Positive Choices Today?

WHAT IS THE No. 1 POSITIVE CHOICE YOU ARE MAKING TODAY?

We make several positive choices everyday. Just the fact of getting up, having breakfast, brushing our teeth are 3 (or more) positive choices we make regularly even without much planning or thinking. They are part of our routine and even though we may sometimes take them for granted, they support us on living a better life.

However, oftentimes we have certain areas in our lives that require a bit more of an effort, some planning, some thinking and a tangible step in a direction that we are not used to taking. We know we must gather our energy and do it...

THIS IS OUR No. 1 POSITIVE CHOICE!

This is the choice we must pay close attention to. This is the choice that is calling for us. Sometimes a bit hard to do, sometimes just a bit of an effort will do.

PAY ATTENTION... AND DO IT!

Listen to what life is asking of you right now, do the necessary planning, know the path you will take and make that POSITIVE CHOICE today.

YOU DESERVE IT!

What is Happiness?

"If there is a state where the soul can find a resting-place secure enough to establish itself and concentrate its entire being there, with no need to remember the past or reach into the future, where time is nothing to it, where the present runs on indefinitely but this duration goes unnoticed, with no sign of the passing of time, and no other feeling of deprivation or enjoyment, pleasure or pain, desire or fear than the simple feeling of existence, a feeling that fills our soul entirely, as long as this state lasts, we can call ourselves happy, not with a poor, incomplete and relative happiness such as we find in the pleasures of life, but with a sufficient, complete and perfect happiness which leaves no emptiness to be filled in the soul."

Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Reveries of a Solitary Walker

Do Less. Get More Done.

This is one of the headlines of Leo Babauta's book The Power of Less -- the fine art of limiting yourself to the essential... in business and in life.

The volume main message: by simplifying and focusing on a few (1 or 2) essential and highly prioritized goals you will end up being able to produce more, be more effective and live a less stressful, happier life.

Mr. Babauta's piece is an easy to read book with lots of tips and tangible ideas and systems that indeed can help anyone looking for more while saving valuable energy and time for what is really important -- life.

Here a quote:

These days we consume information, food, and media at a breakneck pace that was unimagined even two hundred years ago. We have every minute of our schedules packed with errands and tasks and chores, we rush from one place to another, we rush to get ready in the morning, and then collapse into bed at the end of a long, rushed day.

The problem is that we were not made to function this way. Our bodies and minds were made for a slower-paced life -- perhaps we can handle the huge stress of being chased by a predator, but we can't handle the stresses of constant overload, and a constant hectic pace for every waking moment. As a result, we become stressed out, burned out, and unhappy. Learn to move at a slower pace and you will be happier, and just as importantly, you will become more effective and productive.

Highly recommend!

Are You the Biggest Loser?

Did you watch the Biggest Loser season finale this past week? Yes, it is reality TV, but what a shot of motivation it was. Got a goal? Got a dream? You could have learned a lot from these contestants and the main message of this show.

No, it is not just about loosing wait. Burning calories, getting rid of the excess fat are just steps on the way. The main message here is: when you set yourself a goal, when you put yourself into it 100%, when you get the right support and the right system, you CAN reach for the stars.

The contestants on this show are no super humans. They are ordinary people who live ordinary lives just like you and me. Their lives were derailed at some point and they lost control of their bodies and their health. The crucial point here is that they took the opportunity, they accepted the challenge and they didn't give up.

So now, what about you? What is your own personal goal? What is your shinning star that keeps glimmering on the horizon calling for you? What is that long expected dream? When are you going to make it come true?

Yes, it is possible! But you will need get ready for the journey. Here are 4 steps to consider:

BE CLEAR
Be clear about your goal. Be specific. Know the details of what you aspire. Do your homework and find out exactly and as precisely as you can what is your final destination. What is it that you really want to bring into your life? Without a clear vision, you will most likely find yourself wandering around, wasting precious energy and time and never going anywhere. Sit down and put it in writing. If you have it only in your mind, it will most likely dissipate together with your thoughts. Put it on a Post-It note somewhere you will see it often. Tell a friend, partner or a family member what you have set yourself to do. This will make your goal tangible and solid.

CREATE A SYSTEM
Now that you are clear about your goal, it is time to find out how you are going to get there. What are the steps you need to take? Don't get caught up into big breakthroughs. Have "baby" steps to take everyday. But of course, don't pass the opportunity to take the gigantic steps when it is possible to take them. Yes, you will find obstacles and difficulties, but keep your focus on the possibilities. It may take some time and effort. Be patient, persistent and determined. Yes, you can!

BUILD SUPPORT
Friends and family are a source of great help. Look around and find out who are your true allies. Tell them your story and the journey you set for yourself. Ask for their support. Ask them to check with you on your progress. Set milestones in your journey and ask them to make you accountable for them.

