Thoughts

Today’s Thought: A Smile is All it Takes

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Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. ~ Mother Teresa

NOTE: I go for a walk each evening after I finish my dinner, clear the table, clean up the mess I’ve made, and turn on the dish washer. It’s a gratitude walk. I give thanks for each of things I am grateful for that I witnessed during my day while I walk. I can’t help but smile as my list grows. I’ll see other people walking, I give them a smile and a “Have a great evening” greeting. Most don’t have a smile when I see them, but when I give them my smile and greeting, they smile and return a greeting. For a brief moment, they let their troubles go. For a brief moment, their world is a bit kinder. It’s easy to do, all one has to do is give a smile and a greeting to bring a bit of sunshine into someone else’s life.

Today’s Thought: Release Your Fears

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Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions. ~ Hafez

NOTE: I read the news online. I avoid cable talk and news shows. They have one thing in common, they all use one ingredient, fear. They advocate for their position by showing why I should be fearful of the opposing position. There’s no effort to discover middle ground or to sort out the truth from fiction. I recently saw a late night host do a bit on billionaires who are building survivalist bunkers. What are they afraid of? One billionaire even created a fiery moat around his bunker. Fear has gripped them tighter than a boa constrictor wrapping itself around its prey. Fear parallelizes. Fear places a wall in front of freedom. Fear restricts creative thinking. Fear holds us prisoner inside a cell and leaves the cell door unlocked knowing we will be too fearful to let go of our fears to open the door and walk away. What fears are you holding on to? What fears do you have that are irrational? How would you feel if you could let go of your fears and start living?

Get Healthy: Check the Anger at the Door, It’s Unhealthy

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Holding on to anger can have a range of debilitating effects on both your physical and mental health, as well as on your relationships and overall quality of life. Here are some of the key impacts:

  1. Physical Health: Persistent anger can trigger a range of physical health issues. It activates the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, leading to an increase in stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This can elevate blood pressure, increase the risk of heart disease, weaken the immune system, and contribute to inflammation, among other health issues.
  2. Mental Health: Anger can also take a toll on your mental health. It is associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Persistent anger can lead to an overall negative outlook on life, diminish one’s ability to enjoy life, and can even affect cognitive functions like memory and decision-making.
  3. Relationships: Anger can severely strain relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. It can lead to aggressive behavior, arguments, and a breakdown in communication, eroding trust and making it difficult to maintain healthy and supportive relationships.
  4. Quality of Life: Being in a constant state of anger can prevent individuals from experiencing happiness and satisfaction in life. It can overshadow positive emotions, making it hard to appreciate good moments and achievements. This can lead to a cycle of negativity and dissatisfaction.
  5. Behavioral Issues: Anger can lead to harmful behaviors, including substance abuse as a coping mechanism, aggression, and even violence. These behaviors can have legal, social, and personal consequences.
  6. Work and Academic Performance: Anger can affect concentration, motivation, and the ability to work or study effectively. It may lead to conflicts in the workplace or academic settings, negatively impacting performance and opportunities.

Understanding and managing anger through healthy outlets and techniques, such as mindfulness, exercise, therapy, and communication skills, can help mitigate these debilitating effects. Strategies like Appreciative Inquiry, focusing on the positive and potential in people and situations, can also be a powerful tool in transforming anger into constructive and positive outcomes.

Source: ChatGPT

Shut the Door on Yesterday ~ A Poem by Agnes Martin

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Shut the Door on Yesterday

Agnes Martin

I’ve shut the door on yesterday,
It sorrows and mistakes;
I’ve locked within its gloomy walls
Past failures and heartaches

And now I throw the key away
To seek another room
And furnish it with hope and smiles,
And every springtime bloom.

No thought shall enter this abode
That has a hint of pain,
And every malice and distrust
Shall never therein reign.

I’ve shut the door on yesterday
And thrown the key away—
Tomorrow holds no doubt for me,
Since I have found today.

