Tag Archives: enjoy life

“Finding the Silver Lining: Overcoming Pessimism and Embracing Hope”

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“Pessimism: because why settle for just being unhappy when you can be consistently disappointed by everything? #Sarcasm #Pessimism”


Someone recently asked me if I thought I was more optimistic or pessimistic. Of course, I proudly said, “I’m optimistic!” This got me thinking about the truth of pessimism.


IT’S FREAKING EASY TO BE PESSIMISTIC! Yes, I was yelling… at the HALF-EMPTY cup! The entire culture sets us up to look for the negative. It may just be me, but a negative outlook is a default. Oh wait, that isn’t very optimistic!


So how do we see the silver lining to the DARK CLOUD THAT STAYS OVER MY HEAD? Why Am I yelling? Oh boy!

Heres a few thoughts to overcome pessimism and embrace hope!

  1. Practice gratitude: Make a habit of focusing on the people and things you are thankful for and expressing gratitude for them.
  2. Reframe negative thoughts: When you have a negative thought, challenge it by looking for evidence that supports a more positive perspective.
  3. Surround yourself with positivity: Seek out people, activities, and environments that uplift you and bring you joy.
  4. Focus on solutions, not problems: Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong, concentrate on finding solutions to problems.
  5. Engage in self-care: Take care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being through activities like exercise, meditation, and hobbies.

“You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can control your attitude towards it.” – Unknown

Are you more optimistic or pessimistic? Thoughts?

Celebrating Life Together

Family, Finances,

Recently Nikki and I celebrated a date night together and had a fantastic time. It was actually 23 hours packed full of conversations, romance, and just pure enjoyment. So…
Today I wanted to lay out a few ideas that would help improve your date nights or simply improve your life!

Manage your Margins
What makes life enjoyable is having time to enjoy life! What makes a date night fantastic is having money set aside to enjoy! Having margins in our life allows us to move easily and spend freely. Don’t let the walls of busyness and poor budgeting keep you from enjoying life! Because Nikki and I routinely date and set money aside for those dates it was no problem when I said let’s get away for the night.
Try this -Set one day a week aside for you and yours to date. Even if you have been married for 25 years pick a day and stick to it. Set a budget. You’re going to spend the money somewhere why not on something you enjoy! (If you don’t enjoy your spouse that’s a different issue that needs to be addressed)
Manage your time and money in such a way that there are margins (room to move).

Invest in Experiences
The rooms at the Westin in downtown Atlanta gives you a floor to ceiling view of the city. The view is the experience. It was a great investment. We could have easily rented a room just for the bed and shower but, what’s the fun in that? Having a memorable story to tell is far better. Nikki and I have practiced this over and over. I can tell you stories of zip lining, hiking, fine dining, and views from the top of the Empire State Building. Good experiences are worth the investment.
Try this – Go to the theater instead of the movies. Go on a day hike. Rent a hotel room with a view!

 

Try Something New
I have always wanted to try a restaurant that had live music. Like the jazz club, you see in the movies. I can’t sing or dance, but I love music. We finally made it happen. A completely new experience for us. We visited a “Juke Joint” and set at a table right in the front. It was great. We even tried some new food (collard green egg rolls).
I like things to be comfortable. However, comfortable will only allow you to experience what you already know. There is so much in our beautiful world to be explored.
Try this- Go to a new city and try a new restaurant.

I believe we should enjoy the life God has given us. I also look for treasures along the journey.

So, what does this look like for you? I would encourage you to resist the common response “this sounds like a good idea” and do nothing.

Let me know how you celebrate your life?

How to Enjoy Life

Faith

How many of us have heard or said “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” then said BUT. But, I’m too busy. But, I worry. But, my boss doesn’t like me. But, my dog is sick. But, (insert your biggest but) While all these things and more can cause life to be difficult, there are a few things you can do to enjoy life:

Live in the present.

We can get so wrapped up in the stress of tomorrow that we miss the good things of today or,  w
e can get tied up in our past failures that we can’t seem to appreciate any good today.  So, live in the present. Can you slow down to see the good things all around you? The small things, like enjoying your favorite food or listening to your favorite music. Food and music always bring me joy! Be present in your life. I believe we can get so caught up in other people’s lives via social media that we miss the people who are present in our life. Learn to enjoy the people in front of you.

Practice – Pack your favorite food for lunch. Create a playlist of all your favorite songs.

Get a Hobby

Watching TV or spending hours on social media are not good hobbies. If you have a hobby I would suggest that you engage in it, at some level, several times a week. A hobby is a simple activity that you would enjoy. Something fun. A good hobby will challenge your mind. It will also help you enjoy life. If you don’t have a hobby here are a few ways to discover one.

What did you like to do as a kid? Try a few different things like painting, cooking, exercising (which you should be doing anyway, but some people are crazy and make it into a hobby). Start small and leave room for growth.

Unplug

Let’s be honest, we are simply way too connected. I have learned first-hand that the more media you consume the worst your life will be. Take the news. If you watch it or read about it consistently anxiety and fear have a way of finding you.

Social media constantly asks for your attention. One report said the average user on FaceBook spends about 41 minutes day on their apps. When we spend 41 minutes looking at other people’s highlights we can begin to feel pressure to measure up. Or feel like our life simple isn’t that good. This will not help you enjoy life. So, be intentional about unplugging. Practice – Don’t eat with your phone. Leave your phone behind when engaging in your hobby. When you have family and friends around be present.

Don’t Stress!! Don’t strive for perfection.

You will never be as skinny as you want to be. You will probably never be as rich as you want to be. Your children will never act exactly the way you want them to. Your house will probably never be as clean as you think it should be. Everybody is not going to like you…And that’s all ok. We are a work in progress. Enjoy the journey!

 

Tell us how you enjoy life.