Reiner Stach has a droll way with epigraphs, and in Kafka: The Early Years he heads his chapters with a selection of gnomic snippets from numerous ingeniously obscure sources. Chapter 1, for instance, has a tag from a song by Devo, an American rock band of the 1980s: “Think you heard this all before,/Now you’re […]
Author: signordal
One of the most strenuous trails in North Cascades National Park…
One of the most strenuous trails in North Cascades National Park reaps stunning rewards for those willing and able to make the grueling trek. The historic lookout on the summit of Washington’s Sourdough Mountain can be approached via Diablo or Pierce Mountain sides. Both trails are steep, and both pass through forest and meadow communities before arriving at the rocky lookout site with views of lakes, peaks and glaciers in every direction. Pictured here is the view never the top of Sourdough Mountain with Diablo Lake visible down below. Photo by Chris Holm, National Park Service.
August 13th
Maybe that’s what we look for in the people we love, the spark of unhappiness we think we know how to extinguish.
Erin’s Things: August 13
You’re reading Erin’s Things: August 13, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Hi Friends!
From a cool water bottle to an amazing podcast on Compassion – this week’s list will have you inspired, humbled and maybe just dancing a bit!
1. qUE water bottle – Water is life, and as such we need it often, every single day. Most of us either carry around a plastic water bottle (which isn’t helping the environment one iota), or we buy a heavy environmentally conscious bottle which weighs us down and takes up so much room in our bags. A solution has arrived and I am stoked. This kickstarter funded product, qUE water bottle, twists up and down to expand and contract, making it easy to store once you’ve had your H2o. It also works for hot liquids! I’m getting thirsty.
2. Crystal Kayak – Kayaking is cool. Kayaking in a transparent, clear kayak is just next level cool. Florida’s Crystal Kayak company ships the kayaks all over the world, they come complete with buffing pads, cleaning solution, transport trolley and more but they are not cheap, running you 1,499.00 in cost. Made from the same material used in airplane windshields, you’re in no danger of damage from colliding with a rock.
3. The Aces – cool, four girl indie rock-pop band form Utah. Their debut single ‘Stuck’ is catchy enough to seriously stick in your head, in a good way. Recently signed to Red Bull Records, their 70’s, summery sounds are headed into heavy rotation on my playlist.
4. Option B – New book by acclaimed author of “Lean In’, Sheryl Sandberg’s latest offering is called ‘Option B’, on how to discover resilience and help other’s in crisis after suffering through major loss. At some point in all our lives, Option a is not available to us, this is when we make the most of what we have and persevere.
5. The Science of Compassion, Podcast – Spreading compassion into the world, one small gesture at a time. This podcast touches on the acts of kindness either toward someone we know or a complete stranger and how it can impact and change our lives for the better. It’s a must listen for a refresher on how to interact with those around you with grace and generosity.
What has inspired you this week? Got any great suggestions? Leave your ideas in the comments below!
Be well,
Erin
You’ve read Erin’s Things: August 13, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Erin’s Things: August 13
You’re reading Erin’s Things: August 13, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Hi Friends!
From a cool water bottle to an amazing podcast on Compassion – this week’s list will have you inspired, humbled and maybe just dancing a bit!
1. qUE water bottle – Water is life, and as such we need it often, every single day. Most of us either carry around a plastic water bottle (which isn’t helping the environment one iota), or we buy a heavy environmentally conscious bottle which weighs us down and takes up so much room in our bags. A solution has arrived and I am stoked. This kickstarter funded product, qUE water bottle, twists up and down to expand and contract, making it easy to store once you’ve had your H2o. It also works for hot liquids! I’m getting thirsty.
2. Crystal Kayak – Kayaking is cool. Kayaking in a transparent, clear kayak is just next level cool. Florida’s Crystal Kayak company ships the kayaks all over the world, they come complete with buffing pads, cleaning solution, transport trolley and more but they are not cheap, running you 1,499.00 in cost. Made from the same material used in airplane windshields, you’re in no danger of damage from colliding with a rock.
3. The Aces – cool, four girl indie rock-pop band form Utah. Their debut single ‘Stuck’ is catchy enough to seriously stick in your head, in a good way. Recently signed to Red Bull Records, their 70’s, summery sounds are headed into heavy rotation on my playlist.
4. Option B – New book by acclaimed author of “Lean In’, Sheryl Sandberg’s latest offering is called ‘Option B’, on how to discover resilience and help other’s in crisis after suffering through major loss. At some point in all our lives, Option a is not available to us, this is when we make the most of what we have and persevere.
5. The Science of Compassion, Podcast – Spreading compassion into the world, one small gesture at a time. This podcast touches on the acts of kindness either toward someone we know or a complete stranger and how it can impact and change our lives for the better. It’s a must listen for a refresher on how to interact with those around you with grace and generosity.
What has inspired you this week? Got any great suggestions? Leave your ideas in the comments below!
Be well,
Erin
You’ve read Erin’s Things: August 13, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
You never know what you’ll see at Rocky Mountain National Park…
You never know what you’ll see at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Emerging from cover after a storm, Ron Hazeloop chased a rainbow to Spruce Lake and just happened to catch a large bull moose standing in the water. Snapping the photo, he called it “a magical moment.” Photo by Ron Hazeloop (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
The City Strikes a Pose
Jamel Shabazz is a kind of anti-Walker Evans. Born in Brooklyn in 1960, he has documented New York street life, largely in the city’s black neighborhoods, with a cheerful guilelessness. A new collection of his work from his beginnings in 1980 to the present, displays Shabazz’s wish to honor and flatter, to fashion touching tributes to a certain kind of black, urban life.
