I just got back from an awesome trip to Las Vegas for Blog World New Media Expo 2009.  I learned a lot and enjoyed connecting with many of my online buddies that I had never met in person (eg. Sean Platt, Maya, Michael Martine, and a few others who I hadn’t connected with until this trip like Charlie Gilkey, Naomi and Jamie Dunford, and Chris Brogan).  There were certainly more awesome bloggers and online entrepreneurs that I connected with, beyond the few mentioned above.

My point for this post…

OK, so I’m crazy busy right now, trying to catch up from being gone for the past 5 days, so here’s my point.  Changing our location and scenery for even a short amount of time is often all we need to spark new ideas and think outside the box.

I was on the plane from Charlotte, NC to Las Vegas, staring out the window, thinking about how easy it is to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world.  Even when we go on vacation it’s usually to a destination that we see each and every year.  But it’s only when we try new places and meet new people that certain parts of our personalities come out to play.

Everything from the flights and the people on them, to the new climate in Las Vegas (sunny and 85 to 90 the whole time…NICE!!) to the totally unique feel of the city to the many great people I met at the conference to the hotel, etc…  All these things played a part in resetting my thought process a bit and giving me a fresh perspective.

When we go to a conference and return with new ideas we usually credit the speakers and the ideas being passed around the stage for these fresh thoughts in our minds.  Yet we miss the fact that much of these ideas were already stirring around our heads, only waiting for the right kind of stimulation to bring them out.  And often, it’s everything ELSE that does this, not necessarily the scheduled event.

Think about it.  Think about an event you went to that took you away from your home and usual routine that had a noticeable impact on your ideas.  Now imagine if that event had been held in your hometown.  Would it have had the same effect on you?  Probably not.  And why?  Because you wouldn’t have been forced out of your comfort zone and your usual routine.

So in short, if you want to spark some new ideas and truly stimulate your thought process, take some time away from your normal habits and location.  While your mind is coping with the new situation, being forced to strain where it’s used to being on auto-pilot, you’ll free the intelligence that has been waiting to escape your sub-conscious.

So what were my thoughts?

I’m not going to get into specifics right now, but I can say that I had many new ideas, stemming from business to family to technology and even our society.  No new inventions came out of the experience, but improvements on what I’ve been working so hard on (both business and personal) certainly took place.

Finally…

I just HAD to share this latest picture of Tyson with you all.  It really shows his character and his increasing cuteness.  I’m mean come on!  Who pulls off red tipped socks better than this guy?!

Eric Hamm

I had the privilege to talk blogging, business and proactive living with Jun Loayza the other day on his blog Viralogy.com.  Enjoy!

By the way, I’ve found Viralogy to be one of the best blogs for young entrepreneurs to learn from those who have ‘been there – done that’.  If you haven’t checked it out yet I would highly recommend it!

Eric

When I look up at the title of this post I can’t help but think, “Secret to happiness?  Are you kidding me?”  The fact is, there is no secret, something I think we all know.  But I do believe that happiness is mostly a choice and the result of our mindset, focus and actions.  Last week I wrote about ‘How To Be Happy‘ and laid out my thoughts on things like purpose, values, faith, balance, helping others and so on.  I believe I laid out some key thoughts on the subject, but certainly didn’t hit every angle.  Thankfully, we have an amazing online community to help fill in the blanks.  So to expand on the secret to happiness I will share some of the great comments from last weeks post.

Secret To Happiness Tip #1

Ari Herzog points out the importance of Value as he expands on my statement about ‘spreading the wealth’:

What you call wealth, I call value. Cliche, but it works as a synonym. If something I write, say, or do makes you pause, reflect, and act, then that can only be a happy moment.

Secret To Happiness Tip #2

Janice asked two thought provoking questions:

If there was a shop full of things money can’t buy, what would you get? And what’s stopping you from cutting out the middle man and getting you some of that – or MORE of that – now?!

