With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life differently or better.

*** The joy I am experiencing in life is a marvelous thing!
*** To read past blog posts, go to >> kitsummers.com/blog/
*** Hit by two trucks, one involving a 37-day coma, I remain happy.
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** Thanks, my wife, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** Secrets to unfold and good news!

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

********************
TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK—Playtime!
 
Picking a subject to write about each week is pretty straightforward. This can have a theme of pretty much anything. I do hope you are enjoying reading about the topics I choose.
 
I’ve written about play, joy, and living a happy life in the past. Consider breaking this text into smaller paragraphs to make it easier to read and digest. The long blocks of text can be overwhelming for some readers, and breaking them up can improve the flow and readability. That is why I write the way I do.
In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus heavily on work and family commitments, and we always need more time for fun. Play should be a part of every life.  Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped playing; we “turned” into adults.
 
When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play as we did as children. But play is not just essential for kids; it can also be an important source of relaxation, motivation, and joy for adults.
 
Playing with your love, friends, co-workers, pets, and children is a sure (and fun) way to fuel your imagination, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional well-being. Adult play is a time to forget work and commitments and be socially unstructured and creative.
 
Your play could be simply goofing off with friends, sharing jokes with a coworker, throwing balls in a juggle at the beach, dressing up on Halloween with your kids, building a snowman in the yard, playing with a dog, acting out charades at a party, or going for a bike ride with your friend with no destination in mind. Finding various wants to discover joy is unlimited.
 
There doesn’t need to be any point to the activity beyond having fun and enjoying yourself, alone or with a friend. By allowing yourself to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, you can reap oodles of health benefits throughout life.
 
The benefits of joy and play
While play is crucial for a child’s development, it benefits people of all ages, including you. Play can add joy to life, relieve stress, supercharge learning, and connect you to others and the world around you. Play can also make work more productive and pleasurable, and happier overall.
 
We have Jemma. You can play on your own or with a pet, but for more significant benefits, play should involve at least one other person, away from the sensory overload of electronic gadgets.
 
Play helps:
Relieve stress. Play is fun and can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain. When you find healthy joy, it will benefit jogging, completing puzzles, or pursuing other fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.
 
Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter, play, and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to include a specific activity; it can also be a joyful state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, hellp you make new friends, and form new business relationships.
 
Play and relationships
Play is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. Playing together brings joy, vitality, and resilience to relationships. Space can also heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Through regular play, we learn to trust one another and feel safe.
 
Trust enables us to work together, open ourselves to intimacy, and try new things. By consciously incorporating more humor and play into your daily interactions, you can improve the quality of your love relationships and your connections with co-workers, family members, and friends.
 
Play can heal emotional wounds. As adults, when you play together, you engage in the same behavior patterns that shape children’s brains. These playful behaviors that predict emotional health in children can also lead to positive changes in adults. If an emotionally insecure individual plays with a secure partner, for example, it can help replace negative beliefs and behaviors with hopeful, optimistic assumptions and actions.
   
Fixing your relationship problems with humor and play
Play, fun, and laughter are essential in building strong, healthy relationships by bringing people closer, creating a positive bond, and resolving conflict and disagreements. In new relationships, for example, play and humor can be practical tools for attracting the other person and overcoming any awkwardness or embarrassment during the dating and getting-to-know-you process.
 
Flirting is a prime example of how play and humor are used in adult interactions. Play can keep your connection exciting, fresh, and vibrant in longer-term relationships while deepening intimacy. It can also help you overcome differences and the tiny aggravations that may build up over time.

What new stories are you ready to write?

********************
WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.
 
They are so interesting, challenging, and essential on our path to joy, happiness, and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.
 
Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.
 
I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.
 
Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
At any age, you can (and should) make changes to make your life better.

How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life, and it all derives from your quality of thinking.

WHEN YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control!
 
You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — Your Thinking —, and that’s where motivational quotes come in!
 
To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so essential—THINK RIGHT!

    
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

EVEN IF YOU START LATE, ARE UNCERTAIN,
OR ARE DIFFERENT –
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget that you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
 
REMEMBER, VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE.

