ARE YOU STAYING STRONG? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 154

There are days when I feel as if the world is spinning out of control, and that unless I keep hanging on tightly I will be flung out into space.  This feeling comes because it seems so many things which should be easy to deal with or accomplish have become difficult due to bureaucracy, stupidity, incompetence, unemployment, or technology.

What are you trying to do?  Start a business?  Save a relationship? Be a good parent? Pursue your life's dream? Deal with your own illness or that of a loved one?  Are you discouraged for any reason?  Are you thinking you won't realize your objective or have the opportunity to live your dream?  Are you feeling you will never find a job in your field at the salary level you need?  Are you afraid that the outcome will not be that for which you are hoping?

It is so easy to find so many things wrong in the world today, but I encourage you to focus on the positive rather than the negative.  Talk to yourself, and think positively even when you don't  feel like it.  Hang around with positive people rather than naysayers, and determine what you can do about the issue and do it.  Most important

REFUSE TO GIVE UP!

DO YOU FEEL AS IF YOU ARE IN A RUT? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 32

If you lead a very busy life then you are like most people in today's world.  Single parents work and some two-parent households have both parents working outside the home.  The tight economy and lack of jobs cause those who have jobs to work even more hours to pick up the slack from layoffs and downsizing.  The wonderful technology we use has created more demands for our time, more requests for instant information, and the 24/7 availability causes lack of planning and organizing.  There are more extra-curricular activities and play dates for children requiring chauffeuring, sponsoring, coaching, and leading.

With so much to do in each day the chaotic schedule has become the norm.  Routines become demanding but boring.  All the new things you would like to learn or try ultimately are relegated to some future date because there is not enough time.  Of course, there is also the fear of trying new things which one hates to admit, and so the lack of time becomes the well-worn excuse to stay in a rut.  If you try something new, you may not like it, but at least you will have made the effort.  Children learn new things daily so they are never in a rut.

Make a decision to spend at least 10 minutes a day pursuing or trying something new.  Read something new.  Try a new food.  Explore the outdoors. Work in the yard.  Walk, jog or dance.  Attempt a new craft or hobby.  Nothing will get you out of a rut faster.

Today's message is simply:

Try new things!

REACH FOR SOMETHING NEW

DO YOU FORGET THINGS? DO YOU MISS DEADLINES? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 30

With all of the technology today we are bombarded by email, phone calls, social media communiques, and face-to-face encounters.  We receive an abundance of information, as well as requests for information; and we all have appointments to be set, canceled or rescheduled.  It is maddening to deal with people who either forget to respond, fail to show up for appointments, miss deadlines, and cause delays resulting in emergencies on the part of others.

If you are one of those people, there is a very simple solution:  Get organized!  Whether you use pen and paper, cell phone, computer, or an i-pad write down your appointments and deadlines.  Make to-do lists and follow up on them.  Today's message very simply is:

Write it down!

Malcolm For Tots In Your Language

Now that I am once again able to fully access my blog, I am really excited that I have added to it a translation widget. Now any of you for whom English is not your first language will be able to read my blog posts in your native language or any language.  The technology which allows someone who is not tech savvy (like me) to provide translation ability by the click of a mouse absolutely amazes me.

My son was for many years a translator in Japan.   I think of the hours he spent translating textbooks, documents, advertising and public relations items, Beatles lyrics, contracts, etc. for numerous clients.  Now with just a click of a mouse anything I write in English can be read all over the world.  I have been honored to know that people in so many countries take time to read my blog, and I am humbled to think that even more people may now choose to read a non-English version of it.

I hope everyone is having a great week.