SMART Living 365

Ideas to create a more happy, peaceful and rewarding life--365!

Kloe’s Christmas List For 2020

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Filed under: Aware

 

This last week I passed a friend and her young son while taking Kloe (my dog) for her morning walk.  We paused to chat, from a distance of over six feet apart of course, and immediately Joey the son began to excitedly recite what was on his Santa List.  After listening for a few minutes about Joey’s ambitiously long list, we said our goodbyes.  Then as Kloe and I headed for the nearby park, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that my little girl has never developed the habit of making a Christmas List.  Of course, even if she did, it would likely be far different than the vast majority of young children in the U.S.  Would you agree? [Read more…]

Living On The Edge Of Our Box

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Filed under: Aware

Is today starting to look a lot like yesterday, and the day before? That’s a sure sign you are living safely within your box. Have you tried something new or taken a chance lately? If no, there’s that box again. Is your life primarily focused on security,  sure-bets, and hanging on to what you have? Yep, that’s a very comfortable box indeed. But at what cost? During the last week I’ve been asking myself these sorts of questions as I’ve read Seth Godin’s new book, The Practice – Shipping Creative Work.  And make no mistake, while he does insist that we all have the ability to be creative, it is not limited to painting, writing or the typical actions we usually tie to creativity. His version of creative boils down to generously providing solutions for whatever matters to you in your world that could not be solved or supplied without your unique contribution. And the practice? It is the journey of sharing your creativity with those you serve. [Read more…]

Talking Travel With Intentional Travelers

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Filed under: Aware

 

Some people probably don’t realize one of the gifts of blogging is the people you will meet on the journey. That’s why when one of those “gifts” sent me an email a few weeks ago telling me they would be in town this week, I responded immediately. Yes we could figure out how to do a physically distant “safe” lunch—but I had a condition. Would they also do a live interview with Thom and me? Of course doing a live interview outdoors is tricky enough. Then throw in the restrictions of a pandemic, other people, and swarms of gardeners and you never know what you will end up creating. However, when you are willing to take a chance with your blog, your vlog and life itself, great things can and do happen. Thanks to Michelle and Jedd Chang from IntentionalTravelers.com for a great interview. And a special thanks to Thom for managing to film and edit another complicated Vlog for us all despite the challenges!

 

 

Uncovering The Mystery Of Why You Are Here

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Filed under: Aware

Do you ever spend any time wondering why it is that you were born?  I mean besides the obvious that your parents got together one time and got lucky?  And I’m not really talking about spending a great deal of time and energy on the question, I’m instead questioning the thought behind the thought that might occasionally pop in your head.  Things like have you ever wondered, is this all there is?  Or what about considering that surely life is about more than just growing up, getting a job, paying bills, procreating and then hopefully retiring with enough money to enjoy some free time before we die?

Well this week I rediscovered an author I have enjoyed in the past named Martha Beck and she has a lot to say about following our life’s purpose.  But she isn’t really talking about “what do you want to be when you grow up”—any more than she’s talking about “what do you want to do when you retire?”  Instead she is talking about finding and then following your ongoing life path, regardless of your age.

[Read more…]

My Top Ten Favorite Podcasts for a SMART Life

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A couple of weeks ago in a Vlog I shared how important walking is to my physical and mental health.  When I consciously quit smoking nearly thirty-five years ago, walking was the replacement and ever since I’ve been getting up and walking every morning.  I can’t even conceive of how I would have gotten through 2020 without that activity.  And yes, having a walking buddy like Kloe my dog to join me is encouraging.  But someone asked me how I can walk the exact same route each and every day—isn’t it boring!?!  The answer to that is I have been saved by podcasts. In this post I decided it might be good to share some of my favorites with you in case you too would like some free inspiration, new and intriguing conversation ideas, and if you’re a writer a wealth of topics to explore. [Read more…]

The Ultimate Freedom

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I am putting up this post to send you on Wednesday, the day after the election. That’s because Thom and I are heading out of town for a few days in honor of his birthday.  I think everyone is well aware that there is a lot of uncertainty happening here in the U.S. about the election right now and who knows where it will lead.  It’s not clear who won, who lost and how that transition will take place. Whenever I find myself in a circumstance that is out of my control, I am reminded of the amazing Victor Frankl who in the midst of a Nazi Concentration Camp where people were being brutalized and murdered all around him he could still hold on to this freedom.  No matter what the outcome of our current election, or other circumstances in our lives, we would be SMART to remind ourselves this on a regular basis.

 

Resisting Conformity And Being True To Ourselves

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Filed under: Aware

A few weeks ago I posted a quote by e.e. cummings that said, “To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you like everyone else is to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”  That quote continues to speak deeply to me. It is based upon my own desire to be true to myself even though I really want to be accepted and yes, loved, by everyone else.  And I’m guessing that many of us are feeling that contradiction in these times—whether that be related to politics, COVID, systemic racism, income equality, or others. Fortunately, one of the answers to that predicament came to me this week around the topic of conformity.  When is conformity a good thing, and when is conformity a jail cell that we are in without remembering the door isn’t even locked? When does conformity keep us safe, and when is it holding us back? [Read more…]

Three Things Keeping Us Sane & Healthy During COVID

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Filed under: Aware

This last week Thom and I were talking about how fortunate we have been to stay healthy and sane during the last seven months of the pandemic. But it hasn’t been entirely by luck. Of course we have practiced the basics that we’ve all heard over and over. But there are also a few other actions we think have tipped the scales in our favor. Today we want to share three of the ideas that we believe are a bit different, but important. And we also experimented by making the video a bit more active. We hope you enjoy it and invite you to offer anything you feel has helped you to get through these times (with your sanity and good health intact) in the comments below.

 

Do No Harm But Take No Shit

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La Rogativa in San Juan Puerto Rico honoring the women who saved the town from invasion.

My father was a loving and kind man. He was also very opinionated, loud and overbearing when it came to talking about politics, religion or just about any subject he disagreed with. I can still picture my mom and my three sisters sitting silently at the dining table most nights as Dad pontificated on the topic du jour. Mom typically busied herself putting dinner on the table or quietly sat and self-medicated with a cocktail and a cigarette.  Occasionally, my older sister Ann attempted to jump into the fray but was instantly shut down.  Not only did she never get her point across, such attempts usually ended in tears. True to my nature, I seldom went toe-to-toe with Dad because I wanted us all to be happy. Most of all I wanted to be seen as the good girl, the good daughter.  Fast forward 60 years. [Read more…]

Are You A Stretcher Or A Chaser?

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Rightsized, SMART Book Reviews

As you may have noticed I spend a lot of time looking for ways to improve myself and my world.  From there, one of the joys of doing this blog is to share what I’ve learned with others.  So this week in a podcast by Brene Brown I was introduced to a man named Scott Sonenshein who gave me new ways to think about a couple of topics I write about quite often. His book, Stretch—Unlock the Power of Less and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagine describes people as either stretchers or chasers.  And while the title might sound like a business or motivational book, it essentially offers several good ideas about how each of us can increase our wellbeing, peace of mind and creativity. Today I am sharing four ways each of us can stretch ourselves toward greater fulfillment. [Read more…]