Investments. What is the first association you make with that word? Money? Look for a good investment, reap rewards and live well. Everyone needs some good investments.
Money is what most of us associate with investing, but money isn’t the only commodity you have to invest. Time is an investment. If you spend time pursuing one avenue, that allotted amount of time is spent; never again will it be available to spend somewhere else. So when someone says, “Oh, I don’t have time for that…” what does that mean? They don’t choose to bump out something else in their time lineup to replace it with what they’re being asked to do. It’s all about organizing investments and choosing priorities. It’s your time: nobody can make up to you the time that is lost.
Many thoughts about investing time lead to good ideas which lead forward and are productive. Some simply replay old DVDs of past experiences. That is unproductive thinking: they are past and cannot be changed. Click “delete” from your memory bank and if they pop into your mind again, just say, “unproductive thinking” and move ahead.
We hear then word “should” often. It comes from expectations and ideas we think we need to fulfill. Other people seem to have lots of ideas about what they think we should or shouldn’t be doing. “You should do this.” “You should do that.” or “You shouldn’t do this.” “You shouldn’t do that.” If these voices play and replay in your mind, you are allowing those opinions to “should all over you!”
The new year is ten days old. Some old ideas need revisiting and revising. Happy New Year, all. May you all make some great investments.
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "INVESTMENTS" (38)
A truly excellent post – mindful, and timely.
Thank you for you kind comment. Until I took that class I never thought of it that way. I guess that education is not wasted on the young after all.
You wise one, dear Ronnie ! Fantastic post, darling girl. Cheers.
Thank you so much, Shaheen: so how are you spending your time today? My husband and I are taking a digital photography class.
My dear, the day is spent in rehearsing for a small performance – it is a jazz/blues fusion, a fund-raiser. Wow, photography sounds thrilling – waiting to view your pics from the class! And, do not at all think it is amateur – as I view art as an expression of the human mind, whatsoever you shoot! Lots of love to you.
Well needed advice and actually one of my resolutions–especially since I’m retiring this year. I don’t want to waste my time. It is later than I once thought. Great tips!
Perhaps owning a dog would be a good investment for you in your new free time after retirement!
Yikes! That is so cruel! 🙂
I’m only taking a reference from your blog!
You know I was joking, right? I thought it was a hoot!
Should-a, would-a, could-a … all need to be banned. Thanks for the wise tips, Ronnie.
That’s a nice summation, Judyl
Your advice is much appreciated, Ronnie!
May we all invest our time and life wisely!
I often think of ‘investment’ in terms of ‘time’ and ‘knowledge’, especially the latter. Learning, practicing, doing is often a more worthy investment than shifting your money to get a better interest rate. Or so I have come to believe.
I agree wholeheartedly. Anyway, nobody gives a decent interest rate right now.
You Piggy story is really charming; how long is it?
The current story line is meant to go on for all of 2012, with ideas for 2014 floating around. Although, it seems like we’ll split the year up into smaller cycles, just because it’ll be more fun for everyone if we shift gears once in a while… should be lots of fun! 🙂 🙂
woops I meant 2013, not 2012 🙂
I have a friend who banned the word ‘should’ from his life. I thought he was nuts. But when I played around with it in my head, I realized I felt much better about doing things that I phrased to myself as “I want to do this because…” than when I phrased them as “I should do this”.
(I also like the idea of thinking of time as an investment.)
I think your friend was pretty clever; I didn’t realize I was buying into this “should” stuff until it was pointed out to our group in an assertiveness seminar.
Thank you Ronnie for reminding me to forget the should and to do the right thing… take the time to think… and boy I wont be letting anyone “should all over me”…. love this post…
Thanks, Bulldog; I learned that in an assertiveness class and recognize people using that expression all the time. Good for you for being your own person and not doing what “they” tell you should.
The mind with it’s endless committees fills the day with “shoulds”. As we get older there seems to be more committees, more shoulds and less time to respond to all of our shoulds.
I suggest we make ourselves “president of the board” for our minds, select the committees you want to hear from, choose what you want to do and put the rest in that proverbial “rotating file”.If you do that on a daily basis you might be surprised at how many of your committees will stop meeting and in any event you can choose your own agenda more often than not and even stay away from the office if you so choose..
What wonderful suggestions, anonymous. I love the concept of the rotating file. I have lots of things that would fit there quite readily.
Hi,
I agree time is an investment, and I love the idea of clicking “delete”. 🙂
Happy New Year.
Great, Mags, and thank you. Please don’t click “delete” on my blog!
For too long I let “shoulds” dictate my actions. I’ve become much better about that now. 🙂
I hear that word from more people than you’d believe. The more awareness we have the less we’ll fall for that.
Happy New Year, Ronnie!
Thank you, Paprika; ‘hope “The Year of the Snake” is a kind and good one to you and your family.
Living consciously.. absolutely~! I lay on the couch yesterday and prepared my brain to solve a problem, john said what are you doing. Thinking, I said. he snorted. However! I solved the problem.. see!~ time used wisely.. have a lovely day my friend.. c
Celi, you are very wise to take the time to think. The chores will get done, but making the wrong decision could have many repercussions.
The chores got done but better!!! morning darling.. c
Love your wise post and the funny pun. I’ll try not to let anyone ‘should’ all over me! 🙂
I dub thee Strong Woman, Lisa!
right you are. I tell friends who keep replaying past scenerios of I could have, should have, would have, and tell them “Please change the channel”. Today is another day.
Great answer. The biggest problem becomes ho-hum when told over and over.
Thanks, Ronnie. I remembered something a good friend told me once– we get 24 hours every day and we have to decide how to use them. Sleeping? Reading? Writing? New ventures?
When you make conscious decisions you’re less likely to fall into mistakes. (Can a person “fall into mistakes???)