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

 

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Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday – Johann Hari

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Addiction, Experiments, Johann Hari, Portugal, Solutions, Ted Talk, Tuesday

 Arek Socha from Pixabay 

If you have ever thought about what it would take to solve the drug problem in your respective country, Johann Hari discusses Portugal’s solution and the real reasons behind addiction. Enjoy!

Until next time…

Dave

 

Daily Ramblings – Spiritual Saturday – Creativity

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Bountifulness, Challenges, creativity, Gratitude, journaling, Solutions, spirituality, trouble

“Creativity, bountifulness, and gratitude go hand in hand.” – Harold Klemp The Language of Soul

As a writer, creativity is an important aspect. We need creativity to create the worlds, conversations, characters, and dialogue that intrigue and entertain our readers. We also need creativity to live our lives. I have found that I am most creative during times of duress. You know those points in your lives where you feel like everything is crashing down around you and you sit there wondering, “What else can go wrong?”

During these times of trouble, our creativity elevates to a new level. Harold Klemp offers three keys to dealing with the troubles that will affect us from time-to-time. When times are tough, it is hard to be grateful. We concentrate on what is being taken away instead of focusing on what we have. This in turn creates a sense of lack or shortage, which in turn, stifles our creativity because of our narrow focus on the things we do not want in our lives.

When I started my gratitude journaling a while back, I did it by going through the motions. The journal I was using at the time was the 5-minute Journal and it requires you to write down three things you are grateful for in the morning when you awake and three things you are grateful for in the evening before you go to bed. I did this each day like without a second thought.

Then, something happened. I began to really feel grateful for the things I was writing down. I began to see how great I really had it. I began focusing on being grateful for the things I had. This focus awoke me to something I have read about over and over again but never really caught onto. It is a quote from some author I cannot remember. The quote goes like this, “Most of us have what we need, but are upset because we do not have what we want.” This is the key to being grateful and cultivating a gratitude that will smooth things out in your life.

Now I write in my gratitude journal until I can cultivate that feeling of gratefulness daily. I write and write until I “feel” grateful. When I have achieved this feeling, I realize how great my life is, how much I have, and how little I need to be truly happy. This is the bountifulness, Harold Klemp discusses. When you have all you need, when you believe you are wealthy beyond words, and you believe that you are satisfied with your life, creativity is boundless, because you have no limits. You attain a child-like quality, where you rekindle what it was like to dream, to make-believe, to live in a world where anything is possible. The days you believed you could be a fireman, an astronaut, a princess, or actress.

Creativity and the ability to visualize some goal or achievement is a great asset, while negotiating this life. When trouble comes, a creative mind will find a solution. There is always a solution to our problems. “God only gives us problems we have the ability to solve” – Unknown.

When you are hit with a problem or challenge, don’t panic. Sit down with a piece of paper and write down every potential solution you can come up with. Brainstorm. I like to use mind mapping software when I begin on a new writing project, others may just want to write out a huge list of potential solutions and work from this. Whichever way you choose to go, evaluate each idea you come up with and choose the solution you feel will work the best. Keep the list, in case the idea you choose doesn’t work. Then you can return to the list for your next-best idea. Visualize the problem being solved. Over time, you will begin to see the answers to your problems come from everywhere. Your friends may offer solutions, your wife, husband, or significant other may offer a solution. You may read something online or in the newspaper that addresses your problem. You may even overhear someone talking in your local coffee shop about the same or like problem you are dealing with and offer some ideas via their conversation. The solution to your problem can come from anywhere if you are open to it.

I hope each of you has a terrific weekend! My brother is visiting and we have a bunch of stuff planned to take advantage of his week’s stay with us. It’ll be a great time.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday

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Amy Tan, Locations, Muse, questions, Scenes, Solutions, Story, Writing process

For those of you who are authors in my readership, enjoy this Ted Talk by Amy Tan, who describes her process of finding the story in her books and the processes she goes through to flesh it out. This was a really interesting one for me. I hope it is for you as well.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Bonus Content

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Comfort, inspiration, My wish, Quotes, Solutions, trouble, West Wing

If you’ve been following my blog, particularly Thinking Thursdays, you’ll see an entry of West Wing in my entertainment section. I’ve watched this series all the way through about 9 times. I’m watching it again. I was thinking about this the other night, wondering why I like the show so much.

