Life is a journey and becoming better every day is the goal.

Taking Fair Responsibility: It’s Not All Your Fault Do You Feel Responsible for Everyone and Everything? You Are Not Responsible for Other People’s Emotions How to Stop Taking Responsibility for Others' Happiness How to Stop Feeling Overly Responsible

Create a Daily Plan to Work More Efficiently How To Follow Through On Your Plans Right Now 7 Ways to Make Yourself Follow Through Why You Aren’t Following Through On Your Plans And Goals

Does everything happen for a reason? And if so, is it all really for our highest good? Click here to read someone's thoughts about this question.

Coming Out Day What is LGBT? What Is Even More Powerful Than Coming Out? The 5 Worst States for LGBT People It's My Party Day Today throw a "just because" party! No Occasion Required: How to Host a “Just-Because” Bash! 15 fun theme party ideas for adults that everyone will love... I always loved Leslie Gore's song, did you know there was a sequel song to it? I thought it was super clever! Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day Oh my word.  Seriously?

Work Like a Dog Day    We want to make sure to differentiate between "Work-A-Holics" and those who "Work Like a Dog". Work-A-Holics are always working, even though they may not be working hard. Those who work like a dog, work very hard while they are working. But, they do not work all of the time. Underwear Day The Origin of Underwear Well, I for one am glad for underwear.

Passover  &  Good Friday Some thoughts... Holy Week in an Unholy World by Shane Claiborne We call it Holy Week. But it was a terrible week. His trial reeked of injustice. His own disciple sold him out for a few pieces of silver, betrayed him with a kiss… and hung himself. As he was arrested, one of his closest friends disregarded all his teaching on love – pulled out a knife – and cut a guy’s ear off. (Jesus called him out… and healed the other guy). A lot of the stuff that happened that first holy week was pretty unholy. Once arrested, he was passed back and forth between politicians and bureaucrats. There was Caiaphas the priest, the Sanhedrin council, Pontius Pilate, the crowd – everyone seemed to want him dead, but no one wanted blood on their hands. Even Pilate washed his clean. They had all kinds of accusations… Insurrection. Inciting a riot. Conspiracy. Terrorism (plotting to destroy the temple). Blasphemy. But all he did was love. And heal. And gi...

Hula in the Coola Day Tired of the long, cold winter you have been experiencing?  Then why not try to chase away the winter cold by donning a grass skirt, a lei, some coconut knockers and doing the hula outside?  Crazy right?  I'm not sure it actually works. Tomorrow is Groundhog Day, maybe that will work? Baked Alaska Day The Invention of Baked Alaska Baked Alaska Recipe Ever had a Baked Alaska? I never had. Ben & Jerry's is way easier to "make"! *wink* Decorating with Candy Day I'm not sure what you decorate with candy today, unless it is a February Gingerbread House? Or you throw a special party that is candy themed? Maybe it's just an excuse to indulge in your favorite candy! Dump your Significant Jerk Day How to Identify a Jerk How to Dump Someone...nicely.  They might be a jerk but don't sink to their level! How To Break Up With Someone Without Drama, Pain and Remorse Note: Most articles, if not all, that I looked at consist...

Fun at Work Day What kind of fun can you create at work today? Why not throw an impromptu party at work today? Make it fun! Blow some bubbles, decorate with silly string, have a game lunch, or watch a comedy during lunch. Create some fun at work today (just make sure it doesn't break any HR rules or ones your boss/department have because then the fun turns into something bad!). Data Privacy Day What is data privacy and why is it important? Take today to review all of your privacy settings on all of your social media sites, electronics, anything that you don't want others to access without your permission.  With all the hacking I would personally recommend setting your privacy at high and making sure that you are protecting your personal and business information. Blueberry Pancake Day Here's one of many recipes out there. I love blueberry pancakes.  YUM! National Kazoo Day The Invention of the Kazoo (such a wacky instrument!) Great Moments In Kazoo His...

National Dress Up Your Pet Day Uh, okay? Since it isn't halloween I'm a little confused why you would dress your pet up today. Organize Your Home Day 31 Smart, Low-Cost Organizing Ideas The Home-Organizing Tips You Need to Know Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day Hot Pastrami Sandwich Recipe Dude, I love pastrami. Bring it on! If I were in the City today (you know, the Big Apple) I would hit Katz's for one meal for a sandwich and Carnegie for the other meal for a sandwich. They both serve up 'da bomb diggity pastrami and other foods! Poetry at Work Day It's Poetry At Work Day! (this is a dated article but all the content is relevant) Poetry at Work Survival Kit More Poetry at Work Resources I'm no good with poetry but in December I did consider rewriting MJ's Smooth Criminal into a parody called HR Criminal.  Maybe I'll work on that today and call it poetry put to music.  *wink*

* This "daily" thing seems to have taken a downward turn.  Oy!   Today I am grateful for a job.  And to sweeten it up a little I actually like my job.  :) Some don't like their jobs but I'm going to go out on a limb and say this: be grateful for it.  Be grateful for your job, whether you like it or not, and see what could happen to your attitude about your job.  In today's economy and job market a job is like a rare find.  So be grateful for what you have, others haven't been so fortunate.  Find a way to be grateful for the tasks, the co-workers, the hours, etc.   Try to make some lemonade with the lemons of your job.   Allow gratefulness that you have a job sweeten your work ethic and your attitude during the days.  I get it.  I get that it isn't your dream job or the ideal situation perhaps or the dream organization to work for.  I SO GET THAT.  Be grateful anyway.  Find the things you can be grateful for ab...

