Today I had an overwhelming need to be lazy. After a month of doing, doing, doing, I needed a day where I basically was a slug. At first I felt a little guilty, but then I asked myself, why? I have lists of have to do's every day, why can't I have a day where I am lazy and can simply be.
Furthermore, were we put on this earth to do all the time? Part of the reason self esteem is so wrapped up in what we accomplish is because we don't let ourselves enjoy simply being. To take pride in who we are without doing anything, that is true self esteem.
I did do a 20 minute workout, but only because I wanted to. The rest of my day I spent being lazy as a cat with my cat. She loved the extra time with me. Purr city!
On a wrap up last week note, I made the decision to workout at least 20 minutes each time at least 4 days a week, and I feel that I can keep this up. During the month of January, I found this to be a natural schedule for me, and I have not missed a week for this schedule! Anything more than this, I may not accomplish completely, and I definitely do not want to make myself feel badly if I don't succeed. Now I can say, I succeeded! Anything more is icing on the cake.
Other news, I found out today that February 14th - 20th is Random Acts of Kindness week. I adore RAK's. Random acts of kindness put out positive energy into the world and help people feel better. I will be seeking out a RAK act to do for that week, and I hope you join me in finding one for you to do as well. I'll post some suggestions in the near future.
Enjoy your life, and if you need to, go ahead...be lazy!
-SDF:O)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Taking time off - step away from the computer!
After a very busy week, I decided to make sure that I took time off from work. I limited my computer usage, and I posted only a few work related tweets. It made me start to ponder about how many of us are starting to go in an unhealthy direction - working almost around the clock and remaining on our computers throughout the day. The culprit to this might be social media and how we might be over using it.
Several of my friends have commented about what a time suck social media can be. Many are trying to limit their time on Facebook and/or Twitter to make sure they have time for their life. Of course using social media for business does require some commitment time, but maybe not as much as some of us are putting in.
I do find what others have to say very interesting, and I do like sharing tidbits of information when I find something worthwhile. I realize that I can go overboard with my time, and in these cases, I need to cool it. Spending that much time on a computer in the virtual world means you are missing out on the real world around you.
This brings me to a question I want to put out there. Why are we spending so much time on our computers?
Aside from the typical, "because it is fun" response or "I need to for my job," in my case, it might be to procrastinate from doing what I need to do at that moment. It might be because I want to connect with old and new people, and I have not set up enough real time meetings to keep me connected to people. It might be due to wanting to put myself out there to accomplish my business goals, but maybe my actions could be considered too much (as previously mentioned) which would ultimately backfire. Do any of these thoughts ring true for you too?
If I don't take time off, I will end up burned out and everything will end up feeling forced and make me and others uncomfortable. I rather have people excited about what I am doing. I rather be excited about what I am doing!
I realize that spending a majority of my time on the computer means I am only virtually living. I will add to my resolutions this year: I resolve to only be on my computer when it makes sense to, and I will make plans with people, work on projects I have been putting off, and take some time to meditate, work out or just be and breathe. The key is balance, and I encourage you to resolve to be more balanced too!
-SDF:O)
Several of my friends have commented about what a time suck social media can be. Many are trying to limit their time on Facebook and/or Twitter to make sure they have time for their life. Of course using social media for business does require some commitment time, but maybe not as much as some of us are putting in.
I do find what others have to say very interesting, and I do like sharing tidbits of information when I find something worthwhile. I realize that I can go overboard with my time, and in these cases, I need to cool it. Spending that much time on a computer in the virtual world means you are missing out on the real world around you.
This brings me to a question I want to put out there. Why are we spending so much time on our computers?
Aside from the typical, "because it is fun" response or "I need to for my job," in my case, it might be to procrastinate from doing what I need to do at that moment. It might be because I want to connect with old and new people, and I have not set up enough real time meetings to keep me connected to people. It might be due to wanting to put myself out there to accomplish my business goals, but maybe my actions could be considered too much (as previously mentioned) which would ultimately backfire. Do any of these thoughts ring true for you too?
