Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Rest, Relaxation, and Celebration

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Achievement, Contemplation, family, Friends, Goals, Monday, motivation, Rest, Strive, Thankful

This week the United States celebrates Thanksgiving. As we approach the holiday season, it is a good time to talk about taking a break. You’ve worked hard all year. You’ve put your efforts into personal goals and are beginning to look at what you would like to pursue in the new year.

Take that time. Enjoy your family. Recharge the batteries. Have fun.

The year is almost gone. You still have time to knock out the rest of your goals, but if you didn’t make it, don’t sweat it. Goals are voluntary. We set them and strive to achieve them, but things change. One of the revelations I had a few years ago was the need to drop a goal if I felt like I was pulling my own teeth to work toward it. It didn’t mean that the goal was a bad one; it merely meant it wasn’t the right goal at the time.

I’ll be posting this week, even though my sister is here, but will be less active in this and many of my online accounts, because it’s time to enjoy the family and friends that come over to hang out. Take advantage of this time. It’s once a year, and it is a great time to contemplate what you want to do next year, and how you did this year.

With that, I’ll wish everyone a terrific Thanksgiving, if you celebrate the holiday. I can’t wait!! The food will be awesome!

Have a great Monday, folks.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Bonus Content – I Hit My Goal for the Year!

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1200, Achievement, Comments, Exciting, followers, Friends, Goals, Happy, Milestone, Readers, Wow!

Thank you, readers!

I just hit the 1200 follower goal for 2021. Man, what a day! Next year we’ll be seeking out 1,500. Thanks so much for the interaction, for those that commented, chatted back and forth, and enjoyed some of my content. I am so happy!!!

I’m still looking for some ways to share my passion of gaming, but will figure that out before the end of the year. Now that I’m back in the gym, I’m also going to bring back my exercise routine for 2021.

Thanks again, all of you who follow Daily Ramblings. I really appreciate it!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Goal Assessment

Tags

2021, Covid, Goals, Planning, reconsolidating, refocusing, reorganizing

Here we are again! It’s Monday!!

We are quickly approaching the last quarter of 2021. Can you believe it? Now is the time to begin looking at your goals for the year and figuring out where you are. Are there some goals that have slipped your mind? Are there goals that are on track? Take a look at your list of goals for the year (personal, work-related, etc.) and see where each one is. Then decide which ones you want to continue putting effort into, which ones you haven’t dedicated much time to, and those that are behind schedule.

Once you’ve done your quick evaluation, decide which ones you are going to keep, which ones you’ll put on hold, and which ones need more attention. Then get to it. There’s plenty of time left in the year, whether your goals are fitness related, work-related, relationship-related, whatever.

Goals are important guideposts for our lives. They help us decide what is important to us, and guide our day-to-day activities. Some of you may have only a few goals, while others have a laundry list. You are the only person who can decide what is important to you, so if you have some goals that just aren’t cutting it, cut them loose. Focus on those goals you really want to accomplish and let go of those goals that you either resist doing or just don’t have as much time as you thought you did when you created them at the end of 2020.

Setting goals is a very individual thing. Your goals may be totally different from mine. What you consider important, I may consider frivolous. You see? But goals are important. The number of goals, types of goals, and what you set as a goal are all yours. What I’ve discovered personally is that some goals are driven by the social consciousness. They are goals that are extrinsically motivating.

What I mean is we set a goal because of outside pressure, not because we really want to achieve them. These goals tend to be the first ones to fade as we engage in the work needed to accomplish them. It’s ok to let these go, if you feel resistance to them each time you begin to work toward them. Maybe it’s not the time. Maybe it isn’t as important as we thought they once were. Now, let me be clear. There are some goals that we may resist, but still need to focus on. Exercise is one example. Most people resist exercise because it is uncomfortable. Most people resist writing or reading or learning or whatever. Sometimes we need to discipline ourselves to accomplish the important goals. These should not be tossed away, but we should take the time to understand why we are resisting them and also why they are important to us.

Another aspect to consider is your current situation. If you live in a country or region that has experienced lockdowns because of COVID surges, this may also play a part into your decision making. You cannot control what your government wants to do. So, if one of your goals was to get out and about, but this is restricted, you may want to let that one go, until you are sure that your government will not impose lockdowns again.

