Richard Bach is quoted as saying, “Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't.” “To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else,” said Emily Dickinson. Grandma Moses said, “Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.” “To live remains an art which everyone must learn, and which no one can teach.,“ said Havelock Ellis. Gioacchino Rossini said, “Eating, loving, singing and digesting are, in truth, the four acts of the comic opera known as life, and they pass like bubbles of a bottle of champagne. Whoever lets them break without having enjoyed them is a complete fool.”
I find these quotations inspiring, and I end this essay with my own. But, I must add at this point—an unabashedly blatant commercial—that if you enjoy great quotations, please see my complete collection of over 1600 motivational quotations: SMOERs—Self Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules: Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living (And Then Some Publishing, 2009). You won’t be disappointed.
Most often when we think of celebrating, it is just at those special times (e.g., birthdays, Christmas, New Years, athletic victories, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, etc.), and we seldom believe (or think) about celebrating on a daily basis. What do most of us have to be thankful for? A brief list may stimulate your thoughts: parents, family, children, health, abundance of resources, liberty and freedom, friends and neighbors, independence, self-sufficiency, and life itself, to name a few.
So often we overlook what we have to celebrate. At the web site, The List, it says, “We live in a country where we are free. We are free to participate in the political process without fear. We are free to practice our religion, whatever it may be. Every child has the opportunity to go to school. And although the economy is bad, we are still living a life that many people in this world can only dream of. We are blessed.” For most people in this country, this is what we have to celebrate, and, too, is exactly what we overlook.
At the web site, nwfdailynews.com and at the end of his essay, “During the holidays, be thankful for what we have,” Buddy Duncan writes: “Each night as I tuck my little girl in I am thankful for the soft cozy bed, the electricity to heat our home, the job and the health with which I can afford the electricity and other needs and comforts. I believe we have so much to be thankful for it is a waste of precious time bemoaning our lacks.”
We don’t need to wait for tomorrow and the success, affluence, wealth, or riches it may bring. All you need to do is survey your life for your own personal stories, experiences, and joys—the way your life has purpose, the needs that have been satisfied, and the beauties of nature that surround you. You have a wealth of wonderful stories, experiences, and joys—even if there may be no major successes, affluence, wealth, or riches in your life thus far.
At the USA Today web site, Gladys Edmunds has written an essay, “Entrepreneurial Tightrope: Things to be thankful for,” in which she lists things anyone in business has to be thankful for (I have condensed her thoughts and used them verbatim here without quotation marks): 1) Be eternally grateful for having a sense of purpose, the guiding light that keeps you motivated to keep on keeping on no matter how rough the road. 2) Be thankful you know that an easy way to reach your larger goals is to set the smaller goals that you can more easily see. 3) Be thankful for keeping negative thoughts out of the way. 4) Be thankful for all of the wonderful books, CDs and articles that help you to keep a positive, upbeat attitude toward life and living and being in business. 5) Be thankful for recognizing that self-confidence like self-esteem is not a steady state; it comes and goes depending on the situation you find yourself in. 6) Be thankful that you recognize the tell-tale signs of imbalance—lack of energy, irritability, over—or under—eating to name a few—and you have scheduled quiet time for yourself to evaluate your situation and implemented the necessary things to get your life back in order.
There are three more items in the list. 7) Be thankful for the ability to bring people into your life that will lead you to success: mentors, advocates, a coach when needed, good employees and of course the necessary subcontractors to help you have time to yourself. 8) Be thankful you recognize that success depends on consistent learning. And, when you stop learning, you stop living. 9) Be thankful that when opportunities show up you recognize them and seize the opportunity to your advantage. More important, be thankful that even when opportunity seems to have hidden itself from you, you have the good sense to use your creativity to create an opportunity for yourself.
I have often advocated the need for quiet time, and I have often written about the time I have to myself when I am jogging early in the morning. These are not just some of the most creative times I experience, but they are times, too, to celebrate what I have learned, appreciate my place in life, and to plan for the day, next week, or even next year. To carve out just a few moments each day to clear our minds and to think about all that we have to be thankful for are moments of quiet celebration—quiet joy. Celebration need not be loud, boisterous, animated, exuberant, and noisy. It is just as purposeful and meaningful when it is restrained, low-key, peaceful—and private.
