Good Habits And Bad Habits; How To Tell The Difference and Why They Matter​?

Habit – a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior, an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary

What are your ; what are your habits? Do you know which are which? We all have patterns, some like brushing our teeth, taking a shower once or twice a day in mornings evening, or even what times of day we have our meals. All of these are examples of habits that we may perform day in and day out without much though if any put into doing them. We also tend develop both useful and bad habits; yet do we which is which?

Good habits are those small repetitive things that we regularly do over time and don’t pay attention to our doing of them. lead to good results and longterm behaviors over time, such as brushing one’s teeth every day in morning and at night before going to bed, which helps protect us from getting cavities and losing our teeth. Or working out at the gym or going for a jog every day in the morning not only helps us stay in shape but allows us to start our day off on a high note with momentum for the rest of the day.

Bad habits on the other hand, as the name suggests, are just the opposite and are those small repetitive things that we do on a regular basis without much thought. They lead us down a spiraling path of self-destruction that negatively impacts our lives and sometimes even those around us. A perfect example of a nasty and destructive habit is smoking. Now I am not talking about the casual smoker of Sugars or even cigarettes that only smokes every so often and rarely at that, no what I am talking about is the one or two pack of cigarettes a day habit (i.e., addiction).

The one or two pack a day habit is the perfect example of a bad habit that starts as a small thing done regularly over time but then adds up and spirals out of control into self-destruction. We already know about the long-term health consequences to lifetime smokers, but it is a lot more than just that. Smoking a pack or two a day is a costly ($) habit. The average cost of a pack of cigarettes is $5.51 with the most expensive being $12.85. Let’s see; there are 365 days in a year, 365 x 5.51 = $2011.15 for one year worth of smoking on a pack a day at the cheapest cost on average.

According to the CDC about 25.3% of adults who live below the poverty line smoke. Think about that right there, the destructive habit of smoking could (and most likely does) very well be attributing to poverty in the United States. You take out that habit and bingo that is (if your addiction was the one pack a day) automatically $2011.15 in yearly savings. That can go a long way of improving ones financel lot in life.

Learning to save your money and spend wisely is the actual key to getting more wealth. If you look at almost any financially well-off/rich person/people throughout history and in today’s world, I guarantee that has played and continues to play a significant role in their wealth management. Wisely saving and managing one’s money is an excellent example of a good habit that leads to positive results.

So, good habits are those little things done regularly over time that leads to positive results in one’s life. Bad habits are just the opposite leading to negative consequences for the individual and in the case of smoking society as well.  Makes you think does it not; on just what small habits you and I may have that are either leading us to succeed in life or down a destructive path does it not? Darren Hardy in his book “The Compound Effect does an outstanding job of further exploring this very topic and showing how we can better manage our habits.

So what are your thoughts and viewpoints on this ? What are your good and bad habits? Please do share them, all are welcomed and wanted!

 

 

 

 

Taking A Vacation Reminds Us To Enjoy Life

Vacation  period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation, a scheduled period during which activity (as of a court or school) is suspended, a period of exemption from work granted an employee

The Summer season has long been known as the time where most take time off from their work/jobs to take a “” with family and/or friends for a few days or a week or two. But why do we do so?

What do you mean why, we take a vacation to spend time with family, reconnect with friends, and recharge our minds and bodies form all the constant work and stress we get in jobs and daily grind of .”

Yes, we take a vacation for all of those reasons, but again why? What lies underneath the reasoning of all those reasons and definition of vacation above?

The answer, the fundamental reason why we take time out of our lives every or nearly every year is so we can actually life and not just grind through it. We need vacations in our lives to remind that life is to be appreciated and not just plowed through. The reason we spend most of our daily lives “working our backs off” to earn a living is so we can actually take enjoyment in our lives.

As stated in the above reasons we also take vacations to rewind, reenergize, and restore ourselves from the daily grind of life, yet doing so helps us to better take enjoyment out of our daily lives year around not just on vacations. As some studies have shown vacations do help improve both our mental and physical health.

Our reconnecting with friends, spending more time bonding with family and other reasons given for vacations above are all by and through our reenergizing and restoring our minds and bodies and remembering to take enjoyment out of life. So this Summer if have not done so take a vacation with either family or friends or both, even if it is just for a couple of nights at the beach. No matter how big or small the vacation you take, you and your life will be better off. Take some time to enjoy life and have fun!

So what are your thoughts and viewpoints on this subject? Have you been on vacation yet or are you getting ready to? Where and what was/is it? All thoughts and viewpoints are welcomed and wanted here!

 

Avoid Making Premature Decisions​ And Actions

Premature: happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time; especially: born after a gestation period of fewer than 37 weeks

Throughout all of our lives, we will have had will be required to make , judgments, and take in response to what happens around us and to us. To our choices being  ones, which rarely if ever have good positive outcomes, our emotions cannot be allowed to be in control of the process.  Decisions are premature when we let our feelings control our reasoning instead of our reasoning controlling our emotions. When this happens, our decisions/actions are made too quickly, without much thought, and ignoring or not taking in the facts of the situation. It is ok for our emotions to inform us, but when we let them control us in decisions we tend to make ones that will only exacerbate the problem/situation we are responding to. Thus, our decisions are premature.