********************
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS INSPIRE YOU >>
 
“Play is the work of the child” ~ Maria Montessori
 
“Play is essential to development because it contributes to children’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being.” ~ Kenneth R. Ginsburg
 
“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.” ~ Leo F. Buscaglia
 
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” ~ Joseph Chilton Pearce
 
“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” ~ Carl Jung
 
“Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” ~ Abraham Maslow
 
“Play is training for the unexpected.” ~ Marc Bekoff
 
“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
“The true object of all human life is play.” ~ G. K. Chesterton
 
“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” ~ Kay Redfield Jamison

COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

********************
MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
And time is going faster all the time.
Do you keep track of what you do each day?
Do this for a few weeks, and you will see your time differently.

The gardens are producing, as you see. Cucs and zoks are plentiful.

I didn’t have much to write about this week, so I have not. Right now, I am fixing up our bedroom; you will see a photo of the mural that I put up. Now I will be painting the borders and walls—a fun project.

Did I paint this myself? 

Is it time to “make” things happen and live a fuller life?
“Make” a great week for yourself.

******************
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK > >
Beth will like this.
Stay off all your electronic devices for a full day this week.
Do something new daily, then keep doing it for the rest of your life.
*******************
NEXT BLOG
I am planning to attend a local church this week.
As you might know, I have never believed in any of the gods.
You will read about my efforts.
*******************

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life differently or better. 

*** The joy I am experiencing in life is a marvelous thing!
*** To read past blog posts, go to >> kitsummers.com/blog/
*** Hit by two trucks, one involving a 37-day coma, I remain happy.
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** Thanks, my wife, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** Secrets to unfold and good news!

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

********************
TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK— CHOOSE JOY!
    
Aways, a choice — to find happiness or find sadness.
To go after black and white or go after bright colors.
To choose misery or choose joy.
   
You must always make the right choice.
You can live a life of fear, or you can live a life of love.
Think sad thoughts, and it will affect your future tremendously.
Stay happy and joyful; your life will show just that.
I always try to choose joy over sadness in every situation.
 
Mahatma Gandhi once said >>

Your beliefs become your thoughts.

Your thoughts become your words.

Your words become your actions.

Your actions become your habits.

Your habits become your values.

Your values become your destiny.
 
Joy is a constant choice. You can either choose joy–every moment or not.
Your circumstances don’t determine joy; joy is an overflow of the heart.
It is easy to choose joy when things are going great, right?
But what happens when things are not so good?
What do you do about joy, then?
How do you react to find the joy you are looking for?
 
You could look through the lens of your possibilities. And, if those possibilities are not how you want them to be or thought they would be, it will be tough for you to rise above and live the life you intended to live.
 
I know it is hard to choose joy sometimes. That is something I have driven toward every day, even after the significant accidents I have gone through. I’m not saying I have always been carefree and happy. Sometimes I let my life overwhelm me and take over every part of my being. At times I become cranky, irritable, and exhausted. Does this happen to you, too? I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t say I like this side of me.
 
Ideas to deal with you having joy >>
1–Identify your goal.
People who aren’t self-reflective sometimes make wrong decisions because they don’t really know what they want in the first place.
For example, before switching jobs, ask yourself:
Do I want a different career?
Or do I wish to have another boss?
Make sure to make a decision based on the correct problem.
 
2–Eradicate choices by setting standards.
If you’re trying to buy a digital camera, list the features you’ll use. Therefore, any camera with them is good enough for you; ignore anything fancier. Take control of your actions.
 
3–Don’t worry about finding the “best.”
How good you feel about your decisions is usually more meaningful than how good they are objectively.
 
4–Be aware of tendencies.
You can lead intelligent people to make dumb decisions. For example, We hate to lose more than we like to win, which can result in behavior such as holding on to a lousy stock instead of accepting a loss. We remember vivid examples better than facts, which is why plane crashes stick in our heads more than statistics on air safety.
     