Secret To Happiness Tip #3

Tess made some great points about the dangers of things that sound too good to be true (and even the dangers of achieving what we think we want):

One thing is for sure the guru’s want everyone’s money, know every trick in the book (and more) to get you to pull out your credit card and buy the latest and the greatest. They will even put their bank statements on their website’s and a zillion testimonials to prove it. But look for the disclaimer and they tell you there is no guarantee. I personally had two friends who went over $150,000 in debt with their credit cards buying program after program at seminars trying to get rich. I said HAD because they have so much shame and embarrassment over it they dropped me as their friend. No they didn’t know each other. So how many hundreds are there listening to the hype at the expensive seminars going in debt trying to find that one niche or secret and lose what’s really important in the end? Way to many… Also the person I took Internet Marketing from is about 250 lbs overweight because he is addicted to his millions and his computer. He doesn’t even leave the house anymore. Hey but he successful as an Internet Marketer!

Secret To Happiness Tip #4

Alex Fayle expands on his expertise as he talks about the importance of living in the moment:

For me as long as I remember to live in the moment, I’m happy. The instant I start sliding into the future and doing things now for some hoped-for later then I drain away my happiness.

Secret To Happiness Tip #5

Dimitar Nikolov talks about two simple, yet key elements of happiness:

The two simple elements of happiness: positive thoughts and positive emotions. If you think about what happiness really is, you’ll see that it means enjoying the moment and being grateful about what you already have. The only way to achieve that is to be positive. I try to make each day count by being happy. So when I wake up, I ask myself “What do I want?”. I start thinking about things I want to achieve today and how great my day will be. I visualize it and feel the great emotions. It’s all about feeling good and blocking out negative thoughts and emotions by concentrating on what you want, not what you don’t.

Secret To Happiness Tip #6

Lynn expands on my Values point with a simple observation that couldn’t be more accurate:

Plus with a clear conscience… you certainly have a better sleep at night

Secret To Happiness Tip #7

Jeremy Day expanded on my point about needing very little wealth to live a comfortable, satisfying life:

I have done a lot of research on the psychology of happiness. Research has shown that beyond making $40,000 a year (or its equivalent in other countries) we don’t get much happier. Research also shows that having MORE options makes us LESS happy. We are better off limiting our options because somehow our brain is wired to appreciate them more. I think you have a lot of great wisdom and insight into this matter. I was a bit skeptical if you could do this subject justice too, but I think you really hit it on the head. Your point about making others happy has a lot of truth to it. Funny thing is I was just thinking today about how I couldn’t be happy because one of my coworkers wasn’t happy. Funny how that works but its true. And having a purpose is very important as well. Life has little meaning until you assign some purpose, no matter how small, to it.

Secret To Happiness Tip #8

Bunny shared an interesting insight (one that I’d love for her to expand on):

I use to think it was all a matter of balance but recently I have changed my mind it is more a matter of harmony.

Secret To Happiness Tip #9

Vincent touches on the fact that our level of income does not equal our level of happiness:

I had read books that said that happiness does not equals to the amount of money we have which I totally agree. I had seen people who are frustrated and angry about their life when they are poor and there are also the same people who are frustrated and angry even when they are rich. This shows that happiness does not equals to how much we have, instead it is a matter of mindset.

Secret To Happiness Tip #10

IvanPerez expands on our need to have purpose in life:

For me the most important thing you talk about here is the purpose. We need a long term goal, something that allows us to be passionate and happy.

Secret To Happiness Tip #11 (Encouraging others)

Hayden Tompkins and Janice Arone just had some kind words for me which I really appreciated.  Thanks guys!

Eric

Before I decided to tackle this particular post I first had to do some introspective thinking.  Before I felt qualified to talk about how to be happy I had to pre-qualify my own heart and mind.  Am I happy?  Do I really have insight that is worthy of the title, ‘How To Be Happy’?  Is there even a universal formula or is this something that each individual has to determine for themselves?

