Resolutions - More or Less

It is almost the official time of year when we work on setting resolutions.

Here is an easy way to get started on your resolutions for 2010. What can you do more of in 2010? What can you do less of? 

The More

Smile More
Laugh More
Walk More
Drink More Water
Appreciate More
Read More
Write More
Listen More

The Less

Eat Less
Swear Less
Worry Less
Frown Less
Complain Less
Procrastinate Less
Talk Less

Do you want to make more progress in 2010? It may be a perfect time to start working with a transition coach to help you get more from your life in 2010.

Thinking about Unproductive Times

This is a "best of post" written a few years ago

While working towards being productive is taking a step in the right direction. Working on being organized and expecting magnificent and tangible results are unrealistic during certain phases or periods of time. I think it helps us to acknowledge when we are in these unproductive times. This acceptance of the situation makes us or the client calmer and more relaxed. This new state of mind then sets the foundation for future productivity efforts.

Know to identify the Unproductive Phases of Life

Having a child in ½ day kindergarten and being the designated driver to pick up and drop off

Those 2 – 3 days waiting for definitive biopsy or health test results

Your third trimester during pregnancy

During a home remodeling project

A parent having 3 children under age 5

Immediately 1 – 12 months after having surgery

A new parent having just born or adopted a child

The year you handle a family, friend or relatives estate

The first 6 months to 9 months after a move

Six months to two years after the breakup of a significant relationship

Serving as primary caretaker to a chronically ill or declining family member

The year following the death of a loved one or friend

Looking Forward

As the new year approaches, it is a good time to look forward!

What events are planned in your near future?

• Do you have graduation or completion in 2010?
• Do you or family or friends have milestone birthdays or anniversaries? 

 What are your celebration plans?
 

What would you like to create for yourself in the near future?

• Be more physically fit
• Reduce cluttered living
• Learn more about ________________
  
• Finish________________
• Get started on ___________
• Visit _____________
  

What is your plan of action?

Now is a great time to start working on your future. If you are stuck, you might want to review these earlier postings:

Taking a Looking Back
Stuck and Stagnant
Resizing Your World
Look Elsewhere

Taking a Look Back

It is almost the end of the year. It is time to take a moment and look back at this year. You can do this for all aspects of your life. 

Aspects you might want to review:

• Physical Health
• Mental and Emotional Health
  
• Work
• Learning
• Spiritually
• Relationships
• Family & Friends
• Community

If self-reflection is not your thing, try using these focus points:

The questions to ask yourself.


What worked well this year?
What did not work this year?
What did I do above and beyond?
Where could I have extended myself more?
What new skills did I develop, cultivate or enhance?
What negative traits did I practice?



Next time we will take a look at looking forward.

Transforming Shoulds and Coulds

Are you failing to listen to the should and the could's in your life? By transforming our shoulds into "do's" and "will"s we may accomplish many things.  However, sometimes our should and coulds are things we might want to avoid doing entirely.

1. Take a look at your shoulds and coulds

Spend some time over the next few days listening to your inner talk and your external communications. Take note of the number of times you express or think the word "Should" or "Could". If you have a high frequency of shoulds or coulds, (Perhaps 5+ a day) you may want to spend some "thinking, development and planning" time around them.


2. Delve into the shoulds and coulds

After you have listened to yourself over the last few days, you may find some frequent shoulds and coulds. Take time to jot them down in sentence form.

I should get more sleep at night
I wish I could keep my desk clear
We could buy a new car



3. Analyze your should and could's for future work and change.

Let's say you want to get more sleep. How can you go about making it come to fruition? By brainstorming you may come to some possilble solutions.

For example:  

I should get more sleep -  To get more sleep, go to bed earlier or stay in bed longer. The should becomes a will when you decide to go to sleep earlier or set your alarm for a later morning wake up.

We could buy a new car - Deciding to buy a new or different car, is a process and project. You may choose to get a new car when your current car reaches a certain mileage, or if maintenance fees exceed the cost of a monthly payment. Your new car might be more advantageous when you have to start driving to your new company's office (which is further away) to keep fuel costs down. A new car might make more sense after you have paid off other debts or saved a certain dollar amount. The could becomes more of a strategy and plan development when you look at the when and why components.


4. Transform your should and could's to wills, when's, why's or later decisions. If you formalize and bring these shoulds and coulds  to the next phase you will allow more space for things to happen.

