The 7 Day Mental Diet
Looking through some of my papers I found an article written by Emmet Fox in 1940. The title is called "The 7 Day Mental Diet." The article is from his book, "Power Through Constructive Thinking." In this article Emmet Fox (he was one of the outstanding spiritual teachers of this century), suggests that a mental diet is more important any other diet. He says, "The most important of all factors in your life is the mental diet on which you live. It is the food which you furnish to your mind that determines the whole character of your life. It is the thoughts you allow yourself to think, the subjects that you allow your mind to dwell upon, which makes you and your surroundings what they are."
Emmet Fox believes that our thoughts and feelings determines every condition of our life. That the way to change your life is to change your thoughts. What we focus on is what we attract. If our thoughts are always negative we will attract more negative into our life. Emmet Fox calls this the, "Great Cosmic Law."
Along with your thoughts your emotions or moods must, also, be positive. You cannot be happy; you can not be healthy; you cannot be prosperous, if you have a bad disposition.
So how does the "7 Day Mental Diet" work? Below is the steps:
1. Devote one week solely to the task of building a new habit of thought, and during that week let everything else in life be unimportant as compared with that.
2. For 7 days you must not allow yourself to dwell for a single moment on any kind of negative thought. A negative thought is any thought that is not positive and constructive in character, whether it concerns you or someone else.
3. You must not under any pretense allow your mind to dwell on any thought that is not positive, constructive, optimistic, kind.
4. Do not start it lightly, Think about it for a day or two before you begin.
5. You can start it any day at any hour, once you start you must go right through for the seven days.
6. If you break the diet, stop the diet for a couple of days and start over again.
7. You will have negative thoughts and that is okay as long as you don't dwell on them.
8. Other people will talk about negative things and that is okay too as long as you don't dwell on them. Let those thoughts go and replace them with a positive thoughts.
9. Do not tell anyone else that you are on this diet, or that you intend to go on it.
10. And finally, remember that nothing said or done by anyone else can possibly throw you off the diet. Only your own reaction to the other person's conduct can do that.
Emmet Fox admits that it won't be easy, but he believes that if you do this it will be the most powerful diet you have ever done.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
If It Makes Sense Let's Do the Opposite
Before I even started working for the county, I was told not to do to much. I wasn't sure what that meant. Within a week I knew what that meant. It meant that if I volunteered to do anything I got negative looks from my co-workers that meant shut-up.
I took one week to rest, by the second week I was bored. I went to my supervisor and suggested that I would like something to do. As I worked in a program that helped people get jobs I was given about fifty files and took to do follow-ups. These people had gotten jobs, and I was to call their employers and find out if they were still working.
We were required to do three-month, six-month, and twelve-month follow-ups. While looking at the first couple of files I noticed that no follow-ups had been completed. It was now between sixteen months and two years past when these people had gotten jobs.
This didn't make much sense to me and I went to my supervisor and asked him about it. He said, "Well, if they are still working there than we know they were working there all the other required dates." I asked, "What if they are not." His reply, "Well, just ask when they stopped working and just guess." I asked, "Aren't these suppose to be accurate." His reply, "They will be accurate." That is when I discovered "Magical Thinking."
I had come from a job where there was never enough time to one where the time was so slow. Here people all came in at 7:00 am, but didn't start work until 8:00 or 8:30, they went to breakfast each day. My biggest challenge each week was to decide whether to do all my work that first day or spread it over the whole week. If I did the work for the week the first day I would be through by 2:00 pm that day, if I spread it out over the week, I would be working about an hour or two a day.
The most amazing thing was that my co-workers were always complaining about having too much to do. I felt like I was having an out of body experience, within my own body. Whatever made sense the opposite was always done. If it made sense the powers that be would do the opposite.
Case in point was the man in the department who was known to sexually abuse his female co-workers, being named the Equal Opportunity Officer. Case in point was the man in the department who couldn't read or write, being named a site director, whose major responsibilities was writing required reports.
My supervisor was the nicest man, just totally incompetent. He was way past when he could have retired, but worked almost ten years past when he should have retired. He worked because his marriage wasn't the best and job was his social outlet. He was a Second World War veteran and loved to share his war stories. He spent his days telling anyone that would listen his stories.
I felt like I was in a zoo, with all the animals in control. This was just the beginning of my experience in the county where what makes sense the opposite happens.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Before I even started working for the county, I was told not to do to much. I wasn't sure what that meant. Within a week I knew what that meant. It meant that if I volunteered to do anything I got negative looks from my co-workers that meant shut-up.
I took one week to rest, by the second week I was bored. I went to my supervisor and suggested that I would like something to do. As I worked in a program that helped people get jobs I was given about fifty files and took to do follow-ups. These people had gotten jobs, and I was to call their employers and find out if they were still working.
We were required to do three-month, six-month, and twelve-month follow-ups. While looking at the first couple of files I noticed that no follow-ups had been completed. It was now between sixteen months and two years past when these people had gotten jobs.
This didn't make much sense to me and I went to my supervisor and asked him about it. He said, "Well, if they are still working there than we know they were working there all the other required dates." I asked, "What if they are not." His reply, "Well, just ask when they stopped working and just guess." I asked, "Aren't these suppose to be accurate." His reply, "They will be accurate." That is when I discovered "Magical Thinking."
I had come from a job where there was never enough time to one where the time was so slow. Here people all came in at 7:00 am, but didn't start work until 8:00 or 8:30, they went to breakfast each day. My biggest challenge each week was to decide whether to do all my work that first day or spread it over the whole week. If I did the work for the week the first day I would be through by 2:00 pm that day, if I spread it out over the week, I would be working about an hour or two a day.
The most amazing thing was that my co-workers were always complaining about having too much to do. I felt like I was having an out of body experience, within my own body. Whatever made sense the opposite was always done. If it made sense the powers that be would do the opposite.
Case in point was the man in the department who was known to sexually abuse his female co-workers, being named the Equal Opportunity Officer. Case in point was the man in the department who couldn't read or write, being named a site director, whose major responsibilities was writing required reports.
My supervisor was the nicest man, just totally incompetent. He was way past when he could have retired, but worked almost ten years past when he should have retired. He worked because his marriage wasn't the best and job was his social outlet. He was a Second World War veteran and loved to share his war stories. He spent his days telling anyone that would listen his stories.
I felt like I was in a zoo, with all the animals in control. This was just the beginning of my experience in the county where what makes sense the opposite happens.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Monday, March 03, 2008
Women are Too Emotional To be Leaders
For many years growing up and as a young adult I have heard the reason that women aren't in leadership roles is that they are too emotional.
I don't think so.
On Thursday February 28, 2008, the Michigan women's basketball coach, Kevin Borseth joined the long line of male coaches to lose it in press conferences. Kevin joins Dennis Green, Mike Gundy, Hal McRae, Herman Edwards, Jim Boeheim, and Bobby Knight, in ranting and raving, and throwing a temper tantrum. To see all these male coaches and more lose it, go to YouTube.
Emotional Intelligence, that was written about by Daniel Goleman, is now being found to be more important for success than IQ. Emotional Intelligence is an awareness and management of your own emotions, and an awareness of other people's. It really is self management, social management, and relationship management.
In study after study, women are found to have higher Emotional Intelligence than men. Which suggests that we are better able to control our emotions. So the thought that women are too emotional to be in leadership is false, and we might want to ask that question of men. Maybe, they are too emotional to be in leadership. After watching all these male coaches be so emotional, it begs the question.
Brain research, also suggests that when we lose it we get stupid. All the blood in our brain goes to our extremities for the "flight and flight," response. That is why when people are angry they say the funniest things. They are stupid.
Kevin Borseth apologized on Sunday, and his team lost anyway. My daughter, when she was four, had temper tantrums and she also apologized afterwards, but that didn't stop her the next time.
Men, I fear might be too emotional for positions of leadership. At least they need to clean up their act and become more "emotionally intelligent" and remember not to try to communicate when they are angry.
