WRITING: TIME-WISE
Where do Friends and Family Rank?
Aug 02
Oct 02
Jan/Feb 03
Apr 03
Jun 03
Aug 03
Oct 03
Jan/Feb 04
Jul 04
Oct/Nov 04
Jan 05
Mar/Apr 05
Jun 05
Sep 05
Dec 05
Mar/Apr 06
Jul/Aug 06
Jan/Feb 07
Spending $1440 a Day (Aug 02)
What can’t be bought, built or banked, and once it’s gone it can’t be replaced? That’s right… time!
We all have the same amount… always have, always will. Yet some folk accomplish so much, while others crash onto the pillow at the end of the day wondering where the hours went. Ask yourself honestly: how well do you spend your days?
One way to ensure you’re spending your time effectively is to ‘spend’ your time. Imagine getting $1440 each morning when you wake. Wouldn’t that be nice? But then if it takes you half an hour to get out of bed after the alarm has gone off, it costs you $30! Was that money well spent? How about the two hours in a meeting? That set you back $120, with no chance of a refund!
You’ve probably guessed there are 1440 minutes in each day. With so many time-thieves today (do you cringe when you hear ‘have you got a minute?’ because you know it’ll be longer than that?), by mentally giving the minutes a dollar figure can help focus your efforts. Don’t forget to leave $400-$500 aside for sleeping!
By the way, I appreciate you spending $5 to read Kiwi Stride!
“Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today, because if you
enjoy it today you can do it again tomorrow.”
James A. Michener
'Tis Nearly the Season (Oct 02)
Brace yourself… hold onto your hat… Christmas is coming! Events to attend, shopping to do, food to organise and people to visit. Do you love or loathe this time of year?
I realise it’s only October, but now is the ideal time to impart my hottest festive season time-tip: start thinking now!
Chances are you know already who you need to prepare gifts for. Write down their names. Now stick that list where the recipients won’t stumble across it, spoiling the surprise - your wallet, diary or sun visor of the car.
The object is to keep those people in mind, and jot down ideas for gifts when they come to you. Often people drop hints during conversation, or reveal a new hobby or interest that can lead to very thoughtful presents. Mailbox flyers, magazines and catalogues often include ideas for that perfect pressie.
This saves a tonne of time as Christmas fast approaches. There’s no fighting the crowds as you wander the shops, hoping for last-minute inspiration. There’s no laying awake at night fretting over what Little Sister will think of that fluro t-shirt you bought on impulse. You can budget for the purchase, wait for it to be reduced, or put it on layby.
Removing the self-imposed pressure to find something at short notice (ever done it Christmas Eve?) lets your creativity surface. You’ll be amazed at how quick and stress-free your festive shopping can be!
“Organising is what you do before you do something, so that when
you do it, it’s not all mixed up.”
A.A.
Milne
Where do Friends and Family Rank? (Jan/Feb 03)
In a recent issue of Reader’s Digest, two members of the clergy wrote:
“We asked kids during December to name the very best gift they could receive. Their answer took our breath away. The overwhelming choice was ‘More time with my mum and dad.’ “
A feature last week in my regional paper described the work and life of a local surgeon. In it, his adult son explained what it was like growing up with a man working 80 to 100 hours each week:
“A lovely home. All the latest cricket equipment. Fabulous holidays… all (I) ever wanted was a father.”
In this time of international uncertainty, and ever-increasing focus on material ‘stuff’, are we losing sight of the importance of friends and family?
“Family faces are magic
mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present
and future. We make discoveries about ourselves.”
Gail Lumet Buckley
Seven Top Tips (Apr 03)
Stride's Seven Top Time-Saving Tips
ONE
Get more sleep by facing your alarm clock away from the pillow. If you wake during the night, it doesn't matter what the time is! You only need to know the alarm hasn't gone off, therefore it isn't time to rise, so just roll over and keep snoozing...
TWO
Jot down in your diary any mileage, spending or charging as it happens. Then at the end of the week, it's quick and easy to update your accounts or balance the chequebook.
