Who Can You Thank Today?

And perhaps more importantly, who can you ask to thank you? A 3-minute video worth watching:

Time Management Quiz

When I first started my quest to create a more blissful life for myself, I started with the basics. One of the most basic elements to life is time, since time is pretty much the only given we have.

While we don't know how many days we will each ultimately have, we do know that for the days we do have, there are only 24 hours in each of them. Nothing about that will ever change.

So, the paths we take largely depend on how we choose to spend those hours. I knew early on that I was not spending them in a very constructive, efficient way. I tend to be a daydreamer, someone who is easily distracted and can be in fact quite undisciplined at times.

So I started this journey by looking at time. I did a search on the Internet (while at work, of course) for something that would help me get the most use and good out of my hours.

This is what I found.

It's a time management quiz that provides you with the questions you need to analyze what you're doing right and how you might be wasting time.

I heartily recommend taking the 5 minutes it costs you to perform an analysis that I think will end up not only saving you countless future hours, but also will teach you how to maximize them, getting you closer to your goals, to adventure, to bliss.

Good luck, and please feel free to share any insights or surprises that the quiz brings up for you.

Mantra of the Day: Be of Service

As I've mentioned before, I get an awful lot out of going to yoga, even once a week. If you've never tried it, I heartily recommend it.

Each class begins by setting an intention. We either find some quality we want to cultivate--patience or playfulness or ease or whatever--or we dedicate the practice to someone. Sometimes we do both.

Then my teacher ends this portion by reminding us that "While it takes strength to make a vow, it invariably gives strength." So, when the going gets rough and my quads are burning or my backbend is kinda puny, I am reminded to rededicate my efforts to the person I'm offering my practice to.

What's amazing is that even though they are not there in the class with me, when I remember that I'm doing something for someone else, I do better, I try harder, I care more.

Once I recognized this, I decided to apply it in other areas of life. I try to remember that it is as important to serve others as it is to serve oneself. Indeed, it may be more important.

This isn't to say you should cast off everything and go work in a soup-kitchen for the rest of your life. Instead, I encourage you to repeat these words when your friend is down and you really need to be a good listener. Or when your spouse is sick and relying on you for simple tasks. (Hi honey!) When I find myself getting distracted or frustrated or self-absorbed, I say to myself: "Be of service."

This can often be all I need to perform a task with a more giving heart and a better attitude. It can also often help me feel empathy and see things from another point of view, which is crucial to self-development and growth.

Look for moments that are difficult where you can say to yourself "be of service" and see what changes for you.