The saga of the septic system continues. The septic guy came yesterday and pumped out the tank. He then informed us that we would have to have our septic system replaced prior to selling the house. That's money we really don't want to spend, unfortunately we are going to have to. I just hope the estimate comes in with a decently small number. It's in God's hands so we will wait and see what he says.
As you can tell, things are pretty interesting right now. I can't top that for a topic today and really don't want to go into further details. I am stuck on that one thing and that is not good for what I want my blog to be. And for the record, I have no idea what I want my blog to be, I just know what I don't want it to be. I don't want it to be a place where I air all my problems and troubles in excruciating detail. A brief mention and maybe asking for prayers will be sufficient. I really want this blog to be about issues and things other than complaints that hold no interest for those not in the family.
Well, thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.
Showing posts with label Worry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Worry. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Only 3 days till opening night, Uh oh.
This has been a heck of a week so far and only promises more to come. This is the final week of rehearsals for the musical and things are going slowly. The last 2 days have been less like a rehearsal and more like a drawn out test of in place systems. Granted we need the tests, but it does little for the work on the play. If all goes well, tomorrow night we should be able to run through the play in its entirety tomorrow night with lights and sound on stage with all the props for the first time. I hope it all goes well, otherwise, we could be in trouble since we have the full dress rehearsal with make up the following night and opening night the next night. Did I mention that I am a bit nervous? I hope it all goes well.
Well, I am a bit frazzled at the moment and am having trouble thinking straight (most likely due to the nerves and lines running through my head), so, for that reason, I will close this out. As always, thank you for reading and have a great day.
Well, I am a bit frazzled at the moment and am having trouble thinking straight (most likely due to the nerves and lines running through my head), so, for that reason, I will close this out. As always, thank you for reading and have a great day.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Priorities: Find yours.
Let's start with a notice. I reread what I wrote yesterday and found quite a few glaring grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors. I have since corrected these and must apologize to any of you who care about those things. The rest of you who didn't notice, well, ignore the first three sentences.
Today I wanted to share with you some things that have been going through my head for a while. Then I thought about it and realized that may be a little gross, so I decided to give you this instead. Try and imagine the one thing that would change your life the most. Think on it. Don't just grab the easy, more money. Try and think of something that would make a substantial change. Something that involves more than paying the bills. Something that would make a difference in how you thought of yourself and how you acted. True, vast amounts of money might do that, but would it be a change you would be proud of?
We have all had the dream of being rich and not having to worry about money. Turns out, no matter what you do, you will eventually worry about money. It's just the way we are. If you don't have it, you worry about not having it and what you need it for. If have some but not a lot, you worry that what you are doing with it is right. If you have a lot of it, you worry about other people trying to take it and how you spend it. True, the worries are different, but then, so are we.
I like to go through this mental exercise every once in while, just to remind myself that money doesn't end all our problems, it just changes what those problems are. It becomes more of an attitude adjustment at that point. Yes, I would love to have a few hundred thousand dollars to get myself out of debt and living comfortably, but how would that change me and would I want that change? There is always something I can improve on and money is not something that is key to those improvements. Attitude is. I find it funny that people think that they would be better people if they just had more money. Not true. If you are a jerk (to put it kindly) before you have money, you tend to be a jerk after you get it. Money is an amplifier. It usually amplifies the trait you least like about yourself. The guy who never paid for a date, he spent all his money on cars, houses, and parties. The guy who was rude to the homeless, he ignores his old friends because they can't afford to hang with him.
There are exceptions, there always are. But usually, what you see as exceptions, are just amplifications of the rule. The couple that won the lotto and founded and ran several charities, they were active volunteers in their community before they won. The guy who payed off his debts and the debts of his family, he was struggling to get by and paid his debts before he fed himself. Money amplifies not only our personality, it amplifies our priorities.
