Vanya Wryter Consulting Services

Tag: life

  • 5 Foolproof Ways for Everyday Things to Bring You Happiness

    5 Foolproof Ways for Everyday Things to Bring You Happiness

    Is it possible to find happiness every day? Maybe, maybe not. You face enough of life’s tough challenges. I’m not going to try to turn any frowns upside down, but I can propose five foolproof ways for everyday things to bring happiness and a little joy to your life.  

    Daily writing prompt
    What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
    View all responses

    1  Special object for your daily routine

    We all have that particular object that is a part of our daily routine. It can be your favorite cup for your morning tea or coffee. Your day doesn’t quite feel right if you begin without it. But when you start your day with that cup, you feel that everything is right in your corner of the world. 

    2 Special object to create the mood

    Those earphones that play your favorite tunes to set the mood are important to create your work mode or relax mode. Fast tunes to motivate you to get your work done, or slow tunes to relax you at the end of the work day. 

    Your special object might be mood lights. Bright lights that keep you awake and working, or dim lights in the evening when you start the movie you couldn’t wait to watch.

    3 Special object for self care

    It’s the little things that we look forward to, like reading the next chapter of a book we can’t wait to finish. Drawing a bubble bath to relax and calm all the stresses from the day. That phone for the call with that friend or family member who can’t wait to hear how your day went and who is always there to support you. 

    4 Special place in your home  

    We all need that special place to give us security, peace, and happiness. It’s our secret retreat. It can be the beanbag chair in the corner of the room where you curl up to read a book. The couch where you snuggle with your pets and blanket while you watch your favorite shows. Or your bed, where you can’t wait to rest your head and forget about the day’s challenges.

    5 Special person in your life

    A smile or a few words from a special person in your life can mean the world to you. Your significant other saying good morning or goodnight. Your parent giving you words of encouragement. A friend who sends you a picture of something because they thought of you.

    Someone you admire can also bring happiness to your day. For example, playing a song by your favorite musician, reading a poem by your favorite writer, or even writing in your own journal can bring happiness when you see how far you’ve come in your journey.

    Any of these people can be your rock.

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  • Would you return to the past if you could?

    Would you return to the past if you could?

    If you could return to the past, what moment would you revisit or redo? I learned that returning to the past didn’t necessarily mean revisiting yesterday. It could also mean precious time with family, an opportunity that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t won a prize.

    Daily writing prompt
    Where would you go on a shopping spree?
    View all responses

    “Where are we, Mom?” The building we were in was large and spacious, but unlike anything I’d seen before. And everything about it was wrong.

    “A shopping mall, honey.” 

    “No, it can’t be. We won a shopping spree at a new mall. I showed you the e-message. We get fifteen minutes to grab whatever we want. But look at this place! No holograms! And look at that! People are everywhere, walking into stores. And the stores aren’t projections! This is ridiculous! I would never bring your granddaughter here. Mom, let’s go. I don’t know how we’re going to shop in a place like this.”

    “This place–” Mom glanced at me with the mischievous excitement of a child. “This is what shopping malls looked like when I was a teenager! Look over there, at the food court! That’s where I’d hang out with my friends—”

    “At the mall?” I almost gasped. I would never let my daughter Keeva hang out at a mall. I wanted to give my opinion about “hanging out” at such a place but Mom had grabbed my arm and was pulling us into this archaic shopping mall.

    “–this was before we had cellphones and… what do you call it now? Dash-calls? We actually hung out in person, face to face. We would ride our bikes here or take the bus. We bought hamburgers and shakes. Hot dogs. Then we went window shopping. I mean literal window shopping, not like what you do these days where your house phone generates an image and you just stare at holographics and buy stuff. Even when you were growing up, it was already getting bad with social media. Whatever happened to talking to real people?”

    Mom picked up a sweater from a rack at a store entrance. “Such a beautiful sweater!” she said, handing it to me.

    I was shocked at how heavy it was. I mean, it was a real sweater and I was touching it before buying it. This felt criminal.