Well, that’s enough for now. Take stock of your goal list and make any adjustments you need to make. Now is the time to get re-focused on what we want to do for the rest of the year. I wish you well in your endeavors.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Some Goals Should Be Dropped

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Achievement, Drive, Exercise, Goals, Hobbies, losing motivation, motivation, persistance, Resistance, someday-maybe list

I wanted to continue the conversation about your mid-year goal evaluation and assessment I discussed last week. One thing I forgot to mention is the importance of putting some goals aside. We start the year strong, really motivated to tackle all of our stuff, but suddenly, as life catches up, and our priorities change, some goals we set just aren’t right.

This is the time to do a little hedge trimming. What goal do you constantly struggle with? When I use the word struggle, I am talking about internal resistance. You want to do something, but you resist it by procrastinating, rushing through it, or just making a puny effort to get it done for the day. These are the goals you really want to take a look at. One goal, regardless of how you feel about it or resist it, should never be removed from your goal list–exercise. This is one exception to the rule of hedging your goals. The body has to move, work, and exercise. Our internal systems are stupid in a way, but also very efficient. This is the double-edged sword. If you do not work the body, it will react in kind, by reducing muscle, bone density, the whole gambit. When the body goes, so does the mind, and the mechanism you use to get anything done deteriorates.

The rest of your goals are open game. It makes no sense to pursue a goal, you ‘re not into anymore. Put in on a someday-maybe list. Then attack the rest of your goals with vigor. We all change. Our attitudes change, our tastes change, and yes, even our dreams change. Don’t punish yourself by pursuing a goal that you just aren’t into anymore. Get it off your goal list and attack the ones you are excited about.

Here’s an example: One of my goals this year was to draw. I started out on fire, watching YouTube videos, reading articles, and trying out my ideas on paper. Because I am a novice at this, I didn’t spend a bunch of money on expensive drawing paper or the pencils many artists use. I just grabbed the ole number 2 pencils and sketched inside one of my blank notebooks. Around April or so, I lost interest. I liked sketching, but just didn’t feel like doing it anymore. So, I put it on hold. It was my goal. Who cares? Why torture yourself?

The goals I love are related to my passions–reading, writing, learning, exercise, and video gaming. I love working on my laptop with a nice cup of coffee or another of my favorite beverages (Monster, anyone?). As long as it is caffeinated, I’m there.

I have one blogger friend who is passionate about crafts. She makes quilts, handbags, you name it. Another blogger friend is a true-blue author. I have other blogger friends who love to travel, collect stamps or coins, or even make models. My true hobby and love is video games. I can’t get enough of Call of Duty, running around a digital map, and playing the role of action-hero, blowing away the enemy with a growing list of weapons, ranging from a simple baseball bat to a 20mm Sniper rifle. It is such great fun. I also enjoy the Far Cry series, which is bringing out Far Cry 6 this year. It’ll be great fun. I particularly like cooperative playing games, because this is the way my brother (who is in Arizona), nephew, and I stay in touch. He loves video games as well.

Well, that’s enough for this week. The key take-away is to stop torturing yourself over goals you’ve lost the fire in your belly for, OTHER THAN EXERCISE. Exercise is critical to your long-term health and well-being.

Have a great week, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Maskless

Tags

Achievement, Assessment, Fun, Goals, Hobbies, Maskless, Monday, motivation, Planet Fitness, Relaxation

It is so weird going into stores without a mask on, but that’s the reality in Michigan now that we are getting vaccinated and cases of COVID are dropping. In other parts of the world like India, Japan, and Australia, things are going back to lockdowns yet again, as various strains of COVID reappear in previously safe areas. The CDC has opted to label these strains using Greek letters to avoid causing issues with the countries of origin. This makes a lot of sense to me, since no one has control how this virus mutates or where it will do so.

My local Planet Fitness is no longer requiring masks, so I’ll be heading there with more vigor. I don’t know if you’ve tried working out with a mask on, but boy, is that a butt-kicker.