BRING THE EXPERT
While friends and family are great help they too have their own issues and challenges. And when it comes to solving these challenges, they are most likely wandering around in the same boat as you are. If you are familiar with the Biggest Loser show, you know the essential part that the physical coaches Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels play in the journey of the contestants. They keep them focused on their goals, they motivate them, they provide them with a system and together they find solutions. No one in that campus would be able to achieve these stellar results without these coaches. If you are really serious about your goals, you got to hire a professional to work together with you. A skilled and highly intuitive expert will be with you in every step of the way -- clarifying your goal (if you are still confused about it), building a detailed strategy, creating support and providing accountability.

While so many of us have become complacent about life and beginning to conform to the idea of never achieving our goals, others have embraced their passion, overcome many hurdles and today are living their dream. You can do it too! And there is no magic or fairy tale here. Like in the reality show, it is determination, hard work, persistence and focus. It is your turn now. Life is here waiting for you. Are you ready?

Book Review: The Lost Art of Walking

My good Facebook friend, Rosalie Irene Lynch sent me the review of this book I recommended a couple of months ago. (You can see my post here!) Thanks, Rosalie! I hope you all enjoy!

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The Lost Art of Walking
by Geoff Nicholson
288 pages
Riverhead Hardcover

By the title of Geoff Nicholson’s book “The Lost Art of Walking” lead me to believe he would take me back to “Little House on the Prairie” when I remember Caroline walking to town with her basket of eggs under her arms to sell to Harriet and Niles. I think he did better than that. He took us way back in history where people would walk long distances for a price…earning their living by walking and gambling on each mile they would walk.

I have to admit in the beginning I had a hard time staying with his book. However, when he wrote about popular songs that involved walking and reminds us of famous authors who were inspired by the art of walking in their lives I came alive. I will always look at the way actors walk and the way they walked away in the film because I have taken on a new eye of interpreting their walks.

Geoff takes us through a perfect walk; walking alone; walking groups, getting lost in a desert; walking the streets from New York City to London and falling in a hole in the sidewalk to cause an injury he endured. I think my favorite part of the book was when Nicholson praised the photographers who made their living by taking pictures of people walking.

I believe he stayed true to the title of his book. In the beginning, people walked because it was one of their modes of transportation. In present day, people walk because it is a form of exercise; their doctor tells them to walk or they enjoy being outside and being a part of nature. From the beginning of history to present day living, people have chosen to walk. Nicholson point out that walking is an art and we need to develop it into our lives and enjoy walking once again.

How to Build Community

Turn off your TV.
Leave your house.
Know your neighbors.
Greet people.
Look up when you're walking.
Sit on your stoop.
Plant flowers.
Use your library.
Play together.
Buy from local merchants.
Share what you have.
Help a lost dog.
Take children to the park.
Honor elders.
Support neighborhood schools.
Fix it even if you didn't break it.
Have pot lucks.
Garden together.
Pick up litter.
Read stories aloud.
Dance in the street.
Talk to the mail carrier.
Listen to the birds.
Put up a swing.
Help carry something heavy.
Barter for your goods.
Start a tradition.
Ask a question.
Hire young people for odd jobs.
Organize a block party.
Bake extra and share.
Ask for help when you need it.
Open your shades.
Sing together.
Share your skills.
Take back the night.
Turn up the music.
Turn down the music.
Listen before you react to anger.
Mediate a conflict.
Seek to understand.
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles.
Know that no one is silent though many are not heard.
Work to change this.

Text by members SCW Community. SCW©1997 - www.syracuseculturalworkers.com

Go Geocaching

Got summer? Got good weather? Want some outdoor fun to energize your life, bring down the stress and help you connect with friends and family? Go Geocaching -- a new activity that puts together nature, gadgets, mental stimulation, exercise, community and much more.

To put it in simple terms, geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game. Yes, treasure hunting! Small treasure hunting... It is played all around the world and all you need is your passion for the outdoors, an internet connection and a GPS device. (It doesn't have to be a costly one. Even the one you might already have in your cell phone will most likely do.)

How it works? Go to www.geocaching.com, type the zip code of the area you want to explore, find the coordinates of a hidden treasure, enter in your GPS device and go for the hunt.

All the etiquette and tips are on the site for you to get started. A great activity to take you out there, connect with nature, make new friends, learn more about old friends. And who knows, more than a small cache you may be able to find your own personal treasure that is waiting for you out there...

Truth and Consequences

Would recommend reading the Newsweek article below.

www.newsweek.com/id/194663

For decades now we naively thought that all the progress we made in our industrial revolution would only bring us more possibilities and comfort having no negative impact on our environment and ultimately the quality of our lives. We now know better! With more than 6 billion people living today in this world, the impact of our communal carelessness and ignorance has put us in a crucial point in the history of our planet. How can we raise our awareness, start taking the necessary steps and use this opportunity for innovation, economic growth and a better, healthier, more conscious world?