In the bible, it says, "the love of money is the root of all evil." This has been perverted to "money is the root of evil." While to a degree this is true, I think it is more accurate to say, "money amplifies evil." The more money you have, the more obvious your priorities. Ask yourself what you would do with the money if you won the lottery. Would you invest it to make more? Maybe you would pay off all your debt first. Maybe you would give a bit to charity. Or would you just spend it on a bunch of toys? Where you put that money tells a lot about where your priorities are. What you find important is where you will put your time and energy as well as your money. By asking yourself these questions and being honest with the answers, you will find what you deem worthy of your time.
Now for the clincher. Where is your family on the list? Is it first? If not, what are you giving up your family for? Now is the time to adjust your priorities, not when you win the lottery. If your priorities are right now, they will be right later.
In closing, I just want to say that, by investing in things that are worthwhile (I can't think of anything more worthwhile than my God and Family), you can't help but be content. I am not saying you will be monetarily rich or that it will be easy. I am saying that even when things are tough, you will be able to find a way to smile. That investment will give you the strength you need to get through those tough times. Take a second and discover your priorities. Better to adjust them now and find contentment, then be miserable when you find your priorities left you alone.
Today I wanted to share with you some things that have been going through my head for a while. Then I thought about it and realized that may be a little gross, so I decided to give you this instead. Try and imagine the one thing that would change your life the most. Think on it. Don't just grab the easy, more money. Try and think of something that would make a substantial change. Something that involves more than paying the bills. Something that would make a difference in how you thought of yourself and how you acted. True, vast amounts of money might do that, but would it be a change you would be proud of?
We have all had the dream of being rich and not having to worry about money. Turns out, no matter what you do, you will eventually worry about money. It's just the way we are. If you don't have it, you worry about not having it and what you need it for. If have some but not a lot, you worry that what you are doing with it is right. If you have a lot of it, you worry about other people trying to take it and how you spend it. True, the worries are different, but then, so are we.
I like to go through this mental exercise every once in while, just to remind myself that money doesn't end all our problems, it just changes what those problems are. It becomes more of an attitude adjustment at that point. Yes, I would love to have a few hundred thousand dollars to get myself out of debt and living comfortably, but how would that change me and would I want that change? There is always something I can improve on and money is not something that is key to those improvements. Attitude is. I find it funny that people think that they would be better people if they just had more money. Not true. If you are a jerk (to put it kindly) before you have money, you tend to be a jerk after you get it. Money is an amplifier. It usually amplifies the trait you least like about yourself. The guy who never paid for a date, he spent all his money on cars, houses, and parties. The guy who was rude to the homeless, he ignores his old friends because they can't afford to hang with him.
There are exceptions, there always are. But usually, what you see as exceptions, are just amplifications of the rule. The couple that won the lotto and founded and ran several charities, they were active volunteers in their community before they won. The guy who payed off his debts and the debts of his family, he was struggling to get by and paid his debts before he fed himself. Money amplifies not only our personality, it amplifies our priorities.
In the bible, it says, "the love of money is the root of all evil." This has been perverted to "money is the root of evil." While to a degree this is true, I think it is more accurate to say, "money amplifies evil." The more money you have, the more obvious your priorities. Ask yourself what you would do with the money if you won the lottery. Would you invest it to make more? Maybe you would pay off all your debt first. Maybe you would give a bit to charity. Or would you just spend it on a bunch of toys? Where you put that money tells a lot about where your priorities are. What you find important is where you will put your time and energy as well as your money. By asking yourself these questions and being honest with the answers, you will find what you deem worthy of your time.
Now for the clincher. Where is your family on the list? Is it first? If not, what are you giving up your family for? Now is the time to adjust your priorities, not when you win the lottery. If your priorities are right now, they will be right later.
In closing, I just want to say that, by investing in things that are worthwhile (I can't think of anything more worthwhile than my God and Family), you can't help but be content. I am not saying you will be monetarily rich or that it will be easy. I am saying that even when things are tough, you will be able to find a way to smile. That investment will give you the strength you need to get through those tough times. Take a second and discover your priorities. Better to adjust them now and find contentment, then be miserable when you find your priorities left you alone.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Happy Hump Day: Yes, Dear.