5. Erase your negative should and could's from your mental and verbal vocabulary.  Sometimes we have stuck should and could's which can not be easily transformed into action or do not warrant further thought about.

For Example:

I should have said  ..... instead of ......
I could have read the directions three times and caught my mistake (after improperly assembling a complex piece of furniture)


Spend some time working on your should and could's and you will likely transform your life.

Look Elsewhere

What does looking elsewhere have to do with transition? Sometimes we focus too much on inner selves that we neglect to take a good look at the environment and people around us.

Here is a reminder:


Look at People
Who are the people who make your day special? They can be your family members, friends, neighbors and of course your pets. People can also be the providers of service we routinely count on. By focusing on them instead of our "self" we can change our attitude, learn new things and move forward.   

Look at Places
Take some time to observe where you are. Look at the buildings, trees and sky. Our visual senses can bring us great relief from every day sameness. Look with new "eyes" and really see where you are. 



Look at Things
Spend some time looking at your surroundings with deeper vision. Really look at the mug on your desk. Observe the stapler. Contemplate your phone. When we look with intent we often see things in a brand new light.


Looking elsewhere is one of the ways to make a transition in your thoughts, attitude and  mindset.

Another method is by listening. You may find this previous post about sound helpful. Stillness and Silence.


Let me know how some of these exercises go in transitioning your mind.

Transition Your Thinking

Your thinking determines your mood, attitude and your choices. How are you thinking today?


Cloudy or Clear Thinking

Thinking Outside the Box

Bottom Up Vs. Top Down

Non Thinking as a Strategy

Under thinking

Over thinking


For more thoughts on thinking visit Terry's Thinking - A blog about thinking.

Being Positive in a Negative World

It is hard to stay positive when we are filled with negativity. Recently I've noticed more negative conversations around the world's water coolers. How can we remain or become positive?

Choose Positive Media and Messages
Avoid watching too much daily television news. Look instead at situational comedies. Seek out positive television shows or series. Stop watching so much television and read an uplifting book instead.

Smile more
Individuals who smile are more likely to be received in a positive light. In others words, we get what we give.

Be Positive where you can
Say thank you, your welcome and really mean it . Work on your inflections.

Appreciate and Play with your Pets
Pet's are great stress relievers. Spend some time watching or hanging out with them.


Realize you can't necessarily change the world but you can change yourself and your attitude.

Books on Transition

Books on transition are very diverse and cover a wide range of topics. Here is a suggestion:

Changing Jobs or Careers
Between Trapezes by Gail Blanke is an excellent book on making changes between jobs, careers or life stages. This book highlights eight individuals going through major life transitions, primarily in mid stream in their careers. This book has a few good takeaways. Give it a try if you are thinking about changing your line of work.

Forgiving Oneself

Last week I had an unwelcome surprise. While walking my dog, I slipped and broke my ankle. At the onset, while I was in a good amount of pain, I also spend a fair amount of time, internally scolding myself for my foolishness.

Looking back, I see that I may have experienced twice as much "pain", more than I really needed. My "slip slide" on the pavement was a mistake, not by intention. Sometimes we let our guard down and things just happen.

The ankle is healing, and I am hobbling along. From this experience, I know I will again be more wary of the puddles in my path and the way I treat myself when I make a mistake.

Transitioning to Having Children

One of life's biggest transitions is going from being without a child to having one. Having a child changes many things:

1) No longer is there just "you" to plan for. You have another life to care for and cherish.

2) Having a child often makes you more aware of your mortality.

3) Having a child changes some of your perspectives, outlook and choices

4) No matter how old your child becomes, they are still your child in your heart.


Enjoy parenthood. Realize and accept there will be many challenges and changes in your life.

900 Days at Sea

Do you ever feel you are adrift in the ocean of your life? Sometimes when we get lulled in the complacency of everyday waves of life we lose sight of where we are headed. We are usually most often adrift when we are out of touch with who we are and where we are going.

Going out drifting can be unwise if we do not have a map or a chart. Sure, we can enjoy a few days of "just being" but if we venture into waters unknown we can be pushed upon the rocks and shoals of life.

To get redirected and back on course, we need to stop and take careful inventory. The four questions we need to begin asking is:

Who are we?

What have we to give?

Where shall we spend our days upon this planet?