    “I miss this,” said Mom. “Holographic shopping is not the same.” She smiled at another shopper entering the store. “Hello!” she said.

    I glanced down in embarrassment. Ugh. She was talking to a complete stranger. I picked up the tag to check the material. “Fifty dollars! I exclaimed. “This must be a secondhand sweater for that low price!”

    “Three hundred dollars is too much for a sweater.” Mom sighed. “How do people afford anything these days?” She draped the sweater over her arm.

    “We should get a wall TV before our fifteen minutes are up.” I pointed at the tech store. “Keeva is crazy about those. They drape on your wall like a poster, and you can peel them off and put them on a different wall.”

    But once we were outside the tech store, I stood with my mouth open, my mind searching through dusty memories for the correct word. “Mom, they’re… they’re flatscreen TVs. You’ve got to… to mount them on something. I haven’t seen one of these since I was a kid!”

    “I want a hamburger,” said Mom, starting toward the food court without waiting for me. 

    I hung back, unsure what to do as I took in the sight of all the food vendors. The most shocking part was each stall was staffed by what looked like real people. I was horrified. Was I supposed to tell someone what I wanted to order? What happened to pressing buttons on a menu? 

    “Two hamburgers and two shakes, please,” said Mom with a smile. “We’re on a shopping spree so that should be on the house.” She took the tray, scanned the tables, found an empty one, and sat down. She seemed perfectly at home here.

    I turned my watch to take a photo to send to Keeva via dash-call. My watch beeped. Our fifteen minutes were up, and we had only gotten food and a sweater. Keeva had expected me to return home with something spectacular. 

    “You young people spend too much time with your tech,” said Mom, offering me a burger. Put away that app and let’s talk—just like in the old days. Enjoy life like it was when you could touch and smell everything. Honey, there are some things money cannot buy.”

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  • What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

    What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

    Every experience, whether big or small, helps us grow. But the experiences that help people grow the most have a profound impact on our lives. These experiences are like a chapter in a book or a phase change like transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Looking at myself and my friends, I would say three life experiences help us grow the most.

    Daily writing prompt
    What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
    View all responses

    Career

    A job is a role you take on. In comparison, a career is a long-term commitment based on your experiences and education. You develop skills that define your life goals and lifestyle.

    A career takes commitment, such as courses for a certification or a degree; or long-term,  on-the-job training. You learn skills that will shape and impact your life for years and even decades. A defines you: you tell people, “I’m a (occupation).”

    You hang out with people with backgrounds, training, and education similar to yours. If you’re a teacher, you’ll meet others in education. If you’re a business owner, you’ll meet others who run businesses, or people selling products or services in the same industry. 

    A career impacts your income and your lifestyle. As a lawyer, you may work long hours and own an expensive house. As an accounts manager for a small company, you may make a modest income, enough to get an apartment and take the vacations you like. 

    For some who want to get into management with years of work experience and promotion, you’ll learn leadership skills and how to communicate and inspire others.

    Marriage

    Another experience that helps people grow is marriage. You’re working through everyday situations with your life partner. This person sees you every day and knows personal aspects of your life–what you eat, how you sleep, your income, your spending habits, your grooming habits, your routines. Unlike your family, who has observed many of the same things, you didn’t make the rules. Your parents did and you had to obey the rules to live with them.

    With marriage, you and your spouse jointly decide where to live–which city, which home, how to spend your money, and where to go for vacation. You share and divide responsibilities. If one person in the relationship is not content, there is an imbalance, and you need to communicate to work things out for the relationship to be healthy again. 

    This person impacts your mental and emotional health. You need to learn to communicate your needs and work out your struggles. You also need to work together. When you choose your spouse, you also choose their friends and family. You need to learn to compromise. Your communication skills are crucial. 


    Parenthood

    Another experience that helps people grow is parenthood. You’re the role model, setting an example for your child. Your priorities shift and you become your child’s protector because the child comes first. For example, you take sick days from work when your child is sick but you continue to work when you yourself are sick, instead of taking a day off.

