Fall 2014 Group Challenge begins Sunday - Oct. 19th

[Bucky]

Day #4 of our 14-Day Challenge

A66eyroad, genko_b, Cheryl and ohiolady  - I'm sure your cards will be appreciated by those receiving them more than you will know.  Your thoughtfulness will lift their spirits.

Those of you who didn't get the chance to mail a card out yesterday, at least make an effort to complete this before the end of our 14-Day Challenge.

In talking with many different people recently, the consensus is the same - time is just flying by!  Hours turn into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years all in the blink of an eye.  How can 2014 and the month of October be almost over already?!?  They say the older you get the faster the years go by.  I believe this wholeheartedly.

Some of you will remember part of the Simon & Garfunkel song - The 59th Street Bridge (Feelin' Groovy) song:

Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobble stones
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy

In this hurry, hurry world we live in - we need to s-l-o-w down.  We need to smell the roses, kick some cobble stones, look for fun and be feelin' groovy.   

Today's challenge is to look at your daily activities - do you do things out of habit or necessity?  At the end of the day, do you feel like you've accomplished something, or do you feel more stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted by all of your activities?  Believe me, I know in one 24 hour period many of us wear many different hats.  Are there things that you can delegate to someone else to lessen your load, or better yet, to eliminate altogether?

For one day - leave something off your "to do" list.  Take 10 minutes of your day just to take a deep breath and breathe.  Turn off all the sounds that bombard us daily - enjoy the quietness of just you and your thoughts.  At some point in your day, you surely have 10 minutes for yourself.  If you don't feel you do, you are W-A-Y too busy!!

We don't have to be busy 24-7 - in fact, the stress of such a busy life is NOT good for us Sjoggies!!  Stress is not our friend.

Rest assured, if you were to suddenly be in an accident or get very sick and be flat on your back - your priorities would change in a heartbeat.  What seemed to be important before - won't really matter now.  Why wait for that to happen?  Slow down before then.  Learn to say "no" when asked to take on more responsibilities.

Enjoy your feelin' groovy day and then come back and share how you spent your 10 minutes as you slowed down for today.

I bet you'll have that song going through your head today!   

Bucky

"Keep your chin up.  No one expected you to save the world, otherwise you would have been born wearing a cape and tights.  Just do the best you can."        ~~ Author Unknown ~~

[Linda196]

Are you spying on my life??? Your challenges are so timely and opportune!

Yesterday's was just the "boot in the behind" I needed to drop a card in the mail to a dear friend I haven't seen in several months (unusual for us).

Today's happens to tie in beautifully with an ongoing project, one I started a couple of months ago, to better regulate and make use  of my time. After nearly 9 weeks of "scheduling" my days, and getting into the routine of housework and chores and away from the computer most of my waking moments, I've succeeded all too well and was feeling like an automaton, so it was time to pick one thing, and "let it go" for the day. I think the newly formed habits are set well enough that I can take a day off without losing my progress (anyone who spent years working odd and irregular shifts will know that "routine housework" is far from routine, things get done when they get done, that's it!). Helpfully, hubby had a appointment for his vehicle, so while he's out, there's no blaring TV or computer videos (he's hearing impaired and like things LOUD). Thanks for leading me to realize how much I need this!

Can't wait to see tomorrows!

[susanep]

Bucky I was so busy me and my husband yesterday, that I didn't get to post on yesterday's challenge, but I did it. lol...
We both had to get flu shots and some other shots.

Anyway, I wrote in a little note card to our nurse practitioner who has been so covered up and sick herself that we usually see, but due to all of it haven't seen her for awhile. So before we left, I had the receptionist to give it to her. I told her we miss her, and when she gets home to put her feet up and rest. She and her husband have a little kitten they adopted that was left out on their door step, and she always hears about out doggies. The little note card had a picture on the front of a kitten, and puppy.

She has been so good to us. Her and her husband went for a dream vacation back in the summer to Hawaii for their anniversary, and she brought me and my husband back a t-shirt from there that is so pretty.



susanep

[susanep]

I look forward to today's challenge. 

susanep

[A66eyroad]

My favorite author, Kurt Vonnegut, is often quoted for saying:  "And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.' "

Lately I've been trying to say this to myself often during the day. So this assignment is right up my alley!

And, as Linda said, I can't wait to see what you have for us tomorrow! 

[SjoDry]

I sent a custom crafted Get Well Card to Kathy Ivory at the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation. My cards always include a healthy dose of my wacky sense of humor.

SjoDry

[Sleepy In Seattle]

Okay: playing catch-up!

Day 1: Went grocery-shopping with my husband and we were just silly together. Turned a chore into a date! 

Day 2:
   1)  What's your favorite color(s)?
        YELLOW!!!! (It looks "happy" and sunny to me)
   2)  What's your favorite season?
        As I get older, I like summer more and more - though they all have their charms.
        I just don't deal with cold as well as I used to!!!!
   3)  Do you have any pets?
        A beloved old dog and a beloved 20-year-old horse who thinks he's 4... 
   4)  My ideal (or dream) vacation is ________________.
        To be a participant at the "Light Hands Horsemanship" clinic/conference.
        (and a young smoky buckskin Lusitano gelding to ride at it!)
   5)  If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be ____, _____, _____.
        Introverted, kind, opinionated

Day 3: Sent a note to a young client of mine who's going through a rough time.

Day 4: I'm sitting here playing with my computer friends instead of folding laundry!!! 

[Carebear]

I sent a card with a handwritten note to good friends who just moved to a new home.

[genko_b]

Day 4 challenge: I feel very fortunate to have a schedule that includes plenty of quiet time - both meditation and time to practice Japanese tea ceremony, which is like a moving meditation. Got the opportunity to do both today!