A Beautiful Summer Afternoon

A few summers ago I spent a lot of time with some flying buddies at our local RC airfield.  Our weekends were spent flying our radio control aircraft, soaring our gliders through the clouds and just shooting the breeze about whatever came across our relaxed minds.  One particularly pretty summer afternoon I made a comment that I really didn’t see how I could be more relaxed and satisfied with my weekend.  That no amount of money could make my life any happier.  I had a wife who loved me, a roof over my head and great friends to share my interests with.  It was then that one of the guys I was with chimed in and shared an article he had recently read about how to be happy.  It talked about how we as humans have a certain value level that once met, our satisfaction with life stops increasing substantially.  In other words, once we make enough money to meet our basic needs and then just a bit more for general recreation, we stop gaining happiness and can even start losing this satisfaction with life as we continue to gain monetary worth.

I started to chew on this concept and it really hit home with me.  I couldn’t help but relate to this idea that in order to be happy we have to achieve the right balance in our lives.  I hear this word thrown around a lot these days, but alone it can raise more questions that it answers.  To know how to be happy we can’t just tout the idea of a balanced life, we need to properly define it and live it to enjoy its benefits.

How To Be Happy?  It’s ALL about balance!

Having family and friends around that love you is certainly a necessity when it comes to happiness, but what if you never had time to actually enjoy their company?  What if I allowed myself to always be so busy and consumed with work that I never enjoyed those beautiful summer days with my friends?  Those are the memories that last, those are the experiences that go down in our own personal history as happy events.

I believe that most healthy human beings have a fairly strong base of family and friends surrounding them. That part of the equation is often times already in place.  It’s our unbalanced work lives that keep us from taking advantage of these gold mines of satisfaction.  Our constant striving for something MORE, pining after the mirage of great wealth and the fake happiness that follows.  We want to know how to be happy and yet often times we never let go of the idea that more money is the answer.

The Joy Stealer

The other day I got one of those many emails telling me of a new Twitter follower.  So I clicked into Twitter to check it out.  It turned out to be a marketer and I couldn’t help but laugh at the logo he had on his Twitter home page.  It was a cartoon image of himself in a suit, lounging in a hammock (between two palm trees) in a tropical paradise, sipping on one of those drinks with a tiny umbrella in it, next to a laptop that was spitting out mass amounts of cold, hard cash.  I instantly started to chuckle.  I thought to myself, “What a crock!”

As the Internet continues to BOOM, we are bombarded by these enticing images at an increasing rate.  “Make money while you sleep!  I made $50,000 in just ONE WEEK and YOU CAN TOO!!!”  It’s easy to blow this stuff off, but just like ads on TV, they eventually have a subconscious effect on our sense of satisfaction with our current lifestyle.  One minute we feel content and the next we start thinking, “I want to make money while I sleep!”  Next thing we know we’re pining away, day after day, in search of that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  Our spouse starts to hear the phrase, “I don’t have time!” over and over again, to the point that they become numb to it.  And we continue down this road by convincing ourselves that once we MAKE IT they will understand.  That we’re putting in the extra work NOW so later on we can be that guy in the hammock and our spouse will be right there with us, happy that we made the RIGHT decision.  But what are the chances that you’re actually going to crack the code?  And how much of your life will you have to sacrifice to find out?

The Exception To The Rule

If you want to know how to be happy you have to be very cautious when it comes to the exception to the rule.  It is with these exceptions that pyramid schemes are built, that everyday human beings are convinced to take great risk with their time and money.  Think about it.  How many times have you been sold some lofty idea with the story of an exception.  You know what I’m talking about; “If yo don’t think it’s possible, just look at So-And-So.  He/she did such-and-such and now they are living in a big house, driving a big, expensive car and the money just keeps rolling in!”

My point is that just because something is possible doesn’t mean we should attempt to achieve it.  We need to be careful not to gamble with our lives.  You have to look at the odds.  If this So-And-So person did it, how many others failed at the same time?  Many of these ‘opportunities’ that come our way have such daunting odds that they will ever truly benefit our lives that to pursue them is like plopping yourself down at the craps table and hoping to pay off your house by the end of the night.  It’s POSSIBLE, but not likely.

