You don't have to be perfect to enjoy life

Competitive sports are good but what about the fun and excitement of sports without having to win every game? The idea is to be as creative as you need be to become the person that is you. While it's true many professions and careers have to be near perfect, or at least knowledgeable,to keep in business, the extra-curricular activities that you engage in on your off time can be enjoyable even when you aren't particularly adept. Keeping busy has its own rewards.

In fact, the title You don't have to be perfect to enjoy life, is actually a little silly. Doesn't every one know that? They should, but believe it or not competition is a way of live with a great many people.
The fact is, no matter how good you are at something, there's probably plenty of people much more adept and could beat you at it. That's okay, you're probably good at something they know nothing about.

That's beside the point. The only person you really should be competing with is yourself. Strive to do a little better tomorrow than you did today. An illustration of that is the image on this page. I did it for no other reason than to try and use computerized art software to entertain myself. It had no other purpose than to occupy me for a half an hour or so.

As you can see, I was playing with straight lines on a black background. When I was thus occupied, I had nothing in mind, but today as the viewer, I'm quite impressed. I see a bullfrog playing a fiddle and a person, a stick figure dancing. That's probably not far from the truth about what was happening when that piece of art (?) was created. (Or should I have said, scribbled?)

Dealing with the Unknown

Dealing with the unknown is a little hard to take, but since it's a way of life, most of us have learned how to manage to get through the day without worrying too much about it. And that's the way it should be. What would we do if we knew what was in store for us each day? Live the moment to the best of our ability and rest assured if we do the best we can do, everything will turn out as it should. Or, at least it will turn out as it turns out and there'e nothing worrying about it ahead of time would've helped.

It's the unknown that brings surprises and delights and keeps life interesting. Where mental health is concerned, it's far healthier to accept what is and not to worry and fret over what will be. Rest assured the Creator of us all, has our future in His hands and that should make us quite content. And most of the little irritations and annoyances that we have to deal with, soon pass away.

Being who you are, no matter where you are

Being yourself is all you can do and still be true to yourself. That sounds easy but in truth it will probably be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do. All the time you'll be tempted to shed, as if you can, yourself and be like another.

Why is being yourself hard to do? The world will be different and will take on various attitudes, or the world of people will do that, and they will look askance at your old habits, your differing thought patterns and will, in essence pass you by. How do you manage to hold on to your integrity among all the charades and play acting going on?

Be truthful and admit that you don't know something when you truly don't know,but also admit when you do know something, or at least believe until you've learned better, and you'll have no trouble internally by being yourself. Yet, if you fail to be happy with yourself and take on the facade of others, forsaking your own God given talents, you will find nothing but guilt and worry over trying to keep up pretenses.

Thus, it's far better to be yourself, for better or worse and learn how to live peacefully with yourself. Try it and see how happier you'll be.

Make time for yourself

Life is so busy and so programmed in these days where everything good being done for our health, our enjoyment of life,ls forever being flashed before our eyes. Not that that's particularly bad, but there's only 24 hours in a day and something must give. All too often that something is your time to sit quietly and reflect on how great life is.

Peace and quiet is not something we rush forward toward, it's something we must carry within ourselves if we ever hope to find it. Those are not necessarily words of wisdom because its assumed everyone knows that, but do they? Take that minute or two whenever its available whether its on the jog around the block, the ride on the bus, or plane, or if it is while alone in the bathroom. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath or two and thank your creator for having allowed you to be who you are.

In making Him your partner you'll never again have to carry the whole world on your shoulders, he's there to give you a break now and then. He's there to tell you not to take yourself too seriously, you're only here for a little while and it'll all be over. What's all the rush for anyway, you must stop and ask yourself when life seems too busy for you to keep up with. The simple knowledge that you're taking yourself far too seriously may be the first step in lightening your load.

Slow down and let the rush hour pass

Slow down when you're rushing about when you actually have no need to be so occupied. Take time think through your actions before you rush headlong into the next adventure. The rush hour just so happens to be Christmas shopping on this particular day.

Only five more days until Christmas is enough to cause a stamped of shoppers out to buy their gifts, to rush home get dressed for a party and on and on and on. There no harm in all this if it does not cause anxiety, stress, depression and anger.

You can tone down your frenzy to a comfortable level simply by taking five or ten minutes a day to meditate on the real purpose of Christmas. In other words, talk it over with Him and then listen carefully for the answers. They may not be immediate, but they will come. A smile, or a word of encouragement may do more than all that pushing and shoving to get everything wrapped and in place under the tree.

The tree? Oh you forgot about that. That's okay, then you'll have time to to sit quietly and think about the beautiful tree you'd like to have with gifts for all the world's children under it. In lieu of that say a prayer for them. Then quietly go out and calmly buy a few gifts for a few needy youngsters with the money you'd have spent on a tree and its decorations. Enjoy the good feeling. That's the Christmas spirit taking hold of you. It's real so appreciate the real thing, but do it quietly and respectfully.

Keeping busy

Doldrums don't stay around my place long. No sooner than I begin feeling let down and put upon, misunderstood and unloved, I think of all my blessings! And without even meaning too, I've forgotten what it was that was invading my thoughts in a few short minutes.

I've made a discovery about the blahs, this state of mind comes about only when we are thinking so much about ourselves we cannot think of others who may need something from us, it's called selfishness. It latches onto all of us from time to time.

The cure? Get beyond your own self importance and know that's its a fable. Leave those self-defeating thoughts where they belong in the trash can. If they haven't made you rich by now, they probably won't. If you're afraid of getting caught being the plain, ordinary, run of the mill person that you are, but the one you admire the most, think this way: You're most important in the eyes of the creator and He loves you as you are. Had He wanted you the way you think you ought to be, He would have created you that way. Be yourself and cut through all the heavy pretensions you've been carrying around.

Always be thankful and give God the credit

Being thankful doesn't have to wait until Thanksgiving. It starts the first thing in the morning. You're thankful you're alive, that you don't feel worse than you do, that you have food for breakfast, that yo have something useful to do and on and on the morning thankfulness goes. But you don't thank yourself but you thank your creator for having created you in the very special way He did.

The next thing you do is to believe what you say. In fact it would be perfectly meaningless to say thank
to the face that glares back at you from the mirror as you brush your teeth each morning.One reason is sometimes, and more often than not, that look isn't much to be thankful for. Be thankful that God sees something far more beautiful and if you listen carefully when you're least expecting it, He'll tell you.

Just forget about yourself and do the best job you can do each day. And thank God for the privilege. And give them the credit. Let him do with it what needs to be done. Life is that simple! Of course it isn't easy, but it's quite simple when we don't complicate it.