There should be no temper tantrums allowed by coaches in sports. And the next time a man suggests that women are too emotional to be leaders, I will just use my emotional intelligence and smile at him.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
For many years growing up and as a young adult I have heard the reason that women aren't in leadership roles is that they are too emotional.
I don't think so.
On Thursday February 28, 2008, the Michigan women's basketball coach, Kevin Borseth joined the long line of male coaches to lose it in press conferences. Kevin joins Dennis Green, Mike Gundy, Hal McRae, Herman Edwards, Jim Boeheim, and Bobby Knight, in ranting and raving, and throwing a temper tantrum. To see all these male coaches and more lose it, go to YouTube.
Emotional Intelligence, that was written about by Daniel Goleman, is now being found to be more important for success than IQ. Emotional Intelligence is an awareness and management of your own emotions, and an awareness of other people's. It really is self management, social management, and relationship management.
In study after study, women are found to have higher Emotional Intelligence than men. Which suggests that we are better able to control our emotions. So the thought that women are too emotional to be in leadership is false, and we might want to ask that question of men. Maybe, they are too emotional to be in leadership. After watching all these male coaches be so emotional, it begs the question.
Brain research, also suggests that when we lose it we get stupid. All the blood in our brain goes to our extremities for the "flight and flight," response. That is why when people are angry they say the funniest things. They are stupid.
Kevin Borseth apologized on Sunday, and his team lost anyway. My daughter, when she was four, had temper tantrums and she also apologized afterwards, but that didn't stop her the next time.
Men, I fear might be too emotional for positions of leadership. At least they need to clean up their act and become more "emotionally intelligent" and remember not to try to communicate when they are angry.
There should be no temper tantrums allowed by coaches in sports. And the next time a man suggests that women are too emotional to be leaders, I will just use my emotional intelligence and smile at him.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
Friday, February 15, 2008
Throw Them Some Meat Over the Cube Wall!
My co-worker and friend says that managment needs to throw some meat over the cube wall every once in a while to motivate employees. I love that saying. And I totally agree with that saying. I teach leadership skills and I know that many supervisors and managers think that pay is enough. Some say, "They get paid, that should be enough."
In survey after survey pay ranks #5 or #6 for why employees stay on the job. Most of us want recognition, appreciation, feeling in on things, and growth and learning opportunities over pay. If we don't get recognition , appreciation, feeling in on things, and growth and learning opportunities than pay becomes the most important.
As adults most of us are motivated by what sounds like a radio station (WIIFM) "What's In It For Me. " For me to care, there has to be something in it for me. By getting "some meat thrown over the cube wall" every once in a while motivates me. I am sure it might motivate you too.
I read a book many years ago, called "Fun at Work." And in the book it stated that employees wanted their managers to show three things: you matter, I care, and let's have fun. If I believe that I matter to you, and that you care about me, and work can be fun, I feel like 'some meat has been thrown over the cube wall." And at the end of the day isn't that all we are looking for?
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laugingworld.blogspot.com
My co-worker and friend says that managment needs to throw some meat over the cube wall every once in a while to motivate employees. I love that saying. And I totally agree with that saying. I teach leadership skills and I know that many supervisors and managers think that pay is enough. Some say, "They get paid, that should be enough."
In survey after survey pay ranks #5 or #6 for why employees stay on the job. Most of us want recognition, appreciation, feeling in on things, and growth and learning opportunities over pay. If we don't get recognition , appreciation, feeling in on things, and growth and learning opportunities than pay becomes the most important.
As adults most of us are motivated by what sounds like a radio station (WIIFM) "What's In It For Me. " For me to care, there has to be something in it for me. By getting "some meat thrown over the cube wall" every once in a while motivates me. I am sure it might motivate you too.
I read a book many years ago, called "Fun at Work." And in the book it stated that employees wanted their managers to show three things: you matter, I care, and let's have fun. If I believe that I matter to you, and that you care about me, and work can be fun, I feel like 'some meat has been thrown over the cube wall." And at the end of the day isn't that all we are looking for?
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laugingworld.blogspot.com
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Government Job- Part 1
Disclaimer: Any resemblance to any alive or dead person, or organization is totally accidental. And no persons or animals were hurt in the writing of this column.
You know that you are in the wrong place, or at least you should have stayed in bed, when you are told as you smile at someone and say "Good morning," and you aren't even a morning person, that you are too happy. "What???? I am not even awake and you are telling me that saying "Hi, and saying good morning," qualifies me as a too happy?"
Just because my face is not in a constant frown and I am not constantly looking for someone to make a mistake, can't possibly make me too happy. It is almost as if people like this think if they are miserable so must everyone else.
When I started my career in government, I thought that people in leadership were smarter, better educated, more skilled than me. What a shock to find that this was very far from the truth. For the most part finding good leaders is like having President Brush admit that he lied about Iraqi.
Now I know that change must start with me, or that "I must be the change I want to see in the world." But I would have to change into a rich black man before there would be many good leaders out there.
So what I have found to help me get through this situation, where "all the big chunks rise to the top." is to laugh. I can't take anything too seriously. I can't take anything personally. I believe that "comedy is simply tragedy plus time." So what I find is that even though the event now hurts, later on it will make a great story, and I will be able to laugh at it. I, also, collect jokes like those below to keep myself laughing.
These quotes were taken from actual Federal (US) employee performance evaluations... And they same and worse could be said about leaders.
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Disclaimer: Any resemblance to any alive or dead person, or organization is totally accidental. And no persons or animals were hurt in the writing of this column.
You know that you are in the wrong place, or at least you should have stayed in bed, when you are told as you smile at someone and say "Good morning," and you aren't even a morning person, that you are too happy. "What???? I am not even awake and you are telling me that saying "Hi, and saying good morning," qualifies me as a too happy?"
Just because my face is not in a constant frown and I am not constantly looking for someone to make a mistake, can't possibly make me too happy. It is almost as if people like this think if they are miserable so must everyone else.
When I started my career in government, I thought that people in leadership were smarter, better educated, more skilled than me. What a shock to find that this was very far from the truth. For the most part finding good leaders is like having President Brush admit that he lied about Iraqi.
Now I know that change must start with me, or that "I must be the change I want to see in the world." But I would have to change into a rich black man before there would be many good leaders out there.
So what I have found to help me get through this situation, where "all the big chunks rise to the top." is to laugh. I can't take anything too seriously. I can't take anything personally. I believe that "comedy is simply tragedy plus time." So what I find is that even though the event now hurts, later on it will make a great story, and I will be able to laugh at it. I, also, collect jokes like those below to keep myself laughing.
These quotes were taken from actual Federal (US) employee performance evaluations... And they same and worse could be said about leaders.
- "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig."
- "His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity"
- "I would not allow this employee to breed"
- "This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definite won't be"
- "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap"
- "When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet"
- "He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle"
- "This young lady has delusions of adequacy"
- "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them"
- "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot"
- "This employee should go far, and the sooner the better"
- "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together"
- "A gross ignoramus - 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus"
- "He certainly takes a long time to make his pointless"
- "He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier"
- "I would like to go hunting with him sometime"
- "He's been working with glue too much"
- "He would argue with a signpost"
- "He has knack for making strangers immediately"
- "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room"
- "When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell"
- "If you see 2 people talking and one looks bored, he's the other one"
- "A photographic memory but with the cap over the lens"
- "A prime candidate for natural deselection"
- "Donated his brain to science before he was done using it"
- "Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming"
- "Has 2 brains, one is lost, the other is out looking for it"
- "If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week"
- "If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change"
- "If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean"
- "It's hard to believe that he beat out 1,000 other sperm"
- "One neuron short of a synapse""
- "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge, he only gargled"
- "Takes him 12 hours to watch 60 Minutes"
- "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead"
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Monday, January 14, 2008
That's My Beautiful Face.