Let Your Conscience Lead The Way

I mentioned earlier that balance was a word that we hear a lot these days.  Well, I find that VALUES is one we see less and less.  Our values, those things that our consciences try to spell out for us, are a key part of our joy and satisfaction with life.  When we live in-line with our values, we enjoy a great peace of mind that comes from knowing that we are living for what is right, not just what feels good at the moment.  We enjoy the sense of stability that comes from a life guided by GOOD, not just FUN.  It’s easy to lose sight of our values as we get caught up in this mad rush for great success that many of us get sucked into, but the minute we’re willing to plug back into our barometer of right and wrong, we’re quickly reminded of the value of our values.

Part of living in light of our values, we must never lose sight of one of the key ingredients of how to be happy; helping OTHERS be happy. Selfishness is a parasite to happiness.  If we want to be happy we must spread the wealth.  We must seek others joy as much as our own.  Not only is this the RIGHT thing to do, but it is built into our value DNA.  Without this necessary mindset we stand to lose out on the satisfaction that comes with sharing our emotional wealth.  Make someone else happy and you too shall be happy.

We Need To Have A Purpose

One of the great things that work does for us is give us purpose.  I don’t know about you, but a weekend that fallows a busy week of work is ALWAYS more satisfying than one that follows a lazy week of worthless existence.  As much as we often complain of our need to work, this purpose is often our invisible gift as it provides reason to wake in the morning.

Our families are also a purpose we should always appreciate.  As Liz nears her due date, I feel the increasing pressure of heightened purpose as a child will soon be relying on my ability to provide.

Finally, our faith.  I’m not hear to preach, but I am hear to speak on behalf of my own personal experience.  As a Christian, I am given purpose as I fallow the Lord.  Without this, my life loses meaning.

Final Thoughts

Let me clear one thing up.  This is NOT an anti-success or anti-wealth post.  These are just my observations of myself and those around me when it comes to wealth, the pursuit of wealth and all around satisfaction with life.  In attempting to answer the question, ‘How To Be Happy’, I am only able to share from my own experiences.  I don’t tout myself to be the expert, just someone who has seen many sides of the spectrum and found what’s worked for me and what has seemed to work for others.

Happiness, when defined as true joy and satisfaction with life (not just feeling good in the moment), requires the combination of positive human interaction combined with a balanced, purpose filled lifestyle, all the while remaining true to ones values.  If we can do this, while steering clear of the obstacles mentioned above, we should not only enjoy our lives, but find those around us enjoying thier lives as well.

Eric

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was taken from the “Motivate Thyself” archives.

I met with one of my consulting clients, Sally, this morning to help her setup a WordPress blog site. She had been having trouble getting everything setup with the hosting company, domain, etc… She had taken the day off to spend it working on her new site. So everything in her plans were riding on the fact that we were going to be able to get it all setup by the time I left.

But life threw us a curve ball and we were unable to complete the setup. It was still early in the morning and she instantly became frustrated (as anyone would have) about the fact that she was missing work for nothing. She was going to use up a perfectly good day off and not be able to take advantage of it. I saw this as a great opportunity to try and turn some lemons into lemonade.

Sally was new to the ideas of web design and blogging and still wasn’t quite sure which way she wanted to go with her new site. So I thought this would be a great opportunity for her to learn more about WHAT she was going to do before we actually implemented it. When I really thought about it, this was a better way to ease into this new pursuit than to just jump right in.

So I immediately opened a web browser on her computer and started bringing up different web sites. I brought up sites for different blogging themes, an “Introduction To Blogging” site and a few relevant others. After encouraging her to take advantage of what the day still had to offer, she relaxed and was actually quite excited about this new plan for her day off. By the time I left we were both happy about the situation and she was looking forward to digging into this new adventure.

At the end of the day she sent me this email:

“It was very helpful to look at the templates today. I have some questions for you, but it really was a great suggestion. Thank you for showing me a way to turn a sow’s ear into at least a linen, if not silk, purse!  Sally“

I was SO happy that I was able to help her salvage her day. After looking back on the situation I was really amazed at what I saw. I saw the power of positive thinking at work. I was reminded that it IS possible to salvage any situation.

So I just wanted to share this experience with you guys and encourage you to never give up on any day. No matter how things might change at the last minute you can always make something good come of it. We might not have control over the things that come our way, but what we do with them and how we react to them is all up to us.

