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Gratitude Health & Fitness Think About It

Here’s To Volunteers!

Posted on July 17, 2021

Where would the world be without volunteers? I never fully appreciated how much they did for children and society. Here’s to volunteers!

When I was growing up in rural Canada, there was a volunteer fire department in one of the larger nearby towns. There were coaches for hockey, floor hockey and softball, amongst others. None of them were paid. Additionally, they were usually Dad’s and sometimes Mom’s who wanted to be involved with their children’s activities.

Now with my own children, I can see how much time and effort has gone into the many experiences they have enjoyed. Whether it was the local fair that is run by community members or school trips, so many activities require people to help out.

The school PTA, class trips to museums and parks, or some of the sporting activities, they all require some element of people making things happen without remuneration.

Many people do this work in addition to their job, ferrying kids around and organising their own lives. They organise football triangulars and the requisite car sharing. They also plan out training sessions, exercises and skill enhancement drills.

Today I was at an athletics event for my oldest son. There were lots of parents helping out. Whether it was raking the long jump pit, measuring throwing distances or timing the races, there was a lot to do. In addition, the coaches organised the day including sorting out who was to do which event. It worked very well. It was an entire day.

Without the coaches and the parents, the kids would not have had an athletics event to attend, enjoy or excel at.

Here’s to volunteers!

Action Gratitude Think About It

Choosing Your Charity

Posted on July 16, 2021

Deciding which charity to support is straightforward for some. However, it can also be quite haphazard. Choosing your charity is a personal choice. It can be based on a singular reason or be multifactor.

I had a policy that if friends or colleagues asked me to sponsor them for their activity, I would. And if it involved a children’s charity, I would donate £20. All others would get £5, £10 or £15. Some years I had quite a few requests.

Sometimes I would be so busy at the time of the request, I would forget. Other times they would be on a new charity platform that I had to sign up to. That didn’t always work because if it wasn’t quick and easy, it wouldn’t get done.

We donate to other charities too, based on a few criteria. Although one we support is just because they came to our door and the kids thought we should do it because the person was so nice.

If someone you know is being, or has been, impacted by something, that can make the choice a lot simpler. Also, if your family has always supported a certain charity, you might inherit that habit too.

I do recall the phrase, ‘Charity begins at home.’ This is a good idea. Although it is nice to branch out a little and spread it amongst the community. Not everyone has a family that can help them.

Choosing your charity is a personal decision. How do you decide?

Action Think About It

Set Boundaries

Posted on July 15, 2021

We all need a little structure in our lives. Not too much, of course. However, some can be quite beneficial. Set boundaries too and you are likely to have a happier life.

These boundaries can be with friends, family, co-workers and even your partner. We have many unspoken and unwritten boundaries. These are simply cultural norms for people.

The norm could come from their family culture. Although this could differ from their religious culture. This in turn could be slightly adjusted when it comes to a regional or national culture.

I lot of people think groups are quite homogenous. That would make life, sorting and interactions so much simpler. However, it really isn’t that clear cut.

People have a view of Canadians and lump them altogether. It’s great when they say they are fun, kind and nice. However, people have different boundaries, depending on which province they are from, which city or which group.

French speakers from Quebec may be more tactile than English speakers from Toronto. The former may stand slightly closer and the later slightly further away. It may be just nuanced but boundaries can shift.

You should think about your own boundaries, in terms of physical, mental and spiritual. What is comfortable for you? And realise that those boundaries may be different from people that grew up in a different culture.

Set boundaries that work for you.

Action Reframe your thoughts Time

Shrug And Move On

Posted on July 14, 2021

If you want to improve a frustrating situation, sometimes you need to try a different tactic. Rather than get debating, simply shrug and move on.

There have been some times in my life where I would engage in deep debates or discussions on topics. These were usually hot topics of the day, but most had a common ever-present theme.

So I know it can be very easy to get caught up in a misunderstanding or a disagreement. And you really should understand which it is at first. You should also figure out what your intent is and what the intent of the other party is.

If your intent is to convince the other party that you are ‘right’, then you are probably in for a long, frustrating discussion. Same thing if that is their intent. However, if you are both sitting down to calmly understand the data the other person has, that can be different. Especially if you are both working toward reasonable steps to improve the situation.

Otherwise, why give it energy? If their opinion, or what you assume is their opinion, is not to your liking, ignore it. Save yourself some time and mild anxiety and continue with your day.

You may wish to try to understand why you object to their viewpoint. But also try looking at it from their perspective and why they may have that position. You can’t mind read but you can try to consider what situations might have lead them to this perspective. Try to think of 10 to 15 because the ones that come ready to you are often your own biased stereotypes.

For peace of mind, build up or shrug and move on.

Health & Fitness Observe Reframe your thoughts

Trust Your Intuition

Posted on July 13, 2021

This is a skill you should put some effort into. The more you can practice and improve, the better your decisions may be. Trust your intuition but understand what that means.

Use the force. Amplify your sixth sense. Check your spidy-senses. Are they tingling? There are many ways to convey the idea of intuition or gut feeling. It has been presented in many different forms in real life, on TV and in movies.

And of course you can dismiss it, denigrate it or ignore it. However, I do not suggest you do that. Rather, I suggest that you try to relax your mind and body and develop the skill. Learn to understand yourself when things seem not quite right.

The more you do this the more you will trust your instinct and act on it. This should help you make better decisions more often.

You know you have experienced this at various times. I am sure you have said, “something doesn’t feel quite right.” You may not always know why you are feeling that way, but you may note the sensation. This is a good start. Observing the disturbance in you is a first step. Interpreting why you are noting it is another.

