January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
And so it begins. 2010.
Looking at my new Vision Board, I can see that it’s going to be a spectacular year!
I hope yours is, too.
One fun “1st Day” project for me is starting up all my new calendars. Actually, my main desk calendar has been in the works for months, since planning far ahead seems essential these days. These are the calendars I’ll be working with this year.
- a page-a-day trivia calendar(desk)
- my annual Sara Steele watercolors (bedroom)
- photographs of California views and vistas (bathroom)
- spectacular fractals (consulting room)
- even more spectacular fractals (home office)
- year of the tiger bamboo calendar from Kai Garden, Ann Arbor (kitchen)
- Mom gives me a little Metropolitan Museum calendar every year (living room)
- I also make up quarterly calendars in Excel that I update weekly, print and carry with me on a clipboard, so I can schedule new things on the run.
Keeping track.
I just heard on someone on NPR this morning say that lists are the foundation of civilization. I would submit that the calendar is just as important. Deciding what to do and when to do it seems to be essential to progress of any kind.
Turn the page…
December 31, 2009
Once in a Blue Moon
Here in Michigan, we probably won’t see the moon tonight because of the heavy cloud cover and unrelenting snow flurries. But it’ll be there… a big, bright, full moon. The second one this month! That makes it a “blue moon.”
Apparently, we have a blue moon on New Year’s Eve every 19 years. It would be interesting to know if people in Michigan were ever able to see it through the clouds. It’s supposed to be very bright tonight, due to our distance from the sun.
Recent research has shown that the full moon doesn’t actually “bring out the loonies,” although I’d bet teachers and police officers would wonder who funded that research!
So, don’t be one of “the loonies” out tonight. Stay safe and stay sane. Respect yourself. Ingest with care.
Wake up tomorrow feeling good. You’ll thank yourself.
I wish everyone on the planet a very Happy New Year. May 2010 set a sparkling new tone for the coming decade.
December 30, 2009
Broaden your focus, change the world
Jonathan Cainer, an online astrologer, has observed that we humans have a tendency to give more energy to anger and fear than we do to inspiration and mutual trust. We’re always afraid the worst will happen, and watch for it.
Occasionally the worst does happen. But most of the time, it doesn’t. And great things are happening all around us that don’t get our attention. Cainer suggests that the coming decade will see a correction of this imbalance. I must agree. People are willing and able to seek out great events, feats, and information on an international playing field. The Internet has opened up access to more information all around the world, more than any other technological advancement in our history.
How can we help but broaden our cultural horizons when just about any question may be answered with the click of a mouse or the touch of a finger!?!
Yes, there is a lot of grim news out there every day. But for each terrorist who comes to light (gets caught) think about the millions of people out there doing amazing things in the fields of art, science and technology.
If you want a quick and easy dose of “hope for humanity,” subscribe to TED Talks, and spend 20 minutes each day listening to what’s really going on in the world. It’s likely you’ll be exposed to fascinating information that’s never even entered your sphere of influence. It can’t help but inspire you to open your mind and think, which I believe is an excellent way to spend a little of your time.
If you personally are doing surprising, exciting things, and want to share with others, the social networking sites are there for you. Although I’m sure there is plenty of negative information being bandied about on Facebook, Twitter, etc., in my experience, people share wonderful, inspiring information with each other, much of it laced with good humor and good will toward humanity. I think that may be the appeal for most of us. We get to find out the best parts of how other people live, all over the world!
If this gets us to aspire to greater accomplishment, open our hearts to strangers, and reduce our fear of the future, then this is where we need to be.
But don’t forget to get up and do some stretches and jumping jacks now and then. 
December 28, 2009
New Vision for 2010
Today, I’ve spent some time seeking pictures for my 2010 “Vision Board.” I’m sure you’ve heard about those. You make a big collage of pictures and words that represent your goals and desires for your life. Suzanne Falter-Barnes mentioned this in a recent post, and it inspired me to take some action. It’s been an interesting process.
I used to work on the premise I learned from Rita Mae Brown: You don’t really know what you think about something until you start to write about it. So, each year end would find me writing things down, making lists, trying to express my thoughts clearly. After all, if you don’t know what you want, you’re unlikely to get what you want!
But, hey! A picture is worth a thousand words, they say! Pictures are fun. Pictures pique your interest and imagination. Pictures, even pictures of housekeeping tasks, can be pretty! So I heartily recommend this process. Find pictures that represent how you want your life to look. Lots of them. Print them out. Cut them out. Then arrange them on a sheet of poster board of a convenient size.
Then post it right there… right where you can see it every day. Let it inspire you, excite you, move you to take action toward making it all happen for you. And remember, nothing changes until something changes. Action changes things.
December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
If you are celebrating today, I wish you all the warmth and wonder of the day. If you are out and about, stay safe!
Love and peace to all.