Who would be good and interesting passengers on our boat of life?

For the last 900 days, a sailor has been on an ocean voyage without resupplying or stopping.The original destination day 1000 - However the planned return to New York harbor in April of 2010 may be extended a few more weeks or months due to winter weather. It has been fun being a visitor to the 1000 day at sea blog and tracking this unique and interesting journey.

If you like to read and want to take another sea journey you can read the classic book Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum.

Revisiting The Challenge of Change

Change is hard, change is never easy. The only thing constant of course is CHANGE.

Charles Kettering who was an American electrical engineer and manufacturer in the late 1900's said "The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress".

Goethe, the German poet and dramatist said "Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for change".

Given the insight of the ages, it is helpful to understand the steps involved in change. First step is problem recognition. Sometimes problems just arrive and hit us on the head. Other times, a nagging feeling gives us a sense of things to come.

The second thing to do when examining change is to identify the causes. What exactly caused this? Sometimes the cause is simple, other times a complex series of events created the change. The third step is going through the change. Change, when possible, is most often most comfortable when we implement it ourselves. Often case this is not what happens. Change happens then we change. Finally we need to evaluate the changes we have undertaken.

Change is a laboratory for self and organizational growth. Although we may fear it, it is best to embrace it and learn from it. Change is hard, change takes work but in the end we grow.

I originally wrote this article in the late 1990's and then posted this article on my Transition Your Life blog in October of 2007. Somethings are worth revisiting and contemplating for new lessons, insights and thoughts.

Transitions Through Your Life

Over the last few months, I been describing stages in the adult life. Here is a recap of the stages and links to the posts.


Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age
Transition Your Life - Golden Age
Transition Your Life - Senior Age
Transition Your Life - Elderhood

Stillness and Silence

We are always surrounded by noise. Even the quietest of spaces have noises. To quiet our minds we sometimes need to quiet our space. To begin the quiet process we need to sit still and just be.

While you are reading this on the screen you are likely hearing the hum of your computer's fan or having the din of some music you may be playing in the background. Perhaps you are wiggling on your chair, or handling some of the objects around your desk.

Try an exercise of stillness. It is unlikely to be easy, it is unlikely to be pure silence, but you may be able to do half of this exercise.

Silence and stillness usually bring us the freedom to begin inner retrospection.

You could try listening to a short nature sound the same one every day, for a week to see if it relaxes your mind and opens you up to new possibilities.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

Transition Your Life - Elderhood

This is the sixth and final in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in Elder years (age 80 - 100+).

Transitioning to patriarch or matriarch of family
Transitioning to a retirement or assisted living community
Transitioning to having help or occasional assistance
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of loved one and friends
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to physical restrictions and limitations
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to family historian
Transitioning to simpler lifestyle
Transitioning to fewer hobbies and interests


See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age
Transition Your Life - Golden Age
Transition Your Life - Senior Age

Looking at Different

People can be very inventive. Some people have the natural ability to be outside of the box thinkers.

You may enjoy visiting this Museum of Unintended Use blog, developed by a Science Journalist who lives in the Netherlands.

What can you contribute?

The Journey

Today marks the official entry into my third year of blogging. I began in August of 2007 with the goal to "learn how to blog" and have a good time. My original first post was an introduction of my concept.

Blogging has been a delightful journey. Along the way I have been:

• Improving my technology skills
• Making new friends
• Finding out new ideas and concepts
• Learning that blogging is a great way to express one's very being

In addition to the above, I have taken a few courses and even given a presentation on the concept of blogging to my fellow non-fiction writer's group.

Last year, I also began a second blog Terry's Thinking. This is a blog that keeps you up to date on trends, thoughts and issues regarding productivity, organization and general business practices.

This being the start of my third year of blogging, I want to let you know I will continue to explore the in's and out's of change with you on an almost weekly basis. I will also take some time to help us enjoy the journey during transitions whether they are by choice or by chance.

P.S. I am also open to suggestions regarding content within the realm of the topic.

Stuck and Stagnant

Life sometimes pulls us into the dismal pond of stagnation.

Stagnation is painful, messy and like quicksand can suck us down into the depths of despair. Stagnation happens to everyone at some point or another. The pond is usually stinky and the time spent in it is not pleasant. Remember it won't be forever, although, it may seem like it at the time.


