Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Grateful for Retirement

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Blogging, Exercising, Grateful, Gratitude, Joy, Learning, Loving, Reading, Retirement, Service, Writing

When I was in the Army, particularly when I surpassed 10 years of service, I knew I was going to retire. It just didn’t make sense to leave the service and walk away from retirement. Boy, I’m glad I did.

I am grateful for the time I served, and if young enough, and faced with the same choices when I was younger, I’d do it all again. It was an adventure of a lifetime and it offered me the opportunity to do things I would have never had an opportunity to experience any other way.

I served in Europe for 6 years. I was in Berlin, Germany when the Berlin Wall came down. I was at the retirement ceremony for Checkpoint Charlie. I got to see Reagan give his famous “Tear down this wall” speech. So many memories.

Because of my service, my medical care is literally free for life. I had the opportunity to retire early and come home to help my folks. This has been a great thing. How many people get to celebrate their parent’s senior years? Not many. In fact, most people will never retire.

Honestly, I am not retired either. The key difference between my working life and my “retired” life is that I can do what I want. So, I am.

What do I love? I love reading. I love writing. I love exercise. I love serving. I love meeting new people and having impromptu conversations with people. I also love learning. So this is what I do every day.

What is something I discovered pretty quickly? I learned that I couldn’t just hang out and do nothing. Netflix is entertaining, but watching it all day every day—No thanks!

My military experience has bled into this retired life. I need structure. I don’t need a minute-by-minute schedule, but I need to do the same things daily. I do all the things I enjoy each day. I love blogging. I love working on my book projects. I love learning new things. All the things I do every day are an absolute joy. I hope all of you are in a position some day to do the same if you wish to.

So this is what I’m grateful for. My retirement and the new adventure I’ve embarked upon.

Have a great Thursday everybody!

Until next time…

Dave

 

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Grateful = Happy

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Content, Fulfilled, Grateful, Gratitude, Happy, Joyful, Thankful

Gratitude is the topic each Thursday on this blog, because I believe it is important to express thanks for what we have. According to HealthBeat (2019), a product of the Harvard Medical School, Gratitude will make you happier.

If you look at most folks, they are always pursuing more. We can lay credit for this at the feet of the advertisers and marketers who blast our email boxes, fill up our social media, and bombard us with advertisement after advertisement while we watch our favorite sports team. Subsequently, we work harder, to make more money, to buy more stuff, which cause us to go into debt, and work harder, and so on. They tell us we don’t have a big enough home, a newer car, nicer clothes, expensive trips, and a cooler phone. They don’t do this directly. They show us a family enjoying themselves in front of a large-screen TV or walk out of their home to see two brand new cars sitting in the driveway with big ribbons on them. You see how this works?

Gratitude counters this social pressure, but acknowledging we have all we need. We have a roof over our head, food to eat, and a reliable piece of transportation to get us where we need to go. This allows us to preserve our capital because we aren’t spending ourselves into oblivion.

As we approach the holiday season, cultivate your gratitude for all you have, not what you do not have. It is a great way to live life. Here are a few ways you can grow your sense of gratitude in the upcoming months. To start out, just pick one

• Write a thank-you note to one person each month
• Thank someone mentally if you lack the time to write
• Keep a gratitude journal expressing your thanks and appreciation for other people in your life or something you enjoy
• Count your blessings
• Pray (if you are religious)
• Meditate

I dedicate a day each week to discuss gratitude. How to build it, how I do things to build my gratitude state, or express my gratitude for the things in my life.

If you’d like to read more, the article I used for this posting is below.

Thanks for your attention. If you use another technique or if there’s something you are particularly grateful for, feel free to drop me a note in the comments.

Until next time…

Dave

Reference

Healthbeat. (2019). Giving thanks can make you happier. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier

Daily Ramblings – Happy Veteran’s Day!

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Air Force, Army, Coastguard, Freedom, Grateful, Marines, Navy, Sacrifice, Thankful, Veteran's Day

I’m posting Monday’s posting early because I’m going to be enjoying my day tomorrow and will be doing another “Do Nothing Day” to celebrate. There are quite a few restaurants serving free meals and other goodies and I always try to take advantage of that. Subsequently, this posting will be my Monday Motivation post instead.

