Tag: life

  • Daily Coping 24 Dec 2021

    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. All my coping tips are under this tag.

    Today’s tip is to help others by giving away something you don’t need.

    The pandemic resulted in a lot of people giving things away. Plenty of charities were overwhelmed. I think that has changed a touch now, and I decided to go through some of the things we have around and drop them off at the local Goodwill office. There are other places that can take things, but I know they sell things cheaply to people in need, and they use the money to help others.

    For me, I took some sports equipment that my kids had lightly used and bundled it up, taking it in. I also had some extra jackets that were barely worn. I’ve got too many, so I took some down for others to use.

    We had a vanity as well that didn’t work for a remodel this year. We tried to sell it, but it didn’t work, so I packed it up and donated it to Habitat for them to sell.

  • Daily Coping 23 Dec 2021

    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. All my coping tips are under this tag.

    Today’s tip is to contact someone who may be alone or feeling isolated.

    I’ve done this a few times, but this is another good excuse to do so. I know a couple people that live alone, and I’ve worried about them a bit. I reached out and chatted a bit, just asking how they were and engaging in a bit of a conversation.

    It was good to touch base and I actually reached out to a second friend to check on them.

    It’s easy to forget how different someone else’s live might be and how lonely it can be to not be with others this time of year.

  • Daily Coping 22 Dec 2021

    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. All my coping tips are under this tag.

    Today’s tip is to ask for help and let someone else discover the job of giving.

    This. Is. Hard.

    It’s hard for me to ask people for help. Instead, I tend to tackle and only engage in things I can do myself. Probably some childhood events made me this way, and I understand it’s both good and bad.

    I actually decided to do this recently. I needed to drop off a car for service. I could have just dropped it off, walked somewhere to work/eat lunch, and then returned over. It’s inconvenient, and I might be stuck somewhere. I also might have to move if the place is busy.

    Instead, I asked my son to follow me down and then bring me back. I had to do the reverse the next day, but needed to go relatively early before some meetings. He was happy to help, and likely it was harder for me than him.

  • Daily 21 Dec 2021

    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. All my coping tips are under this tag.

    Today’s tip is to give thanks, list the kind things others have done for you.

    I am very thankful for my life, especially with where I am today. I tend to do many things for myself, but here are a few things people have done for me in the last week:

    • cooked for me
    • brought me something I forgot
    • bought me a drink
    • thanked me for doing my job
    • sent a kind note after I finished something
    • praised a piece of work
    • did a favor I asked
    • thanked me for cooking

    There are more, but I am finding myself taking note more often when someone does something kind, rather than dismissing or accepting it as something I’d do.

    Instead, I’m learning to feel gratitude for little things.