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Smilie027 Positive thinking means having a positive approach towards anything and everything.
The best piece of advice I ever received came from my sister. She suggested that maybe I should stop being so negative about everything. And I was seeing the bad in most everything. I don’t really remember why that was. But for some reason, I wasn’t seeing and appreciating the things I did have.
Having a positive attitude is an upbeat way of looking at life in general. It helps you look for solutions and answers to problems. A positive attitude is believing in your own value as a person. If you have a positive attitude, you see failure as lessons for doing better in the future. You become better equipped to adjust to new or difficult situations.
There was a time when I was very good friends with a woman I worked with. We did a lot of things together. But there came a time when we went our separate ways. Later, I started to notice how she had such a negative attitude towards our co-workers. Actually, that’s what caused the problem between the two of us. I hadn’t paid a lot of attention to her attitude when we were friends. But later, I saw how she treated other employees and I realized how her attitude had rubbed off on me. I began to change my own attitude at work and learned that friendships can affect our attitudes and beliefs. It is important who we choose as our closest friends.
After my sister gave me that advice, I did try harder to be less negative. I looked at things a little differently. And eventually, I became more positive about a lot of things. I also started to notice other people who had a negative attitude. People didn’t care much to be around them. I noticed the same attitude in my son recently. I passed on my sister’s advice and other words of great wisdom.
Daily writing prompt
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Knowing I will be doing something new the next day can fill me with energy. Sometimes just thinking of ideas for writing can excite me. Those new ideas often give me too much energy that keeps me awake at night. Where do those ideas for writing go when I wake up the next day? Do others have this problem? Or is it just me?
I have several hobbies. When I start a new project or am about to start one, it fills me with energy. I can get up in the morning feeling like the energizer bunny. Learning new things always excites and energizes me. Lately, writing has taken hold of me and I get excited and energized every morning. Until about noon time.
Weather can certainly affect my energizer levels. If its a bright sunny day I am full of energy. But if its a very hot day, all energy seems to desert me. Rainy days are depressing and makes nap time a necessity. Sunny but cool days with a breeze are the absolute best. On those days I even am capable of finding the energy to clean the house. Fall and spring weather are the best times for getting things done.
Travel Excites Me
I don’t often get the opportunity to travel to new places. When I do get an opportunity I am full of energy. I really enjoy seeing new places and doing different things. This summer I went out fishing at the beach for the first time and that was both exciting and interesting. I hope to do more traveling in the future.
Health
Taking care of my health helps to sustain energy levels. Eating good healthy food, drinking lots of water, getting enough sleep and exercise all contribute to energy levels. I try to do all of those things. Going out for walks or to the gym helps to increase my energy. Getting enough of good restful sleep is a problem at times. Eating fruits, vegetables and drinking healthy juices all help to sustain a healthy diet and energy. I did try one of those expensive, supposed to be healthy drinks recently. It was so terrible it went in the garbage. So I won’t be drinking any of those HEALTHY drinks in the future. The picture below is akin to the sign where I bought that awful healthy drink. But its not where I bought it and it cost a lot more.
Everyone has different ways of increasing their energy. But it’s a proven fact that living healthy boosts energy. Eating a healthy diet helps as well. Getting enough sleep and exercising are also beneficial. And for your health, give up those nasty cigarettes.
Growing up I listened to mostly country music. As a teenager of course I listened to some rock and roll, but my heart belonged to Country. As Barbara Mandell sang “I was country before country was cool”.
There were so many great songs and albums that I am not sure I can pick just one album. Loretta Lynn was definitively a big favorite but then she paired up with Conway Twitty. That duo was dynamic in country music. And I loved everything that the pair of them sang, together or separately. I miss those two.
Another favorite combination was George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Like Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, together or separately these two were an awesome duo.
Other legends in country music:
Donna Fargo 1970s
Hank Williams Sr and Hank Williams Jr
Charlie Pride
Johnny Cash
Dolly Parton
Patsy Cline
Kenny Rogers
The Statler Brothers
Oakridge Boys
All of these were favorites of mine and all are legends of Country music. As for my favorite album, it’s just too tough to choose just one. My favorite album would be any collection featuring the greatest hits from any of these legends.
Where to start?? There are so many topics I would like to study and have more information about. I would like to have more knowledge and skills about history and writing. Health, money, and laws are also of interest to me.
I have always wanted to learn to make soap, candles, and rugs. I would also like to learn weaving. How’s that for a list of things I will probably never have the time left on earth to learn. I also want to add this. There are a lot of good books which I will never have the time to read.
Writing is something I would like to have a better knowledge of. I want to take some courses in writing. One thing my writing needs improvement on is dialogue. For me, history goes with writing. Writers are recorders of history so I would wish for better knowledge of history.