Trust your intuition while you continue to refine it.

Action Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts Weight loss

Consistency Is Powerful

Posted on July 12, 2021

Getting started can be tough. Continuing can be even harder. But that is the work you need to do to succeed. Consistency is powerful both in terms of confidence and outcomes.

A consistent drip of water is enough to put a dent or hole in a rock over time. You may not get the result you want straight away, but over time the probability of reaching your goal increases.

You can see this with any goal you are aiming at. If you are consistent with the foods and drinks you consume, you can reduce or maintain your weight. Keeping to a daily and weekly exercise regime will work wonders to tone your body and improve your fitness.

The great feeling of seeing daily or weekly improvements also builds confidence. Inconsistent approaches return uncertain results. This in turn weakens your faith in the process. With a reduction in faith, you are less likely to continue to do the things you are supposed to do. This creates an unnecessary loss in confidence.

You see, the flywheel can work both ways. It can help you improve, gain confidence and flourish. However, the negative reinforcement can also accelerate your demise.

Consistency is powerful. Use it to your benefit.

Action Progress Reframe your thoughts Time

Reach For The Stars

Posted on July 11, 2021

Think big and aim high. Things often take longer than you hope or plan. And the first iteration is a shadow of the next ones. Reach for the stars because you can.

Watching the Virgin Galactic livestream on Sunday afternoon reminded me how progress is made. Sir Richard Branson started dreaming about space flight a long time ago. He set up a company to make it happen in 2004. They thought they would be flying to space by 2006 or even 2008.

However, here we are 17 years after they started their quest. So things can take longer. Especially if the dreams are the bigger ones and no one has ever done it previously. Groundbreaking work takes time, money, dedication, patience and perseverance.

The tech they have engineered making the equipment reusable is brilliant. In addition, the comfort level looks sufficient for a wider variety of people to use. It is a very exciting time for space again! In addition to this exciting progress with space tourism, Mars is being explored more fully.

It was wonderful to see the mission completed successfully. Although I would like the space part to last longer, this is only the beginning. Remember the evolution of the TV, recorded music or even the telephone. Looking back at the first computers, laptops or iPhone’s also demonstrates how far things have progressed in such little time.

What other space companies are now going to pop up throughout the ‘20’s? Perhaps space truly is the final frontier.

Reach for the stars!

Action Observe Reframe your thoughts

Be Selective

Posted on July 10, 2021

I am sure you think you are. Most of us do. We choose our friends, foods we eat, places we go and jobs. Choice is one thing but be selective too.

There is a slight distinction between selecting and being selective. You can enter a store and select a loaf of bread from the range presented. However, if you are selective, you will consider your choice beyond your habitual preference or first glance.

Take a moment when selecting something and really consider why you are selecting it. Think through your why and then think about whether it truly does satisfy your desired result.

This takes you from the general to the specific. Buying any loaf of bread is fine. However, can it have seeds or are their allergies amongst the eaters? Do people prefer granary or white? Will you need half a loaf or a full one? Do people prefer the thick, medium or thin sliced loaves? There are many other considerations too. Gluten is one. Cheese is another. Olives could be another.

Remember to think things through in all the areas of your life. Are the friends you have, the ones you need with you for the next five years? How do they bring joy or improvement to your life on a daily basis? Just because you have eaten that bread or had that friend for years, doesn’t mean it must continue.

Be selective in what you read, say, write, watch, eat, drink, see and do.

Financial Gratitude Reframe your thoughts

Treasure Your Goals

Posted on July 9, 2021

Do you remember having dreams, wishes and goals in life? Are they hard to recall? You need them back. Treasure your goals, your dreams and your wishful thinking.

The wonderful yet challenging thing about life is that we can change our mind. However, we can also get distracted or busy with the day to day activities.

We sign up to things, groups and challenges as we become aware of them. But unless we are steadfast in our thinking, we can easily drift away from our original desires.

We might meet new friends that shift us in a different direction. Our new job might draw us further way from our mission in life.

These things happen so slowly we rarely notice the tug on our arm. We might look back and think we will be there again. So we head off on our new adventure and allow time to bury the dreams we grew up with.

It can happen to some and often seems to happen to many. But you can do something about that now. Because you are aware that this has happened, you can adjust things. However, it is easy to do nothing as well. You can simply continue on the path you are on.

You can allow other people to distract you with their desires (lets go out, join me on holiday, let’s speak on the phone, meet me for lunch). Although it may not get you any closer to your true desires and dreams.

Get clear on what brings you income and what brings you joy. Eliminate all else. Do the work but treasure your goals.

Action Gratitude Think About It Weight loss

Who Inspires You?

Posted on July 8, 2021

Stop and think about this. Is there anyone? Was there a person you followed as a child or in your youth? Who inspires you?

It may not simply be a who either. It could be a what that provides you with inspiration. For example, the idea of paying off your house mortgage might inspire you. Alternatively, becoming a fine doctor and saving people’s lives might do it.

Inspiration can come from other places too. You could be looking ahead to the person you want to be in 10 years time. It might be easier to consider someone else. You might even pick and choose certain aspects from many different people. What qualities do you like or appreciate? Which ones would you absolutely love to have, without question or hesitation?

When you know who has a positive impact on your mental state, you can consider how you could think like them in a given circumstance.

The moment of inspiration reminds me of the saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” At some point, something or someone will inspire you to do something. You may decide to get your house in order or your finances. You might change jobs, start exercising or build your ideal life.

Whatever sparks a quest in you to improve your life, or that of others, should be appreciated. Make sure you give thanks.

Who inspires you?