Hi Everyone!
When I opened up Twitter today, one of the first posts I read was from a very famous personality, declaring that today she was going to begin "living in the moment." I thought about how often so many of us like to use that phrase and swear that we are actually going to do just that--but stuff happens. Work happens. Family happens. Life happens. Where did "the moment" get to?
Since setting out to live "on my terms" in 2011, I have been practising some simple yet often overlooked ways to really be able to "live in the moment." Here are a few of my favourites:
*Stretch/move/dance every morning for 15-20 minutes to music you really like and that "grounds" you. For me, that means largely instrumental, New Age/Celtic-inspired pieces with few lyrics to dwell on. Move with intent--notice how your shoulders, back, legs, feet, arms and hands feel as you move. I often find myself wanting to stay in this "moment" much longer than 20 minutes!
*Prepare food lovingly for yourself. Prepare a special breakfast one day of the week--skip the dry cereal. A yogurt/banana (or your favourite fruit) smoothie is tasty and luxurious. Today I made a banana/yogurt/soy milk/chocolate almond milk/matcha smoothie in less than 5 minutes--and ate a homemade banana bran muffin with it. I thought about how much I enjoy good food and all the love that goes into making it--I guarantee that doesn't happen when I've wolfed down Special K!
*Set apart time for you and your favourite author. Anticipate the half hour you've dedicated to reading that new book, and don't let yourself be pulled away by twitters or emails. In fact, once you do settle into that book (and couch) and start reading, you won't want to get up!
All of the above sound so easy to do, but they are also the first activities to fall away when we get caught up in everything beyond "the moment." Today, give yourself at least one of these moments and notice how wonderful you--and the rest of your day--feels!
Now--time to share! What are some of your favourite ways to live "in the moment"? Let's hear them!
Have a fabulous day!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Invitation to Communication!
Happy March, everyone!
Finally . . . the promise of spring! Well, the weather may not be much warmer yet, but I know my spirits automatically rise once I can flip (or click) a new calendar page!
My productivity level always undergoes a positive shift come March. Today I have posted my first piece on my new blog, Communication for Change. It is meant to be a partner blog to this one, focusing more specifically on the words and language that we can use to improve our overall image.
Please take a few minutes to read "Choose Your Words Carefully!" at http://communicationforchange.blogspot.com/2011/03/choose-your-words-carefully.html
I'd love to hear what you think-either here or there! Happy communicating!
Lauren
Finally . . . the promise of spring! Well, the weather may not be much warmer yet, but I know my spirits automatically rise once I can flip (or click) a new calendar page!
My productivity level always undergoes a positive shift come March. Today I have posted my first piece on my new blog, Communication for Change. It is meant to be a partner blog to this one, focusing more specifically on the words and language that we can use to improve our overall image.
Please take a few minutes to read "Choose Your Words Carefully!" at http://communicationforchange.blogspot.com/2011/03/choose-your-words-carefully.html
I'd love to hear what you think-either here or there! Happy communicating!
Lauren
Thursday, February 24, 2011
What's Your Personal Slogan for 2011?
Hello, Everyone!
It's been quite some time since I lasted posted--yet, although some months have gone by, the time since I last wrote to you seems very short. A combination of events kept me away--a serious ligament injury at the end of May, followed by a couple of months of recovery, a busy time wrapping up a literacy class, followed by a crazy period of starting up another group--and then, winter holidays and a brand new year with its challenges! I'm glad to be back and am excited to hear about YOUR challenges as well as share some of mine!
So, since we're already well into February and far, far away from the time when some of us may have been making those new year's resolutions (and, if statistics hold true, have broken them by now!), I'm not going to talk about 2011 resolutions or goals--and I won't ask you to declare yours, either! Actually, I never really made any this year--one, I rarely hold to them, and two, it just seems like such an outmoded thing to do. Every day brings me challenges and goals, so for me, it's more important to get up each day thinking about what fun (and havoc!) I can generate in the next 24 hours!