It all starts with me. I determine my life. I decide if I am going to be happy or sad, successful, non-successful. Is it easy? No, and many times I want to have someone to blame for all my problems. It is all me. I know that to have happiness, or joy, or success, I must be that which I want. To have happiness, I have to be happy. I have joy, I have to be joyful. I have success, I have to be success. We can't have what we are not.
Dr. David Hawkins, "Map of Consciousness," points out that to get to higher places of power on the map we need to have more positive thoughts and feelings. In his best selling book, "Power vs. Force," Dr. Hawkins points out, "The ways the various levels of human consciousness express themselves are profound and reaching: their effects are both gross and subtle. Levels below 200 are detrimental to life in both the individual and society at large; those above 200 are constructive expressions of power."
Those emotions below 200 are: Scorn, Hate, Craving, Anxiety, Regret, Despair, Blame, Humiliation. Humiliation is the lowest at 20. The emotions 200 and above are, in order: Affirmation, Trust, Optimism, Forgiveness, Understanding, Reverence, Serenity, Bliss, Ineffable. Ineffable, is the highest and the Level is Enlightenment and the Process is Pure Consciousness.
The thought is that only Jesus and other high spiritual beings got to that level. So how do we mortals get up the Map of Consciousness to a higher level of energy.
The best way I know how is to simply laugh. So if you want to laugh with me please call me at 480-600-5178 or janabanana15@cox.net.
If you want to laugh by yourself, just do it. Even if it is not real, it will still help, and learn ways to love yourself. There is only you, and you are in charge of your life, like I am in charge of yours and like me you are beautiful.
I am looking for you:
Are you good at sales and or marketing?
Do you like to laugh?
Do you have some time each week to spare?
Are you looking to make money based on your own efforts?
Do you want to work from your own home?
If you answered yes to three or more out of the five please call me at 480-600-5178 or janabanana15@cox.net
Jana Ruth- Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 03, 2008
New Sponsors of College Football Bowl Games
We have some many bowl games now with some many different sponsors, that I want to propose some new College Football Bowl Games:
The Toilet Bowl
The Ceiling Fan Bowl
The Stayfree Maxi Pad Bowl
The Trojan Bowl
The Huggies Diaper Bowl
I am sure that many of these might soon appear.
Jana Ruth
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
We have some many bowl games now with some many different sponsors, that I want to propose some new College Football Bowl Games:
The Toilet Bowl
The Ceiling Fan Bowl
The Stayfree Maxi Pad Bowl
The Trojan Bowl
The Huggies Diaper Bowl
I am sure that many of these might soon appear.
Jana Ruth
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Permanent Record
From elementary school to high school, the threat that scared me more than any other was the PERMANENT RECORD. Our teachers warned us that if we did not behave, our misbehavior would be put on our PERMANENT RECORD. Even more terrifying was that
my PERMANENT RECORD followed me everywhere.
Recently I went into the Records Department of my employer and asked to see MY PERMANENT RECORD." They looked at me as if I was crazy. I am not sure at all where my PERMANENT RECORD stopped. Was it in high school? Was it in college?
I thought that my PERMANENT RECORD was a large chart with JANA RUTH'S PERMANENT RECORD written on the top with everything I had ever done wrong written on it. I thought that probably my PERMANENT RECORD was just for school, but I wasn't sure. I hoped so, because during school I never misbehaved, but at home, that at times was a different story.
How did my PERMANENT RECORD get transferred from one teacher to another? I figured out that at the end of the year, under armed guards the records were transferred from your last teacher to the next. It had to be done during the cover of darkness and everyone had to wear gloves. There were only two people at one time that knew what your PERMANENT RECORD contained. Your last teacher and the next teacher.
We all knew kids that must have very bad PERMANENT RECORDS. They were always getting in trouble. And we all knew that any future for them was void. No college would take them, and forget getting a job, and for sure it won't be a good job. Many times I thought that maybe my thoughts might even make my PERMANENT RECORD. So I tried to even watch my thoughts.
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
From elementary school to high school, the threat that scared me more than any other was the PERMANENT RECORD. Our teachers warned us that if we did not behave, our misbehavior would be put on our PERMANENT RECORD. Even more terrifying was that
my PERMANENT RECORD followed me everywhere.
Recently I went into the Records Department of my employer and asked to see MY PERMANENT RECORD." They looked at me as if I was crazy. I am not sure at all where my PERMANENT RECORD stopped. Was it in high school? Was it in college?
I thought that my PERMANENT RECORD was a large chart with JANA RUTH'S PERMANENT RECORD written on the top with everything I had ever done wrong written on it. I thought that probably my PERMANENT RECORD was just for school, but I wasn't sure. I hoped so, because during school I never misbehaved, but at home, that at times was a different story.
How did my PERMANENT RECORD get transferred from one teacher to another? I figured out that at the end of the year, under armed guards the records were transferred from your last teacher to the next. It had to be done during the cover of darkness and everyone had to wear gloves. There were only two people at one time that knew what your PERMANENT RECORD contained. Your last teacher and the next teacher.
We all knew kids that must have very bad PERMANENT RECORDS. They were always getting in trouble. And we all knew that any future for them was void. No college would take them, and forget getting a job, and for sure it won't be a good job. Many times I thought that maybe my thoughts might even make my PERMANENT RECORD. So I tried to even watch my thoughts.
Now I am sure teachers don't have the PERMANENT RECORD to threaten kids with. I think I most have lived in the good old days, because not only did we have the threat of the PERMANENT RECORD. We, also, had the atomic bomb that might drop on our heads. It is very lucky that at least we had DUCK AND COVER.
Jana RuthAuthor of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Sunday, December 02, 2007
How to Shut-up Your Judge
I find it extremely hard to not judge myself and other people. I once tried to go a week without judgement. I lasted about 10 minutes. What makes us so ready to judge? I know for myself that when I am feeling insecure I am much more apt to judge.
It all starts with me. If I am feeling good about me, I have no need to judge. Most of my judgements are not positive. I find myself thinking, "oh that person is too loud," "that person has too big a ego." And the thing that scares me is that I do believe that we are mirrors of each other.
I can't like or dislike someone unless I like or dislike something about them that is in me. This means that if I dislike something about someone, I have that trait in myself that I dislike.
So, how do we stop our judge? I found that I have to focus on building up my self-esteem. I have to know how wonderful I am. If I feel good about myself it is much easier for me to feel good about others. So these are some things you can do to build your self-esteem.
1. Start a Victory Log for yourself. Each and every day write down in your Victory Log those accomplishments of the day.
2. Like in the mirror each day when you first get and up and again when you go to bed, and say, "I love (your name) actually has you are.
3. Laugh at your mistakes.
4. Bless the person who is bothering you and make a list of all his.her good qualities.
5. Remember you are in control of your emotions, and no one can bother you unless you allow him/her to do so.
6. Remember you can only control yourself.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
I find it extremely hard to not judge myself and other people. I once tried to go a week without judgement. I lasted about 10 minutes. What makes us so ready to judge? I know for myself that when I am feeling insecure I am much more apt to judge.
It all starts with me. If I am feeling good about me, I have no need to judge. Most of my judgements are not positive. I find myself thinking, "oh that person is too loud," "that person has too big a ego." And the thing that scares me is that I do believe that we are mirrors of each other.
I can't like or dislike someone unless I like or dislike something about them that is in me. This means that if I dislike something about someone, I have that trait in myself that I dislike.
So, how do we stop our judge? I found that I have to focus on building up my self-esteem. I have to know how wonderful I am. If I feel good about myself it is much easier for me to feel good about others. So these are some things you can do to build your self-esteem.
1. Start a Victory Log for yourself. Each and every day write down in your Victory Log those accomplishments of the day.
2. Like in the mirror each day when you first get and up and again when you go to bed, and say, "I love (your name) actually has you are.
3. Laugh at your mistakes.
4. Bless the person who is bothering you and make a list of all his.her good qualities.
5. Remember you are in control of your emotions, and no one can bother you unless you allow him/her to do so.
6. Remember you can only control yourself.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Take Yourself Less Seriously
When I found myself getting upset, sad, or depressed, it is because I am taking myself too seriously. I need to remind myself that I always have the choice of being upset or happy. I control my emotions. As Woody Allen, said "You might as well enjoy, as you won't get out of life alive anyway."