“What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.”  Author Unknown

MacGyver on CBS.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a post taken from the “Motivate Thyself” Archives.

Recently, my wife and I have been watching old episodes of MacGyver, from CBS.com, while we eat our breakfast in the morning. I used to watch it as a kid. It was one of my favorite shows. I just loved how he could turn a lawnmower into an airplane and fly to safety! He always gave you a sense of security, like there was always hope.

Since we’ve been re-watching the episodes I have had the chance to see him from a new, grown up, perspective. Sure, there have been those moments where I’ve been like, “Oh WOW, that was some really bad acting.” Or, “RIGHT, like that would really happen.” But the core of what made the show so enjoyable for me is still there, even as an adult. I think the main reason for this is that, like I just said, with MacGyver, there’s always hope. No matter how bad things look, you just know he’ll find a way to make the most of the situation. He never gives up!

So I guess you could say that this post is about HOPE. Hope is a very key element in staying motivated and productive. Hope is what keeps us going even when we don’t feel we can. It’s that light at the end of the tunnel that draws us. But once we lose hope it’s GAME OVER.

Let me give you an example. (I don’t remember where I saw or read this, but it was probably on another blog or on TV. If I could remember where, I would be happy to give credit where credit is due.) A scientist did an experiment on two rats. He started by putting one in a container of water with absolutely no light to see how long it could tread water, in the dark, before it gave up. I think it only lasted about 3 minutes. Then he put the second rat int he same container of water, but this time with a small beam of light coming in through the top. This particular rat ended up treading water for (if I recall correctly) about 36 hours.

Now let me start by saying that I didn’t like the idea of these animals being forced to drown, but the findings were pretty amazing. Basically, with hope, the rat pushed itself until it couldn’t go any further. But without any hope there was very little effort and then nothing.

I think this is true for all living creatures. This is why depression is so devastating. This is why if you’ve ever had that feeling like it’s all for nothing or nothing matters, you’ll agree with me that it’s a pretty scary feeling. We know, as humans, that without hope, our minds and bodies have a much lesser chance of survival, let alone success.

So I would just like to encourage you to really try to focus on the positives in life. Know that there is always a silver lining and that any situation has potential for good. Always encourage others and you will be encouraged. Make the decision now, to keep your eyes on those things that bring you joy and away from the horrors of this world. There will always be that “car accident situation”. Those bad things in life that you just can’t seem to take your eyes off of. But I am here to tell you that it’s your choice. You can either see the light, know there is hope and keep on going. Or you can focus on all the bad things in this world, lose hope, and eventually give up.

I am not here to tell you to turn a blind eye to those needs around you. There are many situations that are ‘bad’, but need our attention. What I am referring to, like the “car accident situation”, are those negative areas of your life in which you have no control over and yet choose to dwell on none the less. So when your feeling encouraged, positive and driven, be sure to feed off of that energy and make the most of it. But when life takes the wind out of your sails, it is your job to re-group and re-think the situation. Look around you, find those things that are taking away your hope and make the necessary changes to regain your positive perspective. Life is too short to spend it focusing on the negative. And life is too precious to miss out on the positive.

Image courtesy of Kliefi

It’s only when life ‘stings’ us with enough venom that we lose our immunity to joy and become free to passionately appreciate the now.

I woke up the other day at 5:04am (I looked over at the alarm clock) with the beginnings of a migraine.  I usually get them twice a year when the seasons change, and this was my late fall finally.  So I knew I was in store for about 2 to 3 hours of horrendous pain, accompanied by nausea.  I propped my head up and prepared for the barrage of pounding pain.

By about 7am I started to feel the relief that comes when the storm finally picks up and moves on.  If you’ve ever had these kinds of bouts of intense pain, you know about the euphoria that fallows.  Suddenly, all you care about is the fact that the agony is gone.  Nothing else matters.  Your worries are forgotten and no amount of concern can take you away from your new found ‘happy place’.  Suddenly the sun seems to shine ever brighter and the smell of fresh air becomes more potent, like a favorite perfume.

