Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
Today’s writing prompt question is an interesting one. We probably all think about our past and our future at some point. For me, it’s more about what feelings I evoke when I do. When thinking about happy past times, it’s easy. What can be tricky is to dwell on things that didn’t go as well as I liked in the past. I usually don’t do that, as I live as much in the present as possible these days. There are times when I use Neville Goddard’s technique of “revisioning.” That is where you imagine a different outcome of a past event. It certainly helps to make the more stressful past feel better!
I think about the future when I set intentions. It could be an immediate future, such as setting my intentions for the day, or a longer term, such as choosing my word for 2024: laughter. I use my imagination a lot for the future things I’d like to manifest. What I don’t do is worry about the future.
Worry serves no purpose other than to make us stressed. No amount of worrying will change the outcome of the thing we’re worried about! While it’s ok to make plans for the future, it is important not to let worry creep into those plans. So I prefer to stay in the present as much as possible.
Elkhart Tolle’s teachings taught me a lot about being present and living in the now. My quality of life is improved because of it. Here are a few quotes from him to illustrate the power of living in the present.
When you are present, when you are fully in the Now, Presence will flow and transform what you do. There will be a quality and a power in it.
The past has no power over the present moment.
It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living.
As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care and love-even the most simplest action.
For me, the greatest gift someone can give me is their time. Relationships are important and in order to have meaningful ones, time connecting with one another is vital.
It’s pretty simple. You can’t foster a friendship or a love without giving the other person some of your time. And with that, this is probably the shortest blog post I’ll do!
Today’s writing prompt could be answered in a few sentences! I’m a proud alumna of The University of Iowa for a couple of degrees, and spent one year at the University of Valencia in Valencia, Spain. I love both of these institutions and my experiences there.
I loved college. Later, I spent my entire professional career working in higher education with college students. I love working with college students, even though now I’m working with little kids as a substitute teacher. If given the chance, however, I’d return to higher education in a heartbeat!
My parents and relatives kept calling me a professional student when I’d go back to study after a brief break between degrees. I appreciate learning and working with young people. So college (and working with little kids) is a perfect for me! Besides, I feel that working with young people helps keep me young at heart! Go Hawkeyes!
Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
The importance of play cannot be overstated. So many of us adults forget how to play or be playful. Just think about how many times you’ve heard the expression, “Act your age!” It’s as if society expects us to always act serious as we grow older.
I personally love to act playful. I love to act silly in certain situations. (I can embarrass my daughters when I do it around them.) I love to laugh and I know that children laugh about 300 times in a day! That’s a whole lot more than adults. In fact, I read an article saying a 4 year old laughs about 300 times in a day, whereas a 40 year old only 4!
I’ve been doing substitute teaching since last year in the elementary schools here and I’m very happy that I get more opportunities to be playful and laugh because of it. Little kids have less of a filter than adults and I find that they do say the darnest things! While I don’t have grandchildren, people who have young grandchildren probably know this first hand, too.
Being playful makes me feel young. It lifts my vibe. Being playful always results in more laughter for me, too. As a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, so I can laugh for no reason at all. Doing so with others really results in genuine laughter, as it truly is contagious. It fills my heart with joy!
Today’s daily prompt has pushed me to finally read the Harry Potter series. I have all the books, my daughters loved it and so many children at school talk about it. While they’re sitting on my bookshelf, I’ve yet to read them. I think I’d like to engage with the students at school by reading the books next. It will certainly help me to relate to what they’re saying.
Meanwhile, I’ll continue to go through life never losing my sense of playfulness. Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, I do intentions and this year I chose one word to describe what I’ll intend more of this year. That word is laughter. For sure, it’ll be fun and playful!
There are some things I know for sure about me. I know that if I view the world and my circumstances in life as a challenge, I’m pushing against what I don’t want. As a law of attraction aficionado, I know that what I resist, persists. Longing for something or viewing it as hard or difficult, only can make it grow more so. Feeling it was a challenge can create uncertainty and fear that I won’t achieve it.
That’s not to say that I get everything I want! It’s more of a mindset for me. So today’s writing prompt question asks for my biggest challenges, and I really don’t see my life that way. I can look back on my life before I learned my daily habits of appreciation and realize that I used to see a lot of the world as a challenge. But that’s the former me.
While today I might join in on a walking “challenge” or a fund-raising “challenge,” those are not struggles for me. Even if I don’t achieve what I intended at the beginning of the “challenge,” I can appreciate that I got started and did my best.
Through lots of self discipline and practice, and researching the many teachers who wrote and spoke about the law of attraction, I have developed a daily habit of appreciating people, things and situations in my life: even when things don’t go my way. Quieting the mind has been one of the best things I’ve learned in that process as well. Whether it’s actual meditation or just focusing on my breath for a few minutes, it helps create a more relaxing and happier way of life for me.
Wayne Dyer had some of the most influential writings for me that have served me in living a more joyful life and with less stress. Here are two that I feel relate well to the idea of changing how you view something as a “challenge.”
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
You are not stuck where you are unless you decide to be.