This time of year is a challenge for me. As a single parent, when my children were younger it meant having to split time with my ex-husband with spending time with them. And it always brought up guilt for me about them not having a intact family. All my children's cousins had intact families, so they always felt bad about our family. Added to that was the financial challenge of not making enough money to be able to expensive presents for them. Thank goodness for my parents help.
For years I would get sick during the holidays, I am sure because of the stress of it all. About seventeen years ago I learned to laugh whenever I felt a cold or other sickness coming on, and I have avoided severe sickness.
I find that laughter is one of the best ways to remind myself to not take myself too seriously. If I can laugh, I find I can get through many things.
So, you like me, have the choice of how to take ourselves, we can either laugh or cry. We can view life as sad or happy. We can view life as being abundant or scarce. Like everything else the choice is ours. What do you choose?
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Live
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Making Thanksgiving Last all Year
With Thanksgiving coming later this week, I think we should be thankful all year around. To assign one day to be thankful, and the rest of the year not, seems like, only being spiritual one day a week, when we go to church or temple. One day doesn't make up for what we do for the rest of the year. To me, it is the difference between the mentality of abundance as to the mentality of scarcity.
What we focus on grows. If I am thankful each and every day for those things in my life, I will get more of those things. As Woody Allen said, "You are not going to get out of life alive anyway, so you might as well enjoy." We are so caught up on what we don't have that we forget what we do have. There will always be some people with less and some people with more. Here in the United States we have more than the majority of people on this planet, but so few of us are truly happy.
We are so caught up in the past and the future that we forget to be thankful for the present. And as it turns out the present is all we have. If we could be thankful and mindful of each moment I think we would be happier, and be able to create more happy moments.
We are so focused on things and people outside ourselves that we don't pay enough attention to our inner life and our inner life creates our outer experience. We become too much the victim of our lives instead of realizing that we have more power than we realize.
To being thankful in the moment helps us live happier and healthier. How do we achieve that? Below are some suggestions:
1. Laugh
2. Smile
3. Make a list each day of 5 things that you are thankful for
4. Maintain a positive attitude
I believe that if we do these things we can help make Thanksgiving last all year, instead of just one day.
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
Monday, October 29, 2007
People are Funny
How many times have you thought that? Lately, I am thinking it all the time. Thinking this helps keep my sanity. If I don't laugh at people, and situations, I would go crazy. And, when I say laugh at people, I am including myself. When I laugh at people it isn't so much at them, as it is what they do, their behavior. I know there is a fine line between sanity and insanity, but sometimes, I wonder.
I believe that life could be a lot more fun for all of us if we stopped taking it so seriously. We are so connected with each other, in so many ways, but we act so separate at times.
Since when did the US become the empire of the world, and decide, who can and can't have nuclear weapons. If we truly wanted to not allow other countries to have nuclear weapons, we won't have them ourselves. It is like having a toy as a child, but telling all the other children that they can't have the toy you have. This to me is funny.
We are more similar than we are different as people. When will we realize that. If we would stop taking ourselves so seriously and realize that there is enough for everyone. If we could only learn to share.
We are destroying ourselves, each other, and the planet, because we take things so seriously. In the end, we all end. So why not enjoy the ride, and make the ride fun for everyone. Life is hard enough, without each of us making it harder for each other.
Children have the answers. They know how to play, laugh, and forgive, and to be in the present moment. They enjoy life. They may fight, but they forgive quickly. And I think they learn fighting from us. I think they learn all the negative things from adults. They learn hate, and seriousness from us.
I have to keep finding people funny, or else I would be extremely sad, about how unfunny many of us work at being,
How many times have you thought that? Lately, I am thinking it all the time. Thinking this helps keep my sanity. If I don't laugh at people, and situations, I would go crazy. And, when I say laugh at people, I am including myself. When I laugh at people it isn't so much at them, as it is what they do, their behavior. I know there is a fine line between sanity and insanity, but sometimes, I wonder.
I believe that life could be a lot more fun for all of us if we stopped taking it so seriously. We are so connected with each other, in so many ways, but we act so separate at times.
Since when did the US become the empire of the world, and decide, who can and can't have nuclear weapons. If we truly wanted to not allow other countries to have nuclear weapons, we won't have them ourselves. It is like having a toy as a child, but telling all the other children that they can't have the toy you have. This to me is funny.
We are more similar than we are different as people. When will we realize that. If we would stop taking ourselves so seriously and realize that there is enough for everyone. If we could only learn to share.
We are destroying ourselves, each other, and the planet, because we take things so seriously. In the end, we all end. So why not enjoy the ride, and make the ride fun for everyone. Life is hard enough, without each of us making it harder for each other.
Children have the answers. They know how to play, laugh, and forgive, and to be in the present moment. They enjoy life. They may fight, but they forgive quickly. And I think they learn fighting from us. I think they learn all the negative things from adults. They learn hate, and seriousness from us.
I have to keep finding people funny, or else I would be extremely sad, about how unfunny many of us work at being,
Monday, October 15, 2007
This is so good, I wanted to share.
A Letter from Grandma
Got a letter from Grandma the other day. She writes:
The other day I went up to a local Christian bookstore and saw a "Honk if you love Jesus" bumper sticker. I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting, so I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper. Boy, I'm glad I did! What an uplifting experience that followed! I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in thought about the Lord and how good He is, and I didn't notice that the light had changed. It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't honked, I'd never have noticed. I found that LOTS of people love Jesus! Why, while I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy, and then he leaned out of his window and screamed, "For the love of GOD! GO! GO! Jesus Christ, GO!" What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus! Everyone started honking! I just leaned out of my window and started waving and smiling at all these loving people. I even honked my horn few times to share in the love!There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something about a "sunny beach." I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger stuck up in the air. Then I asked my teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant. He said that it was probably a Hawaiian good luck sign or something. Well, I've never met anyone from Hawaii, so I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign back. My grandson burst out laughing; why, even he was enjoying this religious experience! A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards me. I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended, but this is when I noticed the light had changed. So, I waved to all my sisters and brothers grinning, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed I was the only car that got through the intersection before the light changed again and I felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared, so I slowed the car down, leaned out of the window and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away. Praise the Lord for such wonderful folks!
Love,Grandma
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
A Letter from Grandma
Got a letter from Grandma the other day. She writes:
The other day I went up to a local Christian bookstore and saw a "Honk if you love Jesus" bumper sticker. I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting, so I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper. Boy, I'm glad I did! What an uplifting experience that followed! I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in thought about the Lord and how good He is, and I didn't notice that the light had changed. It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't honked, I'd never have noticed. I found that LOTS of people love Jesus! Why, while I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy, and then he leaned out of his window and screamed, "For the love of GOD! GO! GO! Jesus Christ, GO!" What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus! Everyone started honking! I just leaned out of my window and started waving and smiling at all these loving people. I even honked my horn few times to share in the love!There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something about a "sunny beach." I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger stuck up in the air. Then I asked my teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant. He said that it was probably a Hawaiian good luck sign or something. Well, I've never met anyone from Hawaii, so I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign back. My grandson burst out laughing; why, even he was enjoying this religious experience! A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards me. I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended, but this is when I noticed the light had changed. So, I waved to all my sisters and brothers grinning, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed I was the only car that got through the intersection before the light changed again and I felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared, so I slowed the car down, leaned out of the window and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away. Praise the Lord for such wonderful folks!
Love,Grandma
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Sunday, October 07, 2007
You are Way Too Happy!