5–Try to take control of your time.
People make poorer choices when in a bad mood or under much stress. When facing a complex decision, use your conscious brain to gather the necessary information and then take a break.
Go for a walk.
Juggle for an hour.
Spend a half hour meditating.
Take a nap.
The idea is to give your unconscious mind time to do its work.
Your decision afterward is likely the right one; think.
 
6–Don’t sweat the small stuff.
When possible, eliminate the need for decisions by specifying rules for yourself.
You do yoga every weekend.
You will need a couple of glasses of wine.
       
7–Do an afterward analysis.
After each decision, ask yourself how you felt afterward, how to do things better next time, and what you did right and wrong.
=====================
To help bring joy to your life,
use the following words as often as you can >> 

Accurate

Exact

Nice

Precise

Right
=====================
 
What new stories are you ready to write?

********************
WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.
 
They are so interesting, challenging, and essential on our path to joy, happiness, and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.
 
Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.
 
I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.
 
Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
At any age, you can (and should) make changes to make your life better.
 
How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life, and it all derives from your quality of thinking.

WHEN YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control!
 
You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — Your Thinking —, and that’s where motivational quotes come in!
 
To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so essential—THINK RIGHT!

    
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

EVEN IF YOU START LATE, ARE UNCERTAIN,
OR ARE DIFFERENT –
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget that you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
 
REMEMBER, VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE.

********************
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS INSPIRE YOU >>
“The root of joy is gratefulness.” – David Steindl-Rast.
 
“Figure out what fuels your joy, then do lots of that.” – Bob Goff.
 
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. – Henri Nouwen”
 
“Joy is untouched by circumstance.” Anonymous
 
“A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love.” – Mother Teresa.
 
“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” – C.S. Lewis
 
“We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.”- Helen Keller
 
“When the heart is full of joy, it always allows its joy to escape. It is like the fountain in the marketplace; whenever it is full, it runs away in streams, and so soon as it ceases to overflow, you may be quite sure that it has ceased to be full. The only full heart is the overflowing heart.” – Charles Spurgeon
 
“Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it, but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition.” – Dwight L Moody
 
“It is not Joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful.” – Anonymous.
 
“To get the full value of Joy, you must have someone to divide it with” – Mark Twain
 
“Joy is a decision, a courageous one, about how you will respond to life.” Wess Stafford
 
“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” – Karl Barth
 
“When our lives are filled with peace, faith, and joy, people will want to know what we have.” – David Jeremiah
 
“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these, I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.” – Max Lucado
 
“Worry is to joy what a Hoover vacuum cleaner is to dirt: might as well attach your heart to a happiness-sucker and flip the switch.” – Max Lucado
 
“Darkness is not a force; it is merely the absence of light. Observe that the darkness disappears when a light is brought to a dark place. Sadness is similar when joy is brought to suffering; the sadness disappears.”- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
 
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt

COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

********************
MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
And time is going faster all the time.
Do you keep track of what you do each day?
Do this for a few weeks, and you will see your time differently.
   
6/4–This morning, I got a message from Cindy Marvel informing me that Steve Mills was found dead in his car; he had been there for some days. I’ve known Steve since 1977, a good friend he was. Steve is the one who developed the juggling pattern called “The Mills Mess.” I know that, in recent years, he had gotten more mixed up and/or crazy. More info on this will come out in the future.
 
Steve was a believer in God.
How could any God allow something like this to happen to a good person?
I will never understand how people can be so enamored with this idea of a God.
If you can educate me on where to find this god, please do.
 
According to the Bible book, the concept of a god makes no sense to me and never has. If you do believe, you must carefully examine precisely what you believe and why you believe it.
 
I need factual proof of any god. People tell me of the bible book, which I have read. Along with good things, people tend to overlook many terrible things in the book. Such as >>
   
2 Chronicles 15:13 “All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.”
Who will be the one to kill me for my nonbelief?
 
I saw Steve when he performed at grangefair.com/ in Centre County, PA. Bob Habel, in charge of entertainment,  had booked Steve in. Steve told Bob about my salsa (summerssalsa.com) and had Bob set me a place at the fair where I could sell my salsa. I sold hundreds of salsa while there. I told Bob what happened with Steve; he was pretty sad.
 
