Kindness Full Stop

Don’t stop when you’re tired. Stop when you’re done.
We all have used the excuse “I’m tired” and in many cases we are! However, try not to use this as an excuse to stop. You could feel tired because you are bored or because you have hit a roadblock, or it could be because of truly not enough sleep. Instead of halting your efforts for the reason of being tired, set a more realistic goal at the start and don’t stop until it is accomplished. Push yourself to finish. There is such power in completing a task and, conversely, a feeling of powerlessness when you stop before you are finished. This saying is especially true when working out. Pace yourself and if you feel like you are getting tired then it’s time to dig deeper. If you are lifting weights, maybe it is wise to break the reps up. Instead of doing 4 sets of 15, do 6 sets of 10. You certainly want to avoid injury, and this could help. You are still completing 60 reps. If you are setting out to run 4 miles, start off a bit slower and build when you are past the 2-mile mark and don’t stop until you are done.
SMALL TASK: CHECK YOUR SPRINKLERS You may notice some dry spots in your grass or plants that are looking droopy. If you have a gardener, they may be watching out for this too, but if yours is like mine, they are not taking the time to adjust or change out sprinkler heads, so I fix the sprinklers myself. First, I would suggest purchasing markers. The ones I use are actual flags attached to a thin metal rod that is simply inserted in the lawn. If you don’t want to get these then find something else that you can stick in your lawn and is easy to spot. You can turn each zone on either by the timer box or manually if you prefer using the valves. The tools I would suggest using are a small screwdriver, a trowel, and your markers. Now, turn on the first zone and get to work. If the head needs redirecting, either turn it with your hands or use the screwdriver. If the head is covered up, use the trowel to clear the grass away. If the sprinkler doesn’t work at all or if it is clearly broken, use your marker and come back to those at the end. You may need to make a run to the hardware store. This is a get wet, get your hands dirty project. What fun!
SMILE MAKER: SEND YOUR FAVORITE BOOK Think of a book that impacted you in some way. Did it make you laugh out loud, did it change your thinking about a topic, or did it provide an incredible escape every time you picked it up. Now pick someone that you believe would also love the book as much as you did and send it to them. Explain on the card why you are sending it to them and how it affected you. Everyone can use a good book and it is so personal to give the gift of the written word.