Month: August 2022

START IT OFF RIGHT!🌞

Here is something that is of the greatest importance, but easy to improve. That is your morning. It should not surprise anyone that how your morning goes, does a lot to determine how your day will go. If this is rather easy to understand, why is it that we do not take better advantage of it? Here is why, getting up early can be a challenge for a lot of us. I am guilty as charged. When I returned to work after my heart surgery, I was on a roll of not hitting the snooze button. About 2 months straight I was very disciplined. Then, one day after a long night of being a DJ, I needed those few extra minutes. Guess what has happened since? I have not got out of bed without hitting the snooze button.

This may not sound like such a big deal, but it has affected how the rest of my day has went. I guess I did not realize the degree in which it has until I was on vacation. When I have those extra ten minutes in the morning, I can do a lot more. More important, I can do everything with a lot less stress. When I was not hitting the snooze, I was able to leisurely make my cup of coffee, plank for at least 3 minutes and do ten squats. This would get my mind and body fired up. It also helped me achieve some wins before I left the house. This is why I tell people to make their beds before they leave. I would, but there is a sexy lady still sleeping in mine. Not sure she would appreciate me making the bed around her at 445am.

Next post, we will look at some things we can do to set our morning up for victory. Until then, try to make it one day without hitting the snooze. Begin that discipline. You will notice how much less stress you have to start the day. Less stress is always success!

GIVE YOUR LIFE A SAMPLE DAY😋

Many of you who follow this blog, and most of you who know me personally, know that I am spending this week on vacation at the Wisconsin State Fair. It is something I do every year. It is a place that brings me a great deal of joy and I love sharing that with people in my life. Margie, my mother and I have had a blast so far this year! We have seen many friends and folks we only seem to run into this time of year.

Yesterday, was Crazy Grazin day, as they call it. What it amounts to, is that you can try smaller portions, or portions of different food items at reduced prices. This is good if you are on a budget, or if you are like me, you like to try new things. As with many things in my life, this got me thinking on how we can apply this principle to living an amazing life. Then, an idea so obvious just popped into my head. Take a sample day in your life! What on earth does this mean?

It certainly can be fun to try small amounts of new culinary dishes to discover new things you like. This can be done by going out with friends and splitting different dishes. This is about more than just food, however. I recall one of the things I enjoy doing the most, riding my bicycle. I did this a lot as a kid. Then, I got my driver’s license and stopped doing it for a while. I recall how I started back into it. I was at Target, Walmart or some other large chain store and thought to myself, “I should get back into bicycling. It is cheap and healthy.” I spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 on a bike, a little more on things to go with it. Then I started bicycling again. The joy I felt as a kid came back and some weight I found as an adult went away! Then I discovered how much the world of bicycling had changed. At one point I owned a bicycle that was worth more than my car. It was ok, because at the time I was even biking to work a few days a week. The point is, I started out with a cheap bike and discovered how much I still enjoyed it before I went all in.

In your life, can you take a yoga class at the gym before investing in your own yoga mat, brick and whatever else one could spend money on in that arena? You can try to go for a run for a few weeks before purchasing expensive running shoes. You could do a paint and sip before buying a canvas and easel. Dip your toe in as many areas of life you can. There are always economical ways to discover your next great passion. I will be starting a podcast soon and have purchased some basic equipment. Once I learn what I am doing and discover if I like it, I may look to get more advanced stuff.

Do you have a story like my bicycle story where you have discovered a passion and went on to invest in it? Perhaps you are more in the podcasting phase and are investing in a new adventure right now? I would love to hear your story in the comments below!

TAKE A BREAK FROM IT ALL!😃

One of the best ways to improve any situation is to improve your mindset in regards to it. We seldom have control over outside variables, and waiting for them to change will only add to the frustration we have with the situation we are involved in. What we do have complete control over is our mindset. If that seems down, we can change it. It sounds cliché, but we hear viewing something as a teaching moment verses a failure can help us so much. All of this may sound easier said than done, but there is a way we can begin to change our mindset.

Last post we spoke about taking Monday off to make us find it less offensive. This doesn’t have to be limited to Monday. Kids getting on your nerves and you find yourself snapping at them when you shouldn’t? It may be time to call a sitter and spend an afternoon at the spa. Your spouse working on your last nerve? Maybe a shopping trip with the girls, or a fishing trip with the guys will refresh your outlook. I am not advocating running away from your problems. If there is something that needs addressing, by all means do so. Sometimes, however, all we need is a little time to catch our breath and revive our outlook.

