I’m working on this every day!
Friday Favorites
Quote: Why You Need a Plan!
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”
– Jim Rohn
Friday Favorites: Free Range Humans!
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
Friday Favorites: Free Range Humans!
For the past two weeks, I’ve been immersed in Marianne Cantwell’s book Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills.
I’ve read quite a few of the “Discover Your Passion, Follow Your Dream, and Live a Life You Love”-type books over the years, but most of them left me flat. They encourage you to dream big, offer exercises to help you figure out your strengths and passions, but fall short when it comes time to develop and implement the plan to take you from where you are now to where you need to be.
THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT!
Cantwell dares us to dream the dream, but follows through with the concrete strategies to make those dreams a reality. As a life coach and former Career Cage Human herself, she draws on her own experiences, as well of those of her clients, to guide us all down the not-so-scary path to earning a living on our own terms. She offers dozens of case studies in order to help us come up with our own ideas, test them, and put them into action.
“Employment is risky,” she cautions. Real job security comes from being in control of your own time and income, not from being at the mercy of a single employer. Her Free Range lifestyle seeks the less-risky middle road between employment and entrepreneurialism.
Cantwell’s unique coaching strategy emphasizes:
- Differentiating your product or service by playing to your own unique individual strengths, experiences, and knowledge.
- Getting started, QUICKLY, and for little-to-no money.
- Optimizing your limited resources for maximum impact in development, marketing, etc.
- Working wherever, whenever, and however YOU choose.
Once you read the book and adopt the Free Range Human mindset, you’ll never be willing to settle for a regular job again!
~~PEACE~~
Friday Favorites: The Fine Art of Napping
Friday Favorites: The Fine Art of Napping
Most of us just don’t get enough sleep. Eight hours a night? Ha! With my early-morning work schedule, I would have to be in bed and soundly asleep before 8 p.m. every night to meet that requirement. Needless to say, that NEVER happens. Therefore, I am a huge believer in the benefits of napping. A 20-minute early-afternoon power nap is usually all I need to boost my energy and get me through the rest of the day.
There really is a science to napping. Check out this great graphic, How to Nap, courtesy of Boston.com, for everything you need to know about when, why, and how to nap.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison all practiced regular afternoon napping, so don’t feel guilty about following in the footsteps of these great men. Nap proudly!
Other related articles:
Friday Favorites: Zen Habits
If, like me, you’re looking for a little inspiration and guidance as you set your goals and make your resolutions for the New Year, you need to familiarize yourself with Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits blog. Here, you’ll find a wealth of information on everything from mindfulness and motivation to self-discipline and simplicity.
Babauta never fails to inspire me with his clear and honest writing style, and his practical approach to, well, just about everything. Regular topics include:
- Getting organized and dealing with clutter.
- Starting and maintaining healthy diet and exercise habits.
- Setting priorities.
- Managing your finances.
- Slowing down and simply enjoying LIFE.
If your New Year’s resolutions include any of the above, Zen Habits will help you stay motivated and focused on what’s really important: making 2014 your best year ever!
~PEACE~
Friday Favorites: Amy’s Kitchen
Friday Favorites: Amy’s Kitchen!
I get up before 4 a.m. and start work at 5 every day. I always bring my breakfast to work with me, and try to keep it simple, quick, and healthy.
Amy’s Organic Tofu Scramble is my once-a-week breakfast treat, and is a much healthier (and tastier) alternative to the morning drive-thru trap. Even my carnivorous coworkers are enticed by the smell coming from the microwave in the break room.
Healthy convenience food isn’t an oxymoron. All of Amy’s products — from burritos, burgers and bowls to pizzas, pockets, and pot pies — are vegetarian, organic and non-GMO; many are vegan and gluten-free. Amy’s ingredients are clearly labelled. Don’t you just love knowing what’s in the food you’re eating? I do!
And if, like me, you also appreciate knowing where your food comes from, you can even learn about the farm that supplies the beans for Amy’s chilies, bowls, burritos and enchiladas: Spud Brown Farms.
Related articles
- If Big Food Owns Most of the Organic Industry, Who Can You Buy From? (onegreenplanet.org)
Friday Favorites: Tiny Houses!
A tiny, mobile house in a Portland, Oregon yard. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Friday Favorites: Tiny Houses!
I am obsessed with the art of living large in small spaces. Perhaps because I lived in a mobile home from the age of 10 until my mid-30’s, I admire and appreciate living accommodations that make the most efficient use of a limited amount of available space. I recently discovered and started following the Tiny House Blog, which offers tons of photos, house plans, building information, and real-life stories from the creative people who build and live in these small structures. Check it out, and join in my tiny obsession!
Related articles
- Tiny Houses: Downsizing The American Dream (archdaily.com)
Downshifter's Journal 