SMART Living 365

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

10 Food & Lifestyle Strategies For A Long, Healthy & Happy Life

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Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, SMART Book Reviews

 

As you may have guessed, I am always on the lookout for ways to stay happy and healthy.  At 62 I’m also increasingly interested in any new information that shares innovative research and actions for those of us who want to continue living that way in the years to come.  So, when I heard about a new book called The Longevity List—Myth Busting The Top Ways to Live A Long & Healthy Life I immediately requested a review copy.   Authored by Professor Merlin Thomas from Melbourne, Australia, this book both confirms what many of us have learned through the years and shares new insights about what it takes to stay healthy.  Regardless of your age today, anyone who plans to live as long as possible would be SMART to consider his ideas. [Read more…]

Speaking Up When Speaking Out Is Hard

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, SMART Book Reviews

As a child, I was conditioned to keep my mouth shut if I wanted to be seen as a good girl. I picked up early that arguing was pointless, and that only bitchy girls insisted on being heard. I did my best to fit in and keep others around me comfortable and happy. It seemed logical to maintain the peace rather than escalate any problem.  Besides, the affection and positive attention I received by being a good girl made the choice easier.  From teenage on, I perfected my sunny attitude using smoking as a pacifier to entertain myself while staying silent.  Unfortunately, when I stopped smoking in my early-thirties, my reliable smoke screen disappeared. Thankfully, through the many years that followed, I’ve gradually grown strong enough to speak my mind when necessary. [Read more…]

Thoughts On Overcoming Fear And The Work of Byron Katie

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Filed under: Aware, Rightsized

This morning I listened to a podcast created by author and speaker Byron Katie about overcoming our fears. I realize that writing about fear isn’t always popular. In fact, some people are adamant that they don’t have any fear to begin with.  But I’m convinced that much of the current anger, outrage, hatred, and denial coming out of the news, on social media, and in conversation, is grounded in fear.  So, when Byron Katie applied her “work” on a willing participant in the aforementioned podcast around the subject of current events, the foundation of fear was evident. I found her solution helpful.  And perhaps because it so applied to some of my own shadow thoughts, I thought today was a perfect opportunity to bring them out in the open.

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10 Lessons In Living Happily From the Oldest of The Old

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

Happiness research by Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert teaches that most of us aren’t good at predicting how happy we will be in the future.  Not only are our predictions based upon current feelings and events, they also flow out of our previous experiences—none of which necessarily explains what will happen, or how we will feel, far into the future.  Instead, Gilbert recommends that we study and learn from those who are living the experience we say we want to mimic.  Could it be that only the oldest of old living today can offer us clues about living a very long and happy life?  That’s exactly what John Leland suggests in his new book, Happiness is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a year among the oldest old.  For those of us who see a very long life as a gift we want to embrace, this book is a window into the wisdom of several elders with a great deal to teach.

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4 Simple Tendencies That Help To Explain Human Nature

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Filed under: Aware

Have you ever wondered why some people follow rules that are clearly not in their best interests?  Have you ever asked yourself why you can’t seem to do better, even when you know better?  Why is it so hard for some people to form good habits, especially when it is surely better for their health, not to mention their happiness?  I ask those questions—a lot.  As a person who is fascinated by human nature and why people do the things they do, I am constantly seeking ways to understand myself and others.  Much of that search includes personality tests.  Some are helpful. Some not so much. That’s why I was delighted to learn about a new test—The Four Tendencies—by Gretchen Rubin on a podcast this week.  If you like learning about habits, motivation, and expectations, you might be interested as well. [Read more…]

Lessons on How To Thrive, Live With Uncertainty, and Trust Ourselves

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

A few weeks ago, Thom and I attended a Sunday brunch hosted by a longtime friend.  Both Joanne and her husband are in their seventies. Yet, you’d never guess their age by their bright and curious minds. Nearly all their guests were as old or older, but again, everyone was curious, open-minded and talkative.  At some point, the conversation touched on how, as many grow older, most seem to shrink back as the years add up. Instead of trying new things and being willing to experiment and explore, there is a strong tendency for seniors to resist the unfamiliar. Many seek safety and comfort rather than possibility and opportunity.  Of course, this isn’t just limited to seniors.  Lots of people seem stuck these days.  So once again it was highly synchronistic when I received a review copy of a book that challenges that outlook, regardless of our age. [Read more…]

Flexible Is My Word For 2018

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful

 

A common practice for bloggers and other lifelong learners is to pick one word to focus on as an intention for each new year.  For some reason, the word “flexible” or flexibility popped into my mind within the first couple of days of 2018.  Ever since then I’ve been playing with the idea.  Like buying a new outfit, it’s important to see if your word fits you—to see if it has a hold of you.  Now, with January quickly coming to an end, I decided it was time to reveal my word for 2018 to the world. Plus, I want to invite any of you who haven’t yet picked a word, to join me in allowing one word to mold your life in a more positive and SMART way for the remainder of the year.

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Why Wait Until Retirement To Live A Rewarding, Meaningful & Purposeful Life?

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful

I recently went to lunch with a friend I’ll call Carol. After chatting for over an hour I told her it was time for me to go because I needed to finish my weekly blog post. She immediately asked me, “So what happens if you don’t?” In other words, does it really matter that every week I spend a great deal of my time and effort writing and publishing articles here on SMART Living 365? Remember, I don’t get paid by writing this blog (other than the sale of my books). So why bother?

The simplified answer is that writing, and what I do with it for now, matters to me and I believe it is my purpose—or you could even call it my dharma. That in itself is more than reward enough. Serendipitously, a few days later I listened to a podcast that further explained how living our “dharma,” offers each of us a path to a meaningful, gratifying and on purpose life. From there I was reminded that whatever unique dharma we have, it’s best not to wait for retirement, or anything else, before finding and living it to the best of our abilities. [Read more…]

How To Profit And Find Fulfillment In The Coming Longevity Economy

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Filed under: Rightsized, SMART Book Reviews

We live in exciting times. Some of that enthusiasm comes after reading the book The Longevity Economy—Unlocking The World’s Fastest-Growing, Most Misunderstood Market by Joseph F. Coughlin. Why? Even though the book appears to approach the topic from an economics point of view, the vision it paints for the coming years is provocative, uplifting and filled with potential for anyone over 50. While no one can deny that we all face challenges on a global, national and even personal level depending upon individual circumstances, the cresting wave of baby boomers signals something momentous. The question is: Are we going to ride the surge or just sit on the sidelines? Are we going to create a better future, or just attempt to maintain ourselves until we die? Those are questions for business, governments and every single person alive today.    [Read more…]

21 Quotes To Start Your New Year In A Positive and Hopeful Way

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Thankful

There is something about the beginning of a new year that fills me with even more optimism than usual.  I won’t deny that last year was challenging on many levels for many people around the world.  But that simple digit change on the end of the date invites the potential for something different—something better—something hopeful.  And as a person who believes in the power of affirmations to help direct our thoughts in positive ways—I decided to go through a few of my favorite quotes to see which ones I want to focus on as 2018 gets underway. [Read more…]