The other day at work as I walked down the hall and said hi to a co-worker, she said, "You are way too happy! My reply was, "No, I am not. You can't be too happy." What does that mean? No one has ever said to me, "You are way too serious." What made this especially ironic is the person who commented that I was way too happy, is a supervisor in the Employee Relations department. One of the problems in organizations and companies is that people take themselves way too seriously. However, we rarely hear a person telling another person that, "You are way too serious." In fact, I have never heard anyone say that to another person. We might say it about someone, but we don't say it to them.
It is like "misery loves company." It is like if I am miserable you must be miserable too. How dare you be happy when I am not. People can't rain on your parade unless you allow them to.
There seems to be a common thought that as an adult, a person has to have a reason to laugh, to smile, to be happy. People have asked me, "What are you smiling about?' What are you laughing about?" Why are you so happy?"
Happiness, laughter, and smiling seem to be very suspect. We seem to have to have a reason for all of those things. Research shows that we don't have to have a reason for being happy, smiling or laughing. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
Happiness, laughter, and smiling are all internally motivated. We choose to be happy. We choose to have fun. We choose our lives. We can't control what happens outside of ourselves but we can control our thoughts, feelings, and behavior about what happens.
The Law of Attraction says that if you are happy you will attract more happiness in your life. If you are sad you will attract sadness. What stops us from being happy, laughing, and smiling? One way is the belief that we don't deserve to be happy. Or that people or other outside circumstances keep us from being happy. Or we spend too much time living in the dead past or the imagined future instead of the present.
I believe we know to encourage each other's happiness, instead of being jealous. If you are happy does not mean that I can't be happy. This world is a world of abundance with enough to go around. Any scarcity is only a scarcity of our thoughts. We create that scarcity or abundance. We create our own happiness, and I don't think there is any way any of us can be too happy.
So join me in swallowing a double dose of delight and choose to be WAY TO HAPPY!
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
janabanana15@cox.net
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
The other day at work as I walked down the hall and said hi to a co-worker, she said, "You are way too happy! My reply was, "No, I am not. You can't be too happy." What does that mean? No one has ever said to me, "You are way too serious." What made this especially ironic is the person who commented that I was way too happy, is a supervisor in the Employee Relations department. One of the problems in organizations and companies is that people take themselves way too seriously. However, we rarely hear a person telling another person that, "You are way too serious." In fact, I have never heard anyone say that to another person. We might say it about someone, but we don't say it to them.
It is like "misery loves company." It is like if I am miserable you must be miserable too. How dare you be happy when I am not. People can't rain on your parade unless you allow them to.
There seems to be a common thought that as an adult, a person has to have a reason to laugh, to smile, to be happy. People have asked me, "What are you smiling about?' What are you laughing about?" Why are you so happy?"
Happiness, laughter, and smiling seem to be very suspect. We seem to have to have a reason for all of those things. Research shows that we don't have to have a reason for being happy, smiling or laughing. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
Happiness, laughter, and smiling are all internally motivated. We choose to be happy. We choose to have fun. We choose our lives. We can't control what happens outside of ourselves but we can control our thoughts, feelings, and behavior about what happens.
The Law of Attraction says that if you are happy you will attract more happiness in your life. If you are sad you will attract sadness. What stops us from being happy, laughing, and smiling? One way is the belief that we don't deserve to be happy. Or that people or other outside circumstances keep us from being happy. Or we spend too much time living in the dead past or the imagined future instead of the present.
I believe we know to encourage each other's happiness, instead of being jealous. If you are happy does not mean that I can't be happy. This world is a world of abundance with enough to go around. Any scarcity is only a scarcity of our thoughts. We create that scarcity or abundance. We create our own happiness, and I don't think there is any way any of us can be too happy.
So join me in swallowing a double dose of delight and choose to be WAY TO HAPPY!
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
janabanana15@cox.net
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Friday, September 21, 2007
Where is My Car?
Today, I leave work and start walking towards the garage where my car is parked, and realize that I have no clue where my car is parked. Usually I make a mental note, when I park my car in the morning, where I park it. This morning, I failed to do that. Knowing that I usually park on level 4 or 5, with level 5 being the highest level, at least I will only have to go up two levels. So, I get off on level 4 and start to walk around trying to figure out the direction I might have parked. I turn to the right of the parking level and begin looking.
This is a little upsetting, because usually I have some idea. Today, my mind is blank. I look all around me, but no car. Than I think "maybe I didn't park on level 4 or 5, maybe I parked on level 3." "No," I think. "It had to be level 4 or 5."
I start walking to the other side of level 4 and I run into a friend and co-worker and I tell her that I have lost my car. She laughs, and says, "That's why I always park in the same place. I always park on level 5." I point out to her that if that is so why is she on level 4. She says,"Well most of the time I park on level 5," I have now walked past her, getting ready to walk up to level 5 when she points to the car next to hers and says, "Hey, Jana, because that's my name, isn't that your car." Sure enough, there was my car. Did I feel like an idiot? Yes, but at least I was an idiot with my car.
And this story reminds me of the time a co-worker believed that she had driven to work, many times she takes the bus, so both of us were working late. We walked to the parking lot and I asked her where her car was. As she walked off the elevator and towards the parking garage, she exclaimed, "Holly Shit, I took the bus today."
I enjoyed a great laugh at her expense until I realized that I had to drive her an hour to an hour and a half out of my way to where she had caught her bus. She lived at one end of the valley and I lived at the other end.
So forgetting where you parked your car, or thinking you have driven it to find out you haven't, can give you a good laugh if you allow it to.
Jana Ruth Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
Today, I leave work and start walking towards the garage where my car is parked, and realize that I have no clue where my car is parked. Usually I make a mental note, when I park my car in the morning, where I park it. This morning, I failed to do that. Knowing that I usually park on level 4 or 5, with level 5 being the highest level, at least I will only have to go up two levels. So, I get off on level 4 and start to walk around trying to figure out the direction I might have parked. I turn to the right of the parking level and begin looking.
This is a little upsetting, because usually I have some idea. Today, my mind is blank. I look all around me, but no car. Than I think "maybe I didn't park on level 4 or 5, maybe I parked on level 3." "No," I think. "It had to be level 4 or 5."
I start walking to the other side of level 4 and I run into a friend and co-worker and I tell her that I have lost my car. She laughs, and says, "That's why I always park in the same place. I always park on level 5." I point out to her that if that is so why is she on level 4. She says,"Well most of the time I park on level 5," I have now walked past her, getting ready to walk up to level 5 when she points to the car next to hers and says, "Hey, Jana, because that's my name, isn't that your car." Sure enough, there was my car. Did I feel like an idiot? Yes, but at least I was an idiot with my car.
And this story reminds me of the time a co-worker believed that she had driven to work, many times she takes the bus, so both of us were working late. We walked to the parking lot and I asked her where her car was. As she walked off the elevator and towards the parking garage, she exclaimed, "Holly Shit, I took the bus today."
I enjoyed a great laugh at her expense until I realized that I had to drive her an hour to an hour and a half out of my way to where she had caught her bus. She lived at one end of the valley and I lived at the other end.
So forgetting where you parked your car, or thinking you have driven it to find out you haven't, can give you a good laugh if you allow it to.
Jana Ruth Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogstop.com
Friday, September 07, 2007
What are You Waiting For?
I have to wait for the perfect job. I have to wait till my children grow up. I have to wait until I have more time. I have to wait until I have more money. I have to wait until I have more education. I have to wait until I have more experience. I have to wait until a have the perfect mate. I have to wait until.... I have to wait until.... I have to wait until.... I have to wait until....
What are you waiting for? Are you living in the past? Are you living in the future? All you have is NOW! The present moment, is the only thing you have. It is the only thing any of us have.
All you have is Now. And all you have is yourself. If you want a life of joy, happiness, laughter, and fun, you have to start living that life RIGHT NOW!
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." (Unknown) The only way to create yourself is to start now. I spent a good part of my life waiting for my children to grow up. And what I now know is that the present moment is all that I have. The present moment is all that you have.