Happy Hump Day! You'd think I'd be happier since it is my birthday. I'm not. At first, I was excited. After all, it is my birthday. Then I realized that it meant I was older. Not something I like being reminded of (especially since I am one of the older (if not the oldest) military guy in my office). Yup, I am now 37. That's right, 37 years of making mistakes and learning from them. You'd think, by now, I would have learned everything there is to know about making mistakes, but I find I keep making new ones. I have heard from some of my more learned (I'll just use that term instead of older from now on, I think it sounds better) colleagues and friends that you keep making mistakes. Something about no one is perfect. Seems to me that there can only be a finite amount of mistakes one can make. Seems logical anyway. But then you throw in the illogical (i.e. women) and the number of mistakes grow at a rapid rate.
Just when you think you have the rules figured out (usually just before puberty) you realize girls are interesting and the rules completely change. No longer is it cool to dig a hole in the ground to bury your GI Joes. No longer is that ratty game shirt worthy of wearing. No longer is it better to have your fly open than to be seen with a girl. Now, you have to figure out what it is women want. In your infinite wisdom at that age (now a teen), you think you can figure it out given enough time. By the time you realize that you'll never figure out women (and any man who claims he has is either a fool or was once one), you are either to old to be interested in them (that age right before you die), or you are married to one and the rules have changed yet again.
That's right, the rules you used to get her to date you, love you, and then marry you (though not always in that order) changed as soon as she said I do. At this point every man has a decision to make. Either you give up and roll with the punches because no matter what you do, you will anger her at least once a week and have to apologize. You don't even have to be there. Sometimes, you aren't even remotely responsible. For example, I have had days where my wife was angry at me all day because in her dreams I did something to make her mad. How the heck am I supposed to control that?! Admittedly, she has gotten better about it, now she only gets mad when my dream self blatantly cheats on her.
Oh, did I mention that half of the time, they refuse to tell you why they are mad? That's right, we have to guess. Us guys, the ones who took three weeks to take the hint that you wanted us to ask you out. The human beings that still haven't figured out that you want the toilet seat down, even though you've mentioned it for the last 20 years. Yup, we have to guess. And that just makes them madder, usually because we end up listing things they didn't know about, but mostly because we aren't telepathic and can't figure out exactly where we went wrong. Then when they finally tell us why they were mad in the first place, you find it was either something we could do nothing about, something so minor that it wasn't worth mentioning, or sometimes (a small percentage really) something legitimate. Then you factor in the rule that no rule is set in stone (except that one rule that is that you don't learn about until to late), and you are in trouble. Yup, we men can't win.
That being said, I still have a lot to learn. As is obvious from my post, I have said to much and now I have angered the one I love. At least this time I don't have to guess what I did. I just ranted on the wrong thing, exaggerated stuff she didn't find funny, and talked about women in a manner that some might say is disrespectful no matter how true. Yup, I am in trouble. Time to go home and take my licks and do the head bobbing yes dear. You know the move guys. The one where you bob your head and say, "yes, dear," in acknowledgement as the woman you love tells you just how badly you screwed up. You hope to learn from it (I obviously didn't in this case), but you listen and hope you will at least get a good night kiss out of it.
Ladies, I hope the lesson you learn from this is simply that, no matter what he says or does, you have more power over him than anybody else in the world. When you smile, you can get him to do anything. When you frown and snap, he does it faster though. Just saying.
The above was written at an attempt at humor. Only the author was harmed (hopefully) as a result of this post. Ignore all resemblance to real life as it is strictly a coincidence. Thank you. Have a wonderful day and ... what? Yes, dear.