Well, we are in the half-way mark of 2021. Now is the time to begin assessing where you are on your goals for the year. Are you on track? If so, awesome. If not, now’s the time to begin adjusting your efforts to make up lost ground. It’s also a good time to remove some goals you just can’t get yourself to do. It’s ok. Many goals suffer this plight. Some goals we set just aren’t right, or the timing is off. Whatever the reason, get rid of that ball and chain and stick with the goals you enjoy working on.

Enjoy your week, folks. Get your self-evaluations done this week. It’ll really make a huge difference at the end of the year.

One more thing I’d like to add is hobbies. Do you have one? Mine is video games. I love playing games and it is my way of blowing off steam and having fun. If you don’t have a hobby, take a look at some of the blogs out there. Many people are so excited and happy with their hobbies, they create blogs about them. Whether it is reading, writing, video games, exercise, coin/stamp collecting, drawing or playing an instrument, find one. I chose one that would serve me well as I get older. Hobbies are something to look forward to. Hobbies keep life fulfilling and fun. When I get my daily work done, I really enjoy playing my video games. This is what a hobby is all about–you have to look forward to it and get joy and satisfaction from it. Everyone has that one thing they can’t get enough of. Find that, and you’ll be entertained, satisfied, and will live in a balanced way. Remember the adage, All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy? It’s true. Work is not a hobby. Hobbies relax, refresh, and engage us in something we enjoy.

If you don’t know what it is you like to do, or never considered a hobby, here’s a great link with 100 ideas: https://www.mydomaine.com/hobby-ideas You should be able to find something on this list to try. That’s it for now, folks. Have a great week!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – May in Michigan

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Accomplishment, Goals, job, Mood, motivation, reduce, Resistance, Simplify, weather

May is a very strange month for weather. It will either be sunny, calm, and getting warmer, or it will rain, stay somewhat cold, and continue for the bulk of the month. If your mood is impacted by the weather, you are not alone. Many people suffer ill effects when there is less sunshine.

Regardless of your mood, you have a job to do. You have goals to achieve. You have the means and ability to do what is required. So get out there and get it done! You’ll feel great when you achieve what you set out to do, be it a day, a week, month, or year.

Feeling overwhelmed by it all? No problem. Break down some of the steps in your action plan to an even smaller degree. You’ll see that the smaller the task, the less resistance you’ll have in completing it. That’s the key. Reduce your resistance to something you have to do, so you can do it, without procrastination rearing its ugly head. Once you’ve gotten some momentum going with these smaller tasks, you will see how quickly these small tasks build to bigger accomplishments.

Have a great week, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Tracking

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Achievement, Adjusting, calendars, Goals, K.M. Allan, measurable, Measuring, Progress, todo apps, Tracking

I’m huge on tracking my work and results. One of the motivating things about tracking the books you read, the blog posts you’ve put up, the exercises you do, is that these things are measurable. I try to set my goals this way, because I can track and measure my progress. Tracking your results, particularly if they are goal-oriented, is key to achieving anything.

If you want to lose weight, you have to track what you’re eating and what you’re doing for exercise. There is no other way. At least we haven’t figured out one. Ever notice how many weight-loss apps, food tracking apps, and all the rest are out there? It’s because you have to track things to see how you are doing. Make sense?

So today, as you move through your week, take a moment to see what you are measuring and what you are not. It is likely that the things you are not measuring are goals you have set for yourself that can’t be measured–a big no no, if you are trying to improve yourself. This is why I use SMART goals when I set my goals for the year. The M stands for measurable. There is no other way to pursue a meaningful goal. You have to have the capability of measuring it, and YOU have to decide what measures you are looking at. Let’s say you have a goal of reading so many books a year. Easy. Write down that goal and check off a number each time you finish a book. If you want to lose weight, the same thing applies–weigh yourself once a week, and track what you are eating and how much exercise you are doing. Easy-peasy.

The key is selecting goals and determining how you are going to track and measure them from the get-go. If you can easily determine your progress on something, you’ve done it right. If not, you’ll have to tweak your goals so you really know what you are shooting for. One of my goals if blog followers. This is easy to track, because WordPress tells you every day who has followed your blog and how many followers you have. This goal is trackable. The key difference is WordPress does the tracking for you.