Somehow many of us think the future will be better. In actuality the future will be very similar to the present. You are creating your future today. If you want to have a great future have a great today. Since you only have NOW make NOW the most happy and joyous you can. If you make this minute full of joy, then one hour will be full of joy. If one hour is full of joy, than one day will be full of joy. If one day is full of joy, than one week will be full of joy. If one week is full of joy, than one month will be full of joy. If one month is full of joy, than one year will be full of joy. If one year is full of joy, than ten years will be full of joy. And finally if ten year are full of joy, than your life will be full of joy.
"Dance like no one's watching, love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like no one's listening, and live like heaven on earth. And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. "
Abraham Lincoln
"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." I totally agree. Some questions to ask yourself are:
1. What is your mission in life?
2. What is the biggest contribution you want to make in the world?
3. If you have only one year to live how would you live your life now?
So again, I ask, what are you waiting for?
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
I have to wait for the perfect job. I have to wait till my children grow up. I have to wait until I have more time. I have to wait until I have more money. I have to wait until I have more education. I have to wait until I have more experience. I have to wait until a have the perfect mate. I have to wait until.... I have to wait until.... I have to wait until.... I have to wait until....
What are you waiting for? Are you living in the past? Are you living in the future? All you have is NOW! The present moment, is the only thing you have. It is the only thing any of us have.
All you have is Now. And all you have is yourself. If you want a life of joy, happiness, laughter, and fun, you have to start living that life RIGHT NOW!
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." (Unknown) The only way to create yourself is to start now. I spent a good part of my life waiting for my children to grow up. And what I now know is that the present moment is all that I have. The present moment is all that you have.
Somehow many of us think the future will be better. In actuality the future will be very similar to the present. You are creating your future today. If you want to have a great future have a great today. Since you only have NOW make NOW the most happy and joyous you can. If you make this minute full of joy, then one hour will be full of joy. If one hour is full of joy, than one day will be full of joy. If one day is full of joy, than one week will be full of joy. If one week is full of joy, than one month will be full of joy. If one month is full of joy, than one year will be full of joy. If one year is full of joy, than ten years will be full of joy. And finally if ten year are full of joy, than your life will be full of joy.
"Dance like no one's watching, love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like no one's listening, and live like heaven on earth. And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. "
Abraham Lincoln
"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." I totally agree. Some questions to ask yourself are:
1. What is your mission in life?
2. What is the biggest contribution you want to make in the world?
3. If you have only one year to live how would you live your life now?
So again, I ask, what are you waiting for?
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Some of My Favorite Women
Below are some of my favorite quotes by women. I hope that you enjoy.
Carol Burnett born on Apr 26
(1933-____) US actress, comedienne
She is one of the classic funny women who hosted her own show, "The Carol Burnett Show," 1966-77; won five Emmy's.
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Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.
When someone who is known for being comedic does something straight, it' s always "a big breakthrough" or a "radical departure."
Why is it no one ever says that if a straight actor does comedy? Are they presuming comedy is easier?
When you have a dream you've got to grab it and never let go.
I have always grown from my problems and challenges, from the things that don't work out, that's when I've really learned.
Celebrity was a long time in coming; it will go away. Everything goes away.
MAE WEST
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Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
I like my clothes to be tight enough to show I'm a woman... but loose enough to show I'm a lady.
I like two kinds of men: domestic and imported
I used to be Snow White... but I drifted
I've been rich and I've been poor... Believe me, rich is better
Marilyn Monroe born on Jun 1
(1926-1962) US actress
She was the ultimate pin-up girl who starred in "Some Like It Hot," 1959 and "Bus Stop," 1956.
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A career is born in public -- talent in privacy.
I used to think as I looked out on the Hollywood night, "There must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But I'm not going to worry about them. I'm dreaming the hardest."
I have too many fantasies to be a housewife . . . . I guess I am a fantasy.
Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a 1000 dollars for a kiss and 50 cents for your soul.
I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful.
Judy Garland born on Jun 10
(1922-1969) US actress, singer
She is best and most fondly remembered as "Dorothy" in "Wizard of Oz," 1939.
I've never looked through a keyhole without finding someone was looking back.
We cast away priceless time in dreams, born of imagination, fed upon illusion, and put to death by reality.
I was born at the age of twelve on a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lot.
How strange when an illusion dies, it's as though you've lost a child.
In the silence of night I have often wished for just a few words of love from one man, rather than the applause of thousands of people.
Gail Godwin born on Jun 18
(1937-____) US novelist, short-story writer, journalist
She is best known for "Glass People," 1972.
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Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.
Art doesn't come in measured quantities: it's got to be too much or it's not enough.
Some things arrive in their own mysterious hour, on their own terms and not yours, to be seized or relinquished forever.
Actors between plays are like ghosts looking for bodies to inhabit.
The best antidote I have found is to yearn for something. As long as you yearn, you can't congeal: there is a forward motion to yearning.
Katharine Graham born on Jun 16
(1917-____) US newspaper executive
She is owner and publisher of "The Washington Post" and "Newsweek," and one of the most influential women in the U.S.
If one is rich and one's a woman, one can be quite misunderstood.
Bromidic though it may sound, some questions don't have answers, which is a terribly difficult lesson to learn.
If we had failed to pursue the facts as far as they led, we would have denied the public any knowledge of an unprecedented scheme of political surveillance and sabotage.
A mistake is simply another way of doing things.
To love what you do and feel that it matters -- how could anything be more fun?
Wilma Rudolph born on Jun 23
(1940-1994) US track athlete
As a sprinter, she was the first woman to win three gold medals, 1960 Olympics
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I had a series of childhood illnesses . . . scarlet fever . . .. pneumonia . . .. Polio. I walked with braces until I was at least nine years old. My life wasn't like the average person who grew up and decided to enter the world of sports.
Sometimes it takes years to really grasp what has happened to your life.
When I was going through my transition of being famous, I tried to ask God why was I here? What was my purpose? Surely, it wasn't just to win three gold medals. There has to be more to this life than that.
When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.
What do you do after you are world-famous and nineteen or twenty and you have sat with prime ministers, kings and queens, the Pope? Do you go back home and take a job? What do you do to keep your sanity? You come back to the real world.
Rita Rutner
When I eventually met Mr. Right I had no idea that his first name was Always.
Men can read maps better than women can. Cause only the male mind could conceive of one inch equaling a hundred miles.
To attract men, I wear a perfume called 'New Car Interior'.
The worst thing about some men is that when they are not drunk they are sober.
I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back.
Gracie Allen born on Jul 26
(1906-1964) US comedienne
She starred, with husband George, in the "Burns and Allen Show," 1922-1958.
=================================
I read a book twice as fast as anybody else. First, I read the beginning, and then I read the ending, and then I start in the middle and read toward whatever end I like best.
Brains, integrity, and force may be all very well, but what you need today is Charm. Go ahead and work on your economic programs if you want to, I'll develop my radio personality.
They laughed at Joan of Arc, but she went right ahead and built it.
When my mother had to get dinner for 8 she'd just make enough for 16 and only serve half.
The President of today is just the postage stamp of tomorrow.
Bella Abzug born on Jul 24
(1920-____) US lawyer, politician
Battling Bella was the first Jewish congresswoman; wide-brimmed hats are her trademark.
=================================
The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.
All of the men on my staff can type.
They are a very extensive minority who have suffered discrimination and who have the same right to participation in the promise and fruits of society as every other individual.
If we get a government that reflects more of what this country is really about, we can turn the century -- and the economy -- around.
The establishment is made up of little men, very frightened.
Notice:
Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.
By the Order of the Author
Per G.G., Chief of Ordinance
(Borrowed from Mark Twain)
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
http://www.janaruth.biz/
http://www.laughandlivehappier.com/
http://www.laughingworld.blogspot.com/
Below are some of my favorite quotes by women. I hope that you enjoy.
Carol Burnett born on Apr 26
(1933-____) US actress, comedienne
She is one of the classic funny women who hosted her own show, "The Carol Burnett Show," 1966-77; won five Emmy's.
=================================
Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.
