Most of us will admit to having a habit or two. Some may even admit to having quite a few. It is the rare individual that will admit that more than 40% of their daily actions are habitual—but that’s true according to Charles Duhigg in his book “The Power of Habit—Why We Do What We Do In Life & Business.” Like it or not, as humans we are creatures of habit. However, whether those habits are good or bad—and whether those habits are completely unconscious or purposely planned is largely within our control. In fact, learning what habits are and how they are created is an important step in creating a SMART life. [Read more…]
The SMART Living 30-Day Gratitude Challenge
Day 1–November 1, 2012
“If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” ~Meister Eckhart
Every November I start thinking about gratitude and thanksgiving in a big way. That’s because Thanksgiving Day falls on the fourth Thursday of every November in the U.S., but mostly because it is my favorite holiday of all. Instead of all the hoopla of being pushed and pulled to get and give, Thanksgiving merely asks us to pause and reflect on the good in our life. Plus it is usually celebrated by having dinner and spending time with people you care about most—and those who care about you—be they friends, family or neighbors. For anyone attempting to live a life of happiness, simple living, contentment, peace and well being, Thanksgiving deserves special recognition. [Read more…]
Repositioning Your Life—Seven Steps To A New You
A big part of living SMART 365 is recognizing and discovering new and beneficial ways to create a life of wellbeing and happiness. Like so many other things in life, the journey is not a destination—rather it is an ongoing process of growth, experience and expression. In some ways it is similar to something that occurs in the commercial real estate field in the U.S. What? That’s right, no matter how wonderful a property (or a life) has been in the past, there comes a time when it is necessary to “reposition” it in order to experience its highest and best use. Although human lives are far more complex, we can learn a few things about change, creativity and feasibility by taking a deeper look at the art of repositioning. [Read more…]
The Best Marriages Get Better & Better—Thirty Five Years & Still Counting
Our Wedding Photo 10.9.1977
This last Tuesday was Thom and my 35th Wedding Anniversary. I’m delighted to say that not only is our marriage getting better every single year, the experience has been more than I ever imagined. And believe me, both of us had pretty high expectations. In fact, before Thom would even agree to marry (yes, I asked him), we both vowed that we would end the relationship if it dissolved and we became miserable. Where did we get such an idea? It surfaced because neither one of us could remember a couple ever telling us how much better a marriage could be over the long haul. That’s why I’m here to confirm that not only can it grow, deepen and transcend—if you are with the right partner, are reasonably lucky, and follow certain guidelines, a good and healthy relationship is one of the very best things you can do to live a happy and SMART life 365.
The SMART Living Path to Midway Simplicity
Moderation and Simplicity are great Paths to SMART Living
Several months ago I had the pleasure of doing my first live interview around the subject of simple living. A website named Midway Simplicity.com made it a regular practice to talk with a number of simplicity and minimal living bloggers about his or her version of minimalism or simplicity. I was honored to be included. [Read more…]
Traveling Through Life in the Wu Wei Way
Zion National Park, UT
Thom and I just returned from a vacation. Spanning 12 days, we attended a wedding, visited with family, stayed in six different hotels, drove over 1,600 miles, hiked in three national parks, and explored parts of five different states in the Southwestern United States. To accomplish this our trip was an orchestration of coordination and planning—as well as an ongoing intention of the Taoist principal of wu wei. While most people lean one way or another when taking a vacation, I believe that the best of them include a delicate dance between the two. Much like the Tao symbol of yin and yang, wu wei and planning blend the two aspects of action into a harmonious whole. In fact, including wu wei in your travel plans just might be the best way to travel on vacation-–or through life itself. [Read more…]
Argue For Your Limitations And They’re Yours—Another Case Of Motivated Reasoning
Have you ever heard the statement, “Argue for your limitations, and they’re yours?” In case you’re wondering, that quote comes from a book written by Richard Bach titled, “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah.” When I first read it years ago I thought I knew what it meant. What’s interesting is that I seem to need to learn that lesson over and over again.
Limitations, of course, are any excuses I use to hold myself back and not live the life I dream of living. Limitations are also the rationalizations we all use for doing or not doing something, or believing or not believing just about anything. The big problem is that limitations seem so real that we often think we have no choice but believe them. Fortunately, there is now scientific proof that much of what is going on in our minds are stories we tell ourselves—that may or may not be, true. So if we are making up stories as we go along—why on earth would we invent stories that limit us and hold us back?
Be About YOUR Business
Most of the time I consider myself to be one of the most fortunate people on the planet. I have a wonderful life—I’m healthy and have a great relationship—I also get to work and write about things that matter to me on a consistent basis. But every now and then something pops up that makes me pause and wonder if my writing and work is making any kind of positive difference. Other times things happen or people do unexpected and unpleasant things that catch me by surprise. That’s when it is SMART for me to remember the words of a wise woman named Byron Katie. One of the solutions she suggests for when we are feeling stressed out or unhappy is to “Stay In Your Own Business.” In fact, she is very clear that most time when we are struggling with a situation we are in someone else’s business—and the simple practice of recognizing that fact is usually all it takes to bring us back to ourselves. [Read more…]
The Science Behind “You Get To Make It Up!”
A number of years ago my husband Thom came up with the phrase, “you get to make it up.” Something about that statement resonated with others, especially those of us who have studied New Thought philosophy . But at the same time the phrase raised questions, like: What the…? You mean I am making it up when bad things happen and I don’t feel good? I get to make up who is the next president? I am making it up when I’m broke and in debt? It sounds so bold, presumptive and sacrilegious to say we are individually making it all up. But after reading a new book this week entitled, “Subliminal—How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior” there is now nueroscientific proof that much of what happens in our lives is indeed the creation of our own minds. [Read more…]
Are You Really A Minimalist?—And Five Questions To Find Out
Do you consider yourself a minimalist? Do you even know what minimalism means? Lately I’ve been excited by a number of blogs and websites devoted to the topic. That interest signals a reverse in the over-consumptive tendencies and consumer lifestyle so prevalent during the last couple of decades here in the U.S. But often when I read the posts and comments on such sites, it seems that those who are involved have differing views of what minimalism is and why it can be beneficial. Perhaps before we start calling ourselves a minimalist we should describe what we mean in the first place. [Read more…]