THREE
Ask yourself... is watching this TV programme / playing this computer game / surfing this website getting me closer to my goal?
FOUR
Have a home for important items - keys, phones, money - so you don't waste time searching for them.
FIVE
Decide in the morning what to have for dinner that night, so that frozen items can be thawed during the day.
SIX
Treat an email like a hot-potato: throw it out of your in-box! Use it (reply immediately), Choose it (decide which folder to store it in), or Lose it (delete!).
SEVEN
If you have clothes in your closet that you're not going to wear again (come on, be honest... are they uncomfortable? wrong size? worn out? unflattering?) then make someone's day and give them away.
“Time wastes our
bodies and our wits, but we waste time, so we are quits.”
Verse and 'Worse
The Time of Your Life... (Jun 03)
When did you last have the 'time of your life'?
A long-awaited trip... your wedding day... last weekend's party... spending time in nature... the possibilities are endless!
Was yours an event or an activity? Did you share it with someone else, or experience it alone? Are you likely to ever repeat the feelings that came with it?
Chances are your mega-enjoyable happenings don't happen every day... am I right? If so, what are you doing to make your 'normal' time rewarding?
I often ask my clients what they enjoyed about the week just gone. Many can't think of anything they did that made them smile!
Now, chances are they did do things they enjoyed, but just weren't aware of the 'good stuff'. They were focused on getting through another "grinding week of stress / deadlines / pressure / conflict / boredom".
[ And if you're now thinking "the best thing about the week is Friday / the weekend / payday"... you're still lacking some tangible enjoyment, so keep reading! ]
Many times, it's the little things that turn a day golden. A hot bath, reading a book, writing a letter, hearing from a friend, the sunset, warm slippers or chocolate.
When your antenna is set for an awareness of the little things, you'll be surprised at how good life can seem! You may never recall what the emergency at work was, but a child's smile can be etched in your memory forever.
Me? I enjoy laughing. Check out the comic 'Calvin and Hobbes' at www.ucomics.com/calvinandhobbes. It's my favourite!
“The foolish
person seeks happiness in the distance; the wise person grows it under
his feet."
James Oppenheim
Waiting Patiently (Aug 03)
[ This is an article from Suzanne Falter-Barns' e-zine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did... Stuart ].
Patience
Today's essay is all about waiting patiently. Before you roll your eyes, stifle a yawn, and keep on scrolling, hear me out … for there really is a marvellous benefit to all that patience.
Namely, you get to live your dream.
We all know that dreams take time to develop and fulfil. You may find yourself waiting for years for something that may or may not ever even happen. That's just the way it is when it comes to dream pursuit … and it isn't always easy.
Perhaps you recently flung yourself down on your bed, sobbing, because the fortieth rejection of your novel arrived. Or you might have decided to live on your credit card for six months while you try to get a break as an actor, and now creditors are calling. You could even be the person who just can't stay awake long enough at night to get your new business plan written … so you're convinced your dream just plain won't ever happen.
Yet, I am here to say it will. AS LONG AS you are supremely patient, and remember these few basic truths about successful dream pursuit.
1. You must grow into your dream.
Believe it or not, just because you have the dream and are busily pursuing it, doesn't mean you're capable of living it yet. That only happens when you've become comfy enough with your personal power to fully inhabit your dream, and do what it requires.
The sometimes slow process of fulfilling your dream actually trains you to do hard things, like handle rejection, take risks, become more intimate with others, and use your full creative powers. Meanwhile, the Universe will kindly protect you from receiving all that good stuff until you are ready.
2. Stop being patient and have fun, instead.
This is the only real reason there is to pursue your dream. Because the work feels guided, somehow, and personally validating; because it feels as if this is what you were born to do. And so, such work becomes one of the most fun and compelling things in your life.
Concentrate on doing what your gut tells you to do, and dig into the process with relish. That takes your mind off the calendar, and then your work no longer feels so pressured.