If I don't take time off, I will end up burned out and everything will end up feeling forced and make me and others uncomfortable. I rather have people excited about what I am doing. I rather be excited about what I am doing!
I realize that spending a majority of my time on the computer means I am only virtually living. I will add to my resolutions this year: I resolve to only be on my computer when it makes sense to, and I will make plans with people, work on projects I have been putting off, and take some time to meditate, work out or just be and breathe. The key is balance, and I encourage you to resolve to be more balanced too!
-SDF:O)
Friday, January 21, 2011
Facebook and Twitter
For some reason I woke up at the ridiculous hour of 4 am. Aside from having Chopin's Revolutionary Etude running through my head, I was thinking about past relationships and future relationships. I also was thinking about my adventures with using social media. Which brings me to my topic of the day.
I use Facebook to get in touch with old friends and keep in touch with current friends. I have a life on FB that spans from grade school to music camp to high school to college to musician colleagues to people I knew from past jobs and to current friends and work relations. What is interesting about this, with the exception of my current relations, is the fact that most of the people on FB are people that already have a perception of who I am, or at least a past perception. With all the years that have gone by, do they really know me as I am today? I am sure they have changed as well. So, FB remains mainly a very fun and polite way to catch up with people and share little tidbits of current life.
Interestingly enough, I found myself getting involved in Twitter. I began using Twitter for business purposes. In some ways, Twitter is actually the better way to get to know a person, mainly due to the fact that you are starting from scratch. I am very careful in selecting who I want to follow. I look for quality tweeters or quality people that have something interesting to say and share. What has been fascinating is that there is a percentage of people on Twitter that I now converse with more regularly. Some I have met in person, spoken with on the phone or had an email conversation. Some have hired me for business or are interested in working on joint projects. All of these people click with me, and they know who I am as a person now. There are no preconceptions, just knowing who I am today. If someone asks me which social media outlet has been the most valuable to me, I would say hands down, Twitter. It's rather refreshing meeting people without having any baggage to contend with. It is good to see people as they are, not as who they used to be. It was a living in the present moment, moment, when I realized this. Very Zen.
I still find Facebook fun. I do enjoy finding people I used to know and finding out where their lives took them and a few I am getting to know better again, but when it comes to building relationships with people, Twitter is the place where people are ready and willing to connect with who you are today.
-SDF:O)
I use Facebook to get in touch with old friends and keep in touch with current friends. I have a life on FB that spans from grade school to music camp to high school to college to musician colleagues to people I knew from past jobs and to current friends and work relations. What is interesting about this, with the exception of my current relations, is the fact that most of the people on FB are people that already have a perception of who I am, or at least a past perception. With all the years that have gone by, do they really know me as I am today? I am sure they have changed as well. So, FB remains mainly a very fun and polite way to catch up with people and share little tidbits of current life.
Interestingly enough, I found myself getting involved in Twitter. I began using Twitter for business purposes. In some ways, Twitter is actually the better way to get to know a person, mainly due to the fact that you are starting from scratch. I am very careful in selecting who I want to follow. I look for quality tweeters or quality people that have something interesting to say and share. What has been fascinating is that there is a percentage of people on Twitter that I now converse with more regularly. Some I have met in person, spoken with on the phone or had an email conversation. Some have hired me for business or are interested in working on joint projects. All of these people click with me, and they know who I am as a person now. There are no preconceptions, just knowing who I am today. If someone asks me which social media outlet has been the most valuable to me, I would say hands down, Twitter. It's rather refreshing meeting people without having any baggage to contend with. It is good to see people as they are, not as who they used to be. It was a living in the present moment, moment, when I realized this. Very Zen.
I still find Facebook fun. I do enjoy finding people I used to know and finding out where their lives took them and a few I am getting to know better again, but when it comes to building relationships with people, Twitter is the place where people are ready and willing to connect with who you are today.