When someone who is known for being comedic does something straight, it' s always "a big breakthrough" or a "radical departure."
Why is it no one ever says that if a straight actor does comedy? Are they presuming comedy is easier?
When you have a dream you've got to grab it and never let go.
I have always grown from my problems and challenges, from the things that don't work out, that's when I've really learned.
Celebrity was a long time in coming; it will go away. Everything goes away.
MAE WEST
=================================
Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
I like my clothes to be tight enough to show I'm a woman... but loose enough to show I'm a lady.
I like two kinds of men: domestic and imported
I used to be Snow White... but I drifted
I've been rich and I've been poor... Believe me, rich is better
Marilyn Monroe born on Jun 1
(1926-1962) US actress
She was the ultimate pin-up girl who starred in "Some Like It Hot," 1959 and "Bus Stop," 1956.
=================================
A career is born in public -- talent in privacy.
I used to think as I looked out on the Hollywood night, "There must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But I'm not going to worry about them. I'm dreaming the hardest."
I have too many fantasies to be a housewife . . . . I guess I am a fantasy.
Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a 1000 dollars for a kiss and 50 cents for your soul.
I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful.
Judy Garland born on Jun 10
(1922-1969) US actress, singer
She is best and most fondly remembered as "Dorothy" in "Wizard of Oz," 1939.
I've never looked through a keyhole without finding someone was looking back.
We cast away priceless time in dreams, born of imagination, fed upon illusion, and put to death by reality.
I was born at the age of twelve on a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lot.
How strange when an illusion dies, it's as though you've lost a child.
In the silence of night I have often wished for just a few words of love from one man, rather than the applause of thousands of people.
Gail Godwin born on Jun 18
(1937-____) US novelist, short-story writer, journalist
She is best known for "Glass People," 1972.
=================================
Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater.
Art doesn't come in measured quantities: it's got to be too much or it's not enough.
Some things arrive in their own mysterious hour, on their own terms and not yours, to be seized or relinquished forever.
Actors between plays are like ghosts looking for bodies to inhabit.
The best antidote I have found is to yearn for something. As long as you yearn, you can't congeal: there is a forward motion to yearning.
Katharine Graham born on Jun 16
(1917-____) US newspaper executive
She is owner and publisher of "The Washington Post" and "Newsweek," and one of the most influential women in the U.S.
If one is rich and one's a woman, one can be quite misunderstood.
Bromidic though it may sound, some questions don't have answers, which is a terribly difficult lesson to learn.
If we had failed to pursue the facts as far as they led, we would have denied the public any knowledge of an unprecedented scheme of political surveillance and sabotage.
A mistake is simply another way of doing things.
To love what you do and feel that it matters -- how could anything be more fun?
Wilma Rudolph born on Jun 23
(1940-1994) US track athlete
As a sprinter, she was the first woman to win three gold medals, 1960 Olympics
=================================
I had a series of childhood illnesses . . . scarlet fever . . .. pneumonia . . .. Polio. I walked with braces until I was at least nine years old. My life wasn't like the average person who grew up and decided to enter the world of sports.
Sometimes it takes years to really grasp what has happened to your life.
When I was going through my transition of being famous, I tried to ask God why was I here? What was my purpose? Surely, it wasn't just to win three gold medals. There has to be more to this life than that.
When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.
What do you do after you are world-famous and nineteen or twenty and you have sat with prime ministers, kings and queens, the Pope? Do you go back home and take a job? What do you do to keep your sanity? You come back to the real world.
Rita Rutner
When I eventually met Mr. Right I had no idea that his first name was Always.
Men can read maps better than women can. Cause only the male mind could conceive of one inch equaling a hundred miles.
To attract men, I wear a perfume called 'New Car Interior'.
The worst thing about some men is that when they are not drunk they are sober.
I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back.
Gracie Allen born on Jul 26
(1906-1964) US comedienne
She starred, with husband George, in the "Burns and Allen Show," 1922-1958.
=================================
I read a book twice as fast as anybody else. First, I read the beginning, and then I read the ending, and then I start in the middle and read toward whatever end I like best.
Brains, integrity, and force may be all very well, but what you need today is Charm. Go ahead and work on your economic programs if you want to, I'll develop my radio personality.
They laughed at Joan of Arc, but she went right ahead and built it.
When my mother had to get dinner for 8 she'd just make enough for 16 and only serve half.
The President of today is just the postage stamp of tomorrow.
Bella Abzug born on Jul 24
(1920-____) US lawyer, politician
Battling Bella was the first Jewish congresswoman; wide-brimmed hats are her trademark.
=================================
The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.
All of the men on my staff can type.
They are a very extensive minority who have suffered discrimination and who have the same right to participation in the promise and fruits of society as every other individual.
If we get a government that reflects more of what this country is really about, we can turn the century -- and the economy -- around.
The establishment is made up of little men, very frightened.
Notice:
Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.
By the Order of the Author
Per G.G., Chief of Ordinance
(Borrowed from Mark Twain)
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
http://www.janaruth.biz/
http://www.laughandlivehappier.com/
http://www.laughingworld.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Being in the Present
It is very hard for many of us to be in the present. One of the reasons I think children laugh more than adults (300 to 15) is because they live in the present and find wonder in it. As adults we are thinking of the past, the future, and very little of the present. If you think of it the present is all we have. The present moment is never intolerable. It is always what happened five minutes ago, or five days ago, or what is coming five minutes from now, or five days from now that makes people despair.
The Law of Life is to live in the present, and this applies to both time and place. Keep your attention to the present moment, and in the place where your body is now.
A woman was visiting a great cathedral in Italy. Just inside the door was a magnificent mosaic extending the width of the building, but not yet completed. It represented the Last Judgment and the number of tiny pieces of different colored marble involved in it staggers the imagination. A man was on his knees working away and the women, who speak Italian, whispered to him, "What a stupendous task you have! I could not even dream of undertaking so much work."
The man replied quietly, "Oh, I know about how much I can do comfortably in one day. So each morning I mark out a certain area, and I don't bother my head thinking outside of that space. Before I know where I am the job will be complete."
If we stay in the present the journey and destination will be that much better.
BE IN THE PRESENT. As the saying goes, "The Past is History, and the Future is a Mystery, and the Present is a Gift."
Jana Ruth
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life"
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
It is very hard for many of us to be in the present. One of the reasons I think children laugh more than adults (300 to 15) is because they live in the present and find wonder in it. As adults we are thinking of the past, the future, and very little of the present. If you think of it the present is all we have. The present moment is never intolerable. It is always what happened five minutes ago, or five days ago, or what is coming five minutes from now, or five days from now that makes people despair.
The Law of Life is to live in the present, and this applies to both time and place. Keep your attention to the present moment, and in the place where your body is now.
A woman was visiting a great cathedral in Italy. Just inside the door was a magnificent mosaic extending the width of the building, but not yet completed. It represented the Last Judgment and the number of tiny pieces of different colored marble involved in it staggers the imagination. A man was on his knees working away and the women, who speak Italian, whispered to him, "What a stupendous task you have! I could not even dream of undertaking so much work."
The man replied quietly, "Oh, I know about how much I can do comfortably in one day. So each morning I mark out a certain area, and I don't bother my head thinking outside of that space. Before I know where I am the job will be complete."
If we stay in the present the journey and destination will be that much better.
BE IN THE PRESENT. As the saying goes, "The Past is History, and the Future is a Mystery, and the Present is a Gift."
Jana Ruth
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life"
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Thursday, August 16, 2007
What Makes Me Laugh?
Disclaimer: This point of view does not necessarily represent the view of Jana Ruth, all the time, just today, Thursday, August 16, 2007.
Serious people make me laugh. And they are everywhere. Like being serious is going to help anyone. Where is it written that says being a adult has to be serious. Why? Since when is too much fun and playing, and laughing, bad for you? Never, is my answer.
As Victor Borge said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Laughter and humor are needed everywhere, especially at work. We, as adults, spend most of our lives at work, and we don't want to be looking at our watches and crying, "Oh no, I have only been here a minute."
