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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Finding time to relax," reads as follows: "It’s easy to get caught up in the helter-skelter of everyday life, community activities, job-related responsibilities, family happenings, etc.  It can be, too, workaholism—the compulsive and unrelenting need to work.  I tend to be a workaholic.  I’ve been one all my life.  When one project is complete I immediately proceed to the next one.  Sometimes, too, I am involved in a number of projects at the same time."
 

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

What I have discovered regarding “finding time to relax,” is that you must purposely work relaxation into your schedule.  If you just plan to relax when you find the time—especially if you are a workaholic—it is unlikely you will do much relaxing, if any at all.  I am not suggesting that the way I relax will work for everyone (perhaps no one!), but it offers two important lessons: First, different strokes for different folks!  You need to work out a system or plan that purposefully and specifically incorporates relaxation.  
    
The second lesson, and although I have not mentioned it thus far in this essay, relaxation will help you work better and more efficiently.  For me, it improves my energy level, sleep, concentration, and creative ability.  Doctors, too, will tell you relaxation gives the heart a rest by slowing the heart rate, reduces blood pressure, slows the rate of breathing, which reduces the need for oxygen, increases blood flow to the muscles, and decreases muscle tension.*   Personally, there need be no more justification for working relaxation into my life.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Keys to overcoming boredom: Entering the room of choices," reads as follows: "As I prepared for church this morning, it seemed to me I had just done it, even though it was a full week ago.  When I pulled down all the Christmas decorations from the attic, it seemed as if I just put them up there the day before. Time flies, the routines become repetitive, and there seems to be little that is new and different.  It is easy to get caught up in the every day, become drugged by the nausea and din of life, and “go with the flow” because it requires no thought, satisfies our comfort zone, and permits nothing but our base survival instincts — routines that are deeply entrenched."                                                                             
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Now is the time to combat boredom more directly.  You are now in the room of choices.  Surround yourself with positive people, keep active, read new, interesting, positive material on the Internet, eat healthy food, begin a regular exercise routine, and get enough sleep.  With a more positive and optimistic outlook, you need to accept that some boredom in life is inevitable.  Do what has to be done as quickly as possible, and get on with it.  Life can’t be all fun and games.  Pat Riley, the basketball coach said, “If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges” — the challenges offered in the room of choices.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Is it nostalgia or is it music? Maybe both." reads as follows: "My wife gave me a “Wooden Music Center with Recordable CD Player” for Christmas year.  Not particularly liking modern technology, I waited eleven days to open the box.  It sat in my study until I could muster the stamina (the sheer determination) to open it, pull the Center from its foam protection, and read the instructions.  My lack of technical expertise caused me to read with great care, but I was resolved to make this work."

                                                                   
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Then I wondered if it was the nostalgia or the music having the positive effect?  Perhaps it was a little of both.  Whatever the cause, the effect was positive, encouraging, and revitalizing.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is second of two essays that not only prove "the power of small," but show, too, the power of a personal letter.  The first two paragraphs of this second essay reads: "I had just picked up a copy of Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval’s book, The power of small: Why little things make all the difference (Boradway Books, 2009) as a small item occurred that may make a big difference in some people’s lives.  This story is what their book is about.
   
"On May 20, 2009, at the request of my granddaughter, Mckenzie, I donated blood at Woodland School in Perrysburg, Ohio.  For me, donating is a regular thing, and I donate as often as I can.  While donating, I signaled the woman in charge of the donation to come to my donation site."
                                                                   
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

From all that I read, it was my single letter that prompted this change.  Now when you donate blood, please don’t just notice the hand sanitizer in the canteen area, having just squeezed a dirty sponge ball as you donated, please use it before having your cookies or leaving the donation site.  Thaler and Robin Koval’s book, The power of small, offers hundreds more examples about how small things can make a big difference.

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