    You save and spend money on vacations with your child. You spend money on the child’s interests, such as hobbies, sports, and toys. It’s a shift in identity and priority.

    You better appreciate what your parents went through when they became parents. You have a new awareness of what’s good and what’s bad–you’re suddenly aware that shows and movies you used to enjoy have bad language and inappropriate violence.

    As a role model, you watch your language and your words. If you’re tired, you want to ensure that you don’t say something to your child that could cause long-term damage. Your child takes cues from you on how to speak and how to behave.

    Key Takeaways

    Working on your career, getting married, and having children are three experiences in life that help a person to grow. Not everyone gets married or has children, and they will still experience growth. But I think these three types of experiences definitely have a significant impact on a person’s life.

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  • How to Find True Friends: One of the Best Gifts I Ever Received

    How to Find True Friends: One of the Best Gifts I Ever Received

    Daily writing prompt
    Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.
    View all responses

    One of the best gifts I ever received was a bottomless wallet. When I first got it, I thought the money inside it was the best thing in the world, but instead, I discovered what the real gift was.

    One day, I found an abandoned wallet on the street and opened it. Nothing was inside. My friend, standing across from me, said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a thousand dollars in there?” 

    “Yes, but it’s empty,” I said, opening the wallet again to show her, and saw several bills inside. Hundreds of hundred dollar bills, totaling a thousand dollars. “I can’t believe it!” I exclaimed. 

    “It’s magic!” My friend took the money out of my hand. “I’m buying a purse and some jewelry,” she said. “I can finally afford to!” And she ran off.

    “Hey, wait for us!” I said. Stunned, I stared at the empty wallet in my hand.

    “What if there’s a hundred-dollar bill in there?” My other friend was still standing around.

    “No way.”

    She took the wallet from my hand, opened it, and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. 

    “Maybe you should ask for more money,” I said.

    “No, this is enough,” she smiled. “Want to go get some food? Let’s celebrate our good luck with a fancy dinner,” she said.

  • Valentine’s Day: Some Interesting Facts and Humor

    Valentine’s Day: Some Interesting Facts and Humor

    Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. It’s a day for everyone. If you’re single, make it a day for self-care and appreciating yourself. If you have a significant other, it’s a day to show that person how much you care about them. 

    Here are some fun facts and Valentine’s Day jokes to bring a smile to your day.

    What are some interesting facts about the history of Valentine’s Day? 

    • Fancy Boxes were decorated chocolates sold in heart-shaped boxes in 1868 for Valentine’s Day.
    • Early versions of printed Valentine’s Day cards appeared in the early 1900s. These cards were printed in factories.
    • The chalky, heart-shaped conversation candies that appear around Valentine’s Day were first created as lozenges. They became heart-shaped in 1902.
    • The remote ordering and delivery of flowers to loved ones was pioneered in 1910.
    • The slogan “A Diamond is Forever” first appeared in 1948 to introduce the idea that expensive jewelry expresses love.
    • In Korea, women give chocolates to men to show their affection on Valentine’s Day (February 14). On White Day (March 14), men return their affection to women with white gifts, such as white chocolate and lingerie (although dark chocolate and other colors and gifts are also accepted now). On Black Day (April 14), singles (who didn’t receive anything on Feb 14 or Mar 14) eat Jjajyangmyeon (Black Noodles) with their single friends. The first two occasions receive the most marketing and event promotion.

    Valentine’s Day Humor

    (Jokes from the internet)

    What’s the best way to get a date for Valentine’s Day? 

    Look at a calendar.

    How do vampires know if they had a successful Valentine’s Day?

    If it’s love at first bite.

    How do you keep a jewelry store safe on Valentine’s Day?

    You locket.

    Why didn’t the skeleton want to send any Valentine’s Day cards?

    His heart wasn’t in it.

    What did the stamp say to the envelope on Valentine’s Day?

    I’m stuck on you!

    What did one plate say to the other on Valentine’s Day? 

    Tonight, dinner’s on me.