FIRST THINGS FIRST: Thank you Benjamin P. Hardy for this story. I’m sharing it with people in my life.
The internet is a risky thing to use.
You can “prove” anything you want to prove using it, you can diagnose or misdiagnose yourself, you can see beautiful places and awful places…it’s a trap that seems to waste more time for me than give me time.
Michael Laws shared an article today entitled 50 Ways Happier, Healthier, And More Successful People Live On Their Own Terms.
Our ego pushes us to want things like this…so I clicked the link and began reading. Hmmmm. This is a fantastic post of great thoughts from random people.
Big Changes For Us As A Couple
Randy and I have been on a quest to improve our mental health.
I decided a few months ago to spend way less time on FB because of the hate that was being flung in every direction. Suddenly EVERYONE was screaming their opinions at each other.
We got rid of cable and the newspaper delivery in May 2016. We only have one TV now. According to Nielson, the average number of televisions in an average household is up to 2.93 from 2009’s reporting of 2.86. In 1975 the average was 1.57.
We looked for and found a few people that were quietly needing help in December last year and have made adjustments to do what we could which meant having less to spend on entertainment out.
We are downsizing our house. This plan went into motion a few years ago when a dear friend John Chuang passed away after losing a battle with cancer. As we drove home from the beautiful event to celebrate his life we decided firmly: WE DON’T NEED SO MUCH STUFF! Our priority shifted the next day and we began filling the garage with items to sell.
We began a “Bucket List” and started knocking items off.
We’re making progress but it took starting with a LIST.
We Are Not Alone
I watched a moving video created in Canada interviewing three generations with the same question: “What did/do you do for fun.” (when you were a kid). Grandpa caught fish and watched black bears, mom built giant forts you could stand up in and son’s eyes twinkled at the thought of playing video games. UGH.
Of course no one can help you do anything you are not interested in doing. I get that completely.
But what if you were to see something on a list that you liked and wanted to change to make your life better? I say DO IT. Don’t get approval or need agreement from anyone. If it is legal, do it!
Check out this list and see what you like. I’d say “teach your kids” but my kids wouldn’t listen to me if I told them anything (maybe later in life). For now just begin teaching by being an example.
This may be difficult to do. It was for us.
“You’ll be fine!” as the saying goes in our house and so far, so good.
Sarita Shoemaker 