Tag: life

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

Today’s tip is to broaden your perspective: read a different paper, magazine, or site.

Many of us tend to get caught in bubbles of information. Google/Bing do this, bringing us certain results. We have a set group of people on social media, and often we read the same sites for news, information, fun, etc.

The US election took place recently, and it was a contentious one. Like many, I was entranced with the process, the outcome, and the way the event unfolded. I have some sites for news, and a subscription, but I decided to try something different since I was hoping for other views.

In particular, I gave CNN a try at CNN.com. I haven’t been thrilled with their television program for years, as I think they struggle to find new and interesting things to day and still fill 24 hours. However, I saw some ratings about how people around the world view the site, and it’s fairly neutral.

I also grabbed a new book, Dirt, after hearing someone talk about it on NPR. It’s a book by a writer that moves to France to learn French cooking. A little out of my area, and I struggled to get into this book, but eventually it turned a corner, and I enjoyed hearing about how the writer blends cooking, chefs, ingredients, and life in a foreign country.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

Today’s tip is to tell someone how you’re grateful for them in your life.

It’s Thanksgiving, a day traditionally in the US where we give some thanks. Lots of people do this all month, picking something each day. My family does this at dinner, each of us giving a few things we’ve been thankful for this year.

However, this is something you ought to do regularly with those in your life for whom you are grateful. Partners, kids, parents, boss, employee, etc. Remember to appreciate things, and people, in your life.

I do try to let some people know that I an grateful, but not enough. I’d hope I remember to do this monthly, if not more often. There are a lot of people I am grateful for.

In this case, for today, I’m remembering to tell me wife how grateful I am to have her in my life, for all the help, support, love, and joy she brings.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

Today’s tip is to connect with someone from a different generation.

I used to always view a different generation as an older one. Now as I age, with more life behind me than in front, I tend to think about younger generations more.

We did some speed networking recently at work, as a way to connect and meet other people. I ended up with people I know in two of the three sessions, but in the third, I ran into a former intern that was hired back during the pandemic.

It was a neat 10 minute conversation, hearing some of his experiences on how things are different, his experience and impressions of working with his team inside the company.

I enjoyed it, and it brought me back to my first job after college, and how different the experience was, both in life and at work.

I don’t know if he enjoyed it as I did, but I really appreciated the opportunity and perspective. I hope I get to see him again, and also get to do more speed networking.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

Today’s tip is to look at life through someone else’s eyes and see their perspective.

In today’s world, in many places, I find that people lack the ability to look at the world through other’s eyes. We’ve lost some empathy and willingness to examine things from another perspective. This is especially true during the pandemic, where politics and frustrations seem to be overwhelming.

I have my own views, but I had the chance to hang out with a friend recently. This person sees the world differently than I, but I decided to understand, not argue or complain. In this case, the person talked a bit about why they agreed or disagreed with particular decisions or actions by the state or individuals. I asked questions for clarification or more detail, but allowed this person to educate me on their point of view.

It was a good conversation, in a way that’s often lost in the media or in larger groups. I didn’t agree with everything, and did feel there were some emotions overriding logic, but I could understand and appreciate the perspective, even if I disagreed with portions.

I like these conversations and I wish we could have more of them in small groups, in a civilized fashion.