How can we get out of the pond of stagnation?


1. First, realize we are in the pond!

2. Take stock of the good things going on, despite the mess we are in.

3. Take the focus off ourselves and pay attention to the world for a while. We can do this by reading a book, researching something new, by walking and taking in the scenery.

4. Smile even though we may not want to. Our smiling disposition will likely bring more positive attention to us rather than the continuity in our negative state.

5. Seek out and utilize a variety of help and guidance. This may include reconnecting to our faith, trusted friends and even seeking out the help of professionals.

How have you handled stagnation?

Listen to Grow

Change is hard, listening may be even harder. When we are changing we may find ourselves having to find more time to listen. Listening takes energy.

Finding the right people to listen to is not easy. Missteps are usually found along this path. The best method for selecting good "listening" is to go with your intuition. Listening to a person who is soothing might be good, yet they can lull us into a stasis, state of complacency or even a paralysis of indecision. Listening to someone who causes us major anxiety may not be a good choice either. However, sometimes the individual's who causes us minor anxiety and inner turmoil are helping us develop new thoughts, thinking patterns and helping us change.

Listen to learn, listen to grow. Change will come.

Who do you plan on listening to?

Transition Your Life - Seniorhood

This is the fifth in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in senior adulthood (age 70 - 90).

Transitioning to a smaller home or retirement living
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to patriarch or matriarch of family
Transitioning to retirement
Transitioning to part time or volunteer work
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker role for adult child or grandchildren
Transitioning to having married children/grandchildren and in-law relationships
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to common aging conditions (vision and mobility concerns)
Transitioning to family historian
Transitioning to new hobbies and changing interests

See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age
Transition Your Life - Golden Age

Keep Calm and Carry On

Sometimes we need a mantra to get us through the day. The slogan Keep Calm and Carry On was developed at the start of World War II.

You can find out more about the poster and it's history from the British bookstore that found it in a dusty box of books purchased at an auction.

Liminal Times

When we transition we will likely go through the liminal phase. Liminal being part of Limen which is the Latin word meaning "a threshold".

The word Liminal has at least three definitions:

1) of or relating to a sensory threshold
2) barely perceptible
3) of or relating to, or being an intermediate state, phase or condition

When have you experienced a liminal state or phase?

Transition Your Life - Golden Age

This is the fourth in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in adulthood (age 60 - 72).

Transitioning to a smaller home
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to approaching retirement
Transitioning to retirement
Transitioning to career change
Transitioning to job loss
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker for parent(s)or grandchildren
Transitioning to having college age children
Transitioning to having married children and in-law relationships
Transitioning to changing relationships with your parents (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to adult)

What other transitions do you think happen during this time period?

See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age

Visual Vacations

Today I ran across a fun video. This video is a nice colorful escape. Look for the action to begin at about the 38 second mark.

Extreme Sticky Note Experiments


For some of the previous escapes I've featured - here are some fun links:

Type City

A Tour Worth Taking

Music and Clips Worth Watching

Get Your Creativity Cooking

Creativity is not always at hand when we need it most. This is especially true when we are cooking up a transition in our lives. Sometimes we need to try to be extra creative, so we can get some new ideas that set us on our way.

The secret to being creative is trying to simply "be". Being isn't easy. It takes time. This time includes practice, persistence and above all, patience.

Here are six "be" concepts which can be done or not done. These ideas are in no particular order.

1. Be still
2. Be moving around
3. Be aware of your senses
4. Be willing to temporarily close out some of our senses
5. Be in a different environment
6. Be in our normal environment by just hanging in there with a different frame of mind

Let's think of creativity as a salad for those in the Northern hemisphere, and a soup, for those in the Southern hemisphere. It takes a few good ingredients to make a soup or salad special. Try a mixture of the ideas from numbers 1 - 6.

Let me know if you cook up any new ideas. You will be well on your way to preparing something good before long.

Take A Desk Vacation

No time for a real vacation this month? If you want to go on Desk Vacation without leaving your desk - Here is a next to perfect strategy.

First, clear your desk, and empty your email box. Let your phone go to voice mail. Turn off the cell phone. - get ready to go.

Now the reward:

Each of these blogs provide great photos and reader story experiences. The way they are written makes you feel part of their environment.


Scotland - Claire's Garden
Alaska - Living in Tok, Alaska
Greece - Santorini
At Sea - 1000 days at sea

Do you have any other recommendations?