Just when you think you have the rules figured out (usually just before puberty) you realize girls are interesting and the rules completely change. No longer is it cool to dig a hole in the ground to bury your GI Joes. No longer is that ratty game shirt worthy of wearing. No longer is it better to have your fly open than to be seen with a girl. Now, you have to figure out what it is women want. In your infinite wisdom at that age (now a teen), you think you can figure it out given enough time. By the time you realize that you'll never figure out women (and any man who claims he has is either a fool or was once one), you are either to old to be interested in them (that age right before you die), or you are married to one and the rules have changed yet again.
That's right, the rules you used to get her to date you, love you, and then marry you (though not always in that order) changed as soon as she said I do. At this point every man has a decision to make. Either you give up and roll with the punches because no matter what you do, you will anger her at least once a week and have to apologize. You don't even have to be there. Sometimes, you aren't even remotely responsible. For example, I have had days where my wife was angry at me all day because in her dreams I did something to make her mad. How the heck am I supposed to control that?! Admittedly, she has gotten better about it, now she only gets mad when my dream self blatantly cheats on her.
Oh, did I mention that half of the time, they refuse to tell you why they are mad? That's right, we have to guess. Us guys, the ones who took three weeks to take the hint that you wanted us to ask you out. The human beings that still haven't figured out that you want the toilet seat down, even though you've mentioned it for the last 20 years. Yup, we have to guess. And that just makes them madder, usually because we end up listing things they didn't know about, but mostly because we aren't telepathic and can't figure out exactly where we went wrong. Then when they finally tell us why they were mad in the first place, you find it was either something we could do nothing about, something so minor that it wasn't worth mentioning, or sometimes (a small percentage really) something legitimate. Then you factor in the rule that no rule is set in stone (except that one rule that is that you don't learn about until to late), and you are in trouble. Yup, we men can't win.
That being said, I still have a lot to learn. As is obvious from my post, I have said to much and now I have angered the one I love. At least this time I don't have to guess what I did. I just ranted on the wrong thing, exaggerated stuff she didn't find funny, and talked about women in a manner that some might say is disrespectful no matter how true. Yup, I am in trouble. Time to go home and take my licks and do the head bobbing yes dear. You know the move guys. The one where you bob your head and say, "yes, dear," in acknowledgement as the woman you love tells you just how badly you screwed up. You hope to learn from it (I obviously didn't in this case), but you listen and hope you will at least get a good night kiss out of it.
Ladies, I hope the lesson you learn from this is simply that, no matter what he says or does, you have more power over him than anybody else in the world. When you smile, you can get him to do anything. When you frown and snap, he does it faster though. Just saying.
The above was written at an attempt at humor. Only the author was harmed (hopefully) as a result of this post. Ignore all resemblance to real life as it is strictly a coincidence. Thank you. Have a wonderful day and ... what? Yes, dear.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Weekend up date and other things
Tuesday and all is well. OK, sort of. The usual stuff is going on. Soccer practice, rehearsal, and meals. Maybe that is why I am going insane. I just keep going on with things that I have to do and places I have to be. So close and yet so far. Am I rambling, I think I am rambling. Guess it's time to perform the weekend up date.
Here goes nothing. This weekend my brother in came in for a few days. I think I mentioned that Friday. Anyway, it was a good weekend. The weather was nice so we were able to enjoy our sons' soccer games. They both did well. We were busy Saturday because of it though. Sunday went well and we were able to enjoy ourselves further. That is until I had to go to work at 9:30 pm. I had to work graves Sunday night. There was only 1 job, but I did OK. At least I got to spend Monday at home. I did sleep half the day though. That is why there was no Monday post. That and it was my anniversary. That's right, 13 years of marriage to the most wonderful woman in the world. Here's to, oh, let's say, a few millenia more. The topper came when the Cowboys won on MNF. Good day all around.