And I want to close this essay on celebrating daily life with my own quotation: The beauty of celebrating everyday life is the joy of having a carnival of the spirit, a festival for our frame of mind, and a tribute to our way of thinking that boosts our morale and provides an ongoing force that drives our daily espirit de corps. Celebrating our daily life may not seem that important; however, it gives each of us a chance to show our appreciation for those things that really matter to us, and daily celebrations remind us of how fortunate, privileged, or simply lucky we are.
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At PR Log: Free Press Release, the essay is entitled, “Give Thanks! The Gratitude Collection Celebrates I Am So Thankful Month,” and the point of the essay is given in the subheading: “The Gratitude Collection is celebrating National I Am So Thankful Month by offering suggestions on how you can show your gratitude and thankfulness to others.” There are three great suggestions that allow us all to celebrate everyday thankfulness.
Marelisa Fabrega, on her Abundance Blog, has an essay, “50 Ways to Celebrate Life Every Day,” in which she wants readers to “establish a goal to celebrate life in some way, however small, every day. Below,” she writes, “you will find a list of 50 simple joys to help remind you to slow down, celebrate life, and enjoy the moment!” Some are small and trivial, others aren’t, but they are fun suggestions designed for everyday celebrations.
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Copyright November, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
Showing posts with label SMOERs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SMOERs. Show all posts
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Following the rules
Those of you familiar with my essays and especially my books know that I am a rules-based person. After my first collection of essays, And Then Some: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, and Inspire, I immediately wrote the book, Public Speaking Rules: All You Need for a Great Speech. I followed that rules-based book with a book entitled, SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules. As if that wasn’t enough, I wrote an additional rules-based book entitled, Relationship Rules: For Long-term Happiness, Security, and Commitment. With all of this as a preface, it is little wonder that I would be attracted to a New York Times article by Jane E. Brody entitled, “Rules Worth Following, for Everyone’s Sake” (“Personal Health,” 02-02-10, p. D7).
Now, I am familiar with Brody’s essays in the science section of the Times every Tuesday, and I have cited her numerous times in my textbooks, because she often writes about aspects of interpersonal relationships, verbal and nonverbal communication, and other facets of human behavior—all topics I discuss in my textbooks.
In this essay I want to cover the same topics she covers in her essay. I am deeply indebted to her for the ideas in this essay, and I give her full credit for them.
Brody’s column is based on “a slender, easy-to-digest new book called Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual (137 pages, $11 retail, $5.50 at Amazon) by Michael Pollan.” Pollan is a professor of science journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. Kristine Hale, in her four-star review of Pollan’s book at Amazon.com, writes, “Pollan takes the essential and fascinating information that he wrote about in his previous book [In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto (256 pages, $7.50 at Amazon)] and simmers it down into a succinct (the book is basically 70 half pages long) ‘manual’ of rules for eating. While this book retains some of the bones of its predecessor, it is by no means a Cliff's Notes version. This manual is essential reading all on its own.”
In her review of the book, Norma Lehmeierhartie tells how the Pollan book is organized: “The book is divided into three parts and has 64 chapters or rules. The following will give you a good idea of what the book is about: Part I, What should I eat? Includes such chapters as ‘Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food,’ ‘avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients,’ and ‘avoid foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup.’
Part II, What kind of food should I eat? includes, ‘Eat mostly plants, especially leaves,’ ‘eat your colors,’ and ‘the whiter the bread, the sooner you will be dead.’ Part III, How should I eat? includes: ‘pay more, eat less,’ ‘eat less,’ and ‘limit your snacks to unprocessed plant food.’”
Jesse Kornbluth, in his review of Pollan’s book, offers samples of some of his rules: “What does Pollan tell you in these pages? Here's a sample:
--- ‘Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.’
--- ‘Don't eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.’
