Last month I had the deeply satisfying experience of getting together with five friends—who blog. That’s right. Instead of just a meet-up with other bloggers—I now consider them first and foremost to be friends. I walked away knowing that how we each blog is actually just the foundation for who we are as women, and what we value and appreciate. To me it is so interesting that although we are all very different people, with rather extremely different lives (not to mention blogs), we share something fundamental. It’s likely that when you start with such a connection there is almost an immediate sense of belonging. [Read more…]
Three Big Benefits That Yoga Offers Seniors And Everyone Else
Yoga is a benefit for all age groups!
This week I’m again happy to introduce you to another great blogger/writer named Jennifer Koshak. I first started following Jennifer’s blog Unfold and Begin several years ago because so many of her topics are about creativity, starting over, and trying new things–how SMART is that? Jennifer lives in Connecticut where she frequently teaches workshops on creating with Vision Boards. With a strong intention to help others make the most of mid-life and beyond, Jennifer writes with humor, insight and inspiration. A woman with many talents, Jennifer began teaching yoga in her 40s and taught seniors the many benefits of yoga for over ten years. Whether you’ve ever been to a yoga class, or consider yourself a senior or not, her insights are a good introduction to why yoga can be beneficial for us all.
On my blog Unfold & Begin I usually write about creativity, Vision Boards and writing. But because I used to be a yoga teacher, I’ve also written about teaching yoga to seniors. However when I did, it was more about how much I enjoyed teaching the classes—not the actual benefits. So today I am sharing the many values of yoga for seniors. [Read more…]
Sliding Doors – How Would Your Life Be Different If You Had Taken The Other Door?
This week I’m happy to introduce you to Erica Henault as my guest blogger while Thom and I are traveling. I started following Erica’s blog Behind The Scenery about a year ago and quickly discovered how seamlessly she fits into the SMART Living lifestyle. With a strong intention to grow, evolve, create and be thankful, Erica manages to help us all do the same. Thank you, Erica, for filling in for me and sharing some of your ideas about how every one of our choices can have a profound influence on the quality of our lives. Let’s never take any of that for granted!
I think many of us have reflected on the “sliding door” moments in our life. The what ifs? What might have been? How would my life be different now? I know I have. [Read more…]
Could Contentment Be The Treasure We All Seek?
A couple of weeks ago I cohosted a series of four podcasts with Kathe Kline of Rock Your Retirement. Kathe let me pick the topic of each of our discussions. After finding and selecting four articles I thought sounded intriguing, Kathe and I then spent 30 minutes discussing each of them from our individual perspectives. And although the podcasts are currently being edited and won’t be available until August, one of the topics stuck deeply in my mind. That topic is contentment. And while the word and concept sounds vaguely pleasant and benevolent, I must admit that I’m beginning to realize that I’ve overlooked its greater value and importance. [Read more…]
I’m Not As Smart As I Like To Think I Am
Many people who find SMART Living 365 through Google or other online search engines are looking for information about Smart technologies. Others might be attracted to the blog thinking it has to do with intelligence or doing the right thing. Yet, if you stick around and read an article or two, you quickly realize that SMART is actually an acronym for Sustainable-Meaningful-Aware-Responsible and Thankful—and those ideas are what I mainly explore here. Plus, now and then I come across information that ties brain science to awareness. So when I found a book at the library titled, You Are Not So SMART, how could I not check it out? My big take-away? Clearly I am not as smart as I like to think I am (none of us are really!) mainly because who we think we are, our memories, and how we see the world often has very little to do with reality. Another way of looking at it—believe or like it, or not—we are continually making it up! [Read more…]
What Is The Price Of Your Days?
I’ve been a big fan of Kahlil Gibran for most of my life. This quote is a favorite because it reminds me of how precious our time is and how necessary it is to treasure every single moment. With that in mind, Thom and I are enjoying our summer so far. How about you?
Reducing Stress And Anxiety By Understanding How Our Brains Work
I don’t normally think of myself as anxious. I tend to see the bright side of most things and utilize lots of techniques I’ve picked up over the years to handle stress. But truth be told, every now and then something will happen, and I find my mind spinning out of control. Certain triggers will spark, and I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with a crazy loop spinning like a monkey in my head. How about you? Fortunately this week I listened to an online lecture explaining how our minds work in relationship to habit, addiction and obsession. During that talk I learned about the biological process our minds typically use. Even better I discovered a fairly simple way to reduce any thoughts of worry, fear, anxiety or attachment—including those crazy monkey thoughts in the middle of the night. So, if you prefer a good night’s sleep, or are interested in letting go of any fears or stress that might plague you during the day, you might find it helpful as well.
Run From The Comfortable!
Don’t Believe Your Shitty First Draft
Ever had someone say something to you that felt like a punch in your gut? Even worse, ever have someone you care about do something that felt like a sharp knife in your heart? Fortunately, as I’ve gotten older, my extreme reactions are now further and further apart. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that every now and then I still react in ways that are viscerally painful. Then this last week I was listening to a podcast interview of author Brene Brown and she shared something I found brilliant—as well as a perfect exercise to counteract those painful moments that catch us by surprise. And that practice is to remind myself not to believe my “shitty first draft.”
Welcoming Change As A Necessary Part Of Life
Happy Birthday SMART Living 365! Yes, it was exactly eight years ago today (April 26th, 2011) that I conceived the idea of creating a blog around the letters S-M-A-R-T. In case you don’t know it, those letters are all part of an acronym that stands for Sustainable-Meaningful-Aware-Responsible & Thankful. At the time I wanted to create something that would help me focus on, and then write about, topics that are very important to me. I didn’t actually write my first post until May and it took me another month to get the site up and running. But, here I am, eight years later.
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