Some years ago, I put Bob on my list to receive my email notification about my blog. He said he has enjoyed the read but had yet to write to me about his thoughts—one of the many who read and do not respond. Do you, like Bob, like to read my words but not send me comments? It’s time; I would love to hear from you.
 
Steve had the most sincere joyful laugh I have heard from a human. What a fun guy he was; he will be missed by many. He had some difficult times but found and lived with joy overall.
   
Below is a video of Steve teaching the Mills Mess.   
This was filmed at the old studio of the juggling prop maker and my friend, Brian Dube, also a close friend of Steve.
Here is Brian >> https://www.dube.com/
And Steve explaining and doing the Mills Mess >>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkcvV9wwYvw&t=31s
 
Beth took us out to dinner this evening—Burger King—which has gotten expensive. The bill for the two of us came to just over twenty-two bucks, and I couldn’t believe it. Thanks for buying, Beth; I will make more eat-at-home meals for us. (From Beth: It was a treat, but I won’t be doing that again.)
 
As you know, we had a surprise harvest of Zucchini. We made some of our friends happy with their new eatable vegetables. Some went to our friend Linda, who volunteers at the senior center, where I will perform again soon.  How do you cook your zucchini?
 
6/5–This week, I will work on placing words here daily about my day-to-day doings. You may not care, but you are reading this right now, and some people like to read my words. Do you keep a daily journal?
 
6/6–There is a build-up of stuff on the inside walls of my water containers, perhaps from the water. I will have to check each thoroughly and clean as I can. We mainly use this rainwater to replenish the rabbit water for the garden. As Beth says, the power and water company is the bane of her existence. Our bill is relatively low each month, but the costs are rising.
 
I got some more bamboo from Nancy’s house; thanks, Nancy. I will be using an eight-foot length to mount the bird feeder on. Like many projects I tackle, I do not know how to achieve the result, but I get there. 

We will make improvements as we move from a smaller (but pleasant) bedroom into one that is twice as big. I am applying a mural on one wall covering the entire wall surface. I could not have gotten this finished without Beth’s help. Thanks, Beth. We are a good team. Currently putting up a wallpaper mural on one of the walls. 

 
I’ve written before; this is the ONE life we live; you must make the most of it! Beth and I know this is the last home we will live in, so we are making it as fabulous as possible.  (From Beth: Who else would buy this colorful house?) I’m hoping you will do the same, live in a place that is much more than a place to lay your head at night.
 
Make your home where you want to be, your paradise on earth. Your home should be your vacation place. Think of places where you have vacationed in the past. Pick out the things that stand out that you loved and enjoyed. Apply these ideas to your home and make it your vacation place.  Here is Kit as a bird feeder >>
Beth planted peach seeds some time ago. Yes, trees grew from the seeds but never did produce fruit. So, I cut each down today and hope they do not grow back. We will get trees to go in the front yard, maybe apple, peach, and pear trees. I will let you know later.

 6/7–I Woke at about 3am, which is typical–up for the day I am. Beth attended the weekly coffee hour in while I was going to Costco to order new spectacles.
     
6/8–Friday comes so quickly each week, don’t you think so? Cleaning up the gardens and also the rabbit hutches. I  never knew rabbits poop so much. Below is he first picking of the cucumbers and an abondance of Zuchini.

Is it time to “make” things happen and live a fuller life?
“Make” a great week for yourself.

******************
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK > >
When was the last time you worked on doing a handstand?
No matter what age you are, find some soft grass and work on standing on your hands.
 
If you can already stand on your hands, work on walking on your hands.
 
If you can already walk on your hands, do a handstand and juggle with your feet.
   
Do something new daily, then keep doing it for the rest of your life.
*******************
NEXT BLOG
The mural is going up on the bedroom wall.
You will see photos and find out more.
*******************

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life differently or better.

*** The joy I am experiencing in life is a marvelous thing!
*** To read past blog posts, go to >> kitsummers.com/blog/
*** Hit by two trucks, one involving a 37-day coma, I remain happy.
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** Thanks, my wife, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** Secrets to unfold and good news!