This isn't to say that nothing bad happened this weekend, just more good than bad. The down side of this weekend? My phone has decided that it doesn't want to charge properly. I have a work around so I don't need to get a new phone, it is just darn annoying. Most people would say to just get a new phone, so let me explain why I don't want a new one. Yes, dear, I just said I don't want a new one. First off, I don't want to sign a new 2 year contract to get a new phone. I retire and leave the area (probably) in about 16 months. This means that if I go to an area that Verizon doesn't cover, then I will still have 8 months left on a contract for a phone I can't use. Thus no new contract allowed. Secondly, we aren't rich and thus can't afford to shell out the $200 that a new phone costs without a new contract. Thirdly, I am limited in what phones I can have right now as I am not allowed to take a phone with a camera on it into work (my current phone doesn't have one so I am OK). The next time I get a new phone, I want to get a nice one and that means it will probably have a camera. If I wait until after I retire, I should be able to get the nice phone I want. This all adds up to no new phone for me. Sure I may have to trade batteries with my wife's phone every morning, but that isn't to much of a hassle. I will deal with it.
So that was the bad side of the weekend. It probably wouldn't have been that bad, except that I went off a bit when I first found the problem and now my wife is convinced that I want to drop $400 on a new phone. Now, every time I note that the battery on my phone is dead, I get to hear a worried lecture on how we are broke and can my new phone wait. I think I've said, I am fine with my phone and that I'll work around it at least a dozen times now. Hopefully this will change that. If not, I will live with it. That's what I get for freaking out that I didn't have a phone. For those of you who don't know us all that well, I love my wife deeply and do not mean any of this in a negative sense. I refer you to the opening announcement of my 13 years of wedded....OK, maybe not bliss, but definitely mostly happy times. Hey, it's marriage and life, and thus it isn't always happy. My marriage is about 90% happy (the remaining 10% is 5% my fault, 1% hers, and 4% confusing) and that is pretty darn good. Especially, with 4 boys in the house. That being said, I will probably hear about this post when I get home and my wife and I will talk about this and hug afterwards.
Keep your chins up, and don't let the world get you down. Have a great day and I will post tomorrow. Thank you
Here goes nothing. This weekend my brother in came in for a few days. I think I mentioned that Friday. Anyway, it was a good weekend. The weather was nice so we were able to enjoy our sons' soccer games. They both did well. We were busy Saturday because of it though. Sunday went well and we were able to enjoy ourselves further. That is until I had to go to work at 9:30 pm. I had to work graves Sunday night. There was only 1 job, but I did OK. At least I got to spend Monday at home. I did sleep half the day though. That is why there was no Monday post. That and it was my anniversary. That's right, 13 years of marriage to the most wonderful woman in the world. Here's to, oh, let's say, a few millenia more. The topper came when the Cowboys won on MNF. Good day all around.
This isn't to say that nothing bad happened this weekend, just more good than bad. The down side of this weekend? My phone has decided that it doesn't want to charge properly. I have a work around so I don't need to get a new phone, it is just darn annoying. Most people would say to just get a new phone, so let me explain why I don't want a new one. Yes, dear, I just said I don't want a new one. First off, I don't want to sign a new 2 year contract to get a new phone. I retire and leave the area (probably) in about 16 months. This means that if I go to an area that Verizon doesn't cover, then I will still have 8 months left on a contract for a phone I can't use. Thus no new contract allowed. Secondly, we aren't rich and thus can't afford to shell out the $200 that a new phone costs without a new contract. Thirdly, I am limited in what phones I can have right now as I am not allowed to take a phone with a camera on it into work (my current phone doesn't have one so I am OK). The next time I get a new phone, I want to get a nice one and that means it will probably have a camera. If I wait until after I retire, I should be able to get the nice phone I want. This all adds up to no new phone for me. Sure I may have to trade batteries with my wife's phone every morning, but that isn't to much of a hassle. I will deal with it.