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.   Unknown If you can't plan ahead and do as much as possible on your end then don't place the burden of your lack on someone else. Really.  It is rude, insensitive, and selfish.  Additionally, if you dream up some "great idea" and feel the urgency to get it done yesterday then do it yourself and do not place the burden on others.  If others have to be involved then breathe and attempt to think clearly instead of forcing others to alter their work or plans for you.  Could you be any more selfish? It's probably fairly obvious that this is one of those things that frustrates me.  People are so self-absorbed these days that even their work they put ahead of anyone else's responsibilities.  And trying to make someone else own your lack of preparedness is rude.  So if you want to wait until last minute or not prepare at all and then come to me seeki...

Be sure that being busy equals being productive.  Time wisely used is immeasurable.   Ian S. Ardern Just because *you* are busy doesn't mean you are being productive.  There is a big difference between busy and productivity.  Too many people equate the two and that simply isn't true.  I know many people who are busy but so unproductive.  And usually occupying yourself with "busy work" usually means you are doing things half-assed.  (Yeah, not apologizing for that.)  When we use busy work as a cover for looking productive we don't do things with excellence, we don't put all that we can into it, we don't actually accomplish anything that is useful.  Be smart about your work.  Is your "busy work" done with excellence and does it end up furthering productivity or is it done half-assed (still not apologizing) and as a cover so you don't have to really apply yourself?  Be wise with your use of time.  If you aren't going to be produ...

Let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.   Theodore Roosevelt There's a huge difference between wearing out and rusting out.  One means you worked hard and did your job for as long as possible.  The other means you sat around, allowed yourself to become neglected, exposed yourself to the weather of life and  became  unusable.  Roosevelt makes a good point in today's quote.  Wouldn't you rather wear out than rust out?  Wouldn't you rather be known at the end of your life for being someone who worked hard and with integrity than someone who skated by and became unusable?  Because when you become rusted from neglect you also lose people's respect and become known as a person who doesn't have integrity in their work life.  Wouldn't you rather wear out than rust out?  I know I would.

Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow small ones.   Ralph Waldo Emerson Want more responsibility?  Then be a good steward of what you've been given right now.  It's as simple as that.  It's as easy as that!  I know people who moan and complain that they don't have enough to do at work or they promise they can take on more responsibility and yet they can't even do what they have been given correctly.  And they blame shift and excuse away what they don't do.  Want more  responsibility?   Then be a good steward of what you've been given right now.  That includes owning up to your mistakes, not blame shifting, not excusing what you don't do, and going above and beyond and  not just settling for getting by.  

How long should you try? Until. Jim Rohn Trying your hand at something takes  perseverance.  And to give up after one or two attempts may indicate you've got some work to do on your personal character.  What does it say about you that you give up so easily?  Why do you give up so easily?  What needs to change in you to have the strength to keep at it?  Those kinds of questions plus others are worth asking and answering.   What kind of answer is " until "?   It's the best kind.  "Until" tells you when it is time to stop or it has been accomplished.  There is no questioning with "until."  It you quit before "until" happens then you will always wonder, you may be stuck in a cycle of defeat, etc.  But if you keep trying right up until the "until" then you will know that you did everything you possibly could.   Don't be afraid that you will miss the "until".  You won't.  How do I know?  I just do.  I kno...

For the sake of the church,  brothers and sisters, we insist in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed that you withdraw from any brother or sister who is out of order and unwilling to work, who is straying from the line of teaching we passed on to all of you.  You know how essential it is to imitate us  in the way we live life . We were never undisciplined  nor did we take charity from anyone  while we were with you . Instead,  you saw  how we worked very hard day and night so we wouldn’t be a burden to even one person in the community.  We had the right  to depend on your help and hospitality, as you know;  but we wanted to give you a model you could follow,  to lay a path of footprints for you to walk in .  This is exactly why, while with you, we commanded you: “Anyone not willing to work shouldn’t get to eat!”  You see, we are hearing that some folks in the community are out of step  with our teaching ; they are ...

It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.   Jerome K Jerome Ha!  This quote makes the list because I pretty much view idling this way.  I don't know if I can blame it on my Type A nature or what but I can't simply just idle a day away and even if I do manage it I'm still reviewing in my head all the things I need to do the minute I determine the idling is done. Sheesh Beth, LET IT GO.  Just rest already will ya? I'm trying, I really am.  But if I decide to watch a movie (idling) I also find something that can be done and needs to be done while watching a movie.  I've been known to chop vegetables, go through junk mail and paper work, fold laundry, etc.  I consider it making good use of time (multi-tasking) but then I'm not idling (resting) I'm just slowing down a bit.  :) I realize I'm not good at resting.  I don't know how to do it, it makes me feel uncomfortable because I know all that n...

There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.   William J. Bennett If you believe you, or others, work a menial job then your attitude is what is really menial.  Let's talk about menial for a minute.  In its adjective  definition  it means lacking interest or dignity, relating mostly to  servant hood.  And while some people may argue that certain jobs are menial, I agree with Bennett - only attitudes are.  When I look at a particular task or job and think it below me to do then I have proven my attitude is menial, it lacks dignity.   For example, I know of someone who noticed one day that coffee had spilled and made a general mess at the coffee station they frequent.  They let it sit for a day or two before letting someone know that it needed to be cleaned up and "since housekeeping is supposed to do that I've left it for them to take care of."  REALLY?  That person has a menial attitude toward janitorial dut...