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How do you spend your time?
“When I find that I don’t have time for what matters, I will stop doing (and thinking about) things that don’t.” ~Marc and Angel Chernoff When you set your goals for the new year, you might wonder how you’ll find time to accomplish them. Whether you want to start a fitness routine, reboot your social life, or read a new novel every week, you have to make room in your schedule. I once read an article suggesting that we list and evaluate all the habits and routines that prevent us from accomplishing our goals. For instance: How many hours do you spend watching TV, shopping online, or checking social media? You’ve…
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The power of our thoughts
“We become what we think about.” ~Earl Nightingale (1931-1989) Today’s quote stops me in my tracks every time I read it. The author of this gem, Earl Nightingale, was a popular American radio host and author who focused on character development, motivation, and human behavior. During the early 1950s, he was also the voice of Sky King, the hero of an historic radio adventure series. Nightingale believed that our beliefs can be self-fulfilling prophecies. Just for starters, if we see ourselves as victims, we will remain victims. If we perceive ourselves as fortunate, good fortune will find us. If we see ourselves as capable or attractive, it’s likely that others…
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Who’s the boss of you?
“I need to take an emotional breath, step back, and remind myself who’s actually in charge of my life.” ~Judith M. Knowlton This month, you’ll find plenty of articles on how to break bad habits and establish new routines. One feature I read defined a bad habit as anything that harms us (and others), negatively impacts our relationships, or steals the time we could be spending more constructively. Habits get tricky when there’s a fine line between what’s good and bad for us. My coffee addiction has several health benefits, according to medical research, but a third or fourth cup pushes my anxiety over the edge and isn’t good for…
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The space between
“Wisdom means to choose now what will make sense later. I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be, to inspire me and not terrify me.” ~Tracee Ellis Ross So, the holidays are over, the Christmas elves are packed away, and our social schedule is winding down. For those who prefer a jam-packed calendar with no blank spaces, January is a month-long letdown. Like a heavy snowfall, the silence that blankets us after the holidays forces us to be still and let life unfold at a slower pace. Today’s quote embraces the value of patience — not easy to practice…
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Just do it
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ~Andy Warhol Artists are courageous people. When it comes to expressing creativity, fear is usually what stops other people in their tracks — not lack of talent. Fear of failure … Fear of being imperfect … Fear of appearing foolish … Fear of being misjudged. As you start a brand-new year, you might be toying with the idea of starting a new creative project or trying a new hobby. If you can ignore the inner critics that…