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

********************
TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK— HOW TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF
 
Challenging myself was one of the main ways that helped me to recover after my first major accident. Even as I was learning to walk again, I saw a small bush and told myself I had to jump over it. I was with a rehab therapist then, and they did not like my idea, but it worked.
 
I continue to challenge myself daily to help me keep advancing in life.
 
Often, your challenges could seem like little things, like attempting to wake up earlier or shake bad habits like smoking, but they’re still challenges. Everyone’s experience is different.
   
What does it mean to challenge ourselves?
To challenge ourselves means to grow in new ways and work toward new ideas. People often stick to things they know, are good at, and don’t look for more. They find these things easy without taking things to the next level.
 
You only know what you can do if you push yourself to a higher level. Doing something different can allow you to find new interests and hobbies you enjoy. Challenging yourself, it will continue to advance your life.
   
Reasons why you should challenge yourself?

1. Reach your potential (beyond?)

Challenging yourself allows you to reach new potential. No one wants to be average. We each want to believe we’re the best at something or that our lives matter. However, you can’t become the best unless you play, experiment, challenge yourself, and push yourself to do something new, faster, or more complex. Exploring experimentation allows you to find new growth opportunities. Ultimately, we want to live a life where we’ve accomplished something. And when you challenge yourself, you can say, “I’ve become the master of my craft,” and that’s when you’ve reached your potential.

2. Live life to the fullest
Living life to the fullest allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment during and at the end of your life. Life isn’t all about work. It’s about family, friends, passion, fun, and exploring new opportunities. When you challenge yourself, it means that you’re living and loving life. You’re not hiding away from danger or failure. You’re putting yourself out there and taking risks. When you push yourself, you can see what you’re made of and things you didn’t know about yourself; you will grow. People who challenge themselves see life from a new perspective. You have this excellent opportunity to be the person you want to be. So why not just take advantage of it?
   
3. Strengthen your brain and body
Challenging yourself allows you to strengthen your mind and body. When you first juggle torches, your brain stops you from making that move right before you throw that first torch. A survival instinct that kicks in and says, “This is dangerous; don’t do it.” But then, you have to ignore your screaming brain and do it. And you feel exhilaration on the first throw. You learn that you’re more powerful than your mind and body. Use your brain; there are so many opportunities in life we don’t take because our brain stops us. And learning how to challenge yourself helps teach you to ignore it and shut it off.
 
Here are more ideas for challenging yourself >>
 
A–Practice meditation
Following a guided meditation like you can find on your computer, your mind is a surefire way to challenge your thoughts. Meditation helps you learn to calm the mind by becoming more aware of the ideas in your head. If you’d like to challenge yourself further, you can use an unguided meditation timer to take on your thoughts independently. By starting with a guide, you can increase your challenges over time. We began with meditation first because once you’ve been able to take on the mind, every other challenge you face will become more manageable. You can also even watch meditation videos on YouTube.
 
B–Read books to expand your mind
It can take a lot of work with busy days to fit in time for reading. Naturally, reading in bed can help you fall asleep faster, as it has for me. Challenge yourself by reading books on topics you know nothing about; learn as you fall asleep. The goal isn’t to make yourself miserable but to encourage you to learn new stuff as your eyes slowly close. There are millions of topics you haven’t explored but would enjoy learning about, so stick with those you like first.

C–Take an online study
Always continue learning after you finish school, at every level. To keep your mind sharp, you must challenge yourself by furthering your schooling with online or in-person courses. You can learn new languages, how to style your hair, cook meals like a major chef, and more. Your method doesn’t need to be educational, such as a history lesson or learning how to start a business. Think about everyday things you do that can help you learn better.
   
D–Start a thriving hobby
One of the ways you can challenge yourself is by learning a hobby that allows you to boost your income, as it expands your mind. Working a 9 to 5 job makes us feel like we’re just getting by. Nevertheless, by investing in a profitable hobby, we can earn more money to do what we love while getting paid. This is how I always thought of my juggling, and I got paid to have fun! Any hobby can be good today, though that has not been true historically.
 