3. Drop your expectations.
Life is only really fulfilling when we let it surprise us. And dreams can do so wonderfully well. Yet, in order to be surprised, you have to let go of the clenched urge to know just how things are going to turn out. You have to give up control; you cannot, nor will you ever, be able to predict results. Heavy expectations usually leave you disappointed, not to mention creatively constipated.
4. Keep the faith … and stay open.
And yet … sometimes bad results happen. Still, those can take you in unexpected directions that yield even greater rewards. Remember the story of Michelangelo's first job as an architect, on the façade of San Lorenzo (he got fired!) This brief setback actually led him to an entirely new career designing St. Peter's in Rome, and the Medici chapel, two of the greatest artistic achievements of that period.
5. Don't treat your emotions as facts.
On a cold day in February five years ago, I lay on my bed, sobbing, convinced I would never publish my self-help book, reach my readers, or find my way out of an ill-suited temp job that I hated. I soggily asked my husband if I should just chuck it all, and go back to work doing this very thing I hated fulltime. Fortunately for me, he told me to stop being hysterical and keep plugging away on my dream.
Five years later, I really am living my dream full time, simply because I didn't treat my momentary upset as factual proof that my dream was kaput. Remember - emotions are emotions; only facts are facts.
6. Don't compare your progress with anyone else's.
Your dream is not a test of your self-worth. Instead, it is the playground of your soul, as well as your spiritual mission in life. So treat it as such, and stop playing the big shame tape every time someone else you know accomplishes more than you do.
In fact, another person's achievements have nothing to do with your path, your dream, and your karmic lessons in life. Assuming that they mean anything is simply a trick of your mind. So stop comparing, and get back to work.
7. Remember how little you know.
I contend that our dreams are here for us to seize in small, digestible chunks. If we could really see the larger picture, and know where we'd be in five, ten or twenty years, we'd become overwhelmed instantly. So take what information you do get, and humbly stay your course. Just because it seems like nothing's ever going to happen DOES NOT MEAN that nothing ever will. It just means that today, that's how things look.
In other words, remember … you haven't got a clue how this dream thing will turn out, and you can take all kinds of comfort in that, especially if you're busy having fun!
[ Reprinted with permission from Suzanne Falter-Barns'
free ezine, The Joy Letter (Copyright, 2003, Suzanne Falter-Barns.)
To subscribe, go to
http://www.howmuchjoy.com/joyletter.html ]
"The key to everything is patience. You get
the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it."
Arnold H. Glasow
Flavours of Chocolate (Oct 03)
Part of my presentation at the Southern Secretarial Summit was making the point that 'life is too short for bad chocolate'.
This means if you're doing something that's holding you back from where you want to be (or not doing what is needed to move you forward) then you're short-changing yourself.
In a nutshell, good chocolate is all about enjoying what you do, understanding what your hurdles are, and being true to your values.
Since we spend so much time working, I asked the attendees to describe what type of chocolate they are at work, and was surprised to find that nearly 60% thought of themselves as Dairy Milk: consistent, reliable, conscientious, dependable.
Another 16% used Pixie Caramel: long lasting but often directionless or without purpose. The remainder listed Caramello (soft inside), Moro (always on the go) and Peppermint (strong inside).
I'm wondering if these results reflect the audience (senior administrators, personal assistants and executive assistants), or do the majority of people see themselves as an unassuming, reliable Dairy Milk?
What chocolate flavour would you use to describe yourself at work, and why? Are you the same flavour at home?
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you
may look back and realise they were the big things."
Robert Brault
Setting Intentions (Jan/Feb 04)
Did you set a New Year's resolution?
Was it a success? Are you still practising what you decided to do - or not do? Can you even remember what it was you wanted to change?
At the end of 2003 I delivered a presentation called 'Resolve to have an awesome year - without resolutions', because generally I've found setting New Year's resolutions a big waste of time.
Why? Goals we set because we feel we 'should' are rarely strong enough to survive the first couple of hurdles - our heart just isn't in it.
The traditional 'smoking / health / fitness / new job / nicer to other people' changes don't tend to be personal enough. We only tell ourselves "I really ought to..." because we've picked up that signal from other people, TV, family, movies, etc. We don't fully own the decision.