These moments in life, the ones that remind us to appreciate nothing more than being alive, can come from many avenues.  Sometimes it’s a physical experience like the one I just described, while other times it may occur through the other 4 senses, but with the same results.

Anytime I’m brought to my knees like this and forced to just appreciate life in it’s simplest form, I am always thankful it happened.  It’s as if my ‘reality reset’ button has been pushed and I am able to start again with a fresh perspective.  The longer I go without a ‘reality reset’, the further I fall into the trap of negativity.  Worry and anxiety become my fuel for forward motion as my soul yearns for another ‘reboot’.

So for this addition of ‘Community Insight’ I’d like to hear about the different ways you’ve gained ‘forced awareness’ of life and how you react to these situations.  What things happen to you on occasion that force a ‘reboot’ and open your eyes to the wonders that reside right in front of your face?  Let us know what keeps you grounded; what brings on your ‘euphoria’ of life.

Find me a person who is unhappy with their life and I’ll bet you there are many others who would be perfectly content to fill those shoes.

My wife and I were shopping for a shed at our local ‘SUPER’ hardware store just a few months ago.  Out in the parking lot were all they had available.  Some were made out of wood and others were plastic.  There were different shapes and sizes and things that made each one unique.

While we were looking around I started to think, “You know, these could make a decent living quarters for a person of simple taste.”  I started to inspect the details, “It looks like they’re sealed from the rain and there are some vents.  Look, a small window for sunlight.”  Then I was visualizing a place for a small mattress and a table and chair.  There was no doubt that a human being could have all they’d need to do much more than survive.

We decided on a shed (a plastic model) and then took it home to put together.  It was about 5ft by 7ft and just perfect for our needs.  At $500 we were happy to have a place to store our bikes, tools and other odds and ends.  But then I started thinking about the house thing again.  $500?  That’s your mortgage.  That’s it!

Now let’s not get carried away here.  I don’t realistically see myself living in a $500 plastic shed.  But if you were to step it up a few notches I could see it as a possibility; at least if I were single.  Once you get married and even more so with kids, this daydream becomes more of a fantasy.  But I was just thinking hypothetically here.

Then I had read this post on treehugger.com.  I had heard about this women when it first hit the news (here’s a video) and it encouraged me to go deeper in the thought.  Here’s a woman who lives in a nice wood home that’s smaller than a parking spot in its footprint who is perfectly happy.  Her heating bill is $6/month and her electricity comes free with the help of her solar panels.  She has no mortgage and works part time for money which she barely needs.

This is a fantasy in and of itself.  All of us, at one point in time, become tired of burning ourselves out so we can barely pay the mortgage of a house that has more space than we truly need.  We pay our bills and feel like it’s an uphill battle.  So the idea of cutting our ties to this taskmaster that is modern living is appealing on so many levels.  I think for most of us it would not be a good fit, but just the thought may give some a minute of hypothetical bliss.

But I think the greater point here is this:

You could have another human being living in an identical sized building with the same basic amenities and yet have a completely different news story.  “Woman forced to live in a shack the size of a parking space.  She can only get part time work so she has to rely on solar panels just so she can turn on the lights.”

See my point?  Depending on the perspective of the individual, the same scenario can be painted in two completely different ways.  Of course, the difference here is that of one person choosing to do something and the other being forced to, but the point is still valid.

Perspective is everything.

This can all be used to guide us in the simplifying process, but it can also be a great tool for just enjoying what you have, RIGHT NOW!  Tired of your job taking up a lot of your time?  Many people would kill for a steady job that pays the bills.  Wish you had more money?  I bet you there are millions of people out there that wish they had your wealth.  Struggling with relationships in your life?  I know there are many lonely people out there that wish they had someone to struggle with.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t try to improve you situation and reach new goals and success in your life.  I just think we could use a little perspective adjustment now and again so we don’t miss out on the wonderful things we are able to enjoy at this very moment.  Chances are, you have everything you ever truly need to be happy.  You just need to remember how blessed you are and why today is a beautiful day!

I had a great run yesterday!  It’s that perfect ‘in-between season’ when you’ve got the crisp, dry fall air mixed with just enough summer to take the bite out of the cold.  The sky was a dark blue and the leaves crunched beneath my feet as I went from sidewalk to sidewalk.