Transition Your Life - Middle Age

This is the third in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in adulthood (age 40 - 60).

Transitioning to a moving to a new home or neighborhood
Transitioning to a smaller or larger home
Transitioning to grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to approaching retirement
Transitioning to career change
Transitioning to job loss
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker for parent(s)or grandchildren
Transitioning to empty nesters
Transitioning to having teenagers
Transitioning to having college age children
Transitioning to having married children and in-law relationships
Transitioning to changing relationships with your parents (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to adult)

See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood

Sluggish Starts

Not all new project start fast and furious. Some projects are doomed to sluggish starts. Here are some strategies to surpass the sluggish qualities.

Strategy 1) Start with a clear vision of what you want or need to do. Take some time to sit and write out what you want or need to accomplish. This sounds simple, but defining a clear vision is often the part that gets skipped.

Strategy 2) Know what you don't have to do. This is especially important and often overlooked while one is moving forward. You can keep the decks clear of procrastination and inconsequential parts of the project by figuring out what you don't have to do,. Recently I wrote a post on my other blog - The Importance of What's Missing. This article may help you consider knowing what you don't have to do on a deeper level.

Strategy 3) Select a time when you will work on the project. This time needs to be held sacred. Sit and start for at least an hour. This may help you get past your block or resistance.

Strategy 4) Some projects don't have deadlines. Making a deadline helps one be more productive. Break your project into sections and give yourself a timetable for completion. This may be something you can do alongside Strategy three.


I have two earlier posts that relate to projects - Check them out when you are reaching the middle or end of a project.

Muddled in The Middle
Eeking it Out at The End

Transition Your Life - Adulthood

This is the second in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in adulthood (age 30 - 40).

Transitioning to having a child
Transitioning to having a teenager
Transitioning to accepting infertility
Transitioning to a new skill or hobby
Transitioning to the loss of parent(s) or loved ones
Transitioning to the loss of a relationship
Transitioning to a career change
Transitioning to new neighbors
Transitioning to having a chronic health condition
Transitioning to new home
Transitioning to job loss
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to financial losses/financial gains
Transitioning to changing relationships with your parents (adult to adult)


Life is a journey, you don't have to go it alone. Having a transition coach can be the best decision and investment you can make.

See also Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood

Eking It Out at the End

When we reach the near end of a project or activity, distractions seem to find us. In our eagerness to move on to the next thing, we may lose focus on the current assignment and spend too much time concentrating on the next thing. Staying focused is often hard towards the end.

The reasons we have difficulty are:

1) We want to move on the next project, adventure or assignment. In some fields this is called "short timers syndrome".

2) We know moving on means changing our daily routine or work patterns. We may like our current day and this new upcoming day or life may be hard to imagine.

3) We know moving on will mean new or different relationships with people, places or things.


Some strategies for moving on at the end of a project or assignment are:

Strategy 1 - Stay focused. Think about the present not the future.

Strategy 2 - Enjoy your last days or weeks with your present situation and acknowledge and appreciate the familiar routines and daily patterns.

Strategy 3 - Avoid procrastination activities and bring the best you can to the current work or assignment.

Strategy 4 - Take care of your physical self. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy diet.

If you have just finished eeking it out, what advice or strategies do you have to offer?


See also: Muddled in the Middle

Look for an upcoming post on Sluggish Starts - How to Get Going.

Transition Times - Early Adulthood

This is the first of a series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the early transition periods. They often occur in early adulthood (age 18 to age 35).

Transitioning to college
Transitioning to job seeker
Transitioning to first "real" job
Transitioning to couple
Transitioning to engaged person
Transitioning to newly married
Transitioning to unemployed
Transitioning to new career path
Transitioning to relocating to a new city or town
Transitioning to further education
Transitioning to the loss of a loved one
Transitioning to new friends
Transitioning to a new or newly diagnosed chronic health condition
Transitioning to first home
Transitioning to expectant parent(s)
Transitioning to having a newborn
Transitioning to having a toddler
Transitioning to having a school age child

While not everybody experiences all of these phases, most individuals within the 18 -35 year age range will experience at least two to four of these.

Transitions are not easy, they take courage, perseverance and sometimes tenacity.