Health, Money, and Laws
These are all topics that most of us should have more knowledge of. They affect all of our lives. The better I understand health and the things that affect my health, the better my body and life will be. As I get older I wish for a better understanding of how my body works. I need to know and understand about medicines and medical tests and procedures. Health also has the elements of history and writing. Here again, it is writers who document health reports and studies.
Doesn’t everyone wish for more knowledge about money? How to earn money, spend it wisely and invest it to make more money. I know I have always wanted to learn more about those topics.
Another topic I have often wished I was better informed on the topic of laws. I have sometimes encountered situations in which I would have like to be more informed about laws. Lawyers are very expensive and thankfully I have not had much need for lawyers.
Someday, I am going to find the time to learn how to make candles, rugs and weaving. I also want to take a course in pottery at some point. These are all topics I hope to explore some day. I would also like to learn to do some real weaving. These are my topics I would like to learn more about. Dreams for the future.
Daily writing prompt
Which topics would you like to be more informed about?
Music can lift people’s spirits. Music can make us happy. Music can make us feel like dancing. Certain music can make me feel sad and even make me cry. Some music just sounds like noise I want to stop.
Photo: Tuomas Vitikainen
My life doesn’t have much music in it right now. Not that I don’t like music. I used to love country music. But today’s country music has changed so much. It seems to be more rock than country. I used to enjoy the stories that were told in country music. But the stories seem to be gone and I often don’t know what the music is about. I loved the old country music of George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and Conway Twitty. There are too many others to mention.
Here’s a story about country music a friend of mine told me. When she was younger her husband was a drunk. He would come home late or in the early hours of the morning. She said she used to turn on the music loudly in the mornings. She played songs like “Don’t come home drinking with loving on your mind”. Music allowed her to express her emotions without the use of words and made her feel better. She later divorced her drunk husband.
What would my life be without music. It wouldn’t change my life very much right now. But I still love to listen to music and even went dancing recently. Another night we went for Karaoke. That was interesting hearing all different types of music. And the music was great for dancing. Without music would we be dancing??
I’ve never been a person to have wild, noisy holidays.
When the new year begins, I usually am spending that day with family, or at least part of the day. I generally cook the traditional pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes for lunch. Pork and sauerkraut is supposed to bring you good luck and good fortune in the new year. Well this year, it certainly has brought me very little good fortune. Hopefully, next year will be better.
Then comes Valentines Day in February. This holiday is usually ignored. Sometimes, I may get together with other seniors at the senior center and have a good meal.
Saint Patrick’s Day comes in March. I get out the crock pot and cook a corned beef brisket. I add chopped potatoes and cabbage to the crock pot. Two of my children show up for that holiday. They like corned beef and cabbage.
Easter can come in either March or April. Then I cook turkey or ham with everything included. The whole works. The aromas of turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, side dishes fill the house. One of my favorite dishes to go with ham is baked pineapple. Depending on their spouses most of the children come for Easter. In the future I plan on going to church for Easter services.
Memorial Day weekend is at the end of May. We used to always have a big family gathering with everyone bringing food. Always a lot of great food and family. Games are played for the young and the adults. Sometimes it’s volleyball or croquet. Other times it’s corn hole, or wiffle ball. One thing the young ones love to do is play in the creek nearby. And you will hear their parents remembering their younger days when they played in the creek.
July 4th as its name says comes in July. This holiday is spent celebrating in different ways. As a child were always excited for the July 4th parade. Sometimes, we participated in the parade in one way or another. One time my son and his cousin dressed up as Betsy Ross and Uncle Sam. Another time he marched with his cub scout group. Times have changed over the years. The parade is still held on the 4th of July but I rarely get there. Now the small town where I live has yard sales that weekend all over town. So I either have a yard sale or I go browsing other yard sales. Then in the evening there are fire works held at the dirt racing track.
The next few months are quiet summer months with no holidays. Just hot summer months for beach vacations, swimming and trying to stay cool.
Halloween is the end of October when the weather has cooled down. I do almost nothing to celebrate Halloween. I am usually staying with an elderly lady who was a former teacher. She wants to see the dressed up kids. So I am the one who answers the door for her. I bring them inside to visit with her while handing out candy.
Thanksgiving comes in November. This is the day like Easter that I cook the big meal with everything and the kids come home. But it’s usually a nice quiet day.
Christmas as everyone knows comes in December. I used to try to do the whole bit: decorating, making cookies, presents. Now I celebrate in a much quieter manner. I have never been a big decorator. You have to drag everything out and a few weeks later put everything away. I will put up a small tree and that about does it. I came to the conclusion a few years back that Christmas is not about decorating cookies, shopping or even gifts. It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus.
New Years Eve is also in December. It ends the old year and begins the new year. We always hope that the new year will be a good year. To celebrate, I go to a gathering of friends, old and new friends. We have a good supper with everyone contributing food. Then we play card games or other favorite games.