So that was the bad side of the weekend. It probably wouldn't have been that bad, except that I went off a bit when I first found the problem and now my wife is convinced that I want to drop $400 on a new phone. Now, every time I note that the battery on my phone is dead, I get to hear a worried lecture on how we are broke and can my new phone wait. I think I've said, I am fine with my phone and that I'll work around it at least a dozen times now. Hopefully this will change that. If not, I will live with it. That's what I get for freaking out that I didn't have a phone. For those of you who don't know us all that well, I love my wife deeply and do not mean any of this in a negative sense. I refer you to the opening announcement of my 13 years of wedded....OK, maybe not bliss, but definitely mostly happy times. Hey, it's marriage and life, and thus it isn't always happy. My marriage is about 90% happy (the remaining 10% is 5% my fault, 1% hers, and 4% confusing) and that is pretty darn good. Especially, with 4 boys in the house. That being said, I will probably hear about this post when I get home and my wife and I will talk about this and hug afterwards.
Keep your chins up, and don't let the world get you down. Have a great day and I will post tomorrow. Thank you
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Skipped Monday, Update Tuesday.
As you can see, I didn't blog yesterday. There is a reason for that. I was too busy getting drilled at the dentist in the morning and felt it wouldn't be fair to you to hear me whine and complain about the pain in the afternoon. Thus, I decided to skip Monday's post and move on to happier (to a small degree anyway) topics.
Let's start with the weekend update. As I mentioned Friday, This weekend was busy. It started with a soccer game in the drizzling rain (my third son, Mathew's team) which we won. Then moved on to celebrating my oldest's tenth birthday at Red Robin for lunch. We then went to my second son's (David) game which we also won. David also scored his first goal ever. We then finished our grocery shopping and managed to get home just in time for dinner. Sunday was a little less hectic. After church and lunch, we went swimming as a family and had a blast. Then we finally got to relax. While it was busy, it was a good weekend.
Last night, I had my first read through of the musical "Annie!". I am Drake, Warbuck's Butler. Turns out, it is a rather involved part. I am in a lot of scenes and have quite a few lines. Luckily, I have no solos, which is good. I look forward to more of the same.
Finally, this morning, as I was backing out of the driveway, my check engine light on my truck came on. Hopefully it is something small and easy to fix. I will have to get it checked out on my way home. The good news is, the motor sounds good and I don't have any other indications of anything bad, so it may just be an O2 sensor or the gas cap. We'll just have to wait until this afternoon to see what it is.
Now that I have my wife wringing her hands and worrying, I will end this post. Don't worry to much dear, we'll get it fixed and stay within our budget. We don't even know if it is going to cost more than $2 yet so stop panicking. Thank you all for reading. Have a great day.
Let's start with the weekend update. As I mentioned Friday, This weekend was busy. It started with a soccer game in the drizzling rain (my third son, Mathew's team) which we won. Then moved on to celebrating my oldest's tenth birthday at Red Robin for lunch. We then went to my second son's (David) game which we also won. David also scored his first goal ever. We then finished our grocery shopping and managed to get home just in time for dinner. Sunday was a little less hectic. After church and lunch, we went swimming as a family and had a blast. Then we finally got to relax. While it was busy, it was a good weekend.
Last night, I had my first read through of the musical "Annie!". I am Drake, Warbuck's Butler. Turns out, it is a rather involved part. I am in a lot of scenes and have quite a few lines. Luckily, I have no solos, which is good. I look forward to more of the same.
Finally, this morning, as I was backing out of the driveway, my check engine light on my truck came on. Hopefully it is something small and easy to fix. I will have to get it checked out on my way home. The good news is, the motor sounds good and I don't have any other indications of anything bad, so it may just be an O2 sensor or the gas cap. We'll just have to wait until this afternoon to see what it is.
Now that I have my wife wringing her hands and worrying, I will end this post. Don't worry to much dear, we'll get it fixed and stay within our budget. We don't even know if it is going to cost more than $2 yet so stop panicking. Thank you all for reading. Have a great day.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Nothing important
Today, my sons are having friends over for their first sleep over. This should be interesting. A bunch of 8 year olds sleeping away from home for the first time. Anyone else expecting a bit of anxiety? At least they all live close enough that it won't take long for them to get home. I remember when I grew up sleep overs were a bit more complicated. My closest friend was a mile away and thus sleep overs were not something you could back out of. We'll see how it goes.
