Set realistic goals: Don’t try to change too much too soon.
Typical first few weeks in January at the gym. There are more people working hard to lose the ten pounds they put on over the holidays. Most will quit within a few weeks. If they slowed down and worked consistently they’d achieve their goals. There was this one guy sitting on a bench near the machine I was using. He is about 30 pounds overweight. His face was bright red. I was afraid he was going to have a stroke or heart attack. Eventually, his face and balding head turned pink, that’s progress. He went to the machine next to me. He chose to lift a heavy weight. I was impressed. He managed to lift it, but could only do a couple of reps before he quit. He was bright red again. Maybe he was trying to impress the ladies, I don’t know. I do know if he lifted a much lighter weight and did more reps he’d burn more calories and make more progress toward the heavier weights he wants to lift. I’ve been exercising most of my life. I’ve learned taking it small and slow prevents injuries and if I am consistent in my exercise, I’ll achieve my goals. If you’ve made exercise a goal this year, don’t quit. Don’t get discouraged. We will hit plateaus but work through them. Stay at it.
Life has its ups and downs. We all experience them. When life knocks us down. We have two choices, we can get up and get going, or, we can stay down. There’s no in between. Sometimes when we’re knocked down, it isn’t fair or just. Maybe our mother or lover will listen to us. Most others are too busy with their lives to spend too much time with us if we’re complaining about life’s injustices. What do we do, we suck it up, refuse to quit, and get going again. We’ll show anyone watching that we are tougher than the moment. Yes, we are tougher than the moment!
Daily anagram challenge! Sharpen your brain with today’s anagram puzzle. Unscramble the letters to reveal the hidden word or phrase, and submit your answer to see if you’re correct. Happy puzzling!
I FOUND you and I lost you, All on a gleaming day. The day was filled with sunshine, And the land was full of May. A golden bird was singing Its melody divine, I found you and I loved you, And all the world was mine. I found you and I lost you, All on a golden day, But when I dream of you, dear, It is always brimming May.
Practice gratitude: Take time each day to appreciate the good things in your life.
Practicing gratitude is an act of humility. It is acknowledging thanksgiving for a gift. When one considers it, everything is a gift. We’re not entitled to any of it. It’s there for us to enjoy. Consider the miracle of our bodies. Scientists speculate that there are billions of actions occurring within our bodies at any given moment. Imagine that these happen continuously and harmoniously.. You and I are breathing, walking miracles. Gratitude is the foundational rock of happiness. If we choose to be grateful, we will be happy. They go together. Each night after dinner I go for a walk. I name all the people and events for which I am grateful for during my day. I literally walk with a smile. People must think I’m nuts. No, I jam ust grateful.
There’s a song I like to play when baseball season nears. It’s called Centerfield. Centerfield was written and performed by John Fogarty. Two lines from the song read, “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play today. Look at me I can be centerfield.” The character in the song is brimming with confidence. He knows in his heart that he’s ready to play. All he wants is a chance to play. He’ll show them they didn’t make a mistake. Those lines are a good metaphor for you and me. Put in the work, go for it, you’re ready. Don’t be shy, it’s time to show others what you can do. When opportunity knocks, open the door and tell it, “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play today.”
Daily anagram challenge! Sharpen your brain with today’s anagram puzzle. Unscramble the letters to reveal the hidden word or phrase, and submit your answer to see if you’re correct. Happy puzzling!
Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw— For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law. He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair: For when they reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity, He’s broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity. His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare, And when you reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there! You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air— But I tell you once and once again, Macavity’s not there!
Macavity’s a ginger cat, he’s very tall and thin; You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in. His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed; His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed. He sways his head from side to side, with movements like a snake; And when you think he’s half asleep, he’s always wide awake.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity, For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity. You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square— But when a crime’s discovered, then Macavity’s not there!
He’s outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.) And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s And when the larder’s looted, or the jewel-case is rifled, Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke’s been stifled, Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair Ay, there’s the wonder of the thing! Macavity’s not there!
And when the Foreign Office find a Treaty’s gone astray, Or the Admiralty lose some plans and drawings by the way, There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair— But it’s useless to investigate—Macavity’s not there! And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say: It must have been Macavity!’—but he’s a mile away. You’ll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumb; Or engaged in doing complicated long division sums.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity, There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity. He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare: At whatever time the deed took place—MACAVITY WASN’T THERE ! And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known (I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone) Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!