Time for Fun

Let's talk about having fun. Fun is something we all need to take seriously. After all, all work and no play is what makes a day dull and us boring.

How can you have fun Today? How can you make fun everyday a priority? Having fun is different for each of us. For some it may be reading a book, watching a favorite TV show, going for a walk or spending time talking on the phone to a friend or family member.

It is important to set some time for fun when we are overloaded with a long "to do list" or complex project. It may seem like a misuse of our time but the "fun break" or "Fun out" will make us more productive in the long run.

When we schedule in fun, we maintain a good balance in our life.

So what fun are you planning today?


Related Earlier Posts -

See Seek to Enjoy All Things
See Recess
See Finding Brilliance in a Dull Day

Muddled in the Middle

Sometimes we are just stuck. Like stuck in the mire of things. We don't know which way to go. Just like in nature, it can happen within ourselves.

Being "muddled in the middle" is uncomfortable and irritating. It makes us cranky and confused. After all, being muddled, is not a nice place to be.

Getting unstuck takes time. Sometimes it takes getting a new attitude or perspective.

Here are some strategies:

Strategy 1 - Realize it takes time to get unstuck, time has to pass.

Strategy 2 - Forgive yourself for being in the middle. Stop fussing and just be.

Strategy 3 - Watch out for procrastination distractions. Know what your usual procrastination activities are and limit them. Too much time spent procrastinating will prolong your muddled time.

Strategy 4 - Make time for fun. Muddled time requires "funouts" - a "funout" is like a timeout but instead of being a time of punishment it is time spent having fun.

Strategy 5 - Don't go it alone. Talk to a trusted friend or your coach about being in the middle. Just the act of talking about it may help you pass well though this stage of life.

If you are in the middle of the muddle, what advice do you have to share?

New Math

A site to get you thinking is New Math. Don't worry, it is not complicated. It features concepts that are explained in simple division, subtractions, multiplication and addition.

This is similar to a site I discussed last year on my blog. Think about the site Indexed without the graphics.

Spring is a time to clear the cobwebs from our minds. We spend time spring cleaning when the weather gets warmer. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, cooler weather brings the desire to study more, and learn new things. The site New Math can inspire you no matter where you live or at least start you on some tangential thinking to transition your mind or life.

Taxing Times

Sometimes we feel spent around this time of year, especially if we are still working on getting our taxes completed. If you made it to this site, it may mean one of three things:

1) You are putting off completing your taxes
2) You are done with your taxes this year
3) You are looking to do something different next year

Often we repeat the same process every year, by procrastinating and by being on what I'd like to call "auto pilot". Auto pilot makes us unproductive, and because of this we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Making a change is taking a chance by doing things differently. It starts by turning off our auto pilot. We need to think things through and evaluate things before they become our actions.

Now I may be preaching to the choir if you have already submitted your taxes. However, we all go on auto pilot from time to time. This begs the question, "What would you like to transition in your life?"

Take a moment and send me a comment, let me know how you are doing - Taxes done, taxes not done, taxes or if you are experiencing taxing times.

Seek to Enjoy all Things

Seek to enjoy all things, rather than possess all things. This may be a derivative of Franciscan beliefs regarding poverty and possessions.

During this economic climate, the philosophy above may be a way to survive and thrive.

Imagine seeing things differently: collecting and enjoying what you have around you.

I have just started to follow the blog - "Ernie Tuck". Professor Ernest Tuck of Colorado, USA doesn't seek to collect things, rather he collects ideas. In recent times, he has collected the concept of the sensation of wind, the number four and common experience.

Another blog that seems to bring this concept to reality is 1000 days at sea, now celebrating 700 days at sea without resupplying or restocking. This trip shows that one can make do with what one has around them.

What things are you collecting without having to have in your physical possession?

Resizing Your World

When in transition we often shrink our daily contacts down to the less stressful, more peaceful ones. We do this for self protection and to also help make our days calmer. Going through transition takes peace, quiet and often solitude.

Transition is a time to try new things and acquaint ourselves with new people and new ideas. Finding new people isn't always that easy but often times this is when we go back to our roots and seek out those who meant something to us in terms of friendship and personal and professional development. This needs to be done selectively and carefully. Missteps are abound here if you don't set personal boundaries with yourself on this adventure.

Resizing your world takes time and careful thought. Sometimes it time to shrink the contact list and other times it is time to grow and expand the list.