There really isn't anything pressing on my mind today, so I have no idea where this is taking me. Want to come along for the ride? The wife and I are still looking for a realtor to aid us in selling our house. We haven't really gotten anything solid yet and are still wondering which direction to go. I really hope we find one soon. I am up in the air about where we will go when I retire. To be honest, I have had reservations about returning to Iowa and am unsure of where I need to be. I still have a while to figure it out, but it is something that is eating at me. First things first though, and that is getting the house sold. We'll figure it out. We usually do. Not much else to say today. Seems that I said enough the past couple of days. Have a great day. And have fun.
There really isn't anything pressing on my mind today, so I have no idea where this is taking me. Want to come along for the ride? The wife and I are still looking for a realtor to aid us in selling our house. We haven't really gotten anything solid yet and are still wondering which direction to go. I really hope we find one soon. I am up in the air about where we will go when I retire. To be honest, I have had reservations about returning to Iowa and am unsure of where I need to be. I still have a while to figure it out, but it is something that is eating at me. First things first though, and that is getting the house sold. We'll figure it out. We usually do. Not much else to say today. Seems that I said enough the past couple of days. Have a great day. And have fun.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
What, me Worry?
Yesterday was a good day. I ended up playing games with my boys. The best was when I got to watch my 5 year old beat my 9 year old at checkers. He was so excited that he left the board alone until he had a chance to re enact the winning play for everyone. It was awesome. I love being able to teach my sons new games and watching them excel at them. I also love the fact that my boys get along and play well together (most of the time anyway).
This week has been going incredibly slow. Maybe it's because I go on leave next Monday and head for Italy next Thursday. The great thing is I get time with my wife. There are so many things to be thankful for. I find I have very few worries. When I do get them, they tend to fade away rapidly when I think about them a bit. I find that worry, by itself, does no good. When I look at what I worry about, I realize that the worry is based on things that I either have no control over or that can be easily avoided or minimized by what I have already done. Either way, they are nothing worth worrying about. Really, what do I have to worry about? I have the love of my wife and children (which I wholly reciprocate). I have my needs covered. I know that no matter what happens, a way will be found to get through it.
Why worry about what might happen? Why dwell on things that may never happen? The only thing you can do is plan for what will happen. And the only future event of which we can be assured, is death. No one knows when it will happen, but it will come to us all. So we plan for it. I have life insurance and thus my family will be taken care of. I have a will, and thus my material things will be passed on. Other than that, we can try to plan for the possible. Save some money back in case of lean times, plan for vacations, maybe save for your kids education.
I am not advocating ignoring facts and going hog wild (I.E. spending everything you have and taking on massive amounts of debt), but not worrying about every little thing. What this means is, when a worry crops up, you address it and place it in its place. If it is something you have no control over, recognize it and ignore it. If you can do something about it, take action. For instance, if you start worrying that you may not have enough money for gas, set aside an appropriate amount and it is taken care of. If you find yourself worrying that you may be on the list to get laid off, take action. Become that stellar performer and make yourself what you need to be to stay. If you happen to be in one of those jobs that is of the "last hired first fired" sorts, start looking for another job that will take care of you. Do it right, but take action. Action stops worry. Worry is a spectator sport. If you are watching events occur, you worry about how they affect you. If you are actively involved in directing them, you don't have time to worry about them and you can sleep at night knowing that you are doing all you can for a favorable outcome.
There are many benefits to this philosophy. I continually am told that I don't look near as old as I am (I was told this weekend that I looked about 25ish, I am 36). Some of it maybe genetics, but I also attribute it to my philosophy on worry. I used to say it was because I don't care. That was a lie. I do care, I just don't waste my time with worry. Think about it. If you ware worrying, you tend to scowl and frown. This action builds wrinkles and also can affect your health. I used to get heartburn a lot. Since I embraced this philosophy totally (I get to thank my wife for making it possible), I found that I don't get heartburn near as much. It is just so wonderful a feeling knowing that I do what I can to mitigate the worry.
