Skip to main content

Good Advice from Rip

I found the same "tip of the day" on Facebook, it was in front of a picture of "Rip" from Yellowstone. For those that watched Yellowstone, you know that Rip is everything a cowboy should be and more. I like him and I believe he probably lives his life by these words. Therefore, it has earned a post. 

What this quote means to me is: our actions and thoughts should bring us peace, profit or purpose. If our actions and thoughts don't give us the 3-Ps, don't waste our time nor our energy on them. I think this is a simple concept to live by. 

Let's start with things that bring us peace. Up until now, I have put very little thought into what "peace of mind" truly means. Peace of mind is a state of emotional or mental calmness. When you have peace of mind you can think clearly and make good decisions, it gives you a sense of purpose. In order to achieve peace of mind you need to manage your thoughts and feelings. Some suggested activities are mediation, yoga, exercise or spending time in nature. Others will find peace through religion or spirituality, personal growth or self-improvement. By setting boundaries, identifying goals and priorities peace of mind can be achieved. 

Profit is easy. Everyone has to invest time and energy to make a profit. We spend most of our adult lives working to provide for the family, and plan for retirement. 

I have come to realize having a purpose is something that is very important to me, especially now that I am in retirement. I have shared that it took me two years to get my retirement life organized into a routine. That routine gave me a purpose in life. It was exactly what I had read about. Having a purpose provides mental and emotional well-being. I like the bonuses that come with purposeful activities. They include improved cognitive functioning, higher life satisfaction, longer lifespans, and less likely to suffer from health issues such as heart disease and stroke. It is simple, when in retirement you now have the time to explore new interests, hobbies and passions. By volunteering, pursuing hobbies, setting personal goals and building relationships it gives retired people a purpose. 

So now let's consider Part B of this quote, "time, energy or attention". I am only speaking for myself, but I feel the older I get the more I value my time. Like a friend of mine says, "I wonder what we would do if we knew our best before date had arrived". It seems everyone can waste time on things that don't bring joy or contentment. That is how we roll. I rather like the saying, "time well spent" and I need to make sure I say it, and it happens more often.    

Some people have an incredible amount of energy; they are what I call movers and shakers. As we age our energy level takes a real hit. Some people become very relaxed and laid back and they are content with it. Others are on the move and are making sure they have done everything they wanted to do in their lives. I have noticed that I have lots of energy if it is something I want to do. I don't want to waste my time on something I don't want to do. Hence, procrastination is something I am becoming very good at.  

Last up is attention. Attention to me means a focus. There are times when I focus or put my attention to things I can't change or are simply none of my business. I like to think everyone is just as guilty as I am of thinking we have the right solution for other people's problems. When I focus on my issues and pay attention to things that bring me peace of mind or a purpose, I am in a much better space.  

I think we all have ways in which we bring peace, profit and purpose into our lives. It is dependent on what stage in our lives we are at. As is everything in life, it is a work in progress. I now have a better awareness of how to have peace of mind. To me, being at peace and having a peace of mind are two different things. By no means should you wait until retirement to have peace of mind or a purpose. My hope is that everyone reading this post wakes up every day with the energy they need to have the best day they can.     



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Easter Baking

Easter is a holiday that is steeped with tradition and reflection. It holds a different meaning for each of us. Every Easter I reflect on how it was when I was a kid, way back in the dark ages, and how everything has changed so much. For many families it is a time to come together to celebrate the traditions that are meaningful to them.  Easter is a sacred time for Christians as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ . Easter is known as a  time for rebirth, hope and new beginnings.                                      I doubt anyone has a family memory that can trump the "Dixon Family Egg Hunt". My Dad was one of 10 children in his family. They were never all at home at the same time, but there were probably at least 6 or 7 kids on the egg hunt each year. Their dear mother would dye 14 dozen eggs with no food coloring. All I know is beets make red eggs. Dad would speak of h...
2 comments
Read more

25 things to embrace in 2025

Here is a concept to think about today, "If you want 2025 to be good, make it that way". I read that and thought what a great blog post. The article included some suggestions, I picked out the ones I liked, added some of my own and developed a list. Here are 25 thoughts that may help guide you to make 2025 one of your best years.      1. Stop panicking, j ust let things happen. If you are someone who likes to panic this will be very difficult for you to do. I think what this is really saying is, let go of control. I have come to realize once I try to control a situation, the situation controls me. It takes on a life of its own, and before long I have lost all control of what I want.     2. Do what you want to do. Go for it, learn a new language, change careers, go on that trip. Your worst enemy is hesitation. This is paramount in retirement, one simply never knows what is around the corner, so do it while you can. As we age, we tend to talk ourselves out of...
1 comment
Read more

Unbelievable

  I am feeling very lighthearted as I write this post. What you are about to read is a collection of what we could call, "first world problems". It is going to unfold just like my conversations with my bestie, jumping from one topic to another at warp speed with absolutely no connection to the previous topic.  There are just an unbelievable number of perplexing things in life.  For instance, how can a dryer ball simply disappear. Lost forever in your home, never be to be seen again. Or, how can you have a grocery list in front of you yet miss the very thing you went to the grocery store to get. The only answer to those questions is, "because".  I would be amiss if I didn't use this time to speak of the unbelievable January weather. I often describe the weather as bipolar and this January the weather went right off its medication. When the weather is off its meds, it goes up and down the thermometer like a maniac.  At least when it is extremely cold you don't...
2 comments
Read more