---- ‘Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot...There are exceptions --- honey --- but as a rule, things like Twinkies that never go bad aren't food.’
--- ‘Always leave the table a little hungry.'
--- ‘Eat meals together, at regular meal times.’
--- ‘Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.’
There are three types of people who will not appreciate Pollan’s book. First, those who have read his previous books will find this one redundant. More than that, it is simply a distillation of and recycled verbatim from his previous book, In Defense of Food, referred to above. Second, if you are already into food and nutrition, you will find much of what Pollan says, common sense—maybe even, elementary. The third type of person who can skip this book and his previous one are those who simply adopt Pollan’s approach, which he summarized in just seven words: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Obesity solved! Diet-related ailments eliminated!
There is only one reason I have provided these quotations from reviews of Pollan’s book. I have not read it myself, and I am dependent on the Amazon reviews and Brody for their interpretations and insights.
Quoting from Brody’s column, “The new book provides the practical steps [for following his approach], starting with advice to avoid ‘processed concoctions,’ no matter what the label may claim (‘no trans fats,’ ‘low cholesterol,’ ‘less sugar,’ ‘reduced sodium,’ ‘high in antioxidants,’ and so forth).” If you read his book, you will become accustomed to his cute way of phrasing his ideas. For example, “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”
“Avoid foods advertised on television.. . . Those who sell the most healthful foods—vegetables, fruits and whole grains—rarely have a budget to support national advertising.” If you shop in a supermarket, “shop only the periphery of the store and avoid the center aisles laden with processed foods”. . . and “Never get your fuel from the same place your car does,” Pollan writes.
Other valuable rules include, “If you’re not paying attention to what you’re eating, you’re likely to eat more than you realize,” or“Stop eating before you’re full,” “There is nothing wrong with special occasion foods, as long as every day is not a special occasion,” and the rule I love the best is Pollan’s “S policy”: “No snacks, no seconds, no sweets—except on days that begin with the letter S.” There is clearly a reason why I’m rules-oriented—don’t you wish everyone was?
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If you think following rules is a new concept, or if you think rules are a modern idea, or if you think old rules do not apply, check out this web site: PlugInID.com, and the essay there entitled “21 Rules to Live Your Life - Dokkodo.” “Dokkodo” is a small book written by Miyamoto Musashi a week before he died in 1645. 1645!!!!! Read these 21 rules. They are terrific guidelines by which to form a very good life. Just the first two examples: 1. Accept everything just the way it is, and 2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. Also, this is not a simple listing; all rules are explained and discussed as well.
If you want an entertaining, delightful, and challenging adventure, look at: “Life’s Rules of Thumb (and other quotes)” and you will discover an array of over 85 great quotations. Some of the quotations (to offer but a mere sampling) that I liked include, “If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.” Confucius. Or, “People are basically honest. And they're even more honest when you watch them.” Alan C. "Ace" Greenberg. Or, “Life at work is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels. Some monkeys are climbing up, some down. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. The monkeys on the bottom look up and see nothing but arseholes.” Anonymous.
You get just a fraction of the pleasure here that you will get by going to this web site.
-----
Copyright July, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
Now, I am familiar with Brody’s essays in the science section of the Times every Tuesday, and I have cited her numerous times in my textbooks, because she often writes about aspects of interpersonal relationships, verbal and nonverbal communication, and other facets of human behavior—all topics I discuss in my textbooks.
In this essay I want to cover the same topics she covers in her essay. I am deeply indebted to her for the ideas in this essay, and I give her full credit for them.
Brody’s column is based on “a slender, easy-to-digest new book called Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual (137 pages, $11 retail, $5.50 at Amazon) by Michael Pollan.” Pollan is a professor of science journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. Kristine Hale, in her four-star review of Pollan’s book at Amazon.com, writes, “Pollan takes the essential and fascinating information that he wrote about in his previous book [In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto (256 pages, $7.50 at Amazon)] and simmers it down into a succinct (the book is basically 70 half pages long) ‘manual’ of rules for eating. While this book retains some of the bones of its predecessor, it is by no means a Cliff's Notes version. This manual is essential reading all on its own.”