Nostalgia is a tricky thing. It can create happy feelings or sad ones, and sometimes a longing for days gone by. For me, it’s a series of memories from moments in my past that can be triggered by a sense of smell, sounds, conversations, old movies, and more. I can easily think of many things that evoke that feeling of nostalgia in my life. I can get nostalgic for moments and memories in my past that are happy more than sad, so I appreciate that! Here are come of the ones that create that feeling for me.
Old photos bring a ton of memories flowing through my mind and heart and appreciating those moments through them. I remember the people mainly, but also sometimes the occasion in which they were taken. Photos of my children are particularly powerful, as well of my parents and relatives. Suffice it to say, family is everything to me.
The contrast of today’s world can trigger moments of nostalgia for years past. In particular, dinner around the table together with family or friends without everyone on their phones can really take me back to days where we spent more time talking and listening to one another than staring at our phones. I appreciate that I have lived in a world where I didn’t have technology growing up, unlike today’s children. While I appreciate technology today, I do get nostalgic for the days when we just lived a more simpler life.
Music is one of my favorite things and I listen to music from other decades often. It brings me back to those moments in time when I was in high school and college, or studying abroad. I think most of us probably have songs that bring up memories of that time, or remind us of a person. Recently, I heard a song in the car radio that reminded me of when I was dating my ex-husband before we were married. I mentioned it to a daughter who as in the car with me at the time. I’m not sure she quite understood, since we went through a contentious divorce. Even so, the song created a lot of nice memories to cherish.
I studied abroad in Mexico, Argentina and Spain both in high school and during my undergraduate days of college. These experiences were deeply profound and life-changing for me. I spent more time in Spain and I’m often reminded of how much I loved it there. I can get nostalgic for my time there when eating certain foods, hearing music, or talking with friends I met there.
There are so many other experiences, things and people that can create a feeling of nostalgia for me. After all, they are moments in my life. I am very grateful and appreciative that I have a memory to remember them. They are a reminder to me to be present as I go through life.
This question is a prompt for blogging on my WordPress dot com site. I love the question!
Friends
For me, all relationships end up having a positive impact on me. While it may not appear so in the moment, or even some time years later, the unpleasant ones have had a lesson for me to learn. They all have contributed to my personal development through life and that’s a positive thing!
I really appreciate the relationships of family, including extended family. So many fun times growing up that continue to exist today, when we get together. There is always a ton of laughter with my Clark family and for that, I am very grateful.
Through all the ups and downs of a stressful divorce years ago, I really appreciate my childrens’ resilience through it all. I know it wasn’t easy at times. It was tough and I appreciate we’re on the other side of it. I appreciate that it’s now in the rear view mirror and we have no where to go but forward. I love them so much!
I love the time I’ve reconnected with childhood friends since the pandemic. We’ve got a strong friendship that’s survived many decades and are creating new memories through our almost daily chats everyday.
My Hawkeye Twitter family brings me great joy and laughter, most of the time! I’m pretty active on Twitter and there’s a strong community of Hawkeye fans there who make it always an interesting experience. I connected with some when I lived in New York City so that when I moved back to Iowa City, I was invited to check out their tailgate at 1122 Melrose. It was so great meeting people in person! It now has become my favorite tailgating spot for home football games.
These are just a few examples of relationships I appreciate. Life is about the relationships in life, so always take the time to savor them!
Recently I decided to explore the world of AI (artificial intelligence) by playing around with ChatGPT. I asked it to create a blog post about appreciation. This is what it said:
Title: The Power of Appreciation: Cultivating Gratitude in Everyday Life
Introduction:
In our fast-paced and often chaotic lives, it’s easy to overlook the importance of appreciation and gratitude. Yet, the act of consciously acknowledging and expressing gratitude can have profound effects on our well-being and the quality of our relationships. Appreciation opens the door to a more fulfilling and positive existence, allowing us to savor life’s simple pleasures and connect more deeply with ourselves and others. In this blog post, we will explore the transformative power of appreciation and discover practical ways to incorporate it into our daily lives.
1. The Essence of Appreciation:
Appreciation is more than just saying “thank you” or being polite; it’s a state of mind that stems from a genuine recognition and acknowledgment of the value, goodness, or beauty in someone or something. It involves consciously focusing our attention on the positive aspects of life, rather than dwelling on the negative. By cultivating appreciation, we can shift our perspective and find joy in the ordinary moments that often go unnoticed.
2. Benefits of Cultivating Appreciation:
a) Improved Well-being: Numerous studies have shown that practicing gratitude and appreciation can lead to increased happiness, improved mental health, and reduced stress levels. It enhances our overall well-being and helps us maintain a positive outlook on life, even in challenging times.
b) Strengthened Relationships: Expressing appreciation strengthens our connections with others. When we genuinely acknowledge and appreciate someone’s efforts, kindness, or qualities, it fosters a sense of validation and deepens our bonds. It creates an environment of trust, respect, and understanding.
c) Mindfulness and Presence: Appreciation cultivates mindfulness by encouraging us to be fully present in the moment. When we take the time to appreciate the simple pleasures around us—a beautiful sunset, a warm cup of coffee, or a loved one’s smile—we enhance our ability to experience and savor life’s joys.