This evening I should be answering emails and working on lesson plans, but instead my husband and sister and I are going out to dinner at a special restaurant, for some quiet conversation and good food. A great way to refresh.

Genko

[catherine1234]

Love today's challenge! My kids' school is having a Spirit Day at a local fast food chain. I was going to run like a bat out of heck to get from one meeting to the restaurant to get lunch for my kids and the  drive around to different schools dropping them off.  After reading the challenge, I decided to go home, have a lunch all by myself in my house and take the dog for a leisurely stroll. What a great break that made the rest of our hectic afternoon easier to manage The kids bought their own lunches and the school was out probably $1 total from whatever happy meals I would have purchased - and in return I got some of my sanity back!

[catherine1234]

Tomorrow I am going to send a card to my closest college friend who is going through some really tough times

[Carebear]

Today the dogs and I went for a long walk, which we do every day.  The difference was, I was totally present and wasn't thinking about the "stuff" I would do once we got home.  I enjoyed our time together.  And I know the boys did too!

[Bucky]

Great job to all of you who have sent or handed someone a card.  It will mean a lot to the person receiving it.  Last week I got a postcard AND a card in the mail from friends - something I can look at over and over and smile each time I do, while remembering the person who sent it to me.   

I'm glad several of you were able to s-l-o-w down yesterday.  Even for 10 minutes It does make a difference, doesn't it?

Catherine, as I was organizing my thoughts for Day #4 Challenge, I actually typed several paragraphs directly relating to parents and their hurried schedules shuffling kids from event, to event and made a comment, "was it all necessary? ".  Obviously, I deleted those paragraphs and decided not to post it.  Funny you should mention the very thing I had been thinking about!     I'm glad you got to take a break and s-l-o-w down! 

In my deleted post, I mentioned that if WE are stressed with all the activities - what about our kids?  They too suffer from over-scheduled days that are full of all kind of activities.  We're teaching them that they have to be busy, busy, busy.  I know parents/grandparents that are taxi's shuffling kids from point A to point B, driving thru the fast food lane before continuing onto point C and D before arriving home in the evening at 8:30 p.m., only to have to their child work on homework before bed, and then start the vicious cycle all over the next day.  Very tiring for everyone involved.  I'm tired just typing it all!   

For myself, it never fails, when I decide it's time to just "chill" for a few minutes - I get all comfy in the recliner, close my eyes and then the phone rings!     It happens at least 50% of the time!  Or, someone in the family comes home and there goes my peace and quiet.  Sigh.

Bucky

[Bucky]

Day #5 of our 14-Day Challenge

I'm sure many of you will agree that life in today's times is much different from when we were growing up.  We didn't have to be afraid to go to school wondering if someone was going to come into our classroom and shoot us.  Or worrying about being shot while going to the movie theater, church, or a shopping mall - we didn't have those worries back then.

We didn't have to worry about someone placing a backpack filled with shrapnel going off as we ran a marathon, or highjackers taking over our airplane flight.

I don't ever remember our schools having "lock downs" - today, it's not uncommon for our schools to go into lockdown or have the K-9 units there sniffing lockers, classrooms or vehicles in the parking lot.

I remember seeing pictures in our family photo album of our family having a picnic on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C.  in the 1960's.  You would never be able to do that now.

Times are changing . . . . today's young people don't know the freedoms that once existed.  Freedoms that have been taken away by some who want to hurt innocent people.

Our thoughts are with the Canadian people who are facing these challenges at the present time.

I'll stop here - as we don't want to get into a debate about these issues.  I'm just stating the facts how things have changed in our society worldwide.

With that being said, I still believe that there are more good people in this world than those who wish innocent people harm.

Day #5's Challenge is always one of my favorites - do a random act of kindness.  It doesn't have to be something that ends up on the evening news on TV.  It doesn't have to cost any money - although, it could if you want.  Most of the time, it's just a matter of being helpful to someone else.  Reach a box on a shelf way too high in a grocery store for some people to reach, let a person go in front of you in line, pay for their latte, grab a rake and rake leaves in a yard, bake some cookies for a neighbor, etc.  The list is endless.

I have paid the bill for the car behind me in line at fast food before.  A couple months back, the car in front of me paid MY bill.  It takes you by surprise and put's a different spin on your day.  It feels good.     I've been on both ends of this giving and receiving and they both feel good.

There's your assignment . . . do a random act of kindness.  In doing so, you will be blessed too, and you'll also show others that there ARE good people in this world.   

Bucky

"At the end of life, what really matters is not what we bought, but what we built; not what we got, but what we shared; not our competence, but our character; and not our success, but our significance.  Live a life that matters.  Live a life of love.       ~~ Author Unknown ~~

[Linda196]

Easier done than said!

I belong to a group called "Pay it Forward", essentially, if someone does something nice for you, do the same for the next person you see who needs it, ........little actions mean a lot! Someone in the group once asked me what RAK or PIF were to me, and without thought, I replied "It's a way of life". I was very lucky to be brought up by people who lived their lives through RAK, and seeing it, rather than hearing about it, had a lasting impression. I'm also privileged to live in a place where it's not seen as "forward", or "invasive", or "interfering" to spontaneously help someone out; a place where, if you see a young mother struggling with a toddler, a babe in arms and a bag of groceries, you can safely offer to carry any one of them without causing suspicion. Here, its more common than not to have doors held open for you, elevators kept waiting, pedestrians waved across roads by stopped motorists, and loose change offered is someone ahead in line is a little short.

Unfortunately, this kind of puts me on the spot in a situation like your challenge, Bucky, because I just act in these situations and forget about it, it's such a natural thing to do. Today, I will try to take note of the opportunities presented to me,and let you know what I was able to do for my own well being by helping someone else.