The Big Three: Special Delivery

The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, May 11 – 17.

What I’m grateful for:

—Looking back. I like to look back on things that I’ve written in the past. Often I’ll grimace. How did I miss that comma or misspelling? Other times I’ll cringe in the way I described a feeling or the situation. But still other times, I’ll take a step back and say to myself: “Yes, I would like to make changes, but this is okay. I can live with this.”

Here’s to being grateful for the chance to look at our work in a new light.

—As the world turns. We have bills. We have work obligations. We’re running a mile a minute. We forget to slow down and see how beautiful the world is around us. If you need a reminder of the beauty, check out this video. Three Ultra High Definition 4k cameras have been mounted on the International Space Station (ISS) and send back unique views of Earth from space. Oh, how precious! Thank you Mother Earth.

—A large pizza with everything. I’ve learned from writing this post, that gratitude comes in many forms. It can be something big like celebrating a milestone birthday or anniversary. It can be a run-of-the-mill thing like running into a friend. It can also be something downright trivial like ordering out when you don’t want to cook.

Can you say Pizza Delivery! Hmm, perfect.

What gave me a smile?

Doctors have confirmed what I’ve always known. Two researchers from South Korea’s Chung-Ang University and Yonsei University have found that long working hours — upward of 52 hours or more per week — may affect parts of the brain related to problem-solving and memory.

In particular, researchers found that people who worked 52 or more hours a week displayed significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation, compared with study participants who worked standard hours.

The results highlighted the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours.

Hmm, maybe I need to take a vacation day or two.

All images by Pexels.