Although I didn't make any resolutions for 2011, I did decide to try one new thing: come up with a "slogan" to live and work by this year. I've always admired Eleanor Roosevelt's advice to do one thing every day that scares you. I try to follow that (and most days I do try something a little daunting--calling someone I've put off calling, writing that cheque I've been putting off), but this year I decided that I also wanted to live by my own "slogan." In coming up with this idea, I realized that this, in itself, was a scary undertaking: to create my own "life" slogan and then to actually live by it!
Well, Ms. Roosevelt would be proud of me, I think. I did indeed come up with my own slogan. I decided that it could be no more than three words, and that it must be something I truly believe in and am willing to commit to. So, here it is:
ON MY TERMS
You may be wondering what exactly I mean by that. This year, I've decided that I want to live, work and play on my terms. This does not mean that I won't live with, work with and play with others. It means that I've given myself permission to do what I need to do to accomplish my goals for play, work and life. That may mean that sometimes I will make decisions that, at first glance, may seem odd--like turning down a job or declining an invitation to dinner. However, when faced with such decisions, I ask this question: Is this experience what I truly need now? If the answer is yes, I'll go with that. But, if I find myself wavering and already making excuses for not wanting to do this, I will decline. In the past two months, I've been living by this slogan, asking myself the question, and feeling much more grounded--and happy.
So, you may now want to ask me, "What are some of the situations you've encountered that have forced you to act on your slogan? How does this really work?" I will tell you . . . but not just yet. First, I have a challenge for YOU. Come up with a three-word slogan that you want to live by this year and post it here. You don't have to tell us why--if you don't want to. You don't have to give us examples of how you use it--yet. Just come up with one, post it, and start living by it. The results will amaze you.
Stay tuned for more on how I'm using my slogan to live, work and play by!
It's been quite some time since I lasted posted--yet, although some months have gone by, the time since I last wrote to you seems very short. A combination of events kept me away--a serious ligament injury at the end of May, followed by a couple of months of recovery, a busy time wrapping up a literacy class, followed by a crazy period of starting up another group--and then, winter holidays and a brand new year with its challenges! I'm glad to be back and am excited to hear about YOUR challenges as well as share some of mine!
So, since we're already well into February and far, far away from the time when some of us may have been making those new year's resolutions (and, if statistics hold true, have broken them by now!), I'm not going to talk about 2011 resolutions or goals--and I won't ask you to declare yours, either! Actually, I never really made any this year--one, I rarely hold to them, and two, it just seems like such an outmoded thing to do. Every day brings me challenges and goals, so for me, it's more important to get up each day thinking about what fun (and havoc!) I can generate in the next 24 hours!
Although I didn't make any resolutions for 2011, I did decide to try one new thing: come up with a "slogan" to live and work by this year. I've always admired Eleanor Roosevelt's advice to do one thing every day that scares you. I try to follow that (and most days I do try something a little daunting--calling someone I've put off calling, writing that cheque I've been putting off), but this year I decided that I also wanted to live by my own "slogan." In coming up with this idea, I realized that this, in itself, was a scary undertaking: to create my own "life" slogan and then to actually live by it!
Well, Ms. Roosevelt would be proud of me, I think. I did indeed come up with my own slogan. I decided that it could be no more than three words, and that it must be something I truly believe in and am willing to commit to. So, here it is:
ON MY TERMS
You may be wondering what exactly I mean by that. This year, I've decided that I want to live, work and play on my terms. This does not mean that I won't live with, work with and play with others. It means that I've given myself permission to do what I need to do to accomplish my goals for play, work and life. That may mean that sometimes I will make decisions that, at first glance, may seem odd--like turning down a job or declining an invitation to dinner. However, when faced with such decisions, I ask this question: Is this experience what I truly need now? If the answer is yes, I'll go with that. But, if I find myself wavering and already making excuses for not wanting to do this, I will decline. In the past two months, I've been living by this slogan, asking myself the question, and feeling much more grounded--and happy.
So, you may now want to ask me, "What are some of the situations you've encountered that have forced you to act on your slogan? How does this really work?" I will tell you . . . but not just yet. First, I have a challenge for YOU. Come up with a three-word slogan that you want to live by this year and post it here. You don't have to tell us why--if you don't want to. You don't have to give us examples of how you use it--yet. Just come up with one, post it, and start living by it. The results will amaze you.
Stay tuned for more on how I'm using my slogan to live, work and play by!
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