Benefits of the Great Outdoors

4 Benefits of Green Exercise

When I step outside into nature, it’s as though I’m stepping into a world that was designed for me to play and move in. There are trees that seem made for climbing, taunting me with their low-hanging branches. Rocks that have been set up with the perfect jumping distance between them daring me to give it a go. Fascinating trail heads that pique my curiosity asking me to figure out where the path leads to.

 

Oh yes, do I ever agree!

http://whole9life.com/2014/09/4-benefits-green-exercise/

The Perfect Body

Ever wish you could Photoshop your body? Then dig this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsL7W-GHhJA

Look at how close she is to ideal, and realize: she still thinks she needs improving. There are still tweaks she can make. As gorgeous as she is - she's still not perfect.

But does she NEED to be perfect?

Do you?

The Overkill Cult

Holy wow, did this ever hit close to home for me:

The Overkill Cult is a cultural delusion that working 60+ hour weeks at the expense of everything else in our lives is not only a necessary part of success, but that doing so is somehow honorable.

The insidious thing about the Overkill Cult is that it masquerades as all the things we like most about ourselves: dedication, ambition, follow-through, responsibility.

It tells us to push harder, stay later, sleep when we’re dead. It tells us we’re never going to get ahead if we don’t show up first and go home last.

Cleverly, wickedly, the Overkill Cult persuades us to hang ourselves with our own strengths.

And if we don’t break free, we’re all going to die.

http://lengstorf.com/overkill-cult/

I hope you don't see yourself described in perfect detail, as I did.

If you do...let's both change. I've already given notice at my soul-sucking corporate job (okay, it's not that bad, but it's on the fast-track to it), and soon I will trade it out for two half-time jobs that I already do & love.

I'm losing pay, benefits, and the prestige of leadership at a large (for my area) employer. And I don't care.

Because I'm gaining my sanity.

There will still be >40-hour weeks with these jobs; one of them means 15 straight loooong weeks during tax season. But I've already been doing that - and then it ends. The other job may require some longer days, or some later nights, sometimes weekend events. But they are temporary, and done for good, specific reasons; not indefinitely and because there is far too much work for far too few brains but no plan to change that problem, like my current employer.

Work is not your life. Your LIFE is your life, and work is meant to provide you with means to live the life you want. Make sure yours is doing that. If it's providing you means that you don't even have time to spend, then seriously, really, truly: you're doing it wrong. And if you have more time than money, consider that you might be the successful one.

You can always make more money.

You can never make more time.

Lose Weight Fast!

A VERY healthy dose of skepticism will assist you in your fat loss plans.

This is a fun read that points out allatha CRAP out there:

http://www.scibabe.com/jamesfell_weightlossinc/

Fix your hair!

Apparently, readers have written to this journalist, regarding her picture:

“How could anyone take seriously anything written by an author whose accompanying picture makes her look like a tramp, with greasy, matted, uncombed hair?” a fellow named David wrote me recently.

“For heaven sake, comb your hair,” offered a woman named Jacquie. “Your picture instills not one iota of a knowledgeable person.”

“I would ask you to develop some insight,” wrote Amy, “but anyone who thinks the hairstyle you have is attractive likely is overflowing with too much narcissism to grasp the idea of personal insight.”

http://www.womenyoushouldknow.net/hate-mail-lesson-uncombed-hair-threatens-the-natural-order/

What the fuck? This makes me want to punch people.

In the face.

With my car.

Perhaps I'm just being yet another example of this:

“Hair is a powerful symbol for women,” she said. “It’s where a woman’s appearance sort of begins, at the top of the body. When women have unruly hair they are considered to be disobedient and uncontrollable.”

Well, then, good. Because

Well-behaved women seldom make history. -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

To judge someone based on their hair is bullshit. And all too common. But seriously, complete, utter, total bullshit. And the same is true for every other aspect of appearance that we use to be Judgy McJudgersons.

Let's ALL knock off the bullshit.

Now. Yesterday.

I'm so busy!

How to Quit Being Overwhelmed for Good

It's time we all stopped being so busy.

It's become a bit cultish, really. Or like a badge of honor. It has become unacceptable to be anything but busy. But beyond that, it has become an unfortunate way we keep from truly engaging with each other, and with the present moment.

I'm not suggesting we quit our jobs or shirk our responsibilities; what I am proposing is a shift in attitude that requires a few simple, meaningful changes.

Imagine that you had a lover, and every activity with him or her brought feelings of anxiety. You spent lots of time together, but you were always overwhelmed and looking ahead to the next time you would meet and wonder how that would be. When we are constantly wrapped up in a state of overwhelm, this is what we are doing to our lives.

Yes YES YES!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-bartolotta/how-to-quit-being-overwhelmed-for-good_b_6811330.html

Fear of Change

A Facebook post from Thomas Plummer, who drops daily knowledge bombs, and is worth your time to follow.

It isn't change that terrifies us; it is the fear of change that keeps us locked into the same old failing patterns in our lives. Often, the fear of change is such a powerful force that many would rather die than face the perceived demons and you can see this in every smoker or seriously overweight person. This person desperately wants change, but the perceived process of making this change is far scarier than to just keep on keeping on with the same old failing behavior. What the person is doing isn't working for him, but changing is far scarier than just dying slowly. This fear usually turns out to be the invisible monster under your child's bed that is imagination and dustballs and never the horrible reality we anticipate. The longer the mind dwells on the possibility of change, the faster it moves toward worse case scenario. If you are fearful of change in your life or business, focus on what might work rather than spend all your time anticipating the absolute worst case ever; that seldom ever happens except in your mind. Ask yourself this, "What if it works? Where will I be then?" Focus on the best case and let the silly monster stay under the bed with your old sweat socks where he belongs.

Absolutely, 100% true.

How many times were you afraid of doing something, maybe even outright terrified, yet did it anyway - and regretted it? Probably never.

How many times did you do this, and realize: "That wasn't so bad"? Probably every single damned time.

It's never as bad as you worry it will be, and it's never as HARD as you worry it will be. And if the end result is something you know that you want, why the hell would you let the fear of change stop you?

I've been in this boat recently regarding my job. I know what I want to do, and it's not what I'm doing now.

But making that change is scary, it's hard, it's uncomfortable, it's vulnerable - and what if my dream job really isn't, and I'll wish I had just stayed where I am? Because where I am is okay, it pays the bills, it's fine, maybe I should just settle down & stay here.

That's the voice of fear. Fuck that voice! It's pointless to listen to that claptrap.

If it turns out this dream job isn't, then I'm back where I am now: at my formerly-dream-job that no longer fits me, and I'll find something that fits better. It won't be the end of the world that the voice of fear is constantly projecting.

Most importantly: "What if it works? Where will I be then?" I'll be at my freaking DREAM JOB, that's where I'll be! It would be stupid as hell to let the fear of change outweigh the possibility of landing my dream job. 

I can't and won't let the fear of change stop me. I won't settle for that small life, and I don't want you to, either.

Go big. Be more. Punch your fears in the face, and run toward all the glorious possibilities on your horizon.