Whatever time it is for you, take it careful and slow. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day.

Note: This is a repeat post of a 2007 post.

Mistakes Happen

Mistake happen to us all. Mistakes are especially prevalent when when we are new or transitioning to an activity or new process.

Jane Cahill Pfeiffer, a visible business leader in the 1960's and 1970's was quoted as saying "It is not easy, but you have to be willing to make mistakes. And the earlier you make those mistakes, the better.”

The best lesson I have ever learned was that I am human and can make mistakes. Forgiving myself for my less than perfect behavior has released me from any unhealthy and pointless personal upset.

The other important lesson I've learned is to consciously learn from my mistakes and try not to consistently repeat the same one's.

Let us accept that mistakes happen even to the best of us. The key about mistakes is to learn and grow from them. Use them as a catalyst for growth not a stone on the back to carry or throw at someone else.

Three Ways to Change your Attitude

Change and transition's are generally difficult. If you have been involuntarily made to change, a change of attitude may make a big difference.

Three ways to change or transition your attitude:

1. Try looking at things with a perspective outside of yourself.
2. Visualize a good outcome and rethink strategically how to get to that place.
3. Be grateful you have to experience this discomfort and appreciate the insightful lesson's you will learn.
   

Growth comes from change. Start with changing your attitude. You will enjoy the journey much more.

Imagine Your Obituary

Imagine your obituary. What will it read?

I came across Fodey -a site that generates a small newspaper image. I used Fodey to create a fictitious obituary for Complacent Indifference. This is a bit of creative license taken from a variety of print articles that have appeared over the years about Somebody Else and Nobody. These articles are often used in non profit organizations to motivate people to volunteer. These stories often go under the title That's Not My Job and Who's Job Is It? and have the author "unknown".

What does all this have to do with transitioning your life? You can get off the sofa, do something, start something, read something, or try something and transition the "nobody" in you to "somebody really special".

Going Forward

Researching and learning new things takes time. Often it is two steps forward and one step back. We learn in little bits and pieces.

Being willing to learn is the first step. Being willing to fail is also an important piece of learning new things.
Remember a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step.

What one step can you take to begin your new journey?

Finding brillance in a dull day

Today it rained. It really rained. And then it poured. And like a true Californian I say, "we really needed the rain."

One of the nicest things was the occasional "sun breaks" we had that glimmered down from the sky. Making a winter rainy gray day, special.

Looking and seeing something outside the ordinary is what makes our daily life enjoyable. Look for the little things. They add up.

I hope you see something special each day.

Stop Procrastinating

Procrastinating, we all do it from time to time. I just spent some "extra time" surfing the web and came across this fun site. Of course I took the time to create my own wordle - here is what I anonymously created.



If you really are procrastinating, think about visiting my website at www.terryprince.com

A Tour worth Taking

A couple of days ago I ran across this wonderful clip that was made to celebrate the 25th year of the publishing company - Fourth Estate - a division of Harper Colins. The creativity and animation is wonderful. It was created by Apt Studios, and filmed by ASYLUM films's to celebrate 25 years.



This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.


Take a look and enjoy.

Fourth Estate has a blog called 5th Estate if you want to see their current books and info.

If you like this little adventure you might also want to go back to my August 17, 2007 post about Type City and take a tour.

Swimming in the Deep End

Yes, it is winter here in the northern hemisphere, but something struck me as being relevant. Swimming in the deep end.

Years ago when I was in my teens, my family and I went for a sail in Long Island Sound with some family friends. I had years of practice swimming off various beaches and in a variety of swimming pools, but I had never been really been over my head. When we sailed, we were invited to go swimming. "Jump in" they said, and so I did. It wasn't but a few seconds till I realized, it was likely that I could not touch the bottom.

When we go out and do something different, we often experience that moment of being over our head. We feel unsure and nervous, but if we do some of the things we already know, we get through it.

Change is certainly like that.

"New" Year Resolution

In 2009, I resolve to search for "New". I am a fan of "New", but I am someone who does not always like to learn "New".

Learning "New" means taking time to search, practice and remember. When working with "New" one often makes mistakes, takes missteps and encounters frustrating obstacles. "New" is not always nice and "New" is not always better.

Therefore, I will work on "New" using a mental colander. I will strain out the bad and unworthy, keeping only the good and helpful "New".