E–Declutter your dwelling
Decluttering your residence is a great way to challenge yourself.
Can you survive with less stuff?
Can you learn how to sell your property online?
You can challenge yourself in many ways by reducing the number of possessions in your home. Living with less is better. We often fill our homes with so much stuff that we rarely use. Challenge yourself to let go of possessions and learn some computer sales.
 
F–Go to bed earlier
I usually awaken between 2 and 4am. You’ll often hear recommendations to wake up earlier in the morning to get more accomplished. And not everyone needs eight hours of sleep to have a fully-functioning brain. So, rather than challenging yourself to wake up earlier, you can challenge yourself to bed earlier. If you sleep earlier, you’ll likely wake up earlier and be well-rested.
 
G– Walk! Aim for 10,000 steps a day!
Walking less than 4,200 steps a day is considered sedentary. It’s the number of steps people often take if they work from home and don’t exercise. Get out there, walk, walk, walk. Active people often take at least 7,000 steps a day. To challenge yourself, try taking 10,000 steps every day. Doing it occasionally can be an easy feat, particularly on weekends. All it takes is that first step.

H–Climb 100 steps a day
The average person climbs four to five stairs each day, which is a little. Challenge yourself to climb at least 100 steps a day. You don’t need to do that all at once. However, use the stairs regularly in your home, condo, or apartment building. You can challenge yourself by forcing yourself to climb stairs to use the bathroom instead of using the bathroom on the same floor. This is just the beginning, go for more and more steps all the time.
 
I–Improve your relationship
Refrain from neglecting your partner or filing for divorce is easy when things get stale. People can get into unhealthy routines. Ask them about their needs the next time you interact with your spouse. And if they say something like, “I need some help cleaning this place.” You should immediately get up and start cleaning the home. Or if you’ve noticed you two haven’t had any romanticism in your relationship for a while, surprise them with a gift, such as flowers or even a candlelit dinner at home.

J–Get out of debt
Managing your finances is a significant way to challenge yourself. Being stuck living paycheck to paycheck not only adds financial strain but emotional stress as well. You are paying off all you can, allowing you to live financially free or even retire earlier to live on your terms. You’ll frequently need to work multiple jobs to get out of debt. I’ve been able to live without worrying about debt problems. Having full-time and part-time employment can allow you to add more money to pay down debts while still covering your main expenses.
 
Conclusion
There is a vast number of ways you can challenge yourself. You can use this list as a starting point or even create your list of ways; as you know, even our phones are constantly updated with the latest technology and features. You should also continually grow with new habits, attitudes, and personality traits.
 
So, what’s the upgraded version of yourself going to look like?
   
What new stories are you ready to write?

********************
WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.
 
They are so interesting, challenging, and essential on our path to joy, happiness, and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.
 
Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.

I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.
 
Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
At any age, you can (and should) make changes to make your life better.
 
How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life, and it all derives from your quality of thinking.

WHEN YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control!
 
You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — Your Thinking —and that’s where motivational quotes come in!
 
To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so essential—THINK RIGHT!
    
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

EVEN IF YOU START LATE, ARE UNCERTAIN,
OR ARE DIFFERENT –
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget that you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
 
REMEMBER, VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE.

********************
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS INSPIRE YOU >>
Many of us have been through a point in life where everything seems to have reached a slump where nothing is meaningful anymore. If you’re going through something similar, these life-purpose quotes can help you to find the will to live your life to its fullest again!
 
“If you have a vital purpose in life,
you don’t have to be pushed.
Your passion will drive you there.” – Roy T. Bennett
   
“I believe purpose is something for which one is responsible;
it’s not just divinely assigned.” – Michael J. Fox
   
“It’s not enough to have lived.
We should be determined to live for something.” – Winston S. Churchill

“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive,
but in finding something to live for.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
   
“If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion.
For your passion will lead you to your purpose.” – Bishop T.D. Jakes
 
“Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life,
no matter what may be one’s aim.” – John D. Rockefeller
   
“The two most important days in life are the day you are born,
and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain
 
“Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.” – Washington Irving
 
“The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.” – Terry Orlick
 
“To begin to think with purpose is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment.” – James Allen
 
“You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it courageously.” – Steve Maraboli
 
“The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost; to be everywhere is to be nowhere.” – Michel de Montaigne
 
“When you find your WHY, you don’t hit snooze anymore! You find a way to make it happen!” – Eric Thomas
 
“A person without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder.” – Thomas Carlyle
   
“The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.” – Charles Dickens

COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

********************
MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
And time is going faster all the time.
Do you keep track of what you do each day?
Do this for a few weeks, and you will see your time differently.
   