All thoughts and viewpoints are welcomed and wanted!

Just Breath, Don’t Get Too​ Emotional or Stressed Out

When we over something, we never do our selves any good. Doing so affects our ability to think and make decisions. It also does not allow us to listen to others about the issue if there are any kind of disagreements. Likewise, don’t spend too much time working with no breaks and fun time, that will burn you and cause you to stress when you then find yourself not able to get things done. I find that when I am out I get too anxious and that leads me to get too emotional on issues I care about more than I would normally be, which then clouds my judgment.

All thoughts and viewpoints ane wanted and welcomed!

 

Keeping Past Memories

What do you remember fondly from your ? What family do you recall the most, both good and bad? Do you forget your past memories a lot? Have you started recording them in a journal or in some other form? We all have and create life experiences and the memories to go with them, yet as we grow and get older and the more that are added to the list to remember said memories, they get foggier and foggier, and we soon start to forget the oldest ones.

The fact that we would over time not remember any of our past, let alone the most memorable of our experiences is tragic, for it is our life experiences and our memories of them that make us who we really are as well as reminding us what really matters in life. Our memories give us perspective on not only our lives but life in general. It is thus essential and recommended that we record and write down our experiences.

Most people know the importance of such when it comes to family memories (family home videos, and baby journals). Yet, not all of our experiences and memorable events warrant making a video of or they happen at times that don’t allow for such. Thus writing them down like in a daily journal is highly useful and needed.

Writing down our memories does not have to be only in journals they can be turned into stories to share with others. Those who write professionally such as bloggers/columnists do this all the time. They will write an article that tells about a past experience of theirs and makes it relevant for us the reader to want to know about it and learn from it.

Writing about one’s own past life experience is in some ways what a writer does best. Although all of our life experiences are different and happen in different ways when you look at them all deep down, there are usually plenty of similarities. Thus when writers share theirs, others can then compare and learn from both.

So when you find yourself looking back on your life and remembering some very memorable experiences, write them down and share them with others. In this way you not only will ensure that they are never forgotten but that others can learn from them as you perhaps have. Also if you have not already done so, start a journal. It does not have to be a daily one, although they do help, instead it just needs to be one were you from time to time on a regular bases record what has happened in your life and what you have experienced.

 

What are your thoughts and viewpoints on this subject? Please do share, all are welcomed and wanted here!

Why Hiding From A Problem Does Not Work?

For those who have to live with “Autism,” it can be and often is no matter how one deals with it difficult road to travel. Even for those who have seemed to have made something of themselves and “have a life” still have to deal with their autism every day of their lives. They did get over it or somehow “cure” themselves.

No, instead we have embraced our Autism as a part of who we are!

As I have shared in previous posts, I am currently diagnosed with “high functioning autism” which means, for the most part, I am able to function in the world regularly, but do face some difficulties when it comes socialization. These difficulties for me at least include picking up on social cues and focusing on others in social situations among a few other things.

I am currently at the point where in most situations, my autism not limit me as it once did because I recognize I have the difficulties that I do and can adjust myself and my life accordingly. Because I know of and acknowledge my autism, I know that it is not a curse, burden, etc.. but a gift.

Yes, because of my autism I have a lot more trouble communication and getting to know others than most people do; yet at the same time, I am more able to spot things in my environment that others may not or at least quicker than most do. I see connections easily. I am able to remember a whole lot of what for most people would be insignificant details past conversations and such. And though I have more trouble in recognizing social cues than most do, as a trade-off I believe, I am a little more empathic to other’s emotions than most other men are.

The thing is if I had not embraced my autism and acknowledged it I would most likely not have realized the benefits that I get because of my autism, but would only see the negatives associated with it. Because I would have just “seen” the negatives of my autism, and continued to have viewed it as a burden to do away with instead of working with it.

My autism is starting to really no longer be a “” in my life because I no longer recognize it as such. I still have to deal with it, make no mistake, but it is no burden for me. This I believe is the key for not just an autistic person, but for anyone with a so-called “problem” no matter what it is. We need to stop seeing the “problems” life throws at us as burdens to be rid of, and more as challenges to with and around of.

I have embraced my “problem” as a part of who I am and as a blessing, not a curse; have you?

 

What are your thoughts and views on this topic? Please do share them all are welcomed and wanted. 

 

 

America Has Lost One Of Its Great Political Thinkers

Last Thursday, June 21, conservative writer, and columnist Charles Krauthammer passed away. The United States thus most significant in political commentary and thought. Throughout his writing career Charles, although he most assuredly had conservative leanings, he was never shy about questioning when he saw the need, the conservative thinking at the time on any number of issues. He was the same way when at the beginning of his long career was more liberal leaning. Even in his most critical of opinions to either side of the political divide he was always fair and presented his case most thoughtfully and transparently possible.

