Do It

One of my two New Years Themes is "Do It"

Long before Nike started using the motto “Just Do It”, my boss was using the phrase at work.  He didn’t (and still doesn’t) like too many questions.  So, if I was working on a project and had a decision to make, plus a question or two, his response would be “Just do it.  I’ll check the whole thing when you’re done.”  To me this seemed like a total waste of time.  What if I made the wrong decisions?  What if I did the whole project wrong?  Why not just answer my questions, so I can do it right the first time?

In his mind, it was easier to check it as a whole project than to answer individual aspects of it; making decisions about each little thing when he wasn’t directly working on the project.  Even if I missed the mark on it, most of what I had done would still be salvageable.

Over time, I began to see this as a useful way to address most things in life.  Before using this as a type of "life philosophy," I’d think something to death before acting on it, and that still didn’t ensure a correct decision; it just delayed the decision, and left me questioning what I was doing.  Sometimes, overthinking caused me to be overwhelmed, and so I just did nothing.

Now that I’ve conscientiously put it into practice, it’s worked out great for me:
I wanted to go to Europe.  So, at ages 49 and 50, I went to Europe.
I wanted to get my Bachelor’s Degree.  So, at age 52, I got my Bachelor’s degree.
I wanted to write a book.  So, at age 52, I wrote a book (unpublished).

There are so many things in this life that I still want to do.  I need to get off my butt, and just

 do it!

How I spent New Year's Eve

I spent New Year's Eve this year with my husband (a rare opportunity, because he usually works all day and then wants to go to bed early), playing Wii Sports, drinking chocolate wine, and sneezing.  I have a cold, and it seems to be getting worse instead of better.

However, I didn't want to miss posting my philosophical approach to 2016...
I see New Years as a chance for a new beginning.  My sins of the past are dead and buried, my hopes for the future are just within my grasp.  Like the old saying goes, “today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Technically, I gave up on New Year’s Resolutions many years ago, but I can’t quite help but think about what they would be, if I were to list them.  One of my old blog posts was somehow, magically, emailed to me this morning, and I thought, “that sounds pretty good.  I’ll do that.”  So, I’m making a New Year’s “Theme” (actually, 2):

  “Do It” and “Be Myself”.  

Both parts of these themes have a history to them, which I might go into later.
From my 2013 blogpost:

"Rules to Live By"

(in no particular order)

Only eat if I'm hungry.

Stop eating when I'm full.

The couch and laptop are not bodily parts, 

so make an effort to break away from them once in a while.

Go for a walk.

Take care of tasks as they come up instead of adding to the never-ending "to do" list.

Just "be"; live in the moment.  Quit reliving the past and worrying about/planning the future.

Forgive.  Let go.

Try new things.

Do what makes me happy.

Say what I feel.

Relax.  Meditate and pray.

Learn.

Be kind.

Help others.

Listen.

Appreciate.

Count my blessings.

For the full post, click here

What did you do for New Year's Eve?  What are your themes, resolutions, or goals for the new year?

Good Answer

Father's Day

Listen to your father, who gave you life,...

Proverbs 23:22  

Honor your father and your mother...

Exodus 20:12

We learn so much from our fathers, and I think, a lot of times they don't get the attention and recognition that they deserve.  I am so very thankful for my dad. He is a deeply loving, caring individual.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers.

Remember also, to praise The Father.

Be yourself

Disappointment

I seem to be experiencing a lot of it lately.  Mostly, I've become disappointed in several other people over the last couple of weeks, and it has been depressing me.  Therefore, I think (obsess) about it all the time.

The first person, I'll call "Pencil" (so I don't use real names or pronouns), has developed a double standard for the things that "it" can do as opposed to what the other "its" in its house can do.  And, Pencil is just acting really immature.  There's nothing I can do about it except accept this apparently new side of Pencil and get over it.  The people that Pencil is directly affecting need to do the discussing, but Pencil isn't listening, and definitely isn't seeing both sides of the issue.  I feel that Pencil is being very selfish.

The second person, Pillow, just doesn't "get" me, and it's frustrating when trying to communicate.

The third person, Parrot, seems so self-involved, that it's a little difficult to be around.  Parrot is extremely pompous and opinionated, but otherwise, very smart and friendly.

The fourth person is more like a group of people; they are closed-minded and won't even listen to other points of view.  They don't follow tried and true methods, don't speak up when they need help, and completely disregard me as a source of information and experience.

My first reaction (as a result of frustration) is to just ignore it; be numb to it.  If I expect nothing from these people, then I won't be disappointed.  This solution isn't really a solution.  It's just avoidance of a problem.  If I don't work through the problem, then it will always be there, at least in my mind.  Then again, there is no reason for any of these people to change.  They are just being themselves.  I wouldn't want someone to try to change me, and I certainly wouldn't want someone to approach me and tell me that they are disappointed in me.  My reaction to that would probably be one of anger, and in that state, I would have no desire to help repair the other person's opinion of me.

So, really, disappointment in other people is a conundrum.  At least, for me it is.  Maybe I'll come up with a solution some day.  Until then, I just need to not be so judgmental, and to just try to expect people to be themselves, instead of what I perceive themselves to be.

The Croods - Movie Review

I'm not really one of those "deep" movie critics, that analyze a film, explaining all of the nuances and how they correlate to the world we live in.  I really just wanted to say, that I really enjoyed this movie!  I thought it was funny, like in a slap stick kind of way, entertaining, and engaging.  I give it 5 thumbs up.

"The Croods", Written and Directed by Kirk De Micca, Chris Sanders, 2013, Dreamworks