And then we get caught in a vicious circle of "oh well, I tried, but I just can't seem to quit / do it / find anything I like". Repeat next year.
So what's another option, instead of setting more low-energy, low-probability, deep-down-I-don't-really-care-about-this goals?
Set an intention.
An intention isn't SMART. (It's a clever wee thing, but it's not the anagram Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed). An intention is flexible, dynamic and open to creativity.
Think for a moment about something you'd really like to achieve, or how you'd like this year to feel...
What would it be like to know you're moving towards that goal, yet without the fear of failing to finish before a deadline? Or without the uncertainty of whether you'll actually enjoy the end result?
Many folk (and I'm one of them) are uncomfortable with over-structured goals. An intention, however, allows you to consider other options that may present themselves, all the while moving forwards (or beyond, or close to) your desired 'end picture'. In many cases, where you end up is even better than what you'd originally pictured!
Here's an example... becoming a coach has satisfied a couple of my long-term intentions: to be self-employed, and make a difference in other's lives. But when I started Stride, traditional business teaching encouraged me to define my target market, my niche (which I thought then was going to be young professionals).
Resisting the pressure to cement my niche, I took positive steps to grow my business, develop my skills and listen to what my heart told me I am good at, and interested in!
So when I realised the majority of my adult clients are females (40 years +), and my passion lies in making sure teenagers have self-awareness as they become adults, I admit I was surprised!
Having an intention allowed me to be flexible, creative and enjoy the journey, arriving somewhere unexpected yet awesome. I wasn't tied to a strict timeline that may have resulted in 'destination dissatisfaction'.
If you were to set an intention for 2004, what would it be?
"We all live under the same sky, but we don't have the same horizon."
Konrad Adenauer
Throwing Away Marbles (Jul 04)
I don't recall where I heard the story, but a recent birthday reminded me...
--//--
Once upon a time there was a silver-haired man talking to his adult grandson about daily schedules. He was amazed by how many hours the younger man worked, and how little he saw of his new family.
"When I was your age," the grandfather described, "I thought I had plenty of time to do everything I wanted to. But before I knew it, I was blowing out 40 candles on my cake! Where were the years going?!"
So to help me focus on the important stuff I went out and bought 1560 marbles. I figured I'd live to 70 years old, so those marbles represented the number of weeks I had left to enjoy this life."
Every Sunday morning I'd take one marble from the jar and ask myself if the week had been enjoyable and worthwhile. Then I'd throw the marble away."
It was strange watching the jar slowly empty, but reflecting each week on the positives brought me plenty of satisfaction."
I discarded the last marble earlier this year (do you remember my 70th birthday party?). It felt strange reaching my target. Now I'm living on borrowed time - what a bonus!"
--//--
Are you losing your marbles? (hahaha!)
Seriously though, are you spending your week on what's important, or urgent? Are you making choices or feeling helpless?
Now is the time to make changes to guarantee you'll feel satisfied when your jar finally empties...
"To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old."
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
When Is Your Xmas? (Oct/Nov 04)
'The Matrix' is one of my favourite movies. I really enjoy how it questions what we believe to be 'the truth'.
After all, it wasn't that long ago everyone thought the world was flat and the humble tomato was considered to be deadly poisonous.
While it doesn't happen overnight, our collective thinking can be moulded, reshaped and re-defined. Friends, family, science, business, the media - just some of the influences that exert power on our thinking.
So where did the belief that the Christmas season starts in November come from?
I was amazed to see festive decorations being put up around the city on the first of November this year - eight weeks before the big day!
Does such a long lead-up diminish the 'magic' of Christmas for you too? Are you growing skeptical that retailers are just trying to cash in on holidays more and more?
When do you feel Christmas-y? Is it decorating the tree, when you attend the carols or wrapping presents?
Is it hanging the first Christmas card, stringing lights or the smell of freshly baked fruit-cake? Maybe it's writing a letter to Santa?
Most folk have a favourite part of the coming season - don't let it get buried in the hussle and bussle of the retailing rush!
