A Lesson To Be Learned

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It’s early in the morning, all dark outside. I’m at the airport terminal, sitting among other passengers waiting for our flights. That’s when it hit me – something is missing.

At the moment when I realize I’ve left something at home, my mind is a commixed with emotions. I’m mad and disappointed with myself for being so mindless, rushed, and whatever other excuses I managed to rationalize in my head.

After a few bouts of self incrimination, I concluded: never again if I learn my lesson, this time. But how? First and foremost, stop beating myself up. 

Sure, everyone makes mistakes. The important part for me is to immerse myself in the lesson and fully absorb it, so I etch it in my never again memory. If so, this lesson will be a growing experience. Who knows something good may even come out of it. Just maybe.

Sounds like a classic tale of turning lemons into lemonade? Yes. Instead of self loathing, blaming everyone else, and allowing a regretful siltuation spiral downward, I can turn it around if I recognize and leverage the lesson.

When was the last time that you recognized a lesson is to be learned?

On Creative Tension

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Admit it, all of us face stress or tension – within ourselves and with others. Regardless, it’s your inner desire, cloest family member or friend, there is no escape. Given we’re uniques in our own way, it is the law of human dynamics. The question is how do we hold the tension creatively?

Creatively, because failing at it would have serious consequence. Vice versa, succeeding it can bring joy and great accomplishment. The key is to find what works for you. Remember between the wide options of sports and entertainment to drugs and alcohol, the choice is ours. And the best part is that we’re not alone.

So, if you’re looking for ways to be creative in holding tension, here are some suggestions: whether it’s brainstorming, meditation, role reversal, music therapy, or other approaches, be sure to explore different options. Sometimes, even a compromise, so long it does not threaten your integrity, is worth considering.

Let’s face it: stress or tension won’t go away.  But learning to exercise our creative muscle in holding these tension in balance can and will make a difference in our life.

What creative tension strategy works for you?

 

What’s Worse Than a Dental Office Visit?

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Few people I know enjoy going to a dentist office. Just the thought of it can elicit sweat moisture on my skull. Not that I have had a bed experience in the dentist office. It’s EVERY time. The sound of the drill, vacuum suction, and sterile environment, are all too familiar of a torture chamber at my expense.

And this fearful experience has been ingrained since I was a child. It’s not a linger childhood memory but a persistent reality, at least every six months. So what can be worse than visiting the dentist? The answer is when they don’t accept my insurance.

The American healthcare industry is flawed in that the normal supply and demand cycle does not apply. Why? Enters the insurance companies. Instead of being the paying customers, the patients are at the mercy of negotiated fees and services between the insurer and the service provider.

In essence, the patients have no say, zero, nada, except perhaps changing the policy, the provider, or both. Of course that is like pulling tooth ( pun intended). None is easy or pain-free.

Are you happy with your insurance providers?

Survey – Anyone?

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Lately, for some unknown reason, I’ve been getting lots of hit with requests for survey online. They tend to be related to my transaction online and are none political. Usual caveat is ” Hi Terry, we want your opinion/ feedback.”

I don’t have problem with such request. How else could one make a difference in this digital world?  But I do have problems with how these online surveys are handled.

One. The platforms conducting the surveys are usually unknown to me. Thus, phishing is a concern for me. Especially, when my browser flags them as unsafe, return to safety, or proceed at my own risk, I had to probe a bit to be sure they are legitimate.

Two. A nagging thought I have is, does anybody actually read the survey results? I presume so. What else would companies spend the money collecting the data and then throwing them away? With that logic, I don’t hold back. My inputs can be brutally honest – not only in scores but also in written comments.

Three. Will my inputs move the needle? In other words, will my inputs be aggregated with others? Or I’m wasting my time? Could my opinion, for example, influence the airlines to increase the legroom onboard? Convince the businesses to switch customer facing from bots to real agent?

My guess is that I’ll never know.

What about you? Would you take the survey?

Top Social Concerns?

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The US General Election is less than six months away.  What is on the people’s mind?

For blogging, I peruse the news and social media on a regular basis. Below are what I found (in no particular order) as top concerns for many Americans:

• gun violence
• inflation/economy
• immigration/ border security
• health care/ social security
• foreign policy
• climate change

Whomever occupies the White House does not guaranty any of these issues will be addressed. But there are differences between the Biden and Trump that are worth the   consideration.