There is a couple of downsides though. The first is that you tend to smile a lot. This annoys other people. You get comments that may be embarrassing or otherwise. You also get categorized as a fool sometimes. It can be perceived that you don't understand the world or how to live properly. This means people may or may not trust you based on the perception that you don't care. I don't understand how care and worry are synonymous, but that seems to be the perception. Apparently, if you don't worry about it, you don't care about it. I believe the opposite, if you worry about it, you aren't caring for it. As I mentioned earlier, worry is a passive verb, there is no action involved in worry (wringing of hands doesn't count). Care, on the other hand, requires an action verb. If you care for something, you must take action to ensure its health. So how can you be inactive (worry) and care for something? Think on it. Try it and see how it affects your life.
This week has been going incredibly slow. Maybe it's because I go on leave next Monday and head for Italy next Thursday. The great thing is I get time with my wife. There are so many things to be thankful for. I find I have very few worries. When I do get them, they tend to fade away rapidly when I think about them a bit. I find that worry, by itself, does no good. When I look at what I worry about, I realize that the worry is based on things that I either have no control over or that can be easily avoided or minimized by what I have already done. Either way, they are nothing worth worrying about. Really, what do I have to worry about? I have the love of my wife and children (which I wholly reciprocate). I have my needs covered. I know that no matter what happens, a way will be found to get through it.
Why worry about what might happen? Why dwell on things that may never happen? The only thing you can do is plan for what will happen. And the only future event of which we can be assured, is death. No one knows when it will happen, but it will come to us all. So we plan for it. I have life insurance and thus my family will be taken care of. I have a will, and thus my material things will be passed on. Other than that, we can try to plan for the possible. Save some money back in case of lean times, plan for vacations, maybe save for your kids education.
I am not advocating ignoring facts and going hog wild (I.E. spending everything you have and taking on massive amounts of debt), but not worrying about every little thing. What this means is, when a worry crops up, you address it and place it in its place. If it is something you have no control over, recognize it and ignore it. If you can do something about it, take action. For instance, if you start worrying that you may not have enough money for gas, set aside an appropriate amount and it is taken care of. If you find yourself worrying that you may be on the list to get laid off, take action. Become that stellar performer and make yourself what you need to be to stay. If you happen to be in one of those jobs that is of the "last hired first fired" sorts, start looking for another job that will take care of you. Do it right, but take action. Action stops worry. Worry is a spectator sport. If you are watching events occur, you worry about how they affect you. If you are actively involved in directing them, you don't have time to worry about them and you can sleep at night knowing that you are doing all you can for a favorable outcome.
There are many benefits to this philosophy. I continually am told that I don't look near as old as I am (I was told this weekend that I looked about 25ish, I am 36). Some of it maybe genetics, but I also attribute it to my philosophy on worry. I used to say it was because I don't care. That was a lie. I do care, I just don't waste my time with worry. Think about it. If you ware worrying, you tend to scowl and frown. This action builds wrinkles and also can affect your health. I used to get heartburn a lot. Since I embraced this philosophy totally (I get to thank my wife for making it possible), I found that I don't get heartburn near as much. It is just so wonderful a feeling knowing that I do what I can to mitigate the worry.
There is a couple of downsides though. The first is that you tend to smile a lot. This annoys other people. You get comments that may be embarrassing or otherwise. You also get categorized as a fool sometimes. It can be perceived that you don't understand the world or how to live properly. This means people may or may not trust you based on the perception that you don't care. I don't understand how care and worry are synonymous, but that seems to be the perception. Apparently, if you don't worry about it, you don't care about it. I believe the opposite, if you worry about it, you aren't caring for it. As I mentioned earlier, worry is a passive verb, there is no action involved in worry (wringing of hands doesn't count). Care, on the other hand, requires an action verb. If you care for something, you must take action to ensure its health. So how can you be inactive (worry) and care for something? Think on it. Try it and see how it affects your life.
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