I always loved listening to his thoughts and viewpoints on the networks and reading his columns, for me he was an inspiration for how to responsibly express and share one’s ideas and views on politics and what is going on in the world. I unfortunately never knew him but will always count it among my most remembered, enjoyable experiences in my life to have met him in person at a dinner a few years back before the I believe it was the 2013 CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference).

Besides his excellent and well thought out views about events and such; what really has amazed and inspired me (and continues to do so) is his relaxed and joyful view on life. This despite or perhaps because of his being paralyzed early in his life and career. Whichever the case, he thus had developed and displayed throughout his whole life afterward a kind of joyful, easygoing attitude for dealing with everything life threw at him.

Charles wrote extensively on a variety of topics, most especially foreign affairs and in all of his views he never let his emotions rule him. His opinions were always not just well thought out, but meticulous and precise in detail. They were never it seemed to be rushed into being formed. He will most definitely be missed by those who follow the political process in the United States and pay attention to local, national, and world affairs/news. A huge gape in the intellectual opinions of political columnists has suddenly developed as a result of his passing. You will be missed, Charles Krauthammer!

I Miss You Dad; Remembering You This Father’s Day And Every Day!

post is in honor of my , David L. Blosser who passed away in September 2010. Dad, are missed, but never forgotten.

On this Father’s , you, its been several years now since you left this world but a day does not go by that I don’t feel your “absence.” Yet, I am thankful for all the time I had with you for all you did in raising me to be the man I am. Thank you for your firm yet gentle hands. Thank you for your light insightful guide, and continuing mentorship.

I miss our talks in the backyard at night by the grill or by the lit firepit at the “ranch” after a day of hunting. Yet, I fondly remember those talks whenever I am grilling myself and/or having a beer on my porch. Those are still some of my best “thinking” times, and I know then that you are still there with me in a way. 

I miss our hunting trips, yet my favorite place to hunt on our land is your favorite blind, which is the place where I have shot all my deer I have gotten so far since you passed away. I know you are with me still when I hunt. 

I miss not having you there to give me advice or to help me when I need it, but I remember all the times you were there for me and all that you did teach me and that seems to be enough to satisfy my needs. I know you are there for me still. 

I miss you so much, but because you gave me so much when you were alive and where there for me always I have so much to remember you by and to keep you alive with me in spirit. I miss you, and yet at the same time I don’t miss you, for I know I still have you here with me and I know you are in a better place with our heavenly father and someday I will “see” you again.  

Love you,

Your loving son,

Chase

The Importance Of Ceremony and Memorial Day

This is a response to one-word prompt “Ceremony” by “The Daily Post.”

Earlier today (well yesterday), I went to a local honoring all military servicemen women who gave their lives for this country, the United Staes and freedoms we enjoy in it. As well as the families and loved ones those who made said sacrifice. It was a very touching and moving ceremony; though just one of many taking place across the county today. Some with a little more prompt & circumstance than others, some with less, but all with profound meaning behind them.

There are times when ceremonies can get a little long winded and still, but that does not take away the of having a ceremony service for essential things/events.  That is to pass down and remember to future generations. Ceremonies are times of reflection and contemplation. So too with ceremonies on Memorial , and Memorial Day its self.

Memorial Day is not just a day to remember the sacrifice of those who died defending the freedoms we enjoy in this great nation, it is a day to honor them by celebrating their lives, sharing memories of them with others; no different than at funerals. This also helps with those who suffer in silence every day the loss of those great men and women we honor today. To all who served in the military of the United States and made the supreme sacrifice; we salute you!

Autism Is Not A Hindrance​, It Is Just Plain Awkward

This response to the one-word prompt “Awkward” by “The Daily Post.”

For those who have to live with “Autism, can be and often is, no matter how one deals with it and strange. As I have mentioned previously on this blog, I have been diagnosed with “High Functioning Autism.” Although, I suspect that when I was growing up (I am 31) it was always that spectrum level.

I perhaps had a slightly lower function spectrum of , for growing up was definitely always socially awkward for me; I was still aware of my differences compared to others (I was never officially diagnosed, only thought to have some form of Autism as a kid). Now that I know that “my difference” was and is because of my autism, it has made going about my life so much better and more comfortable. My autism (my difference) is not nor has ever been a handicap or , but is very much a part of me and a good/useful part.

Because of my autism, I see things and think of things differently than most people. That is a gift, to be able to view the world through different lenses than most would; it opens a whole lot of new opportunities. Yet, autism doesn’t come without its challenges, which bottom line can be summed up in just plain awkwardness.

It is awkward to be in social situations and not know how to respond and act (responding one way and everyone looking at you like you have lost your mind). It is awkward to have a deep conversation on a particular subject while your mind keeps going a mile a minute thinking up all the connecting topics and/or ideas related to such.

From what I have come to understand when it comes to social situations and behavior most people do not have to put too much “active thought” into it. That is not so with me. I have to constantly be in “active thought mode” to govern my thoughts and behavior; rarely if ever being on “auto-pilot” (my subconscious). So yes, while having Autism is not a hindrance, it is very much an awkward experience!

What are your thoughts on this subject? Please do share them; they are very much wanted.