As I sit here writing, with West Wing playing in the background it came to me. I experienced one of those life experiences a few years back. My marriage was failing, my finances were collapsing, my work was unfulfilling, and it felt like I was watching myself walk off of a cliff and couldn’t stop it. It was a really tough time.

Guess what show I was watching to get some escape from my troubles? You guessed it–West Wing. I watch it today because the acting, the characters, the writing are phenomenal. I still tear up during different episodes and “feel” the stress the characters do in other episodes. West Wing was my comfort during a time that I didn’t think there was an end to my pain. It seemed at the time that everything I cared for was going away.

Then, it all changed. A solution presented itself in December of 2016. Initially, the solution seemed insane. I think this is what happens sometimes when we are at our “rope’s end”. We get really creative. We search our souls for anything–I mean anything–for relief. Then, out of nowhere, a solution arrives.

That solution, although imperfect, was liberation. It was a way that came my way when I was in the darkest period of my life. This proved to me that there is always an option, there is always a door, there is always a way out.

There is a very wise man that mentions that our greatest learning is during those periods in our life when we think that all is lost (paraphrased). This is one of the most simple and true statements of wisdom I have ever read.

This is one of the major reasons I decided to share the quotes I do on my blog. Quotes are the wisdom from the ages. They are sometimes offered by our contemporaries. At other times they are drawn from the times of the ancients.

I really enjoy sharing my thoughts with you. I enjoy passing on the things that affect me and awaken the dormant things inside that can only be reached by these quotes.

It is my wish that these words reach people. It is my wish that these words help others. This is my wish for you, my readers.

I’ll see you later today.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Complaint or Solution?

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Complaining, Helplessness, Hopelessness, moving forward, problem-solving, Solutions

 

“Don’t find fault, find a remedy” – Henry Ford

 

It is so easy to nitpick a solution to a problem or a process. It is so easy to complain about other people or something we don’t like. It is so easy to be a complainer.

 

But, like anything easy, it comes with some huge disadvantages. The first is the inability to see anything positive in a situation. Complaining compels us to look for the bad situation, the bad solution, the bad person, the bad in everything. Who complains when things are going good right?

 

The second major problem with complaining is the constant reference to the activity, item, action, or person we complain about. This complaining, particularly if we have no solution, escalates our complaining to a level that brings about a feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and feeling bad about ourselves (Winch, 2012).

 

We rarely complain to the people that can solve the problem is the third disadvantage. When we lack a solution to a problem we are complaining about we tend to vent to our friends or relatives—people who cannot solve the problem. Why? Because we want someone to validate our emotions. This does bring temporary relief, but does it solve the problem? No. So we move to the next phone call or meeting over coffee and continue to relive our problem over and over and over.

 

Like Ford’s quote suggests, there is a solution. Complain to people who can do something about your problem or issue. If you don’t like a process or program in your company, approach the person who set the process or program. If you don’t like the way you are treated by someone, tell them. If you don’t like the service you are getting at a restaurant, request to speak to a manager.

 

Suggestion: Have a solution. If you don’t like a program or process, design a different one that will benefit the organization—then sell it! If you don’t like how someone treats you, pull them aside and tell them how you would like to be treated. If you aren’t getting the service you like, request to speak to a manager and explain what your expectations are when visiting their restaurant.

 

Will these solutions be effective? Not all the time. However, it is much more efficient to solve a problem and present it, rather than coming up with an easy complaint and talking with people who cannot solve your problem. If your solution doesn’t work, you can work with your manager and perhaps come up with a better solution than you came up with. You can approach HR in your company to help a person who is mistreating you see the light. You can avoid a restaurant in the future that didn’t meet your expectations.

 

Personally, I do not like the feelings associated with helplessness. I believe there is always a solution to a problem. Complaining is ok occasionally. Habitual complaining is unhealthy and an absolute waste of time. For more information, see the article referenced below. It is a good read if you are looking to improve your outlook on life and want to learn to complain effectively.

 

Until next time…

 

Dave

 

Reference

 

Winch, G. (2012). Does complaining damage our mental health? How the way we complain impacts our mental health. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201201/does-complaining-damage-our-mental-health

 

Problems…

Tags

God, Golden Wisdom, problem, problem-solving, Question, Solutions

“Be alert during the day for clues about your problem from other people. The Holy Spirit works through them too. So be aware and listen.” – Harold Klemp – The Spiritual Life

Problems, challenges, issues, we all have them. Some of them we create, while others are put in our laps by others. How do you solve your problems? Many search the Internet. Others confide in their friends and loved ones and ask for advice. Others avoid the problem altogether hoping it will just go away.

I have come to the realization of a few pieces of wisdom I’ve gained over the last 50 or so years of my life.

• Problems don’t go away
• Everything is in its rightful place in the worlds of God
• God never gives us a problem we cannot solve
• God will give you the answer if you ask

Problems don’t go away

Yeah, I’m one of those folks who procrastinate. When a problem comes my way, my first solution is to just ignore it. This obviously is not a good way to solve one’s problems. Problems always stick around. Once I learned this, I begin to brainstorm how to solve it. Once I’ve brainstormed, I put together a plan and create discrete action steps to begin working on.

Everything is in its rightful place in the worlds of God

God is perfect. If God was anything but perfect, our Universe would collapse on itself. Subsequently, we have to assume that an architecture, laws or principals exist to avoid this, even if we don’t have the full picture. Assuming this, the “problem” we see as a problem really isn’t a problem at all but a misunderstanding of this architecture.

God never gives us a problem we cannot solve

One of my beliefs is that this reality we exist in is a classroom. It is a classroom for our true self to learn and become better equipped to serve God. Subsequently, the lessons God gives us are for our betterment.

God will give you the answer if you ask

We do the best we can on our own by brainstorming the problem, putting together a plan to solve the problem and begin the work of moving through our plan step-by-step. We can also ask questions.

Problems or lessons are hard because we are charting new territory. We are doing something we have not done before. The reason we label these things as problems are because we don’t know the answer. Think about this for a moment.

If you are hit with a problem and you’ve solved that problem in the past, it isn’t a problem, is it? We already know how to deal with it and we do. The only way for God to stretch us is to present us with problems or lessons we have not dealt with before. The act of solving the problem is where the learning is.

Let’s say we’re stuck. We are hit with a problem and we have no idea where to begin to solve it. This is where asking a God a question can help. Simply ask a question like: What is the solution to this problem that will be good for me and for the good of the whole? Then keep your eyes, ears, and mind open for the answer. Sometimes the answer will come intuitively. You’ll just get an idea and it gets you moving. Other times the answer will come when you are reading a book, magazine, or an article online. You may be watching television, listening to the radio, or overhear someone in a coffee shop speaking about something related to your problem. Heck, you may even see your answer on a billboard.

For me, it comes in a variety of ways, sometimes in a combination of things. The key is to keep an open mind and be aware of anything that comes to provide you with an answer to your question. Now, there’s one more thing you’ll need to do. If you get an answer, you need to verify or confirm it.

Confirming something is all about the doing. Let’s say you get an idea that leads you along a certain path to solving your problem. As you are moving in this direction, you solve the problem. This is the confirmation you need. In another case, you may be moving in a direction from one of your gained insights only to find that you are moving in the wrong direction. This verifies that the solution you received was a little off. Then you ask the question again and continue moving along until you’ve solved your issue. In some paths, these insights are labeled the “Golden Wisdom”. In others, they would be a revelation, an “ah-ha” moment, or a paradigm shift.

Try this out the next time you have a problem you just can’t seem to get traction on. Do your best on your own, but when you’re stuck, ask the question. You’ll be surprised at what you receive.

Until next time…