Written by Marc Chernoff

1. In life, we can’t take more than one sip at a time.

Challenge yourself today to focus solely on the sip (task, step, etc.) you’re actually taking. Honestly, that’s all life is — small, positive actions that you take moment by moment. Then one day when you look back it all adds up to something worthwhile — something that’s often far different, and better, than what you had imagined when you started.

And if you’re having trouble sorting out where to start, remember that writing things down helps. Everything usually seems far more overwhelming in our heads. So get out of your head by writing everything down in tiny tasks (that can be tackled gradually). The smaller the better too. Writing the list can even be one of the tasks (see, you already checked the first thing off). Then you can do the next tiny thing and check it off, and the next. Doing so builds a gradual sense of achievement and a degree of control over your world, which reduces the overwhelm, or at least enables you to cope as you move forward… one “sip” at a time.

2. We all do lots of things that don’t need to be done.

Our lives get incredibly complicated, not overnight, but gradually. And the complications creep up on us…

And the cycle continues in all walks of life too…

One yes at a time, and soon my life is so busy and complicated I’m losing control and I don’t know where I went wrong.

And because I’m feeling stressed, I distract myself…

I read a couple articles on Apple News, then I flip over to Reddit, then my email, and then I check my phone and watch a cute video of my niece that my sister-in-law texted… and soon another day is gone, and I didn’t get anything done, and my life gets sucked away one small “sip” at a time, and I feel overwhelmed with what’s left undone.

How do we protect against this vicious cycle?

We have to take a step back on a regular basis and reevaluate what we’re actually doing and why.

Instead of thinking, “Oh my gosh there’s too much to do!”… let’s ask, “Should I actually be doing all of this?”

The bottom line is that people never get more done by blindly working more hours on everything that comes up. Instead they get more done when they follow careful plans that measure and track key priorities and milestones. So if you want to be more successful and less stressed, don’t ask how to make something quicker and more efficient until you’ve first asked, “Do I need to do this at all?” Simply being able to do something well does not make it the right thing to do. And if you think about it, it’s actually kind of ironic that we complain we have so little time, and then we prioritize like time is infinite. So do your best to focus on what’s truly important, and not much else. 

3. It’s necessary to say “NO” to some really good things.

We all have opportunities and obligations, but a healthy and productive routine can only be found in the long run by properly managing your yeses. And yes, sometimes you have to say “no” to really good opportunities and obligations. You can’t always be agreeable — that’s how people take advantage of you. And that’s how you end up taking advantage of yourself too. You have to set clear boundaries!

You might have to say no to certain favors, work projects, community associations, church activities, volunteer groups… coaching your kid’s sports teams, or some other seemingly worthwhile activity. I know what you’re thinking: it seems unfair to say no when these are very worthwhile things to do — it pains you to say no! But you must, because the alternative is that you’re going to do a poor job at each one, be stressed out, feel like you’re stuck in an endless cycle of busyness, and eventually you’ll reach a breaking point.

Broken

 

Men don't realize that Women 

don't fall out of love because

 of another man,

 she falls out of love because 

of broken promises, 

lack of effort, 

poor communication, 

neglect, 

lack of empathy.

Her love didn't just disappear overnight. 

He has been destroying it

 for a very long time now.

by matthew coast

BE YOU!!!

 

Being a little weird is

 just a natural side-effect 

of being awesome!

Best Things

 from Mindsets

Thrift Store - Big Find!

 WOW, I purchased this for 50 cents.

I dug this out of the bins with old tools. Of course, I had no idea about it. My phone was dead, so I couldn't check it. It is 4" long by 3" tall. The auctions are asking $200 to $400. I will hang it inside my trailer.

The history is very interesting.

"Vehicle entry into our National Parks began in the early 1900’s after construction of dirt paths and gravel roadways were introduced into Banff National Park during the 1920’s. Previously, only railway access to Banff and Jasper allowed visitors to depart the train, and visit via horseback or “Tally Ho” wagon from the train station.

A “new” metal Buffalo style vehicle pass was introduced in 1925, and used as a roadway National Park pass in the mountain Parks until 1940. These annual passes originally cost $1 and later $2, and were intended to be mounted to the front bumper or radiator shell of the vehicle, so the gate attendant could see them on vehicle entry to the Park. The first metal used was a copper “walking buffalo” with “CANADIAN NATIONAL PARKS” on the base and no date on it. Each year after the metal used was alternated between aluminum, brass and copper (A.B.C.). Six mounting screw holes were drilled in the original plates, until 1930 when the holes drilled were reduced to four. The first three years (1925, 1926 and 1927) did not have a date on them, but were made of copper, aluminum and brass to distinguish each year. 1928 and 1929 (copper and aluminum) only had .8 and.9 dates to distinguish them, and the name was changed to “CANADA’S NATIONAL PARKS”. 1930 AND 1931 (brass and copper) used .30 and .31 to date each.

Beginning in 1932, a more detailed “standing” buffalo was crafted, with the full date. In 1939 and 1940, mounting holes were removed, and a base plate with a slotted mounting bar opening was added. The use of metal for entry passes was discontinued during the Second World War to help assist the war effort. Paper receipts were then used, until window stickers – first buffalo, then elk, and eventually a stylized beaver – were used into the 1990’s.

n 1938, 1939 (aluminum) and 1940 (copper), circular metal passes were also produced for use in the prairie National Parks. They had a single mounting hole base, and the date in the beaver lodge that the beaver sat on. Again the use of metal was discontinued for the Second World War. 1942 saw a paper bison sticker replica produced for a few years. During the 1930’s Saskatchewan Natural Resources produced an aluminum beaver, “SNR Parks” for use in that province at the time.

Other provinces and local communities used a moose, elk, or fish (Waterton) metal format promoted by local Chamber of Commerce groups. Many “commemorative plate reproductions” have been produced since the National Parks centennial in 1985. Banff National Park did one of the first, then Elk Island for 1906, and Jasper for 1907 (100 Year Park commemorations). The Jasper Museum also produced replicas in a metal alloy format, for use as a fund raising effort in the early 2000’s.

The metal plates were stamped in three different locations, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Vancouver where various contracts were let to produce them. Some have the maker’s location stamped on the back. Counterfeit copies were common, and many have had the dates altered in an effort to avoid paying the next year’s fee when entering the Park. Examples of all of the original metal passes are considered rare to extremely rare and of significant value!"

National Park Warden Alumni Society