Welcome to Thankful Thursday. My goal for this blog is a place where people can learn something new. I hope that my blog becomes a place where we can learn from each other. My subscribers are from various ages and genders. Leave your ideas in the comments section. Hopefully, we’ll get some dialogue and learning taking place for each other. Living the Encouraged Life…Lynn

Have you ever put on a piece of clothing that you haven’t worn for a couple months? As you dig into a pocket you discover money. Unexpected Money. It might be a large or small amount, yet regardless of the denomination, we get excited.

So, this week I want you to surprise a stranger. Wherever you find yourself:  a coffee line, a restaurant, a grocery store check-out line, a fast-food counter, the local library, or the veterinary offices. Scan the people in the area and pay ten- or twenty-dollars cash of their bill. Ask the person in charge to keep your identity private and tell them “It’s from Pay it Forward.”

“You are what you repeatedly do,” said Aristotle. “Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit.”

When I ponder this truth, I often think that if I asked my closest friend or family member, they’d be able to tell me what I repeatedly do and the habits they’ve observed in my life. The answer to that question can certainly be my own reflection, but I also know that I can be blind to what’s right in front of me.

When I became more involved with my doctoral studies, while working full time, I knew I needed to come up with some sort of system to be able to complete everything that was in my world. I know it sounds kinda simple, but I envisioned an elephant standing in my living room.

I knew that, metaphorically speaking, I couldn’t get him out by eating him all at once. I’d surely get sick. So, I begin constantly thinking that I’d get him out of my livingroom one bite at a time. I would need to have little, successful bites, along the way.

I have some more distilling On Mental Toughness (see blog April 17 for details) for you on some of the ideas in it.

Many professional athletes and successful corporate achievers have learned that their body needs rest or breaks every 90 to 120 minutes. Their rest can be 15 minutes of a walk outside, deep breathing exercises, or time “out” on the bench.

I’ve never been a “professional athlete” nor a “corporate” achiever, but I’ve certainly been an “A” personality over the years. Rest and failure were two opportunities I had to learn repeatedly in order to achieve anything. Sometimes it was very painful learning.

Today is May Day. I remember being a kid and the fun things we’d do in grade school to celebrate the day. I remember dancing around the May pole. 

I delivered May Day “anonymous” baskets to some neighbors. Our overall neighborhood has been kind and supportive of each other.

May Day is next Thursday….

“May Day” is originally a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer. The best-known modern May Day traditions are observed both in Europe and North America, include dancing around the maypole and crowning the Queen of May. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the tradition of giving of "May baskets", small baskets of sweets or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbors' doorsteps.”

More from Roderick Gilkey and Clint Kilts again this week…

One book I’m reading right now is On Mental Toughness a collection of articles from Harvard Business Review. I’ll try to distill for you some of the research and ideas in it.

One aspect of cognitive fitness is working hard and playing hard. The origins of “play” are derived from the Old English word “plegian,” which means to exercise. Play is often considered a group or individual activity which is imaginative and promotes discovery and learning.