When I got back to the house I was greeted by a locked door.  My wife had gone to the grocery store and had locked the door behind her.  It was no big deal, though.  It just gave me an excuse to sit outside and take in a little more fresh air.  But the longer I sat there, the more I started seeing things I had never noticed.  “Oh, there’s a tree there.”  I’m serious, I had never noticed this particular tree and it’s right there in our neighbors yard.

The more I looked around and let myself take in my surroundings I was amazed at how different a place can look when you are truly living IN the moment.  This got me thinking…

Always living on autopilot.

It’s amazing how much of the time we are on autopilot.  We learn the basics, get into a routine and then turn on that trusty autopilot mechanism that allows us to spend the rest of the time in our heads.  Whether we are thinking about the past or dreaming/worrying about the future, we are rarely living in the present.

It seems like the more efficient we get at life, the less hands on we are with our daily rounds.  We miss out on opportunities to enjoy a beautiful sunset and the fresh air that lightly blows past our noses.  Would-be-conversations pass us by as we are ‘too busy’ to stop and talk with our neighbors.

A crisis will resolve itself whether YOU tend to it or not.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying something new with my consulting clients.  When they call or email with a crisis, I give the issue a little bit of time to ‘breathe’ instead of getting back to them right away (barring a REAL crisis, of course).  What I’ve found is that much of the time the issue resolves itself.  When I finally call them back, they calmly inform me that they got it worked out.  The fact is, people tend to panic. Instead of taking a step back and attempting to resolve the issue themselves, they just dump it on their closest ‘helper’.  They become the ‘squeaky wheel’. And if you happen to be on the other end of that spectrum, you’re going to get ‘squeaked at’.

There will always be SOMETHING in life that will be pining for your attention, but it’s up to YOU to decide to answer that call.  Sometimes it’s just better to let it ring and tend to it later with the hopes that the solution already presented itself.

There’s never a good time to ‘stop and smell the roses’, therefore anytime is the right time.

In today’s world with an ‘always on/always connected’ society, there never seems to be a good time to take a break.  I certainly wouldn’t have picked the time after my run to just sit in our front yard.  And yet the world didn’t stop spinning because I wasn’t ‘manning my station’ for 20 minutes.  Sometimes I think we need to just ‘hit the breaks’ and watch the clouds slowly float by.  We need time for intentional relaxation that allows us to let everything go, even if just for a few moments.  If we never let ourselves stop on any given day, we risk losing out on those few precious moments that may have come and gone without us ever knowing.

Unlearning these bad habits.

I’d like to encourage you to stop reacting to every ‘crisis’.  I think it’s very important that we break the habit of jumping at the sign of a problem.  Try this:

Next time you are presented with an ‘urgent’ issue, make yourself wait a little while before you tend to it.  I’m not saying that you should let your friend bleed on the side of the road, but don’t jump to the rescue when someone calls you in a panic concerning a non life threatening problem.  Let the situation breathe for a little while.  Give the person in question time to make their own attempt at a solution.  Sometimes they’ll even find a better person for the job and then you’re off the hook.  But if you make it a habit to always jump right in, you will not only guarantee the task is yours, but will ensure your status as the ‘go-to’ person for everyone’s latest freak outs.

Take 5 minutes today and do nothing but enjoy the moment.

I think everyday we need to force ourselves to stop, if for no more that a couple of minutes.  A lot can be leaned about life and the world around us in 5 minutes time.  We just need to have our senses tuned in as we take part in the now.

“Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives.” ~ Wayne Dyer

Re-Centering: Finding Your Way Back To The Life You Meant To Live

It’s main premise is how we tend to get lost as we pursue our goals.  Our achievements become useless when we miss out on those things we cherish most.  So check it out and see if you can’t relate.  Are you living your life in step with your core values?  Let me know in the comments at zenhabits.

Also: Don’t forget to check out Leo’s guest post here at “Motivate Thyself” called:

Quick and Dirty Little Tips for Exercise Motivation

Definitely worth the read!