SMART Living 365

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

Five Crucial Elements For a Long, Happy and Richly Lived Life

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, SMART Book Reviews

We live in amazing times.  That doesn’t deny that certain aspects ought to be changed or addressed for us all to live with equality and peace of mind. But if we can let go of what isn’t working for a minute, and focus on the advantages of this time and space—it’s possible to fill the mind with admiration and gratitude for what we do have, right here and now.  Sometimes that feeling comes from something as simple as reading a great new book.

One such book is Life Reimagined—The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife by Barbara Bradley Hagerty.  With a background as an NPR correspondent, Bradley Hagerty knows how to tell a story and fill it with pertinent facts and research.  And now, with millions of us around the world hitting midlife and beyond, all the attention, focus, and research about how to make the most of the coming years is inspiring.  Bradley Hagerty distills that information in wise and funny ways to remind us all that with design, growing older means growing better. [Read more…]

Your Big, Empty-Nest House Could Be the Solution to 3 Problems

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Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

This week SMART Living 365 introduces you to Lynne Spreen as our last guest blogger before returning from our trip.  I am a friend as well as a reader of Lynne’s blog Any Shiny Thing.  On her blog, Lynne often writes about positive aging and other SMART ideas that I find valuable.   Thank you, Lynne, for filling in and sharing these great ideas.

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In 2007, a billboard in my town advertised a new housing tract that featured two master bedroom suites, available in their biggest model. It sticks in my memory because I was appalled. Who would buy a house with two master suites?

This was just before the Great Recession, a period of real estate excess when people were buying way too much house and, in some cases, flipping homes like pancakes. [Read more…]

Be On The Lookout For Sparkles

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful

This week SMART Living 365 is pleased to introduce you to Bob Lowry as our guest blogger.  I have been reading Bob’s blog A Satisfying Retirement for over a year and believe he offers ideas that are practical and SMART regardless of whether you are retired or not.   Thank you, Bob, for filling in and sharing your thoughts with us this week.

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The sky was beginning to cloud over, kids were playing, ducks were looking for bread crumbs, bikers rolled by while teens on skateboards defied gravity. Sitting in a folding chair and watching the scene my eyes were drawn to the surface of the lake. The sun was at just the right angle to cover the water with sparkles. It was beautiful. I was enjoying a satisfying retirement day.

 

Within a few minutes, the sun’s angle had changed and the sparkles were gone. Or, were they? From someone else’s viewpoint they probably were just as fabulous. They were simply gone from my view.  [Read more…]

Rightsizing In Place Using S.P.O.T. Goals

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Filed under: Rightsized, Sustainable

This week SMART Living 365 is delighted to introduce you to Janis Heppell as our guest blogger while I am traveling.  I have been reading Janis’ blog Retirementlly Challenged for a couple of years and believe her perspective on rightsizing is something many of you will appreciate.   Thank you, Janis, for filling in with SMART thoughts while I’m traveling.

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Janis and her husband during a recent trip to Oaxaca.

When my husband and I bought our home almost 25 years ago, retirement was a distant dream. We had been preparing for it most of our working lives, but we still had quite a few years before we’d be in the position to take the plunge. We chose our home based on its general location and the particular neighborhood, not on its suitability after we left the work-world.

Now that we are retired, how our home functions in our day-to-day lives has supplanted our concern with work commutes. [Read more…]

Four Life Lessons From Four Decades Of A Happy Marriage

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful

Nearly 40 years ago, in early October, Thom and I got married in the mountains of Colorado. Although the air was briskly cool, the sun was shining in the bright blue sky. Standing in front of a small wooden cabin surrounded by pine trees, we repeated our vows to each other in front of the seven people in attendance. I can vaguely recall being utterly in love with the young man standing next to me. And optimist that I am, I never doubted we were taking the next, best step for our relationship. Still, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would look back after all these years and recognize the gift that my marriage would become. While I realize that Thom and I have shared a great deal of good fortune along the way, a big part of our happy marriage can be boiled down to four simple (but not always easy) elements of an extraordinary relationship. [Read more…]

How To Create Your Own Blue Zone For A Long, Healthy And Happy Life

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Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

SMART Living 365Did you know there are several unique locations in the world where people typically live to be over 100 years old? Not only do the majority of the residents live past 100, they also remain physically active, mentally sharp, and are remarkably free from common diseases. Best of all they rate themselves happy. Called Blue Zones, these regions offer one of the most intriguing formulas for a long, healthy and vibrant life. Surely it’s SMART to explore the identifiable traits found in several Blue Zones to see how they might help us all create our own zone no matter where we live? [Read more…]

Living Fearlessly And Refusing To Be A Dancing Bear

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Filed under: Meaningful, Rightsized, SMART Book Reviews

SMART Living 365.comEver hear of Robin Fisher Roffer? Me either, until I received a copy of her fourth book Your No Fear Career. Honestly? I didn’t care much for the cover or the title. But about ten pages into the book I knew why it showed up in my life. Not only does it have great advice for all women—working or not—it also contains nuggets of SMART ideas that will benefit anyone who is looking to live boldly at any age. Written in short and easy to read chapters, I thought one of the best ways to review the book would be to share ten gems of wisdom I want to remember in the days ahead. [Read more…]

Memories of Louise Hay And How You Can Heal Your Life

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Thankful

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As many of you know, international bestselling author, speaker, publisher and inspirational leader Louise Hay passed away at age 90 this last Wednesday.  In remembrance of her, I reread her short but classic book You Can Heal Your Life yesterday. Like putting on a pair of comfortable slippers, I could almost hear her voice as it watered the seeds in my mind planted there many years ago. With an awareness of how she influenced my thinking, I thought it only fitting to share some of the key ideas she nurtured within me that helped me create the life I am living today. [Read more…]

Is My Husband In Love With Alexa Or Is She Only A Temporary Distraction?

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful

SMART Living 365.comDuring the month of August, my husband Thom and I are renting a home in the mountains about an hour from our primary home in the desert southwest. This is our first year in this particular dwelling and it has a number of features to enjoy like good wifi (of course!), a large wraparound deck looking through the trees, and a hot tub. One of the unexpected amenities is Alexa. Have you met her? On the surface, Alexa seems like an amusing and helpful addition to any home. But watch out! Not only is she extremely attractive on many levels, she also adds to the many irresistible distractions that technology offers us in our current world. [Read more…]

3 Important Steps To Make Minimalism and Simple Living A Habit

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Filed under: Rightsized, Sustainable

SMART Living 365.comMy husband Thom and I began living a more simple and sustainable life over ten years ago. In the beginning, the practice felt a bit awkward and required our conscious focus and intention to make the necessary changes. Gradually our actions became fluid and felt more natural. Most excuses and resistance simply faded away. Finally, after all these years I believe that our path to simple living is so deeply ingrained in us that it has become a habit that adds value to our lives every single day. Are we experts? Not hardly. But if we can do it, anyone can. So what if you’re just starting on the journey?   My advice is to make the practice a habit as quickly as possible.

Here are three critical steps I believe are necessary: [Read more…]