Doing things can get in the way. But there is so much that needs to be done. And all that needs to be done gets in the way of all the other things we need and want to do. How is it possible to pick the first thing that must be done? What comes second? Productive procrastination is a trap. When we wake up in the morning there are priorities. When I wake up, my priorities are exercise, reading, and…
Wings went woosh! Head upside down. The funniest way to fly around town. – Early in the morning, Red was always seen flying upside down on his morning routine. – Red flapped to the diner, breakfast a piece of pie, then fluttered to the playground, feet pointed to the sky. – Other ducks were playing, gliding down the slide. Red always watched, but today decided to try. – Wings went woosh! Down the slide so fast. Joining the other ducks,…
When a Mom is done her week at work she should get a break. If you give a Mom a break, a break she will never take. If you give a Mom a break she will do the chores. she will throw the laundry in and mop the entire floor. If you give a Mom a break and everything is clean, she will find more to fit into her routine. If you give a Mom a break and all her…
Monday, January 2, 2023 Happy New Year! Welcome to 2023. Thank you for reading in 2022, I am very excited for what the new year will bring. If you typically follow the newsletter but do not navigate to practice-optimism.com, please make sure you take a look at some of the new material on the website. There are new articles, children’s stories, and more in-depth conversations about the topics we cover every Monday. Thank you again and enjoy! Don’t, You Can’t,…
A man approached a woman and said, “What a beautiful work of art.” She asked, “Do you know anything about it?” He replied, “From the beginning, let us start.” There is a story that many don’t know of a man in a boat in a storm long ago. On a dark, early morning a sailor set out, rowing blind and splashing about. He rode waves high and then down low, what he had in store he did not know. His…
Other people will always surprise you. Not always in frequency, but in their talents, interests, kindness, and life experiences. Credentials and appearance allow for first impressions and levels of understanding just below the surface, but rarely do we get the whole story. As we approach the new year I’d like to emphasize the importance of meeting new people and the importance of taking the time to learn more about them. Ask questions. Be surprised. Learn and grow together. When seeking…
Penguin: Heir to the throne! Heir to the throne! The King is gone, we are on our own! Miss Baboon: Not heir, you silly goose, AIR! The King is alive, quite well actually. But he has run out of air, his dryer died tragically. Penguin: Miss Baboon, I am a penguin… Miss Baboon: Stop! Let me stop you right there, nothing else matters, just our Majesty’s hair! We must find him more air, how or where I don’t care. Spare…
Forgive yourself. Do it now. Then move on. I keep finding that as I write a weekly newsletter I should take my own thoughts into consideration. I often struggle to ease up on myself after a mistake or failure of any kind. So, as you read on at Practice Optimism, please know that some of the topics I choose are not necessarily strengths, but things I am working on too. They make me think as much as I hope you…
“Everything in any way beautiful has its beauty of itself, inherent and self-sufficient: praise is no part of it. At any rate, praise does not make anything better or worse.” – Marcus Aurelius I do not typically begin a post with a quote from someone else. Some great advice I got in college: nobody can capture your thoughts or words better than you, only use the words of others to support your claims. Today is a bit different because I…
A crooked mug hung on the wall, hanging left, could it fall? Why left on the hook and not to the right? A mug like the others, it fit in, but not quite. Hanging free but awkwardly, his teacher wondered why it would be. Is this necessary? I’m calling his parents, I need a reason, I hope they share it. Well Miss, here it is, the crooked mug, here it sits. Can you tell me why your son is different?…