"The feeling of being hurried is not
usually the result of living
a full life and having no time. It is, rather, born of a
vague fear that we are wasting our life."
Eric Hoffer
Ignore the Clock (Jan 05)
Here's a hot tip for a better night's sleep, reinforced for me by a participant in my recent workshop:
Between your head hitting the pillow and the alarm going off, it doesn't matter what time it is!
You know how our brain kicks into gear when we look at the clock when we wake in the darkness? "Only three hours to go!", "I'm soooo tired", "Now tomorrow I have to do..." And then we wonder why we can't get back to sleep!
Step 1: Tell yourself you are going to sleep until your alarm goes off.
Step 2: Turn the face of the clock AWAY from the pillow, so if you do wake, you're not instantly bombed by the time.
Step 3: Trust that the alarm will in fact go off. Set a back-up (eg. mobile phone) if you feel the need to be doubly-sure.
Step 4: Train yourself (might take a week or two) to NOT look at the clock if you do wake up. Instead, tell yourself "the alarm's not going, therefore I can continue sleeping", roll over and keep snoring.
This simple process is guaranteed to give you a better night's sleep. Enjoy!
"For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work."
Doug Larson
Nothing Doing! (Mar/Apr 05)
When was the last time you did absolutely nothing?
No phone, no computer, no TV, no radio. Nothing.
For some people this is likely to be a very scary proposition. Within minutes they know they would start fidgeting, unable to sit and relax without something to hold their attention.
For others it would be most welcome. They would relish the chance to remove themselves from all distractions, all responsibilities, all interaction.
An amazing thing happens when you give yourself space to do nothing... your brain starts free-flowing!
That's right - you actually have the chance to think. No agenda, no to-do list, no pressing deadlines. If you want to consider 'life, the universe and everything', you can. If you want to mull over purpose, direction or goals, you can. Even 'what shall I get them for Christmas?' becomes easier, given space.
Or simply to daydream. What bliss!
Often we claim we're 'too busy!' to take time out to do nothing. Yet just as a field needs downtime to rejuvenate after harvest, our brain appreciates time to catch its breath and recharge its batteries.
Do you allocate time to relax and revive? Do you meditate, walk on the beach or sit in the garden? Is it a regular occurrence, or once in a blue moon?
Either way, what one thing could you do this week to give your brain a break?
"Everything starts as somebody's daydream."
Larry Niven
Whose Point of View? (Jun 05)
It didn't take very long at all, and even though I was expecting it, the speed did surprise me.
We were sitting in the lounge before dinner. It was a small group, and I'd only just met half of them for the first time. Conversation turned to how far people drive to reach their holiday destination.
I agreed that driving a long way can be an adventure, and mentioned that I'd driven across Canada, from Vancouver to Halifax. In the blink of an eye, the dialogue was back to how long it takes to drive from Invercargill to Picton (the length of NZ's South Island).
If I wasn't aware of what just happened, I would have have felt a bit put out. I would wonder why I wasn't questioned further about something important to me. I could feel a bit despondent and shy away from future conversations.
Listening. We all do it, yet so few people understand how to do it well. Most of us are guilty (at least some of the time!) of listening from our own point of view. We have our radar out for how the topic affects us...
"I've been going to gym for three months now." Do you think to yourself "I wish I had that perseverance!" or reply "I've only been going two months"? Me, me, me!
Imagine how valued and respected the speaker will feel if you listen to their point of view. Not to mention how much more you will learn!
"I've been going to the gym..." What response would you get if you thought (and asked) "How often do you go?", "What's your favourite class there?" or "Who do you go with?"
But now here's the magic. Go beyond considering their actions. Listen from their point of view. Put yourself in their shoes, and consider the feelings and emotions attached to their words.
"I've been going to the gym..." Why not try "How do you feel after the class?", "What prompted you to start?" or "What other benefits besides the physical has that produced?"
Listening is both a skill and an art. The good news is it can be learnt, practiced and enhanced. Just as well we've got two ears to share the load!
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view."