December 24, 2009
Nuts to You!
Holidays seem to bring out the nuts… almond crescents, pecan pies, walnut coated cheese balls, hazelnut coffee. All kinds of nuts.
Some articles tout the benefits of eating almonds every day. Others will tell you that walnuts are the only way to go. Nobody mentions macadamias, I suppose because of the extra-high fat content and that it’s so hard to stop eating them once you start.
In my opinion, it’s better not to eat the same foods day after day, as this sets one up for developing sensitivities, late-onset allergies, and such. So, if you decide to eat nuts every day, it will be good to take advantage of the variety of nuts available to us. Along with those mentioned above, there are pecans, Brazil nuts, black walnuts and pistachios. And, of course, the best way to indulge in nuts and get the best nutrition from them is to eat them raw, unsalted, either out of hand or chopped and combined with other foods. Peanuts and cashews aren’t technically nuts, and can’t be eaten raw, but may be found unsalted, and enjoyed in many ways.
A favorite tasty treat of mine is to remove the seed from a large whole date, and replace it with a raw pecan half. Yum! You really know you’ve had a snack with just one!
Chopped walnuts are great on a dish of yogurt, drizzled with a little real maple syrup for breakfast or dessert.
Raw almond or cashew butter makes a creamy base for raw veggie soups. Just use a couple of tablespoons in a blender with very hot water, chopped vegetables of your choice, and a few herbs and spices. You’ll never feel healthier than after an entire meal of raw foods. The more often you can do that, the healthier you will become.
Or just grab a handful and go.
DO add nuts to your diet. DON’T limit your choices! Have fun with them. Experiment with new ways to eat.
Merry Christmas!
December 21, 2009
Winter Solstice
I’m definitely celebrating this turning point in the year! After today, the days start getting longer again, as we head toward the new year. For me, this signifies that it’s time to get serious about planning a strategy for success in the coming year. Even while the holiday celebrations abound, I like to take some time each day to consider my goals for the coming year in the various sectors of my life, and determine what actions need to be taken to assure that those goals will be met.
I can see that 2010 is going to be a year of big changes for me in some areas of my life. And that’s a good thing! I have a sign above my desk that says “Nothing changes until something changes. Action changes things.” Life is all about change. Embrace it. Roll with it. Revel in it.
Even the difficult changes can turn out to be good.
December 18, 2009
Jim Rohn
Today I learned of the passing of Jim Rohn earlier this month. Seldom does the death of a celebrity affect me the way this news did. I was introduced to Jim’s work by a friend many years ago. Jim’s words have never failed to drive right into my psyche and change the way I think. I think all of the inspirational quotes I have ever posted have come from his lips. I am saddened that those lips are now silenced, but so grateful for the massive body of work he has left behind that will continue to inspire people and change their lives for the better.
If you are unfamiliar with Jim’s philosophy, visit http://www.jimrohn.com scroll down and click on “Lessons on Life.” If you like what you read there, find a way to listen to him speak via audio or video media. The more you take his message to heart, the better your life will become.
December 17, 2009
Holiday beverages
Yesterday, a short stop at Whole Foods netted me a couple of holiday treats. They had a good supply of Celestial Seasoning’s Holiday Teas! The one I hadn’t yet found this year is Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride. So now I have all my faves. Sugar Plum Spice, Gingerbread Spice and Candy Cane Lane. These are all caffeine free and unsweetened, but even with no additions they taste like dessert! Very special on a cold winter day.
I also came across a new product to try. I haven’t yet, but I’m looking forward to trying Rice Dream’s concoction, Rice Nog. I love commercially prepared eggnog, but just reading the nutrition information on it makes my arteries spasm. I’m hoping this will be an acceptable substitute, with only 1 gram of fat and 80 calories. Yes, it’s only a 4 oz. serving, but still…
I hope everyone’s getting fully into the holiday spirit, but only a tiny bit into the holiday spirits! Stay safe and stay healthy!
December 16, 2009
Sleep Tip #6
Two examples of just how important it is to get deep restorative sleep every night:
1. According to Dr. Philip Tierno of New York University Medical Center, your body makes the most immune-strengthening repairs to our cells during the last and longest period of REM sleep, which begins after approximately 7 hours of sleep.
2. Reducing your sleep by 1½ hours for just one night could reduce your daytime alertness by as much as 32%.
Make every effort to give yourself this gift. Train yourself to sleep 8 hours each night.
People who have lived with chronic insomnia for years, when they start to get a full night’s sleep, may find their shorter day inconvenient… most of us already feel we don’t have enough hours in a day to get everything done we need to do. As adjustments are made to your sleep schedule, you may find you need to adjust your daytime schedule, as well. Simplify and minimize as much as you can. Eliminate non-essential activity, so you can focus on what’ s vital. Keep your To-Do list short and do-able. And don’t forget to schedule in some personal time.
