It occurred to me last week that I’m not actually an all-or-nothing person. Some people have a constitution that allows them to work out every single day or to never, ever eat chocolate. I admire these people and I honour them in their dedication. But I’m not one of them.
This is not to say that anything goes in Margaret’s life. I have made a commitment to eliminate sugar from my daily eating plan – for the most part. If I’m at a birthday party or feeling like rewarding myself for completing a project, I will enjoy a sweet treat without guilt or remorse. Similarly, there are days I forget to take my vitamins or tell myself I’m too busy to spend time in prayer.
This flexibility around standards is not a lack of discipline but rather a compassionate honouring of who I am. It has eliminated the “one wrong move” syndrome that used to run life when a piece of chocolate or an exercise-free day after a long period of “being good” could send me into a downward spiral of futility and self-sabotage. Forgiving the chocolate and loving myself anyway works much better.
Maybe someday I will grow into an all-or-nothing kind of person but I doubt it. Honouring myself where I am works better for me.
How about you? Are you one of the steadfast people who can adhere to always and never? If so, you have my respect and I’d love to hear how you do it. If you’re like me, let me know what works for you.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Get Some Journey JuJu!
Imagine catching up on your e-mails on your laptop while you sip cappuccino in a piazza in Italy. Imagine continuing to work as you travel for an extended period. In this information age, this isn’t a crazy dream, it’s a doable intention. In my last blog, I mentioned the international buzz that has been created by Timothy Ferris and his book The 4-Hour Workweek. He encourages his readers to strip their lives of the things that don’t give them joy (endless e-mail queues, endless to-do lists) and create a stream of income that can support them while they travel.
My life coach, Cynthia Morris, took off on her own odyssey in May, with the intention of travelling around Europe for at least six months, and working about six hours a day as she goes. As a writer and coach, her laptop computer is all she needs to continue to work while visiting exotic places and meeting interesting people. Cynthia plans to visit Portugal, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, to name a few. She’ll also be leading a tour in France in August. Her blog, Journey JuJu, is chronicling a trip that has already some unexpected but wonderful turns – she’s having a blast connecting with locals, thanks to networking websites, and seeing the world from their perspective, not as an outsider.
The idea of following the lead of Timothy and Cynthia definitely is appealing. Long before laptops were even invented, I travelled around Europe for two months. I loved the freedom of pulling everything I needed in a pack. I could go where I wanted and stay a few extra days if I liked the place. The thought of seeing new sights, trying different food, meeting local people, and spending time each day working in a comfy café – that’s appealing to me. When I was in Europe, I loved the Jungfrau region of Switzerland; the town of Rothenberg, Germany; Arles, France; and Florence, Italy.
Take some time to check out Cynthia’s blog, Journey JuJu. Then ask yourself where you would go. What would you do? I’d love to hear -- please post a comment.
My life coach, Cynthia Morris, took off on her own odyssey in May, with the intention of travelling around Europe for at least six months, and working about six hours a day as she goes. As a writer and coach, her laptop computer is all she needs to continue to work while visiting exotic places and meeting interesting people. Cynthia plans to visit Portugal, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, to name a few. She’ll also be leading a tour in France in August. Her blog, Journey JuJu, is chronicling a trip that has already some unexpected but wonderful turns – she’s having a blast connecting with locals, thanks to networking websites, and seeing the world from their perspective, not as an outsider.
The idea of following the lead of Timothy and Cynthia definitely is appealing. Long before laptops were even invented, I travelled around Europe for two months. I loved the freedom of pulling everything I needed in a pack. I could go where I wanted and stay a few extra days if I liked the place. The thought of seeing new sights, trying different food, meeting local people, and spending time each day working in a comfy café – that’s appealing to me. When I was in Europe, I loved the Jungfrau region of Switzerland; the town of Rothenberg, Germany; Arles, France; and Florence, Italy.
Take some time to check out Cynthia’s blog, Journey JuJu. Then ask yourself where you would go. What would you do? I’d love to hear -- please post a comment.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Four Hour Workweek!
Do you dream of travelling the world? Wouldn’t you love to indulge your wanderlust and take off for an extended trip? In this information age, it is very possible to build into your life breaks away from the everyday.
In his bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, Timothy Ferris advocates mini-retirements and streams of income that continue even when you’re off on safari. He encourages people to go on a low-information diet, and to have staff take care of administrative details while you do what you really want to do with your life. In a few short years, he has become a tango dancing champion in Argentina, been a breakdancer on MTV in Taiwan, and competed in the sport of hurling in Ireland, to name a few. Described as “the Indiana Jones of the information age,” Ferris makes the mobile lifestyle sound as doable as it is appealing.
Ferris’ book intrigued Don Giberson, a Law of Attraction coach and trainer. Don created an audio program called Ten Weeks to Freedom, which focuses on the principles described in Ferris’ book. Don challenges his clients to create a “Muse” – a stream of passive income that supports them in taking their first mini-retirement. Then he encourages them to enjoy the mobile lifestyle, even if just for a few weeks. Don reports that most of his clients are so enthused after their first time away that they make a commitment to having mini-retirements for the rest of their lives.
Isn’t your life supposed to be about more than earning a living so you can have a few years to do whatever you want? Think about building in mini-retirements now. Where would you go? What would you do?
Or, how about continuing to work while you travel? Read my next blog to hear about someone who is doing it for six months!
In his bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, Timothy Ferris advocates mini-retirements and streams of income that continue even when you’re off on safari. He encourages people to go on a low-information diet, and to have staff take care of administrative details while you do what you really want to do with your life. In a few short years, he has become a tango dancing champion in Argentina, been a breakdancer on MTV in Taiwan, and competed in the sport of hurling in Ireland, to name a few. Described as “the Indiana Jones of the information age,” Ferris makes the mobile lifestyle sound as doable as it is appealing.
Ferris’ book intrigued Don Giberson, a Law of Attraction coach and trainer. Don created an audio program called Ten Weeks to Freedom, which focuses on the principles described in Ferris’ book. Don challenges his clients to create a “Muse” – a stream of passive income that supports them in taking their first mini-retirement. Then he encourages them to enjoy the mobile lifestyle, even if just for a few weeks. Don reports that most of his clients are so enthused after their first time away that they make a commitment to having mini-retirements for the rest of their lives.
Isn’t your life supposed to be about more than earning a living so you can have a few years to do whatever you want? Think about building in mini-retirements now. Where would you go? What would you do?
Or, how about continuing to work while you travel? Read my next blog to hear about someone who is doing it for six months!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