3. Practical Tips for Cultivating Appreciation:
a) Gratitude Journaling: Set aside a few minutes each day to write down three things you are grateful for. This practice helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life and serves as a reminder of the abundance around you.
b) Expressing Appreciation: Make it a habit to express appreciation regularly, whether through a heartfelt thank-you note, a kind word, or a sincere compliment. Let others know that their actions or presence have made a positive impact on your life.
c) Mindful Reflection: Take time to reflect on the small joys and moments of beauty in your day-to-day life. Pay attention to the intricate details, relish in the present moment, and find gratitude in the ordinary.
d) Acts of Kindness: Engage in acts of kindness towards others. Small gestures of goodwill, such as offering help, showing empathy, or being a good listener, not only benefit the recipient but also foster a sense of appreciation within yourself.
Conclusion:
In a world that often emphasizes material success and achievement, appreciating the simple joys and the people who enrich our lives becomes even more crucial. By practicing appreciation and gratitude, we can transform our perception, nurture meaningful relationships, and experience the profound impact of gratitude on our overall well-being. Let us embark on this journey of appreciation, allowing it to infuse our lives with positivity, contentment, and a deeper sense of connection to the world around us.
I have to say I’m impressed! While I prefer to do my own writing, I can see where this tool could be helpful for so many things. In fact, a person I know recently had a virtual meeting about all of the ways he’s using ChatGPT in his personal and professional life. I appreciate his email that told me about it, and prompted me to try it out for myself.
I’ve been gone a long while from here. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been appreciating, as I do it everyday. It’s become a daily habit and my “go to” for feeling good most days.
Yesterday I discovered that I lost my entire website for my small business. I became so involved with my other life endeavors that I forgot to renew my hosting account. While I started the business in late 2018, I had been blogging since 2007, so there was a lot of material there. I had redirected my former blog posts to the website when I created it. Now, I cannot currently access any of it!
I was initially upset. I have to admit that I’m still not feeling 100% fine with it. However, I did make a decision that I need to find something to appreciate about all of this, so here goes…
I appreciate all the years of blogging and connecting with people. The connections I made from blogging were life changing. All is not lost.
I appreciate that a fund raiser for Alzheimer’s research led me to the initial blog, the name of my business and to my branding as “The Spirited Strider.” All is not lost.
I can appreciate that this is an opportunity to re-think and create something new. While I’m not so sure what exactly I’ll do, there really is no rush and I know that my inspiration will come when it comes. All is not lost.
I also appreciate that I may have a back up of the old blog on my laptop. I haven’t looked yet, but if it’s there, I will be able to see some posts that I made years ago. I am feeling the excitement of that, when I decide to dig and look. I have options and all is not lost.
I appreciate a Facebook and Twitter friend who suggested the archives online as a way to see if any of my posts are there. I don’t have the time now to pursue that for a few weeks, but it’ll definitely be a larger project that I’ll dive into later. I appreciate his help and suggestion! All is not lost.
That’s right! All is not lost! It’ll be exciting to see where I’m at a year from now! Meanwhile, I intend to be more active here once again.
Being at home for months on end during this pandemic certainly gave many of us opportunities to pass the time in different ways. I have found great pleasure in reading this year and appreciate all the authors and books available. I appreciate learning how I could easily borrow ebooks from my local library and send them to the Kindle app or my Kindle for reading. How easy and cost-free it is to check out books for free, and I don’t take this for granted!
I appreciate the Goodreads community, for all the reviews and suggestions on books to read, too. I like seeing what my friends are reading and appreciate the reviews. And I recently won one of their book give-a-ways! I love reading and burying myself into a good book. Burying myself into a thrilling novel and into the characters is such a pleasure for my soul.
What fun it is to listen to an audiobook, narrated by the author, too! While it usually takes me longer to finish an audiobook than by reading it myself, listening to audiobooks is a great way to pass time while driving or traveling somewhere.
Reading as a child really fostered my imagination and I appreciate my small town library where I think I read every book I could. The librarian knew me well and would tell me about new books available when I went there. I loved reading when I was a lot younger and had to get permission slips from my parents to read some books that were considered out of my ‘age-appropriate’ category. I appreciate my parents for giving me that permission.
I’ll never forget the scandal in my high school when a parent of one of my classmates picked up a book his daughter had at home. We were reading it for an English class at the time. He was outraged by the language in the book and successfully lobbied the school board to remove the book from the school and from our class curriculum. We had to stop reading it, even if we hadn’t yet finished. We were all shocked by this censorship. I appreciate that this censorship only inspired me to read even more. Often the unwanted contrast of life creates awesome results. It definitely serves as a way to discover what we want out of life.
I appreciate discussing books I’m reading with my friends here where I live, who are all avid readers. They give me suggestions of books to read and my reading list gets longer and longer everyday. I really appreciate these discussions, but I also appreciate that my opinion is my own, and we don’t all have to like the same books. I know that there’s a book for everyone’s tastes and that’s a wonderful thing to appreciate.
Note: I never did finish reading that book that was taken from us decades ago. I’ve added it to my reading list and will read it this year. It’s such a long list, and I’m ready for it!
Appreciation Magic 