I wanted to express my thanks to all veterans, past and present, for their service. As a veteran, it’s great to see all the messages posted to social media. It makes you feel good about what you did for your country and I wanted to pass those good feelings along.

Our servicemen and women are everywhere providing security and support to the nations they are assigned to. They are enduring separation from their families, fear, stress, and in some situations, performing the impossible. Thank you for all you do. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten.

I’d also like to say Happy Birthday to all the Marines out there. Your 244 years of service has spanned every major war this country has seen. Your service has been exemplary. When the job is impossible, the Marines are called. I salute you.

I would also like to thank the families of our veterans. You share their burden. You worry. You miss our husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, or sister. The one thing that got me through my deployments were the letters you sent. We also enjoyed the care packages sent by random K-12 schools. We also enjoyed the USO shows when they came.

I will never forget my 20 years in the U.S. Army. I know those of you who are still serving will also never forget your experiences while you serve. I hope each of you a safe return.

For those that have lost a loved one, I thank you and your loved one’s for their sacrifice. Without the veterans of our armed services, none of us would be able to enjoy the freedoms, many of us take for granted from time-to-time.

Happy Veteran’s Day!

Until next time…

Dave

 

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Laughter

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Chuckle, Funny, Giggle, Grateful, Jokes, Laughter, Satire, Thankful

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” – Charlie Chaplin

I don’t know about you, but I love to laugh. I enjoy finding the funny things that occur every day. I also like reading the comics in the paper, finding funny memes, and even catching a comedy show on Netflix or Amazon from time-to-time. It’s a great feeling to laugh so hard you can’t breathe. I don’t reach this level every day, but I do try.

I’m truly thankful for comedy, funny jokes, puns, funny memes, comedy shows, and even the funny animals or fail videos on YouTube. It’s a great thing to laugh. It just feels terrific.

If you’re down in the dumps, stressed out, or in some mental turmoil, take a few minutes to watch your favorite cartoon, read a comic strip, watch a comedy on Netflix or your favorite sitcom. Get those giggles going and you’ll feel a tremendous lift in your mood, even if it is only for a short time.

Bill Burr and Joe Rogan are my go-tos on Netflix. Looney Tunes are my favorite cartoons (I grew up with them). Funny movies? Dumb & Dumber, Caddyshack, and Liar, Liar, to name a few. Comics? I love The Oatmeal. He is a genius. For political satire, there’s The Onion. There are so many funny things on the Internet it would be impossible to list them all here.

Starting today, laugh, giggle, chuckle. Keep an eye out for funny things. Seek them out. Make a habit of laughing. It is a great thing to laugh. I never feel bad when I’m laughing. I hope you strive for the laugh today. It will do wonders for you.

Have a great Thursday, folks.

Until next time…

Dave

 

 

 

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Life is a Celebration

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Blessings, God, Grateful, Happy Halloween, Harold Klemp, Life, Thankful

“So few know what a love for living means. They’ve put a web around themselves and called it spiritual. Life is a celebration. Some will read that as wanton living, but true celebration is loving God and Its own.” – Harold Klemp – The Language of Soul

This quote struck me today as appropriate for today, because we are celebrating another Halloween. If you do not celebrate today, cool. We celebrate by passing out goodies to the kids that come around to the house. I enjoy watching scary movies and we enjoy the many costumed kids that come to the door.

Halloween marks the beginning of the holiday season for me. When Halloween hits, there’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day and then we’re off to a new adventure. It’s also nice because my wife’s birthday and our wedding anniversary is in December too.

I love life. I really do. I enjoy what I do every day; I feel great physically and mentally, and it is a true gift to spend time with my folks in their senior years. Yeah, as a family we have our days, but for the most part, it’s great fun. My Dad likes telling stories about his childhood and my Mom does too. We eat most of our meals as a family and we are all readers, spending most of the “bad weather” days inside combing through our books.

My love of life is spurred by my gratitude. I try to find gratitude for all I do and receive. I am grateful for my family, friends, colleagues, siblings, and God. It is a wonderful feeling to wake up every day knowing that God loves me and every moment I am here is a blessing God has given me to gain experience and learn how to love and serve others. This is simplicity itself.

Happy Halloween! (for those that celebrate)

Have a great Thursday, the last day of October, and get ready to attack November.

Until next time…

Dave

 

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

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 – 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 – 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

Tags

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