August 12th
Much of what was said did not matter, and that much of what mattered could not be said.
How to Win in Life Every Day
You’re reading How to Win in Life Every Day, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Do you know what it feels like to win every day?
Have you ever been so overwhelmed by the end of the day that you wonder how you even got anything done?
Most people go through life on auto-pilot without any thought as to what is happening.
Is that you? Do you find yourself so wrapped up in a routine that you struggle to make progress on your goals?
If so, consider these tips, and start winning at life every day!
Tip#1: Win the morning.
Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day – the Golden Hour.”
Be strategic in how you start your mornings. If you wake up late, grab a cup of coffee, and race to get to work on time you have set a panicked tone for the day.
If a rudder steers a ship through its course, your first hour should help set the direction of your day.
Set several alarms if you need to wake up on time. Get up slowly and take some time to feed yourself mentally and emotionally before starting your “work” day.
Tip#2: Celebrate the small wins.
No matter how full your day is with problem-solving, you must celebrate the small wins.
Did you wake up on time and make your bed before you left for work? Win!
Did you finally figure out how to get that column to total correctly on your balance spreadsheet at work? Win!
Did you stay under budget this week? Win!
There is so much that goes well during each week, so make sure to celebrate it!
Tip#3: Be fully present in each situation.
“We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.” – Bill Watterson
There is no other way to live except in the moment.
Too often we find ourselves looking ahead to the weekend, to the next month, to the next holiday, etc. We anticipate exciting and disappointing things all the time.
Instead, let’s practice gratitude for each moment and learn to enjoy it to the fullest. Take time to talk with your coworkers or your children. Don’t let life’s small moments pass you by.
Don’t let life’s small moments pass you by.
Tip#4: Recap your day with highs and lows.
One strategy that has worked great for me is to invest 5-10 minutes each day to verbalize and write down my highs and lows.
When I’m tired or stressed, I tend to think that I have had a very boring or “bad” day. However, if I take the time to analyze my day, I find there are almost always more positive events that I have simply forgotten.
Even if there were some low times, I can meditate on those for a moment and see if there’s anything I can learn and grow from.
I don’t believe in coincidences, so start paying attention to everything that happens each day.
Tip#5: Unwind and relax at night.
How do you finish your day? If starting your day is important, so is finishing the day.
What is it that you enjoy most to relax and unwind? Watching movies, reading a good book, taking a walk, playing with your children? Pick one of those activities and try it out for a week to see how it makes you feel.
You want to choose things that allow your mind to escape from any worry and bring feelings of happiness and contentment.
I hope these tips help you to take control of your life and start winning every day!
I’m Johnny Miller, the founder of Finding Your Fit, a blog about finding margin and career direction in life. Come check out my blog and see how you can begin designing a career roadmap that actually fits your life.
You’ve read How to Win in Life Every Day, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
How to Win in Life Every Day
You’re reading How to Win in Life Every Day, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Do you know what it feels like to win every day?
Have you ever been so overwhelmed by the end of the day that you wonder how you even got anything done?
Most people go through life on auto-pilot without any thought as to what is happening.
Is that you? Do you find yourself so wrapped up in a routine that you struggle to make progress on your goals?
If so, consider these tips, and start winning at life every day!
Tip#1: Win the morning.
Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day – the Golden Hour.”
Be strategic in how you start your mornings. If you wake up late, grab a cup of coffee, and race to get to work on time you have set a panicked tone for the day.
If a rudder steers a ship through its course, your first hour should help set the direction of your day.
Set several alarms if you need to wake up on time. Get up slowly and take some time to feed yourself mentally and emotionally before starting your “work” day.
Tip#2: Celebrate the small wins.
No matter how full your day is with problem-solving, you must celebrate the small wins.
Did you wake up on time and make your bed before you left for work? Win!
Did you finally figure out how to get that column to total correctly on your balance spreadsheet at work? Win!
Did you stay under budget this week? Win!
There is so much that goes well during each week, so make sure to celebrate it!
Tip#3: Be fully present in each situation.
“We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.” – Bill Watterson
There is no other way to live except in the moment.
Too often we find ourselves looking ahead to the weekend, to the next month, to the next holiday, etc. We anticipate exciting and disappointing things all the time.
Instead, let’s practice gratitude for each moment and learn to enjoy it to the fullest. Take time to talk with your coworkers or your children. Don’t let life’s small moments pass you by.
Don’t let life’s small moments pass you by.
Tip#4: Recap your day with highs and lows.
One strategy that has worked great for me is to invest 5-10 minutes each day to verbalize and write down my highs and lows.
When I’m tired or stressed, I tend to think that I have had a very boring or “bad” day. However, if I take the time to analyze my day, I find there are almost always more positive events that I have simply forgotten.
Even if there were some low times, I can meditate on those for a moment and see if there’s anything I can learn and grow from.
I don’t believe in coincidences, so start paying attention to everything that happens each day.
Tip#5: Unwind and relax at night.
How do you finish your day? If starting your day is important, so is finishing the day.
What is it that you enjoy most to relax and unwind? Watching movies, reading a good book, taking a walk, playing with your children? Pick one of those activities and try it out for a week to see how it makes you feel.
You want to choose things that allow your mind to escape from any worry and bring feelings of happiness and contentment.
I hope these tips help you to take control of your life and start winning every day!
I’m Johnny Miller, the founder of Finding Your Fit, a blog about finding margin and career direction in life. Come check out my blog and see how you can begin designing a career roadmap that actually fits your life.
You’ve read How to Win in Life Every Day, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Sig Nordal 