Harper Lee
Can You Lend A Hand? (Sep 05)
Remember when it was predicted that technology would save us time, reducing the amount of work we would do and increasing our leisure hours?
Why then do many of us today feel exhausted, run-off-our-feet and bewildered at what we try to cram into our week? We are running hard and gasping for breath in the 'human race'!
What's the mental and physical cost of this non-stop activity, as we each try to 'win'?
I know of one casualty... that of the Volunteer.
Across the country (and I would guess the world) sports games are being cancelled because referees and umpires aren't stepping forward.
Youth organisations like Scouts and Guides are turning children away because adults/parents aren't putting their hands up to be leaders or committee members.
And every year the cry goes out for help with charity collections for the likes of the RSA or Red Cross... and they struggle to get enough people.
What could have replaced the inner satisfaction of helping someone else, or playing a part in a worthy cause? Are we really so self-centred that doing our part for the community (beyond work!) no longer ranks very high?
What message is this shift to individualism giving the youth of today? Household chores are rewarded with pocket-money. Effort at school is acknowledged by fast-food treats. The "you must study hard and get good grades to get a high-paying job" message places the focus firmly on the material outcome, not the difference one person can make for another or the world at large.
Are you playing a role in society, other than working and consuming? What message are you giving your children, nieces, nephews or neighbours? Do they see you helping others for no apparent reason, or is your overwhelming focus work-related?
It needn't take a big chunk of time to be a volunteer. Every little bit helps and besides, chances are you'll enjoy it and feel better about yourself for the effort!
Imagine life if the Volunteer became extinct. Let's not allow that to happen...
"In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it."
Marianne Williamson
Time to Plan (Dec 05)
How long do you take to plan a 2-week holiday?
There's so many things to consider - accommodation, travel, clothes and equipment, activities, budget, insurance, contingency plans... phew!
A lot of time and effort can go into planning and executing the 'successful holiday' goal.
Why then do so many of us decide in a split second what to 'resolve' to do during the next year? Why is this so risky?
1. It may not be the most relevant goal to set. How well does it fit into our overall life-plan? Is it taking us away from equally important aspects... family, health, career?
2. Is it really our goal? Or do we believe we 'should' (quit smoking, get fit, be in a relationship...) because that's what everyone - including the TV - tells us?
3. It may be a 'Superman/woman' scenario - an alcohol induced sense of "I can do anything!"
Until our New Year Resolution is made consciously, fits well with our other life segments and is intensely personal, we are on the direct path to casting it aside at the first hurdle - usually before the end of January!
What time-frame should we give our resolutions? If it's a major goal that will take all year (like completing a next-summer fun-run), then break that down to smaller focus goals which can be reached within 12 weeks (eg. running non-stop around the block). Three months is how long we can concentrate on a goal before we lose interest.
Reached that focus goal? Let's set another 12-weeker, making sure it again moves us closer towards our big goal (eg. three times around the block).
Before we know it, we've achieved heaps!
Imagine trying to figure this out at 11.50pm on December 31. Take control of 2006 - take the time and plan it!
"You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth."
H.L. Mencken
Going 'Slow' (Mar/Apr 06)
How many times do you get asked "So, have you been busy?"?
You might be catching up with friends or the supermarket checkout operator is using their customer-service training. My question is: why are we placing such emphasis on how much we're doing?
I"ll bet you never get asked "So, have you had an efficient day?" or "Has your day been productive?" or "Where did your undirected contemplation take you today?"
It seems we're all too busy 'doing' to give time for 'being'.
I've just read a book which hits this nail on the head: In Praise of Slow by Carl Honore. He describes how a worldwide movement is challenging the 'cult of speed', and while not expecting everything to be done at a slower pace (after all, air travel is wonderful!) he does give examples of how speed without reason is counter-productive.
Take raising a family for example. Honore writes...
"Children increasingly pay a price for leading rushed lives. Kids as young as five now suffer from upset stomachs, headaches, insomnia, depression and eating disorders brought on by stress. Like everyone else in our 'always-on' society, many children get too little sleep nowadays. This can make them cranky, jumpy and impatient. Sleep-deprived kids have more trouble making friends. And they stand a greater chance of being underweight, since deep sleep triggers the release of human growth hormone.