Source

Today’s Inspiring Quote: Think Great Thoughts

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“Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.” –Benjamin Disraeli

Getting Set ~ A Poem by Grantland Rice

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Getting Set

Grantland Rice

WHEN morning brings the end of sleep
I say, “This is my toughest day
I’ll find the shadows dark and deep,
With raw Fate on the right of way
So when Misfortune stops and hails
I do not meet him with a curse ;
I’m propped against the roughest gales,
Since I had figured something worse,

I underwrite the loudest crash
That may befall the erring soul,
And if by chance things go to smash,
I’ve been in training for the role.
But if my path escapes the muck
And I come on a kinder fate,
Or get an even break in luck
I say, “What, ho i But this is great !”

It’s all in how the mind is set,
And so it’s well enough to know
Most days are rainy, dark and wet
Or wind-swept, with a hint of snow;
And if by chance the sun breaks through
To dance among the fading vines
From just one narrow slit of blue,
It’s all the brighter when it shines.

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Today’s Thought: Turn Your Attention from the Past

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Don’t stumble over something behind you. ~ Seneca the Younger

NOTE: Dwelling on past hurts gets one nowhere. Dwelling on what used to be gets one nowhere. Dwelling on what could have been is another time waster. Time spent dwelling on the past detracts from living and enjoying the present moment. When we adhere to the myth, “It’s the way we’ve always done it,” we’re adhering to the past, refusing to consider newer and more effective options. Don’t get hung up on the past. It’s over. Life is lived now. Do what is important today so tomorrow will be even better than today.

Today’s Thought:

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Speaking with kindness creates confidence, thinking with kindness creates profoundness, giving with kindness creates love. ~ Laozi

NOTE: It’s the little things we do that make a big difference. A simple kindness of holding a door for someone. The simple kindness of letting someone with few groceries cut in front. The simple kindness of bringing a neighbor a surprise loaf of bread from the bakery. The simple kindness of remembering a birthday or sending a thank you note. Simple kindnesses are the glue that hold us together. A single simple kindness can make another’s day. Be a kindness generator.

Today’s Thought:

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Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go. ~ Hermann Hesse

NOTE: It’s not easy to let go. Our attachments to the past or to our existing situations are intertwined with emotions and raw feelings and often tied tightly by guilt or anxiety. Letting go isn’t an option if we are to continue to grow and evolve into who we are destined to become. Letting go is a necessity. Imagine a seed saying to the soil, “I like it here, it’s dark and comfortable. I feel safe.” The seed loses its opportunity to burst out of the ground and grow. They seed is programed to burst through the ground. It has no other choices. We’re not similarly programed. We have to choose. Do we choose to grow? Or, do we choose to remain in the soil fearful of what is ahead of us? Which do you choose?

Today’s Word: Loyalty

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Loyalty: Loyalty is a virtue that involves a strong feeling of support or allegiance to someone or something. It encompasses faithfulness, dedication, and an unwavering commitment, regardless of the circumstances. Loyalty can manifest in various aspects of life, including personal relationships, professional environments, and patriotism to one’s country. It implies a mutual respect and trust between parties, where one remains steadfast in their support and defense of the other.

NOTE: Loyalty, for me, is a big deal. Loyalty requires a person to commit to another or something bigger than him or herself. Loyalty is a two-way street. One cannot expect to give loyalty to another when loyalty is not returned. It often means putting another’s interest above our own interest. I have a friend whose loyalty to me is beyond question. I can count on this person in good or tough times. I can count on this person even if it means self sacrifice and it often has. I am equally loyal to this person. Perhaps in some small businesses there is loyalty between the owner and employer. It’s more difficult to expect loyalty from large corporations. Yet, within the large corporation there exist opportunities for loyalty between the worker and his/her supervisor. Loyalty makes relationships work. I can trust you. Can people say that of you? Can you say that of others?

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