5/29–As the photos show, the garden is growing superbly. Why, just today, I wanted to eat a salad in the afternoon. So great to be able to go out into the front gardens to pick lettuce and carrots for the salad. And this is just the beginning. Later I will add tomatoes and broccoli to the mix.

Some people have told me I must have a green thumb.
I disagree.

5/30–Beth has found succulent plants (which are cactus.) We will be building gardens just for them, that’s good. I built the shelf below to hold the succulents. 

About zucchini. The plant has huge leaves. I decided to check under some of them. Why, lookie there, huge zucchini fruit was ready for the picking. They we easy to dispense to friends. Do you want one?

5/31–I kept a list of what I did last week. I cannot find this list! So, most of this is from talking with Beth about the previous week. How about you, do you remember what you did last Wednesday?

6/1–Went to the dentist today, Dr. Patrick Cook. He is excellent at what he does. If you live anywhere near Augusta, Georgia, and need dental care, look him you–you will be happy you did —
patrick.cook@mapbt.com.
Also, he told me he enjoys reading my blog post each week.
Do you like the words I put together?
 
I have also made my weekly trip to Costco. I have to admit, and I usually arrive at about lunchtime. They have vendors who give free samples of different things–Kit’s lunch (don’t tell them, though.)

6/2–Beth is excited about her new hobby of collecting succulent plants. She just came out all excited about how one is turning pink. 
 
Right now, the time is 3:17 in the afternoon.
I will send this out at about 6pm, as usual.
Do you have anything you can write me about your week?
 
Is it time to “make” things happen and live a fuller life?
“Make” a great week for yourself.
******************
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK > >
Summer is about here. Have you planned a vacation for the upcoming months? Getting out to the wilderness is always beneficial. Start planning now for a trip to the out-of-doors.
Do something new daily, then keep doing it for the rest of your life.
*******************
NEXT BLOG
Hmm, I can’t think of a thing to write.
What will you be doing next week?
******************

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life differently or better

*** The joy I am experiencing in life is a marvelous thing!
*** To read past blog posts, go to >> kitsummers.com/blog/
*** Hit by two trucks, one involving a 37-day coma, I remain happy.
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** Thanks, my wife, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** Secrets to unfold and good news!
   

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

********************
TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK— SLEEP

Do you sleep enough?
What is “enough”?
Do you waste life in Sleep?

Sleep is of utmost importance; I never knew how important sleep was to success, but now I do, so I ensure I get an adequate amount daily for my body. Yet, my mind only requires a little sleep.
    
Today, as usual, I awoke between 2:30 and 3 am. I function better with only about 4 or 5  hours of sleep. In my mind, I have always thought that sleep was a waste of time–but necessary for a human. When I sleep more, I am tired throughout the day. People tend to make a long sleep every night essential for themselves. Your body, like mine, might do better with less sleep?
    
I once slept for 37 days; hard to imagine I could sleep for so long. My brain had to heal after a traumatic injury, so it shut things down while taking a break. So if you have gone through the same thing, I hope you are doing better now.
     
What new stories are you ready to write?

********************
WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.

They are so interesting, challenging, and essential on our path to joy, happiness, and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.

Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.

I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.

Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
At any age, you can (and should) make changes to make your life better.

How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life, and it all derives from your quality of thinking.

WHEN YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real time. You have this control!

You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — Your Thinking —and that’s where motivational quotes come in!

To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so essential—THINK RIGHT!