I hope this makes sense, folks. Measurable goals are the way to go. It is the only way to truly know where you are making progress or not. When you identify a goal that is not moving or making progress, you can either put more effort into it, or decide to put that goal on hold for a bit. Perhaps you’re no longer motivated by that goal, or perhaps it requires an effort that you just do not want to commit to. The key to all this is to set a measurable goal, track your progress, and adjust your efforts based on your tracking.

One of my friends, K.M. Allan, uses a whiteboard to track all of her writing goals for the week. This is a great system! I am more digital, but the process is the same. You have so many things to do, and you have to have a plan and a way to track your progress. In K.M.’s case, it is merely a way to cross off things as she goes. Then she can reassess herself on the weekend and reset for the upcoming week. So simple—yet so effective. Bravo!

Have a great week, folks.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Outstanding Blogger Award

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Adapt, assignments, Determination, Drive, Eat that Frog, Goals, Improvise, Monday blues, motivation, Outstanding Blogger Award, Overcome, tasks

1. What has blogging added to your life? It has opened up a creative channel for my writing and allowed me to connect with people all across the globe, some of which are now friends.
2. Share the link for one of your favorite blog posts that you have written. I have a lot of favorites, but this is one I liked writing: https://wordpress.com/post/gardner1015.wordpress.com/737.
3. If you were stuck in the house for the entire weekend due to a snowstorm, what would you do with your time? I would read, write, learn, exercise, and play video games. Pretty much what I do now.
4. What household chore do you most enjoy, and what do you least enjoy? I enjoy vacuuming. I think it’s because of the repetition and movement. I dislike dusting.
5. What did you learn from surviving 2020? I learned you don’t need a lot of things cluttering up your life. Keep it simple. Stay busy, have a plan, and execute the plan. Adapt, adjust, improvise. Covid threw some of my goals in 2020 out the window, but I adapted to overcome what Covid threw at me.

tierneycreates recommended me for this award and I thank her for the opportunity to answer the above questions and highlight her blog. If you like crafts and quilting, she’s a great source of information.

Well, folks. It’s Monday. What will you do this week? Are you on track with your goals? Do you have any high-pressure tasks that have to be done? How do you feel?

Mondays are all about mindset. It is resetting yourself from “me” time on the weekend, to “we” time at the office wherever that is. It’s about getting into work mode, pushing aside the dread we can sometimes get about going back to work, and attacking our projects, goals, and assignments with vigor.

I ease into my work week with a daily set of goals and tasks that never change, unless I change them. Writing a blog post like this is one of them. What types of tasks do you like doing? What ones do you dread? I start my day with whatever is the hardest. This habit is called “eating the frog”. Eating a frog is used to designate those tasks that are distasteful or cause us the most angst. By knocking out the stuff we don’t want to do, the rest of the day becomes a downhill slide when that task is completed. So today, grab the reins of that one thing you dread doing and GET THAT THING DONE. The rest of your day will be a piece of cake once it’s over.

Have a great Monday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Why 2% Succeed and the Rest don’t!

Tags

attainable, Get it, Goals, Happy Monday!!, measurable, motivation, move forward, Push, realistic, specific, time limit, YouTube

I hope this inspires you as much as it did me. Have a great week, folks!

Workout Routine:

Full body workouts (exercise bands) Mon – Friday

Get at it, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Here we go!

Tags

Achievement, Categories, Consistency, Goals, Plans, processes, rituals

Hopefully, you’ve put together your goals for the year and have plans, processes, and rituals in place to guarantee your success. What if you haven’t done that yet? No worries. Start simple, if this is all new to you.

I like to pick goals within categories like physical, mental, spiritual, and social.

Physical – lose 10 pounds by year’s end

Mental – read 12 books by year’s end

Spiritual – meditate once a day for 10 minutes

Social – post uplifting quotes and materials to social media 1 x weekly

These are just examples, but easy to do. One thing I’ve learned about consistent small actions every day is that they build into big things. When I started this process for myself a few years ago, I could have never predicted I would read 60 books in a year. This is what happens when you read a little each day. Now 60 books is no issue. This works for anything you aspire to. Pick some goal, and chop away at it a little bit each day. You’ll be there in no time.

Now get at it! The year’s young. Get your goals in place, put together the daily things you need to do to hit your milestones, and get at it. It’s not too late to set yourself up for success in 2021.

Until next time…

Dave