Yesterday, the high temperature was nearly 100 F (38C) in south Texas. A line of thunderstorms came through in the middle of night bringing much needed rain. A brisk, cooling wind stayed around for most of the morning. Today, the high temperature is 76F (24.4C). What a pleasant difference. The weather provides a good life’s lesson. If we don’t quit, things will change. Chances are, they’ll change for the better. If we let negative thinking take hold we begin catastrophizing assuming the worst possible outcome. It’s better to take a wait and see attitude and continue to grind, holding on to hope that it will all work out. It will. Hang in there.
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A Better Life ~ Want to Feel Great?
When was the last time you walked holding hands with the special person in your life? Skin is the largest organ in our body and when it is touched it sends good and bad touch messages to our brain. When our touches are tender, filled with love like a hug our brain releases a hormone called oxytocin makes us feel good and firms up emotional and social bonds while lowering anxiety and fear (see WebMd). Put holding hands, close dancing, and hugging high on the list with your special person.
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A Better Life ~ Open the Door to Unlimited Possibilities
If you don’t quit, you have a chance to win. If you don’t quit, you open the door to unlimited possibilities. If you’re tenacious and hold on and keep grinding you may change the outcome. Don’t listen to the false voices that tell you to stop and take it easy. They’re not your friends. Your friend is the inner voice that is saying, ‘you can do it, c’mon, give it another try. C’mon, one more day, tomorrow may be the day where it all comes together.’ Unleash your fighting spirit. It’s inside you. It’s the spirit that doesn’t take no for an answer. it’s the spirit that sees the finish line. It’s the spirit that will propel you forward. Never quit. Never give up.
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A Better Life ~ What Do You Value?
A friend told me that people do what they want to do. That gave me something to think about. It made me think about how I spend my time. Where we spend our time identifies what we value. The more time we spend with it, the more we value it. We can say we value something, but the test is how much time do we spend either supporting what we value or with what we value. Ask yourself what you value most in your life. What if it were taken away from you, how would you feel? This simple test will help you determine what you value most. Make a list of the three most important things you value. Determine how much time you spend on each of these three things. Is it time to reallocate time to what is really important to you? You’ll never regret going all in on what is important. For me it has always come down to family, faith, and health. What are your three?
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A Better Life ~Listening, Learning, and Adapting
I know folks who live by the motto, ‘My way or the highway.’ In other words, if they can’t get their way, they get angry. It applies to the TV shows they watch, what they eat, where they go out to dinner. Their lists are endless. They are not able to adapt to the needs of others or to changing circumstances. When we actively listen and are open to trying new experiences, we find that those we are interacting with become more open to trying new experiences with us. When we learn to flow gracefully with life’s circumstances, life becomes more enjoyable. Listening, learning, and adapting are tools to a happier life. Make listening, learning, and adapting a way of life.
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🤗 A Better Life ~ Don’t Fear Life
Sometimes life comes at us nice and easy, like slow jazz. It would be nice if it were always like that. It’s not. There are times when our only choice is to suck it up, put on a brave face and step into the bitter cold northwest wind. When we choose to suck it up and step into the wind, we cease being victims, we empower ourselves. With each step we take, our confidence grows. We grow stronger and more resilient. Here’s hoping you have lots of slow jazz days. And, when the bitter cold west northwest wind strikes, here’s hoping you suck it up, step out, take its best shot, and keep moving.
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🤗 A Better Life ~ Be Aware of Your Thoughts
What we think about leads to what we talk about. What we talk about leads to the actions we take. If we’re thinking about food, chances are we’ll check out the fridge and look for a snack. The good news is, we can control what we are thinking about. Â If our thoughts are negative and angry, are actions will quickly follow. If our thoughts are positive and optimistic, our constructive action and good deeds follow. It’s clear what kind of thinking leads to good actions and great accomplishments.You are the master of your thoughts. This makes you the master of your destiny.
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🤗 A Better Life ~ Channeling Anger for Good
Giving in to anger comes without much opposition. Yet, once we jump on that wagon, we careen down a steep slope. Venting our anger releases pent up emotional energy, but it comes at a cost. There’s a different way. Instead of letting anger control us, we can manage our anger and use it to good advantage. Imagine driving a car where the accelerator pedal is glued to the floor. We’re trying to control a car going 100 MPH Â (160 KM/H). It’s not going to be easy. When the accelerator pedal is under our control, we have greater control over the car. It’s the same way with anger. When we control our anger, we can use it to make constructive changes, challenge injustice, or engage in a peaceful dialogue with an opponent. Anger happens, but it doesn’t have to control us.
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🤗 A Better Life ~ Living with No Regrets
It’s human nature not to recognize how much we miss something or someone until it is gone. When it is gone, the pain sets in. We often feel it deeply and we wish things were the way they were. Although we cannot eliminate the pain of losing something or someone, we can appreciate what we have. When we appreciate what we have and are grateful for what have and give ourselves to the people we love and love them unconditionally, we will be living a life with no regrets. Â Having regrets compounds the pain one feels at separation. Fill your hearts with gratitude for what is and love deeply, you’ll always be grateful you did. You will have no regrets.
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🤗 A Better Life ~ Walking and Talking with the One You Love
Lots of people walk in my area. It’s nice to see people getting out and walking through the neighborhood. One of my observations is that many couples walking together are really walking alone even though they are next to each other. Each has a cell phone in his/her hand scrolling through whatever app is important to them. Communication is the cement that holds the  building blocks of a good relationship together. Walking together gives people a chance to share the ups and downs of their days. It gives them an opportunity to talk about kids, where to eat for dinner, where to go on vacation, and what kind of dog they should buy. There are endless topics to talk about. Enjoy these moments of communication, they are special.
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