Ultimately, I would not hold my breath on any politicians.  Because we’re the vanguard of democracy. Which means we have to champion our own causes and oversee the governments’ performance, not just on Election day but everyday.

Is your top concern included on the list?

Earth Day Today

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Did you know that today is Earth Day? It is on 22 April annually, a day dedicated to the support of environmental protection. Furthermore, this year’s theme is Planet vs Plastics, with a goal of 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040.

Admittedly, I did not realize it until I started this blog post. Looking back at my day, all I did was weeding and mulching the flowerbeds in my front-yards. Pretty minimum if you ask me. But then again, protecting the Earth is not an one-day thing. Anyhow.

So, if you want to learn more about our dear planet, here is a link to a webinar I attended. It is titled “the End of Normal: Understanding – and correcting – Earth’s troubling climate trajectory.” The presentation is informative and balanced (not the gloom and doom stuff).

The best part, it offers options for ways forward. Hope you too find it useful.

Happy Earth Day!

 

 

 

Week in Review – 21 Apr 2024

We all know climate change is causing imbalances to our planet. To wit, this past Wednesday, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, received a year worth of rain in one day. That sounds crazy? Yes, but should not be surprised.

Because how we deal with our symbiotic environment has consequences. It would be naive to think otherwise. If one had failed to file a tax return or extension by the tax day, you bet there will be consequence. Like it or not, anger & fear would be the natural reactions that come with the decision.

Given a choice, I would not risk it. Not even in my dreams. Simply put, life is unpredictable and stress enough. Why exacerbate it? The fact that the Ukraine aid took so long to pass the US House of Representatives is beyond my comprehension. Lets see if it gets any better with the Senate next.

If the news and current events are making you feeling dead tired and overwhelmed, know that you’re not alone. At times like these, good to recognize that we do have choice. One of which is to prioritize self care – retreat from the hectic world and undertake true recreation could help.

Stay safe & have a nice week.

Ukraine Aid

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After six months, the US House of Representatives finally passed a $95.3 billion foreign aid package today for Ukraine (60.8), Israel (26.4), and Taiwan (8.1). First of all, foreign aid is a standard US policy to shore up our influences around the world. It is how we do business, nothing new or unusual.

What unusual about this package, however, is how long it has taken for the House to get its act together. Considering the funding that Ukraine critically needs to fight off the Russian invasion, six months is a long time in a two year plus war. Because the US holds a lion share of that funding.

Not fixing blame, but the consequence of our delay has become dire for Ukraine. Imaging day after day waiting for the assistance from the West, 180 days translate into family destroyed, property damaged, and hope denied.

We say we will stand with Ukraine at the onset of the war. Surely, we have let them down.

I suppose it’s better late than never. But from a strategic view, do you think our foreign aid policy is working well?

In My Dreams

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Some of my worst fears show up in my dreams. Maybe it’s my subconscious working to release hidden mental stresses. Mind you, I have been retired for eight years, and these dreams to my wife’s amazement still happen. An interesting side note: seldom, if ever, I dream about hitting a jackpot or some joyful scenarios.

I consider it a blessing for me. Because I get to wake up.

You see we all learned to repress the negatives or the so called unacceptable behaviors. Want to shovel a cork in the screaming baby’s mouth behind you on an airplane, give the panhandler, who is impeding traffic at an intersection during rush hours, the finger but don’t. Because these are frowned upon, so we repress and suck in.

Maybe we think they will pass, but sometimes not. They get pushed into the dark recess of our mind-space where a cobweb of repressed feelings and memories stored. Playground bullies, mean bosses, cruel jokesters, and the other ghosts gather. And they show up in my dreams.

What’s your worst/ best dream?

Dead Tired

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It seemed a world apart in only a few hours. Transport technology can move presences but leave souls disjointed.

It’s not my first time flying coast to coast. Only this time hits my body and soul like a two by four – space and time travel in one fell swoop. Not a science fiction but modern day occurrence.

Except, I’m left in a daze wondering how long will it take for my mind and body to catch up with each other.

How do the travel professionals deal with the constant juxtaposition?