"When it comes to learning, putting children on the fast track often does more harm than good. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that specialising in a sport at too young an age can cause physical and psychological damage. The same goes for education. A growing body of evidence suggests that children learn better when they learn at a slower pace.
"[One study of 120 preschoolers] found that children from the more relaxed, Slower environment turned out less anxious, more eager to learn and better able to think independently."
"American parents hoping to win a place in the right kindergarten send their four-year-olds to be coached on interview techniques," explains Honore. "London tutors take children as young as three."
"Intensification is not confined to schooling, either. In between lessons, many children dash from one extra curricular activity to the next, leaving them no time to relax, play on their own or let their imaginations wander."
Hmmm... how 'fast' are you? Do you take time to 'stop and smell the roses'?
If you found the above excerpt interesting, you'll love Honore's explanation of Slow food, cities, mind/body, medicine, sex, work and leisure. It's an excellent read.
"Patience is also a form of action."
Auguste Rodin
Fast or Slow? (Jul/Aug 06)
Remember when you were little how you used to count down the days (or 'sleeps'!) to your birthday, or Christmas, or end-of-term?
It seemed the anticipated event took a-g-e-s to come around. Time dragged.
Yet today when you look back at the year that's gone from the calendar already, you scratch your head and wonder where the months have disappeared to... time seems to be flying!
The way your mind plays tricks with time is part of the reason so many people fail to achieve their goals. It's called the Over-estimate / Under-estimate Theory.
Imagine you're all excited about a project or goal you're wanting to complete. You feel enthused, energised and positive at the prospect of starting a business / getting fitter / writing a book / redecorating... whatever!
You set yourself some milestones to work towards and gauge your progress, but very soon find that you don't seem to be reaching them as quickly as you'd planned. With these delays and setbacks, your energy wanes and before you know it, the goal is once again sitting gathering dust on the shelf.
It's common to over-estimate what you will achieve in the short term.
At the same time however, the potentially huge strides that will be achieved in the long term (step-by-step, incrementally, just like $1 in the bank gathering compound interest) are under-estimated.
A change of awareness at the start of the goal-setting journey is all it takes to cut yourself some slack and put your early efforts into big-picture context.
Remember - sometimes it takes a lot of initial effort to roll a snowball that's big enough to propel itself down the hill...
"It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop."
Confucius
Wheels in Motion (Jan/Feb 07)
Everything seemed to be in slow-motion, yet it all happened so fast.
It was a beautiful sunny morning and I was walking around a coastal pathway. Weekend drivers and lots of cyclists were whizzing along the road next to the track. Then a New Zealand flag fluttered past, flying high...
It was attached to a sporty wheelchair and the paraplegic man pumping the crank-handles had biceps like melons! He was doing his best to keep up with his two-wheeled friends.
Rounding a shrub-packed corner I had to step around a small dog. It was busy exploring something which to my nose wasn't very pleasant! I continued on, angling back towards the road.
Brakes squealed. Voices yelled. I spun on my heels to see the little dog now standing by the centre line - a monsterous 4-wheel-drive looming over it, stationary. The chair-bound athlete was trying vainly to turn his chariot around, its thin wheels sluggish in the roadside shingle.
There was a small wicker basket strapped behind his seat.
"I didn't realise he'd hopped out!" explained the man between frustrated calls to the I'm-ignoring-you canine. "That was a close call."
I grabbed his pet and dropped it into the basket. With his wheels finally back on the road, the man said "thanks" and the two glided out of sight, with the big blue flag waving me goodbye.
He wasn't wasting any time. He wasn't dwelling on what-could-have-been. He was making the most of what he could do, actively participating.
Are you?
"Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet."
Roger Miller
At Home : Body-Wise : Connecting : Money-Wise : Time-Wise
Home Parent Coaching Speaking Writing About Stuart Testimonials Shop Contact