Adventure and exploration
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How to feel more alive
“Try to learn to breathe deeply, really taste your food when you eat….Try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive.” ~William Saroyan We pay a price when we experience life primarily through screens and devices. If we’re not checking our phones, we’re watching TV or staring at a laptop. The Internet has made it possible for us to read and publish articles, watch videos, find new recipes, catch up on the news, and chat with friends anywhere. But humans are wired to enjoy three-dimensional experience…
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Everything you love
“I am all the things I have ever loved.” ~Toni Morrison, American author “List Yourself” is one of my favorite writing practices, and it’s even easier than journaling. Pick up a brand-new journal and fill its pages with lists of all kinds — your favorite books and films, your biggest accomplishments, pet peeves, favorite recipes, people who’ve inspired you, places you’d like to visit, and so on. The practice of list-making might seem simplistic, but it can lead to self-awareness and discovery. When you make lists of all the things you love, for instance, you’ll see a unique self-portrait taking shape on the page, just as today’s quote suggests. Furthermore,…
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Are you feeling stuck?
“You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.” ~Abraham Maslow This is the time of year when we’re most likely to feel stagnant or mired in routine. The calendar tells us it’s spring, but the weather isn’t cooperating yet. Cabin fever aside, we can feel stuck any time of the year. For instance, we might keep making the same recipes for dinner because we’re not inspired to find new ones. Or we might feel stuck in the house when we can’t summon the energy to initiate plans with friends. Likewise, we can feel stuck if we don’t speak our minds because we’d rather appear…
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A quiet winter walk
“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” ~Raymond Inmon Hippocrates believed that walking is the “best medicine,” and those of us who make it a daily habit know there’s some truth in his prescription. After adopting Coco, Doug and I started walking nearly every day, even in wintery weather. Coco loves nothing more than a long stroll outdoors, and for the past several years we’ve been motivated by her enthusiasm. Now in recovery after she was hit by a car, Coco is banned from her walks for another five weeks — so Doug and I have to…
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The keys to discovery
“When one door closes, another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” ~Alexander Graham Bell Have you ever been so stuck on a frustrating problem or project that you overlooked a potential opportunity elsewhere? Sometimes we have to accept the fact that something isn’t working — whether it’s a product that isn’t right for us, a career we’ve outgrown, or a relationship that’s not a good fit. Letting go of something after you’ve given it your best effort doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Great inventors like Alexander Graham Bell knew better…