We know from surveys that employees don't leave jobs they leave bosses, and workers are not fired because of lack of competence, they are fired because of lack of inability to get along with their co-workers. My guess is that these people, that employees leave, and are fired, are not the friendly, happy, having a good sense of humor people. My guess is that they are the REALLY serious people.
Humor and laughter in the workplace are important. They increase communications, build relationships, and reduce stress. Again, research shows that when people are having fun at work they are much more productive. Somehow serious and fun do not go along.
So what to do with all the serious people? I say laugh with them, and if that doesn't work, laugh at them. As, Bill Crosby, or someone like that, once said, "If you can laugh at them you can live with them." I don't want to live with them, just work with them. I say, "I have to laugh at you, or else I have to kill you." Maybe that's where the term, "Died laughing comes from?"
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Disclaimer: This point of view does not necessarily represent the view of Jana Ruth, all the time, just today, Thursday, August 16, 2007.
Serious people make me laugh. And they are everywhere. Like being serious is going to help anyone. Where is it written that says being a adult has to be serious. Why? Since when is too much fun and playing, and laughing, bad for you? Never, is my answer.
As Victor Borge said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Laughter and humor are needed everywhere, especially at work. We, as adults, spend most of our lives at work, and we don't want to be looking at our watches and crying, "Oh no, I have only been here a minute."
We know from surveys that employees don't leave jobs they leave bosses, and workers are not fired because of lack of competence, they are fired because of lack of inability to get along with their co-workers. My guess is that these people, that employees leave, and are fired, are not the friendly, happy, having a good sense of humor people. My guess is that they are the REALLY serious people.
Humor and laughter in the workplace are important. They increase communications, build relationships, and reduce stress. Again, research shows that when people are having fun at work they are much more productive. Somehow serious and fun do not go along.
So what to do with all the serious people? I say laugh with them, and if that doesn't work, laugh at them. As, Bill Crosby, or someone like that, once said, "If you can laugh at them you can live with them." I don't want to live with them, just work with them. I say, "I have to laugh at you, or else I have to kill you." Maybe that's where the term, "Died laughing comes from?"
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughingworld.blogspot.com
Friday, August 10, 2007
Women and Men Laugh at Different Things
In 1996, I am watching "The Nutty Professor," the Eddie Murphy version, with my 14 year old son. Morrie, my son, was laughing, and than laughing some more during the dinner table fart scene. He loved it. I, on the other hand, maybe laughed once or twice, and as the scene went on, I started to find the scene very crude. I thought it was just a matter of my son being 14, but when I explained the experience to my brother, age 42, he told me he loved that scene and the entire movie. That was when I really realized that women and men laugh at different things.
The September, issue of "Reader's Digest," Doug Colligan's article, "Why Men and Women Laugh Out Loud: The Secret to Tickling His or Her Funny Bone," confirms this.
"Stanford University psychiatrist Allen L. Reiss, MD, recruited 20
male and female college students. Inside an MRI, the men and
woman looked at 70 cartoons flashed on a small overhead screen
and rated them on a funniness scale. When the results came back,
Reiss made an unexpected discovery: Men and women process funny
differently. The analytical region of women's brains was more
active than the men's, suggesting women studied the cartoons
more. When they found the cartoon amusing, the reward region of
their brains lit up noticeably more than the guys.
All of which is a fancy way of saying women appear to think a little
more about whether they find something humorous. They don't
necessarily expect to laugh and so they enjoy it a lot more when
the joke works for them. With men, apparently it was more like.
Hey.... cartoon. Must be funny. Funny is good."
Regina Barreca, a professor of English literature at University of Connecticut, has been studying women and men and humor for years, and written the following books, among others: "Too Much of a Good Thing is Wonderful," "Women's Humor," Perfect Husbands (and other fairy tales) Demystifying Marriage, Men, and Romance, " New Perspective on Women and Comedy, " "Last Laughs," and "They Used to Call Me Snow White but I Drifted: Women's Strategic Use of Humor." Dr. Barreca suggests that "women bash men for having the sense of humor of a nine-year-old boy, but men strike back, accusing women of having no sense of humor at all. It's a misperception, Barreca says, based on three things. One is that women don't like crude. We don't do eye-poking, head-slamming humor. No woman has gone up to another women and said, 'Pull my finger.' Second, women don't tell jokes. They tell stories. When a woman says, 'I have something funny to tell you,' if you are smart, you'll sit down, because you're going to be there for a long, long time. Third, women don't enjoy humor that makes fun of others' physical shortcomings. If women laugh at anyone, it's at themselves and their quirks."
So, I guess that when it comes to humor, women just are more intelligent. I think that women might be more intelligent in every area.
Once when my son, Morrie, was about three he came into the room I was in, holding himself, and I asked if he needed to go the bathroom, and he said, "No, Mom, I am just thinking." And I got thinking, men must do lots of thinking, because they are constantly touching themselves or adjusting it. Just a thought.
Jana Ruth
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
http://www.janaruth.biz/
http://www.laughandlivehappier.com/
http://www.laughingworld.blogspot.com/
In 1996, I am watching "The Nutty Professor," the Eddie Murphy version, with my 14 year old son. Morrie, my son, was laughing, and than laughing some more during the dinner table fart scene. He loved it. I, on the other hand, maybe laughed once or twice, and as the scene went on, I started to find the scene very crude. I thought it was just a matter of my son being 14, but when I explained the experience to my brother, age 42, he told me he loved that scene and the entire movie. That was when I really realized that women and men laugh at different things.
The September, issue of "Reader's Digest," Doug Colligan's article, "Why Men and Women Laugh Out Loud: The Secret to Tickling His or Her Funny Bone," confirms this.
"Stanford University psychiatrist Allen L. Reiss, MD, recruited 20
male and female college students. Inside an MRI, the men and
woman looked at 70 cartoons flashed on a small overhead screen
and rated them on a funniness scale. When the results came back,
Reiss made an unexpected discovery: Men and women process funny
differently. The analytical region of women's brains was more
active than the men's, suggesting women studied the cartoons
more. When they found the cartoon amusing, the reward region of
their brains lit up noticeably more than the guys.
All of which is a fancy way of saying women appear to think a little
more about whether they find something humorous. They don't
necessarily expect to laugh and so they enjoy it a lot more when
the joke works for them. With men, apparently it was more like.
Hey.... cartoon. Must be funny. Funny is good."
Regina Barreca, a professor of English literature at University of Connecticut, has been studying women and men and humor for years, and written the following books, among others: "Too Much of a Good Thing is Wonderful," "Women's Humor," Perfect Husbands (and other fairy tales) Demystifying Marriage, Men, and Romance, " New Perspective on Women and Comedy, " "Last Laughs," and "They Used to Call Me Snow White but I Drifted: Women's Strategic Use of Humor." Dr. Barreca suggests that "women bash men for having the sense of humor of a nine-year-old boy, but men strike back, accusing women of having no sense of humor at all. It's a misperception, Barreca says, based on three things. One is that women don't like crude. We don't do eye-poking, head-slamming humor. No woman has gone up to another women and said, 'Pull my finger.' Second, women don't tell jokes. They tell stories. When a woman says, 'I have something funny to tell you,' if you are smart, you'll sit down, because you're going to be there for a long, long time. Third, women don't enjoy humor that makes fun of others' physical shortcomings. If women laugh at anyone, it's at themselves and their quirks."
So, I guess that when it comes to humor, women just are more intelligent. I think that women might be more intelligent in every area.
Once when my son, Morrie, was about three he came into the room I was in, holding himself, and I asked if he needed to go the bathroom, and he said, "No, Mom, I am just thinking." And I got thinking, men must do lots of thinking, because they are constantly touching themselves or adjusting it. Just a thought.
Jana Ruth
Author of "Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. for Life
http://www.janaruth.biz/
http://www.laughandlivehappier.com/
http://www.laughingworld.blogspot.com/
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