Maybe you like a good story and you love to read and watch movies and television shows. Maybe you are a great organizer and a master at raising your kids. Or maybe your gift is an endless well of patience and love that you give to everyone around you.

You see, the gifts you receive are going to be unique to you and your life circumstances. They may not be as concrete as mine, but you will have them. You just have to look at what you do, where you are, and what you naturally gravitated towards. These gifts are priceless. They are what make us unique. They allow us to participate in life, adding to the quilt of our reality, where each of us plays a part.

Take some time to think about this today. You may have never thought about it before. I think you’ll be amazed at the gifts you have been given and how you use them in your everyday life. Still having difficulty? Check out this article: Self-Worth: 5 Ways to Identify Your Unique Gifts, provided by Tris Thorp from the Chopra Center. I think you’ll be surprised and you will get a huge A-ha when you begin thinking about this.

Once you know what your strengths are, take some time to see if there is anything you could do with this gift that you are not currently doing. This may provide you some direction that is lacking in your life, or you may just get a confirmation that you are doing exactly what you should be doing.

There are so many things to be grateful for in this life. Life is precious and a gift. Take full advantage of what you have. I wish all of you a terrific Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – My Folks

Tags

Blessed, Dad, Glad, Grateful, Gratitude, Happy, Mom, Thankful, Thanks

Today, I wanted to express my gratitude for the decisions I made leading up to this moment. Had I not made the decisions I did, I would not have been in a position to retire early so I could return home and help out my parents.

It is nice to be home with Mom and Dad during their senior years. My Dad is 80. My Mom will be 76 on September 10th. All of us do our own thing at home. My Mom likes to sit on our deck and enjoy nature while she reads or plays Facebook games. My Dad has always been a reader and enjoys his books or a nap in his rocker. I enjoy my writing, reading, and learning while Dad sits in his chair. I typically spend most of my morning and early afternoon in the living room with Dad, while he reads or naps.

Mom likes to get out and about to run errands, while I sit with Dad. This arrangement works out pretty good. Daily, we have dinner as a family. Dad likes to watch his news while we eat and Mom likes to hear the weather report. When people come over to hang out with the family, we all gravitate to the deck. Many people comment how relaxing our home is. How calm it is. It truly is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle present in most people’s lives.

I am grateful for this. How many people are in a position to be with their parents in their senior years? How many people get to know their parents as peers? I am truly blessed.

Today, take some time to make a call or write a letter to your folks. If your folks have passed, write them a letter. They will get it. If you are connected with your parents on Facebook, see if you can connect on Facebook messenger and have a quick video call. You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks Mom and Dad for having me, raising me, and teaching me. Thanks for all of the sacrifices you made to make my life better than yours was. Thanks for always being there. Thanks for the birthday cards, birthday presents, and Christmas presents when I was serving abroad. Thanks for the calls on my birthday. I love you both.

Have a great Thursday, everyone.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursdays – Family

Tags

family, Good Food, Good times, Grateful, Nephew, Netflix, Sister, Thankful, Wife

Our nephew visited this last week for a few days. It was great having him here. We went out to some restaurants, hung out on our deck, watched some shows on Netflix, and got in a little Xbox gaming. He got plenty of face time with Mom and Dad and we all enjoyed his stay. He headed back yesterday to get ready for his senior year at ASU, which started today. My sister also came up for a few days. While she was here we binge-watched Mindhunter Season 2 on Netflix. If you haven’t watched the Mindhunter series, it is worth your while.

I have been working with my wife to help her get ready for her teacher’s certification. We have been burning the midnight oil every day for the last few weeks for a few hours each night. It’s nice to help her get ready.

I am thankful for all the opportunities to spend time with family. I am blessed that I could be in the situation to spend time with my folks during their senior years. It was great seeing the nephew this week. It is also nice to spend time with my wife, while she pursues her career in Arizona. I am so proud of her.

I am also grateful for the new followers this week. Daily Ramblings is slowly creeping toward the goal of 1000 followers this year. It is nice to see new followers when I check into the Daily Ramblings blog site on WordPress. Thank you to all who have opted to follow my blog.

Over the next few days, I’ll be on a religious retreat, so Friday and Saturday postings will not happen. I’ll be too busy with the retreat and will not have time to get something up on the site. I’ll see you all on Monday!

I hope all of you have a great weekend!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Write a Letter

Tags

Expressing Gratitude, Expressing your Feelings, Love, Maintaining the Connection, Staying in Touch, Updates, Writing Letters

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Do you have a good friend or loved one that is far away? Do you miss them? Do you love them? Write them a letter. Even if you do not mail it, they will receive what you are sending. Simply open up your favorite word processing app and write them a letter. If you want them to receive your words, mail it to them or email it to them. I started this practice last year with my wife. We talk on the phone, I visit, and we do video chats, but the letters are a great way to stay in touch.

 

My wife is a special education teacher in Phoenix, AZ. I had to come home to help out with my Dad who is suffering from Dementia. I could not ask my wife to give up her career, so we decided she should stay in Phoenix and keep doing what she’s doing. We also had to consider my stepdaughters. They are all out on their own, but they need their Mama and it wouldn’t be fair to pull Mom out of the picture.

So, I send my wife a letter every month, expressing my love, my appreciation, my gratitude for her being in my life. Yeah, she’s far away, but the letters, calls, and video chats make it like she’s right here.

 

Just because you are not in the same home or locale, doesn’t mean you can’t stay close. Try this out for yourself. You’ll be amazed with the results.

I am grateful for my wife. She is beautiful, hard-working, and a great friend. I got the idea in reading memoirs of WWII veterans whose only contact with their wives were the letters they sent to them. This is the idea I got and decided to run with it. My wife loves them.

I take an entire month to write my wife. I add a little to the letters each day as thoughts come to mind or when something happens here that she’d be interested in. Then I edit and rewrite as necessary in the last week. It works. We both feel like we are with one another all the time and my letters are a big part of that.

Well, that’s it for this week. Thank you to all the new followers this week. I also appreciate the comments you’ve posted. I can never get enough comments. Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave