Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Your Environment Can Be Motivating

Tags

Coffee, Comfort, Environment, family, Friends, K.M. Allan, Music, Snacks, Snow, Work, Writing

It’s snowing in my hometown. What a great way to wake up! Snow is such a nice thing to wake up to. I’m drinking my coffee, sitting in my favorite chair in my home office, and I’m listening to some of my favorite instrumental music. I find my environment motivating, which is the topic of today’s Motivation Monday edition.

One of my writer friends in Australia, K.M. Allan, author of the Blackbirch series, has a laptop, her cats, a whiteboard, and typically a cup of tea and some goodies to snack on. This is her environment to write. Mine is a cup of coffee, a comfortable chair, my laptop, and some music I listen to through my airpods. The point is that your environment can be motivating or demotivating.

What do you like to drink? Tea, Coffee, energy drink? Do you have a comfortable office chair? Do you like to listen to music while you work? Do you have any specific gear you like to work with? These are all questions to ask when you are going to work. Your work environment can be a huge source of motivation, particularly when you’ve found the right combination of things to make your work interesting and fun.

When I was a corporate recruiter, the work could be very monotonous. Most days it was terrific, but there were some days it was absolute drudgery. So, I started at looking at ways to flair up my workspace. I bought a chair and replaced my employer-issued one. I bought some new pens, pen holder, new legal pads, and I also got a few big jars of pretzels, licorice, and assorted nuts. I brought in a picture of my family. I also brought in my Bose bluetooth speaker. Once I had this set up, the drudgery days became less so. I could see my family and this motivated me to grind through my calls. I had snacks within easy reach so I wouldn’t have to get up from my desk until my calls were done. Oh, I even bought a Keurig coffee maker so I could have coffee on demand. You see, I learned early on that the environment I worked in made a huge difference between drudgery and adventure, discomfort and comfort, and meaning and meaningless. You can do the same.

What can you add to your environment to make it more comfortable? What can you add to your environment to soothe the mind? What can you add to your environment to overcome the drudgery in your work? What can you change in your environment to add meaning to your work?

Happy Monday, folks! I wish all of you a great day!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Here we are–again!

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Adventure, Books, Boredom, Cycles, Excitement, Games, Gaming, Monotony, Movies, Reading, Writing

Sometimes life seems to be a little dull. We get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, eat dinner, we relax, go to bed, and then up again to start the whole cycle again. The days are the same, the weeks are the same, the months are the same, and so on. What can we do to break the cycle?

Many folks break up this cycle by doing what they enjoy. Maybe it’s quilting, writing, having an adventure in a local forest, or taking a long drive. For others, like me, it’s gaming, writing, and reading. Reading really helps me a lot. There are so many books and so many places to visit.

I read a book by Stephen King, titled On Writing. He wrote this book while he was in the hospital recovering from an accident, where he was hit by a delivery van while on his daily walk. In the book he described himself as more of an archaeologist. He “uncovers” stories that are already there. Each chapter strips away a little more dirt.

It’s a great analogy for story telling. Initially the story starts out at the surface level. We get to meet the main characters, the place they call home, and told about a problem these characters are involved in. As the story unfolds, we learn more about our characters. We learn how they react to stress, how they think, and what they do to solve the overarching problem. In the end, depending on the story type, the characters win or lose. If they win the story is a comedy. If they lose the story is a tragedy.

Reading can break up the monotony of day-to-day living. It takes us to far away places, and lets us explore another world “discovered” by the author. I truly enjoy reading a great book, regardless of where it takes place, what time period it is in, or what the characters are doing. Each book is an adventure waiting to be had.

One of the key lessons I’ve learned in retirement is the need for structure, and something to look forward to. I look forward to reading every day, writing this blog and working on my book. I also look forward to my game sessions, which are a lot of fun for me. Games have become so realistic that they act like books for me. They transport me to a war torn city, an outer space battle, or an adventure with friends who are part of my adventurers party.

As far as structure goes, I tend to chunk my time. One chunk I do my morning routine, the next chunk I read, followed by another chunk which is writing and the chunk I am in right now. After I have done all of my daily chunks, it’s game time. Even when I game, I have goals for each gaming session. It could be to finish a challenge or solve a particular problem to get to the next part of a story. This is what I do in a game I’m playing now called Far Cry 6. Far Cry 6 is set on an imaginary island, where a dictator uses his people to manufacture a cure for cancer. The problem-the chemical used to add to its chemical crop kills those who work in the tobacco fields.

In another game I play, Call of Duty Vanguard and Mobile (two different games), I work predominantly on leveling up weapons. Call of Duty uses camouflage to designate what level a gun is at. For example, when you complete all weapon challenges, the gold camouflage is opened up. When you get gold camouflage for all of your weapons in a particular class of weapons, you have access to the platinum (mobile) camouflage, or diamond camouflage in the version of Call of Duty for consoles or personal computer (PC).

Every game has these types of challenges or goals. It’s great fun for me to try and finish all of them, which can take quite a long time. I’m currently working on gold camouflage for the assault rifle class on Call of Duty Mobile. I’m not playing Call of Duty on console yet, because the next year’s season does not start again until December 8, 2021. That will be a great day!!

The key to keeping your life exciting in retirement is to have a structure to your day, along with some things that really excite you. Each day is a grand adventure for me. If you need some ideas on what to

read or what to play on a game console, here is what I’m up to in both areas:

Books:

Delta Force: A Memoir by the Founder of the U.S. Military’s Most Secretive Special-Operations Unit

Deep Space: Star Carrier: Book Four

The Silent Wife

Games:

Far Cry 6

Call of Duty Mobile (iPad)

Call of Duty Vanguard

Mafia City (iPad)

Movies:

Apocalypse Now

Well, that’s it folks. Break up the drudgery of your day. There are many who blog who have all kinds of ideas for travel, crafting, writing, and all the rest. Use them. They are a great resource. Life is short. Make every day your best day, by doing things to break up the patterns or cycles in your life. You’ll look forward to each day. You’ll be excited to get up and get at it.

Have a great Monday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Filling in a Gap

Tags

Book, decisions, Gaps, intrinsic, Meaning, motivation, Writing

Have you ever completed a project and then, not know what to fill that gap in your schedule with? That’s me right now. School kept me busy, but now that school’s over with, I have to figure out what to replace the hours I put into that with something else. I know working on my books will take up some of the time, but what to do with the rest?

Well, I decided to get back out in the world. I’ve created two days in my schedule where I will do my work in one of our terrific coffee shops and another day in my local library. Getting out will do me good, and I am never one to turn down a terrific cup of coffee.

What has this got to do with motivation? Well, motivation is about getting up and doing something. For me, the type of motivation for school was a mix of both intrinsic motivation (I wanted another degree) and extrinsic motivation (deadlines for assignments). Now, it’s all on me. That is the change. There is no one telling me what to do. It’s all me.

So, here we go!

If you have a unexpected gap in your schedule like me, think about what you want to do, have time to do, and fill in the gap. Anybody can take that extra time and binge watch Netflix, play endless hours of video games, or just do nothing, but if you’re like me, you like having things to do that has meaning. I enjoy the creativity in writing, and have always wanted to write a book. So, I’m back at it again. I’ve got a lot of ideas, and I’m looking forward to getting to work.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Journaling

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Diary, Dream Journals, Free-form Writing Journals, Gratitude Journals, journal, journaling, Writing

Today I am grateful for my journaling habit. From time-to-time I will revisit my journal and read through my entries in a month or a quarter. If I have time I revisit an entire year of journal entries. What wonderful stories, experiences, and learning!

Many of the things I record in my journal are my thoughts about various topics. Sometimes I rant to get something off my chest; other times I simply record my feelings about an event, the family, or my relationship with my wife. These are deeply personal and hold special meaning for me.

This blog is also a snapshot of my inner being, exposed for the world to see.

My journaling time is a time for deep reflection. Why do I feel the way I do? Why do certain things piss me off and other things make me laugh? How does my attitude alter over time? How have I evolved?

A journal is a great way to have deep, intimate conversations with yourself. It is a way of overcoming fears, challenges, and recording memorable events in your life–events that may fade with time, if you do not record what is happening.

I journal for all types of reasons, but the habit started simply by reading an article on line that explained the benefits of journaling. I didn’t save the link, so I cannot offer you that, but if you do a Google Search (or your preferred search engine) using keywords like: journaling, diary, benefits of, you’ll find an article that may lay it out for you better than I could.

Personally, I have gained many benefits from journaling and take about 20-30 minutes each day to record my thoughts first thing in the morning. If you read my recent post about items that you do automatically to kick off your day–this is mine. The very first thing I do to kick off my day is hit my journal and begin writing.

I use Microsoft OneNote. You could use this, MS Word, Google Docs, or EverNote. You get the idea. You may have found another technology that works that is not mentioned here. The point is to use something that has the ability to keep all your journal items in one place and is accessible by all of your devices for easy access. This is particularly important when you are on a trip and do not bring your laptop, but have access to a tablet or phone. This was the case when we flew out for my niece’s wedding. I did my journal entries on my iPad, instead of my laptop during this period.

There are all kinds of journals you can keep. Gratitude journals, dream journals, diaries, writing journals, cooking journals, reference diaries, you name it. The key is to create a journal that you will stick with. For me, it is a combination of dream, gratitude, affirmation, and free-form writing that build my journal entries.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. If you do not journal currently, you may want to give it a try. It has worked wonders in my life, and it will for you too.

Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Hobbies

Tags

Balance, Fishing, Fun, Happy, Hobby, Joy, Music, Reading, Relaxation, Relish, Video Games, Writing, Xbox

My sister has been “over-focused” on work for as long as I have known her. There is nothing wrong with that, provided you take time to do other things to balance it out. Balance is key to a happy life, in my opinion, so that you can do your work, have some fun, and not miss anything important. Important things like regular checkups for you and your pets, paying your bills, exercising, learning something new, and enjoying something that you do, because you enjoy doing it.

Hobbies could be coin collecting, antiquing, drawing/sketching, playing an instrument, or playing video games. It doesn’t matter what your hobby is, as long as it gives you a break from the things you have to to do. Another requirement: You have to look forward to it.

I love playing video games of all kinds. Whether these are on my pc, my iPad, or my Xbox. They are challenging, entertaining, and even educational. I look forward to my daily session, and laugh, yell, and have a heck of a good time. It is even more fun when I can link up with my brother and play together.

This is what I’m talking about. The passion for your hobby has to be there. You have to enjoy it, think about it, and relish the time you get to do it.

Think about people who enjoy fishing. These people can’t wait to get back out on their boats and fish again.

Think about those people who enjoy golf. They can’t wait to get out to the course. They even plan their vacations around it. Does that resort have a golf course?

I hope you get my point. The quote, “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy” rings true here. Spice up your life a bit with a hobby. It provides a great retreat from your daily routine of work, chores, bill paying, and errands.

In the meantime, I’m about ready to head down and fire up my Xbox.

Have a great Monday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful/Thinking Thursday – Consistent Reading, Writing, and Learning

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Consistency, Exercise, huge results, Learning, Reading, small actions, Udemy, Writing

Photo credit: CallofDuty.com

Over the last few years, as more of my schedule has come under my control, I have found that doing a little each day compounds into huge results. A little exercise, a little reading, a little writing, and a few minutes watching, listening, or reading some educational material can go a long way.

Some of you are working from home. The beauty of working from home is you can get a lot of things done in a more efficient way. You are not forced to work only for your boss and then look at that pile of laundry, dirty dishes, or snow-filled driveway on your own time. Now you can work on both sets of priorities simultaneously, other than those ZOOM conference calls that eat up a good portion of the workday. Why not take an hour a day and knock out a little in each area: reading, writing, exercise, and learning? It doesn’t take long.

The average length of a session on Udemy is roughly 5-6 minutes long. If you take a few courses, you’re looking at 20-30 minutes each day. You’ll get your graduation certificates in no time, and if you take the right courses, you’ll be adding some critical skills to your toolbox. If you select the 4+ star-rated courses on Udemy, you’ll also be entertained by popular instructors that make the material fun and interesting. 30 minutes a day for 6 days (assuming you subscribe to my “do nothing day” policy) is 3 hours of learning!

If you take the time to analyze what you do each day, I think you’ll be amazed at how much time you spend watching television or streaming videos, and other activities, that although entertaining, don’t build anything. I’m a huge video game fan. My current favorite is Call of Duty, Black Ops, Cold War. It’s a great game and very popular (over 100 million players worldwide). I could play that game for 10+hours a day and still have more energy to play even more. Balance is the key. We all need our downtime to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate. Watch those shows, play those games, get some of that “me” time, but balance this out with some productive activities that will keep your mind working. It is really exciting to me when I pick up some new skill that I can apply immediately to what I do every day.

That’s all I got today, folks. Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursdays – Winter

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cocoa, Coffee, December, Exercise, family, Reading, reflecting, tea, Winter, Writing

Many people cringe when the snow comes. Not me. I love the cold, the snow, and the comfort of looking at all of that while I drink a cup of coffee. The winter in Michigan is a long one. We typically do not get moderate weather until late April.

What do I do? Pretty much the same thing I do every day — Read, Write, Learn, Socialize on this site and others, stick with my religious disciplines, exercise, and squeeze in some leisure time. My favorite things to do for fun are to read a good fiction book, non-fiction book, watch a show or a series, and play video games. Now that most games are networked, my brother and I can play in and around his work schedule. It’s great fun.

So today, I’m thankful for the Winter season. The holidays are terrific, the in-house time is relaxing and rejuvenating, and it’s a great time to reflect on the past year, and get ready for the next.

I hope each of you has a terrific Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Week of October 12, 2020.

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Action, Ambition, Dedication, Discipline, Drive, Exercising, Learning, motivation, Reading, Writing

After a relaxing week off, I’m back at it.

Here’s my schedule for the week:

Writing/Blogging Daily

Exercise Daily

Spiritual Exercise/Reading Daily

Learning/Coding Daily

Reading Daily

I hope each of you has a great week!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Wisdom Wednesday – Words

Tags

Adventure, Books, heartache, ideas, Journals, Love, stories, Storytelling, Travels, Writing

Today’s wisdom is about writing. When we write, we bring what is in our head to the page. For some, this is a difficult process. It is difficult because our minds can be so jumbled at times. We have thoughts. But until we write those thoughts down, read through them, think about them, edit them, and then complete what we have written into an intelligible collection of words, sentences, and paragraphs, they remain in the same form they are in our minds. Writing clarifies our thinking. It solidifies our thoughts. It changes a wisp of thought to a concrete idea. 

This is why I love writing. I love capturing what is in my mind and bringing these thoughts and ideas into reality. It is really magical. When you read a book written by an author, you realize that this world you are exploring was in someone else’s head. That is magic. 

You, my reading audience, are also involved with this process each time you write a post for your blog and submit it to the WordPress servers. You tell your story. You expose yourself for others to see. You talk about what bothers you. You talk about what excites you. You tell your stories. 

Your words teach, inspire, and impact everyone that reads them. You allow your readers to see a little piece of you, expressed in your words. The stories of adventure, heartbreak, mystery, war, love, and every emotion we experience as human beings. Words do that. Words!

Write. Write every day. Journal. Capture your thoughts. Tell your stories. Your travels, your experiences, your recipes. They all bring a richness to our existence. Your words matter. Your words impact others. Your words tell your story.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Labor Day

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Consistency, Determination, Discipline, Exercise, Labor Day, motivation, Reading, Social, Spiritual, Writing

Today, I’m relaxing and enjoying Labor Day! So today’s posts will be shorter than normal. Here’s my week!

• Writing (Journaling, Book Writing, Blogging) daily
• Learning (History of Maths on Curiosity.com, Codecademy, Sociology on Study.com, Writing Class on Master Class) daily
• Exercise (20 minutes cardio, exercise bands) daily
• Spiritual (Reading Bible, Spiritual Exercise) daily
• Reading (Fiction, Non-fiction) daily
• Social (posting helpful quotes, connecting with friends, supporting people with pleasant things to say) daily

Have a great week, folks!

Until next time…

Dave