-SDF:O)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
Today I see the great value of reflecting on the man Martin Luther King, Jr. and the messages that he brought to us. The following are some of my favorite quotes from him:
The minorities do indeed affect us since they are the ones that will stand up and speak out for what they believe in. However, some of these minority groups are not ideals for the whole, yet they get the most media attention due to their constant squeaky wheels. Do they speak for us? Why are we silent? What if the majority were to finally stand up? What if we as individuals decided to live out of love, not out of fear and greed. What if we as a whole were to think of helping our fellow man instead of how much money or power we can obtain for ourselves?
I do feel this shift is coming. It is slow, but the beginnings are clear to see. We may disagree on how we can get there, but we as a collective people, I have hope that we can overcome bending to the "evils" of our human world and incorporate love and peace as core values instead.
Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream. I have a dream too!
-SDF :O)
- Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.
- Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
- Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.
- Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
- I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
- In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
- Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
- It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.
- The time is always right to do what is right.
- We are not makers of history. We are made by history.
- At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.
The minorities do indeed affect us since they are the ones that will stand up and speak out for what they believe in. However, some of these minority groups are not ideals for the whole, yet they get the most media attention due to their constant squeaky wheels. Do they speak for us? Why are we silent? What if the majority were to finally stand up? What if we as individuals decided to live out of love, not out of fear and greed. What if we as a whole were to think of helping our fellow man instead of how much money or power we can obtain for ourselves?
I do feel this shift is coming. It is slow, but the beginnings are clear to see. We may disagree on how we can get there, but we as a collective people, I have hope that we can overcome bending to the "evils" of our human world and incorporate love and peace as core values instead.
Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream. I have a dream too!
-SDF :O)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Light a candle!
After my workout, I went to check my email. One of my family members sent an email about lighting a candle on Friday to say a little prayer or positive thought for people overcoming cancer and for cancer survivors. I was actually thinking of lighting a candle every night as a token of my gratitude and to say some positive thoughts to end the day on a good note. I can add this request to this ritual.
-SDF:O)
Monday, January 10, 2011
My blog is a-changing! A-musing #1
I have decided to broaden my blog a bit. I will still have the occasional fitness post, but for 2011, I have decided to blog about my daily a-musings.
Unfortunately, my first topic is not amusing. Today, I would like to reflect a little on the Tucson tragedy. Our world has become very violent in our words and in our actions. In my humble opinion, war and violence is not the way to a better and more peaceful existence. It takes a peaceful heart, mind and soul to be able to forgive and to work with others that you may not agree with. Otherwise, tragedies of this nature will continue to happen.
I challenge all the people in the public realm to think about what they say and do and how it might affect another human being. If we continue to spew hatred, this is what will be returned to us.
My personal resolution, in consideration of these horrible events, is to become more peaceful within my own heart. Peace starts from within, and it begins with each and every one of us. I hope you too will consider adding self-peace to your resolutions this year.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the people directly related to those we have lost. Special prayers and positive thoughts to Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords for a speedy recovery.
Only love can heal a hateful heart.
Imagine http://bit.ly/gOBU3d
The Twin Verses http://bit.ly/eRahl6
-SDF :O)
Unfortunately, my first topic is not amusing. Today, I would like to reflect a little on the Tucson tragedy. Our world has become very violent in our words and in our actions. In my humble opinion, war and violence is not the way to a better and more peaceful existence. It takes a peaceful heart, mind and soul to be able to forgive and to work with others that you may not agree with. Otherwise, tragedies of this nature will continue to happen.
I challenge all the people in the public realm to think about what they say and do and how it might affect another human being. If we continue to spew hatred, this is what will be returned to us.
My personal resolution, in consideration of these horrible events, is to become more peaceful within my own heart. Peace starts from within, and it begins with each and every one of us. I hope you too will consider adding self-peace to your resolutions this year.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the people directly related to those we have lost. Special prayers and positive thoughts to Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords for a speedy recovery.
Only love can heal a hateful heart.
Imagine http://bit.ly/gOBU3d
The Twin Verses http://bit.ly/eRahl6
-SDF :O)
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