The Endless Quest for Greener Grass

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

How to Develop a Growth Mindset

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

Ikigai Can Add Years to Your Life – And Life to Your Years!

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!

How Essentialism Can Help You Get More Out of Life

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

Say Good-Bye to FOMO and Hello to JOMO!

You’ve likely heard the term FOMO recently. If you haven’t, it stands for Fear of Missing Out. You may also be familiar with FOMO’s cousin, YOLO—You Only Live Once. But FOMO and YOLO have a younger and brighter cousin that you may not be aware of—JOMO. Read on to learn how embracing the Joy of Missing Out can restore a sense of calm and balance … Continue reading Say Good-Bye to FOMO and Hello to JOMO!

Choosing Joy Over Happiness

Joy. It’s a simple word, and one we hear often. But what does it really mean to be joyful? Is joy the same as happiness? And how do we bring more joy into our lives? Many people spend their lives on a continuous quest for happiness, but is that the right goal? In their book Love People, Use Things, The Minimalists Joshua Fields Millburn and … Continue reading Choosing Joy Over Happiness

How would you spend a bonus hour?

Time. It’s a precious commodity that no one ever seems to have enough of. This past weekend, I had the unexpected luxury of a bonus hour. If you live in North America, you are probably thinking it’s no big deal because you also enjoyed an additional hour. But my extra hour was special because it wasn’t repayment of an hour I had previously lost. Allow … Continue reading How would you spend a bonus hour?

Making the most of travel delays

When faced with unplanned travel disruptions, do you get frustrated or take it all in stride? This week, as I experienced the latest in a long string of travel delays, I had a chance to think about how far I’ve come in coping with these frustrations. In today’s post, I’ll share the tricks that help me stay calm when things don’t go as expected. Continue reading Making the most of travel delays

A Life Well Lived – How Are You Spending Your Dash?

There’s nothing like a funeral to make us aware of the passing of time and the shortness of life. Listening to the tributes at my brother-in-law’s memorial service, I recalled a poem called The Dash that I heard years ago. It was a reminder of the importance of making the right choices about how we spend our time. Are you making the most of your dash? Continue reading A Life Well Lived – How Are You Spending Your Dash?

man in black jacket lying on bed

The Three Areas of Self-Awareness: What on Earth Am I Feeling?

What on Earth Am I Feeling? “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” – Blaise Pascal Disconnecting the autopilot is the practise of noticing when you’re distracted and then actively bringing your attention back to the present.  But there’s a problem. It’s called turbulence. (Namely, your emotions.) This is what happens when a pilot takes the autopilot … Continue reading The Three Areas of Self-Awareness: What on Earth Am I Feeling?

couple having sex and using smartphone

The Three Areas of Self-Awareness: What on Earth Am I Doing?

The Three Areas of Self-Awareness According to Tasah Eurich – author of Insight: The Surprising Truth about How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think – there are 3 major blindspots to self-awareness. Those are: Behaviour blindness is being oblivious to your own actions. Not noticing when you are getting distracted or why.  Emotional blindness is … Continue reading The Three Areas of Self-Awareness: What on Earth Am I Doing?

colorful toothed wheels

The Automation Paradox

If there’s one aviation disaster that darkens my knickers more than most, it’s AirFrance 447 – the scheduled passenger flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1st, 2009.  In a very simplified nutshell, this is what happened. Approximately 2 hours after takeoff, AirFrance 447 entered a storm system that caused the instrumentation that measures the aircraft’s airspeed … Continue reading The Automation Paradox

two yellow emoji on yellow case

Why Learning to Recognize and Understand Your Emotions is Important for Your Wellbeing

From a specialist point of view, emotions can be defined as a response that originates following the activation of specific brain circuits and manifests at the organic, behavioral, and cognitive levels. They play a crucial role in regulating mood, motivation, and behavior. Emotions are often linked to body reactions. I am sure you have heard the idiomatic expression ‘butterflies in one’s stomach’, that defines a … Continue reading Why Learning to Recognize and Understand Your Emotions is Important for Your Wellbeing