Hello and Happy New Year everyone! Yesterday on my personal blog, I shared that my theme for 2025 is intentionality. Sometimes, simplifying life and living intentionally means letting go of some things. With that in mind, I’ve recognized that I need to take a break from Wise & Shine so this will be my last post here for a while. Before I go, though, I … Continue reading Intentional Living Sometimes Means Letting Go
With the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday coming up next week, the festive season will soon be in full swing. For many people, stress and the holidays go hand in hand, but it doesn’t have to be that way. For the next few weeks, I’ll continue the “No”vember thread I introduced last week with ways to reduce stress and focus on what matters this holiday season. Today, … Continue reading It’s Time to Make Your Holiday “Don’t Want List”
Last weekend, I saw a couple of posts about NOvember. I was intrigued. I’d heard of November and Movember, but NOvember was new to me. In fact, a quick look at the Days of the Year website that I depend on to tell me these things turned up nothing. How I Heard About NOvember Although I usually avoid labelling myself a minimalist, I’m always looking … Continue reading What Will You Say No to this NOvember?
Yesterday on my personal blog, I wrote about why I decided to try Action for Happiness’ Optimistic October challenge. Today, I continue that thread with a look at the benefits of an optimistic outlook, and ways to be more optimistic every day, even during difficult times. The Benefits of an Optimistic Outlook As an optimistic person, I always wonder what goes on in the brains … Continue reading Approaching Each Day With Optimism
We often hear of the power of 3, the rule of 3, or even the magic of 3. What is so special about the number three? After hearing two different people extol the value of three this week, I decided to investigate the science behind the number three and consider ways it can improve our lives. Earlier this week, at a presentation on leveraging LinkedIn … Continue reading Can the Power of 3 Improve Your Life?
Are you a list maker? Like most people, you probably have a daily or weekly to do list. You may even have a bucket list or a list of long-term goals. But do you have a curious list? If you’ve never heard of such a list, keep reading. My goal for today is to inspire you to start one. I’ve always been a list maker. … Continue reading What’s on Your Curious List?
A couple of weeks ago, an email popped into my inbox with tips on having productive conversations about climate change. In an increasingly divided world, where the need to be right puts relationships with others at risk, the email was an excellent reminder of the importance of seeking to understand different points of view in all areas of life. The email, from The Carbon Almanac, … Continue reading Tips for Productive Conversations
Since retiring from my full-time job at the end of June, I’ve been working on establishing a morning routine that works for my new life. My weekday morning routine has looked the same for about the last 20 years. Now I have an opportunity to reinvent myself and establish new habits and routines. Benefits of a Morning Routine Adding structure to your day has many … Continue reading Establishing a Morning Routine
I’ve turned into a bit of a couch potato this week as I’ve been glued to my TV watching the Olympic games from Paris. I am in awe of these athletes. To compete at this level, you need to be blessed with a certain amount of natural ability. Beyond that, though, you need passion, strong work ethic and focus. I think it’s safe to say … Continue reading How You Can Experience Flow State
More years ago than I care to think about, I first learned about Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs in a university organizational behaviour course. In Maslow’s original work, self-actualization was the pinnacle—the ultimate goal. Later in his career, though, Maslow expanded the hierarchy beyond self-actualization to self-transcendence. If you were paying attention in your business or psychology classes, you may remember that Maslow’s … Continue reading Beyond Self-Actualization to Self-Transcendence
A couple of weeks ago, I read two posts providing very distinct insights on generational differences. This led me to consider how the assumptions we make can get in the way of the intergenerational cooperation that could benefit us all. The first post was from Pete Springer who shared a story of a lovely friendship with an older lady he met while volunteering in a … Continue reading Fostering Intergenerational Cooperation
And just like that, it’s July! Reaching the halfway point of 2024 also means it’s the start of Plastic Free July. If you’re considering making some changes to reduce your footprint, you might be surprised to learn that sustainable living can make your life better in many ways. Plastic Free July started in Australia in 2011. It has since grown into a global movement that … Continue reading How Sustainable Living Makes Life Better
Do you spend your life rushing from one task to another? Do you struggle to say no and end up exhausted from taking on too may commitments? Do you spend your life trying to win the approval of others? If you said yes to any of these, there’s a good chance you’re an overachiever. In last week’s post, Done is Better Than Perfect, I … Continue reading Breaking the Cycle of Overachievement
“Practice makes perfect.” You probably heard that expression hundreds of times growing up. It sounds like an admirable goal, but the pressure to be perfect creates stress and anxiety, with little payback. Today, I challenge you to say no to perfectionism and embrace a new expression: “Done is better than perfect!” My Journey Toward Imperfection Let me tell you a little secret: I am a … Continue reading Done is Better Than Perfect
For many reasons, I’ve been thinking a lot about values lately. More and more, it feels like my personal values are in conflict with characteristics society looks up to. I suppose I’ve been thinking about this because the world keeps putting reminders in front of me. It started earlier this month during a weekend retreat. My reflections after returning home prompted me to write … Continue reading Are You Feeding the Right Wolf?
Good morning! As I shared in last Monday’s post, I took some time this past weekend to fully unplug and recharge. It was refreshing! I don’t have a full post today, but wanted to drop in to share a quote that I wrote down during one of the videos on my weekend retreat. If only we could live two lives: the first in which to … Continue reading Mistakes! I’ve Made a Few!
Why are many humans on an endless quest for greener grass? Rather than enjoying the here and now, we convince ourselves that retirement, a different job, a bigger house, or a new relationship, will be the key to our happiness. But is the grass really greener? And even if it is, will the sight of that lush green grass satisfy us, or will we continue … Continue reading The Endless Quest for Greener Grass
Last week, at a meeting about a writing project I’m involved in, someone said, “Only people with a growth mindset will want to read this.” This made me think about how a growth mindset is a key determinant of success in life. Read on to learn how someone with a fixed mindset can take steps toward adopting a growth mindset. The Difference Between a Fixed … Continue reading How to Develop a Growth Mindset
Last week, I heard of some new research about Ikigai, the Japanese concept that loosely translates to your life purpose or reason to get out of bed in the morning. I’ve long been a believer in Ikigai, but the research confirms it can not only add years to your life, but also life to your years! Read on to learn how Ikigai can help you … Continue reading Ikigai Can Add Years to Your Life – And Life to Your Years!
Do you consider yourself a minimalist? My focus on decluttering and sustainability might lead some to call me a minimalist. I’m not a fan of labels, but I prefer the term essentialist. If you’re not familiar with essentialism, read on to learn about its core principles, and how they can help you get more out of life. I heard the term essentialism for the first … Continue reading How Essentialism Can Help You Get More Out of Life
