In Sight, In Mind (Make It Easy To Do What You Want)
This is about activation energy, and doing what you want. Everyone wants to do a lot of things. This year I decided to do more art. I want to hand letter the quotes and words I love. So I created a space on my bookshelf for art supplies, in plain sight. Easy access. Then my art […]
I Used to Think Social Media was Stupid
I resisted social media for years. I started using Facebook later than many, though I did have Myspace and Xanga. (My pages probably still exist. No one should be held responsible for things said before the age of eighteen. Or their current age. Imagine how different life would be for for politicians and celebrities.) I resisted for three reasons: 1) the self […]
Better Brain, Better Life: #GetBullish
Last Thursday I enjoyed Jen Dziura’s (Get Bullish) webinar “Better Brain, Better Life: Get Clear, Organized, and In Control.” We can all relate to feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of things in our lives: physical and mental and professional. Jen offers suggestions for how to manage your things and your mind for a better life: Maybe […]
What DO You Want? (Just Pick Something)
What do you want? Mel Robbins says to be selfish. Don’t make it sound good, and don’t think about what would impress other people. Be honest. Is it to lose weight? Volunteer abroad? Stay home with your kids? Learn to cook? Mel also says, pick something. “People don’t pick.” I asked my roommate how to tell what you […]
What’s the First Decision You Made This Morning?
Mel Robbins has a theory: that it’s simple to get what you want. Simple, but not easy. How many ideas do you have throughout the day? Things to try or create or tell people? How often do you have an impulse to send a message, compliment someone, write a story, or ask a question? How […]
Vacation-Productivity At Home
I spent the weekend at the beach. We soaked up sun, introduced each other to various sites from childhood, and generally took it easy. On weekends I wake up 2-3 hours earlier than my roommates, and this held true at the beach. I had the condo to myself every morning, and I got so much done! […]
Constructive Criticism Isn’t Everything
Why is criticism, even constructive criticism, hard to hear? An Iranian friend said, “the first thing I learned when I moved to the United States is that you never admit that you’re wrong.” Whoa. It made me think about our tendency to defend ourselves when we receive criticism. For many of us it takes intention, […]
The Best Advice Ever (How Life Is Like Math)
The best advice I received in high school came from Ms. Jones, my math teacher. “Trust yourselves,” she would say. “Why trust someone else’s answers over your own?” She was encouraging us not to cheat on quizzes, but the advice applies to all situations. I was not confident in math. I peeked at others’ answers not to copy […]
Know Your Limits
This post is (mostly) for introverts. Everyone has limits. Your mind and body can only handle so much before you become useless to the world. Across the introvert-extrovert scale, people’s limits vary. Introverts “may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas.” (Susan […]
Are Your Dreams Actually Goals?
I recently said the following: “I’m leaving my position at this company to pursue my dream of starting a business.” Then I read Bullish: Some Dreams Are Stupid and realized that starting a business isn’t a dream. It’s a goal. People say dream when they mean goal. Maybe it’s because dreams are unintentional – you can’t […]