    
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

EVEN IF YOU START LATE, ARE UNCERTAIN,
OR ARE DIFFERENT –
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget that you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
 
REMEMBER, VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE.

********************
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS INSPIRE YOU >>
May these quotes inspire you to prioritize sleep so that you may be in the best of health.
 
1. “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for anything.” Irish Proverb
   
2. “Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow.” Tom Roth
   
3. “Sleeping is nice. You forget about everything for a little while.” Anonymous
 
4. “Dream big while you sleep, and even bigger when you’re awake.” Jared Leto
 
5. “Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.” Walter Reisch
 
6. “Man should forget his anger before he lies down to sleep.” Mahatma Gandhi
 
7. “Sleep is the real beauty secret, but I don’t get enough of that.” Chelsea Leyland
 
8. “I love sleep.” Ernest Hemingway
 
9. “It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” John Steinbeck
 
10. “All you need is sleep.” Anonymous

COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

********************
MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
And time is going faster all the time.
Do you keep track of what you do each day?
Do this for a few weeks, and you will see your time differently.
 
5/13–On this Saturday, it was back to be with Gary DuTeau on his land. Right on Steven’s Creek; very lovely here. You may remember where I came from when I first met Beth at the local library; I had connected with Gary via Facebook and came out to his fest. Then, Beth and I married on his piece of wilderness paradise. Gary has a get-together on his property yearly; nice to get out. The group includes a couple of excellent chefs (Gary is one, too!) So, we eat well while here.
 
To go into the area where we get together, you must step down a three-foot boulder and walk back up an incline. No one liked this, including me. Gary had told me that this same path had been used for years, including by Native Americans when they were in the area.

Well, I always like to find better ways. I saw that by removing some little trees and a few rocks, I forged a new path that stayed level the entire way. Much better, many told me.
 
Do you have something like this that you do not change because it “has always” been done a certain way? Make change happen and have a better life.
 
It may have been something I ate, but I had no energy and felt nauseous for a few days. I stayed home and rested. Usually full of energy, I do not like when I can’t maintain the same. I hope you continue to feel great.
 
After this bout concluded, this was an excellent chance to change my eating habits. Like many, I’ve always consumed three meals daily, hungry or not. Since my feeling off, I’ve decided only to eat when I am hungry, which is seldom. My body will eat enough to keep functioning at a high level. How about you? Is it time to examine your eating habits?
 
5/16–You may remember I choked on food some time ago because my esophagus was condensed. I had an operation to open my throat, which helped much. Today, while consuming some fruit, I ate too fast, and the fruit got stuck in my throat. I hope I don’t have to return for another operation.
 
So far, this has been a bad week for me physically.
 
5/17–Dandelions can look nice if an entire yard holds them. Having dandelions come up here does not look good on a lawn. Today I dug all of them up by the roots so they would not regrow. Also, the rabbits love eating them, so it serves a good purpose there.
 
But, as you might know, I do not like lawns. This is such a massive waste of time to water and mow. No one would go hungry if every house grew vegetables and fruit in its front yard. You will see my lawn grow less as I plant more veggies and fruit trees.
 
5/18–Rain this Thursday, good for the plants, of course. Living in South Carolina, we get frequent storms; I like that. All our rain-saving devices have been refilled with just this one rain episode. Did you ever install a rain barrel or rain collector? This will pay off in the long run.

I am hearing more and more about how water and food may become hard to acquire. That is why I have started growing many things and saving hundreds of gallons of rainwater.

5/19–We are off today for a 250-mile drive to Randalman, North Carolina. I do enjoy driving; this is a short distance for me today. We are going to visit Beth’s parents, who are 83 and 86. Married 65 years, you do not often hear about that.
     
Is it time to “make” things happen and live a fuller life?
“Make” a great week for yourself.

******************
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK > >
Do you take time to do what is essential in life?
Take some time to watch the sunset or sunrise.
Create memories that will last forever. 
Do something new daily, then keep doing it for the rest of your life.
*******************
NEXT BLOG
Beth and I will take the 250 mile drive to see her parents in North Carolina on Friday.
You will learn about our trip in the next blog.
*******************