So, how do I celebrate holidays?? Each holiday is different so they are celebrated differently. But the major way that I celebrate most holidays, is with family, friends, and always, lots of good food and fun.
I wish I had learned that all people have value. Even those like me who think they don’t have value.
I was raised in a large but poor family. One very important lesson that I have learned in life is that I might have come from a poor family. However, I had a much better life than younger generations who are given everything they want. We had a stay at home mother and a hard working father. They both loved us very much. Today, I still have five living and loving siblings. I have often said that our family very closely resembled the Television show (The Waltons). I loved that show.
There is another story I would like to share. Dolly Parton had a big hit song with her song (Coat Of Many Colors) that her mother made for her. I can also relate to that. My mother was a good seamstress and she made me a coat. Now my coat was nice. My mother got a lot of compliments on that coat. It was all blue denim but she made it with love for me.
Being poor did have bad influences on me. I didn’t even know I was poor until another girl in third grade brought me an Easter egg. She said that my family was poor and I probably didn’t get anything for Easter. She was right. It was then that I started to notice that my clothes weren’t as nice as the other girls. My hair was cut by my mother and wasn’t stylish. I came to think I wasn’t as good as other children.
My self esteem suffered. I started to stay in the background trying not to be noticed. This pattern of behavior followed me throughout my school years. I decided against college because I felt we couldn’t afford the cost. I had started working in my junior year and I enjoyed having money of my own. I enjoyed being capable of affording some new store bought clothing. Years later, I did return to college. I wish I had done that when I was young enough to have enjoyed the experience.
But I didn’t always appreciate my large family. I hated that we were poor. But we survived and made better lives for ourselves and our children. But looking back, the one lesson I wish I had know was how terribly valuable everyone, including myself, is. The second lesson I wish I had know, was how valuable family is.
Daily writing prompt
Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.
Chocolate and sweets is my favorite types of food. I know. They are all bad for you but they taste much better than broccoli. I overheard a doctor telling people in a restaurant “that if it tastes good, spit it out”. Of course he was joking. He had a good sense of humor. When promise margarine was popular, I heard him also telling people to “eat that promise.” He would joke that they could enjoy a few extra years in a nursing home.
I love chocolate. Chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No, I don’t eat chocolate for meals. I do try to follow a more healthy diet and lifestyle. I feel better when I eat better and exercise regularly. But I do still treat myself to chocolate candy. After all, life is short and we should enjoy the things we like to eat.
But is chocolate good or bad for you? According to Harvard Medical School chocolate has some good benefits. Their report listed the following possible good health benefits:
better brain functions
lower blood pressure
increase the flow of blood throughout the body
lower bad cholesterol
Increase good cholesterol
The report does add that milk and sugar used to make chocolate increase the calorie content. These ingredients do not provide a good benefit to cocoa.
So after reading that report, I love chocolate even more. Who else loves chocolate?
I don’t run, ever. I really never did but now I am physically incapable of running, at least very fast. I might manage a fast walk if I need to be somewhere in a hurry. Running is no longer an alternative for me.
I do get to the gym a few times a week. Lately, even that has been pushed to the side. I must get motivated again. When I do get to the gym I try to walk almost a mile on the walking track. Walking outside isn’t really for me anymore. I love walking outside but my hips don’t like climbing steep hills.
Going to the gym on a regular basis really helps physically all over the body. Certain machines help strengthen leg muscles and help to keep my knees strong and pain free. Painful knees is a powerful motivation for working out at the gym. Regular exercise helps fight arthritis pain.
So I hope to make it to the gym at least three times this coming week. I really do need to walk more. Hopefully, nothing comes up that I need to do instead.
I can answer that with a firm NO. I am not a leader and I don’t wish to be a leader.
My personality doesn’t fit the mold for being a leader. I am quiet and I don’t really like to socialize a lot. I am uncomfortable in a lot of social situations.
I often have many good ideas about how to solve problems and sometimes I even offer the solution. But someone else can take charge and implement the solution. I prefer to fade into the background and I am not a person who seeks attention. I would not be good at public speaking or addressing a group either. This is probably why I enjoy sitting behind a computer typing words onto a screen.
But I do admire those with the qualities that I lack. I think a real leader can stand up and take criticism. A real leader is someone who stands up for what they believe is right. They act for the good of all concerned. They aren’t afraid of other’s opinions. They lead by setting good examples and working alongside of their followers. They have the ability to listen to good advice and enjoy social activities. Good leaders have all the qualities I lack.
So I will continue being a follower instead of a leader. Not everyone is cut out for leadership positions. There’s an old saying: too many chiefs and not enough Indians. It might also be said: Too many leaders and not enough workers. In conclusion, we can’t all be leaders.
I truly wish I had the ability to be a leader. I certainly admire most people who have the personality to lead.
History Lovers Corner 