It amuses me how many people talk themselves out of being able to do these things. “I can’t get a sitter unless I really need one.” I think if it improves the relationship with your children, then some ‘me time’ might be something you need. “My spouse will be unhappy if I go shopping/fishing.” They might be, but if it means you come back with more love and patience for them, and it improves your relationship in the long run, I think they will be happy with that. Especially if you state it like this, “My love, I feel like I am not able to give my best to you and this relationship and a little time away would help me do that.” Who could argue with a statement such as that? Do not say this if it is not genuine. If you are having relationship burnout, which happens in the best couples, it is important to address it before it leads to even greater problems.

It may help to view these breaks as what they are – investments. Taking a break is like a strategic retreat. It will allow you to regroup and meet life head on in a far more productive manner. If you find any part of your life overwhelming, run away from it…for a while. Take a break. Take some ‘me time’. Regroup and come back stronger than ever. Invest in yourself.

TAKE MONDAY OFF!

Here is a post we can all get behind! As I write this, I’m on vacation listening to a steel drum band. The funny thing is, I used to have every Monday off. It was my designated off day. Back then, I loved Mondays. Looked forward to them even!

This got me thinking, how taking off an occasional Monday could change our perception of them. How would your view of Monday change if it involved sleeping in, spending some time at your favorite coffee shop… or maybe listening to a steel drum band? I say do it! Treat yourself. Take a Monday off and plan something fun!

CELEBRATE TODAY!

Today is Happy Friendship Day (really, feel free to Google it) I suggest we all just celebrate the amazing friends we have. There does not have to be an exchange of gifts, just an exchange of hand shakes, high fives, and hugs! Celebrate new friends! Celebrate old friends! How would you choose to celebrate?

SOMETIMES YOU NEED A SIGN

This could be your sign

This week, and next, I will be spending at our local state fair. It is an event that not only brings me great joy, but has a lot of great memories attached to it. I can still recall sitting at a certain food stand with my grandfather when I was just 7 years old.

Wandering around the grounds with my mother, we happened across this sign. I remarked how each of the sayings were good reminders. My mom promptly added “you should write a blog about it”

Here we are, and I am! Here is what I like about signs like this. They take a lot of the work out of staying inspired and motivated. Having visual, or written reminders, around to place inspiring thoughts in your head means you do not have to remember them on your own!

It doesn’t even have to be a sign like this. It can be an inspiring work of art. It could be one of those great workout posters. My favorite is a motivational day-by-day calendar. Either way, having things like this can make living an amazing life less of a mental stress!

IT IS IMPORTANT TO TRY NEW THINGS!

Spending the week at our local state fair, there are many new culinary creations to try. Believe it or not, this is one I tried last night. It is a sausage made with gummy bears on the inside, then garnished with honey mustard and gummy bears on some sort of flavored bun.

This is not an item for the faint of heart. Nor for the faint of stomach I might add. The only other person brave enough to try it was my lovely Margie. By try it, I mean she had one bite and said “Oh no. Not for me.” Still, you have to try crazy things in life on occasion. It keeps you young. Another fun fact, the ladies serving these delightful morsels were all wearing gummy bear earrings!

IT IS MY DAY OF JOY!

Today is a day that I look forward to all year long. It is the first day of our state fair. Just something I have always enjoyed since I was a young child. I prepare for this all year long. I buy tickets ahead of time to save money, plan what day I’m going with who. We even plan what new foods we are going to try. This extends the joy even longer.

What event do you have in your life that you look forward to every year? Are there ways you can extend the enjoyment of it? Maybe take videos while it is happening to watch later? Look at pictures? Wear a t-shirt? Whatever it is, use that to extend your joy and live life to the fullest!

Oh, and if you happen to be at the Wisconsin State Fair, stop and say “Hello” to Margie and me!

STAY FOCUSED

Remember in the middle of the week to focus on those things that spread speak to your soul!

FROM EVERY ANGLE ðŸ¤”

So many times in our lives we can become overwhelmed. A good many of these times is our perception. Inky Johnson, one of my favorite speakers, always says “perspective drives performance” meaning, how we look at things can determine how we act.

We must be careful not to fall in two categories. First, is those who busy themselves with trying to know everything there is and paralyze themselves into inaction. There is a time when you have to go for it!

On the other side of the spectrum, is those who fly into action, or make judgments without having enough information. In order to properly make a decision and come to a conclusion, we must do our best to look at life from as many angles as possible. Hear both sides of the story. Often we find possibilities we never thought of or saw! Today try looking at things from a different angle!