In her review of the book, Norma Lehmeierhartie tells how the Pollan book is organized: “The book is divided into three parts and has 64 chapters or rules. The following will give you a good idea of what the book is about: Part I, What should I eat? Includes such chapters as ‘Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food,’ ‘avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients,’ and ‘avoid foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup.’
Part II, What kind of food should I eat? includes, ‘Eat mostly plants, especially leaves,’ ‘eat your colors,’ and ‘the whiter the bread, the sooner you will be dead.’ Part III, How should I eat? includes: ‘pay more, eat less,’ ‘eat less,’ and ‘limit your snacks to unprocessed plant food.’”
Jesse Kornbluth, in his review of Pollan’s book, offers samples of some of his rules: “What does Pollan tell you in these pages? Here's a sample:
--- ‘Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.’
--- ‘Don't eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.’
---- ‘Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot...There are exceptions --- honey --- but as a rule, things like Twinkies that never go bad aren't food.’
--- ‘Always leave the table a little hungry.'
--- ‘Eat meals together, at regular meal times.’
--- ‘Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.’
There are three types of people who will not appreciate Pollan’s book. First, those who have read his previous books will find this one redundant. More than that, it is simply a distillation of and recycled verbatim from his previous book, In Defense of Food, referred to above. Second, if you are already into food and nutrition, you will find much of what Pollan says, common sense—maybe even, elementary. The third type of person who can skip this book and his previous one are those who simply adopt Pollan’s approach, which he summarized in just seven words: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Obesity solved! Diet-related ailments eliminated!
There is only one reason I have provided these quotations from reviews of Pollan’s book. I have not read it myself, and I am dependent on the Amazon reviews and Brody for their interpretations and insights.
Quoting from Brody’s column, “The new book provides the practical steps [for following his approach], starting with advice to avoid ‘processed concoctions,’ no matter what the label may claim (‘no trans fats,’ ‘low cholesterol,’ ‘less sugar,’ ‘reduced sodium,’ ‘high in antioxidants,’ and so forth).” If you read his book, you will become accustomed to his cute way of phrasing his ideas. For example, “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”
“Avoid foods advertised on television.. . . Those who sell the most healthful foods—vegetables, fruits and whole grains—rarely have a budget to support national advertising.” If you shop in a supermarket, “shop only the periphery of the store and avoid the center aisles laden with processed foods”. . . and “Never get your fuel from the same place your car does,” Pollan writes.
Other valuable rules include, “If you’re not paying attention to what you’re eating, you’re likely to eat more than you realize,” or“Stop eating before you’re full,” “There is nothing wrong with special occasion foods, as long as every day is not a special occasion,” and the rule I love the best is Pollan’s “S policy”: “No snacks, no seconds, no sweets—except on days that begin with the letter S.” There is clearly a reason why I’m rules-oriented—don’t you wish everyone was?
-----
If you think following rules is a new concept, or if you think rules are a modern idea, or if you think old rules do not apply, check out this web site: PlugInID.com, and the essay there entitled “21 Rules to Live Your Life - Dokkodo.” “Dokkodo” is a small book written by Miyamoto Musashi a week before he died in 1645. 1645!!!!! Read these 21 rules. They are terrific guidelines by which to form a very good life. Just the first two examples: 1. Accept everything just the way it is, and 2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. Also, this is not a simple listing; all rules are explained and discussed as well.
If you want an entertaining, delightful, and challenging adventure, look at: “Life’s Rules of Thumb (and other quotes)” and you will discover an array of over 85 great quotations. Some of the quotations (to offer but a mere sampling) that I liked include, “If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.” Confucius. Or, “People are basically honest. And they're even more honest when you watch them.” Alan C. "Ace" Greenberg. Or, “Life at work is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels. Some monkeys are climbing up, some down. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. The monkeys on the bottom look up and see nothing but arseholes.” Anonymous.
You get just a fraction of the pleasure here that you will get by going to this web site.
-----
Copyright July, 2010, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.
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