be

personal

Putting Your Life On a Green Diet

Uliano, Sophie. (2009). The Gorgeously Green Diet: How to Live Lean and Green. New York: Dutton. ISBN: 978-0-525-95115-5.

The title implies a diet book, but it is much more than the typical diet book. It has the usual suspects: eating plans, nicely exercises, allowed and not allowed foods. But the book expands the idea of dieting and shows that most of us need to put more than our bodeis on a diet. The pantry and refrigerator are prime targets, and we can move out from there.

Uliano’s plan has a basic, but thoughtful, beginning: figure out what you really want before you begin. How many times have I jumped into a plan of self-improvement in excitement after reading a book or seeing something on television?

And this book does inspire, It connects what we eat with the ecological and environmental movements we are all thining about. It offers three different levels of being green to show that living better is possible for all of us. And she lists many websites and company names that sell the kinds of healthy foods and products recommende in the bookthat makes it easy to do further research on the specific topics that appeal to you. ( )

Author’s Website: http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com

LinkedInShare

House For Sale

Moving out of a house is tiring, emotional and an odd experience of emotionally detaching oneself from the surroundings that have been the most familiar and comforting part of your life.  And of course, after the cleaning, moving, repairs, etc, it is odd to see the place you lived in sparkling, looking its best, knowing you are moving on to somewhere else.

embedded by Embedded Video

LinkedInShare

Writing as an anti-depression strategy

writethroughdarkSchaefer, Elizabeth Maynard. (2008). Writing Through the Darkness: easing your depression with paper and pen. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts. ISBN: 9781587613197.

Using writing strategies, from journals to essays and fiction, as a strategy for handling depression and working through emotional problems is not exactly a new idea. But Elizabeth Schaefer PhD. manages to offer guidance for anyone who wants to do so in a nonthreatening, fulfilling way. The book is written both for people naturally drawn to writing (even professional writers) and for non-writers facing depression and other mental illnesses who want to try this a as a strategy. Schaeffer is quick to point out that doing this on your own is not a replacement for cognitive therapy, and that professional advice and care is needed for people with severe depression or people facing an emergency situation.

There is a section of the book that deals with the connection between writers and depression, which is fascinating and worth getting the book just for that.

This book offers great tips for beginning a regular writing routine, as well as its primary purpose of using writing to help deal with depression.The book gives a great many writing exercises and topics to write about to help deal with emotional issues and dealing with the causes and management of depression. Also included is a section on starting a writing group for people who want to write about depression, including advice on how to lead such a group. The writer also has a blog at http://writeoutofdepression.blogspot….

LinkedInShare

My “Adopted” Brother Bailey

LinkedInShare

My Mission Statement

I am at my best when creative,

                                      organizing,

                                                contributing,

                                                          smiling,

                                                                   curious.

 

I will create beauty,

                             collaborations,

                                      dreams.

 

I will listen to the songs of others, 

                                                           my intuition,

                                                                  nature,

                                                                      my body.

                  

I will have  music

                     stories,

                             friendship,

                                      color,

                                                laughter.

                  

I will become connected,

                             peaceful,

                                        fearless,

                                                encouraging.

 

Most importantly, I will make an impact,

                                                bake cakes,

                                                          increase beauty,

                                                                    expand boundaries,

                                                                             trust and be trusted.

LinkedInShare

At the Crossroads, I Found the Perfect Little Book

whatnowPatchett, Ann (2008). What Now? New York: Harper Collins.

By the time we reach adulthood, many have perfected the art of isolation, of being careful, of not listening in the name of safety. But the truth is that we need to hear other people, all people, especially in those moments when we don’t know exactly where we’re going ourselves.

A simple book that takes on an important subject: how do I decide what to do with my life? With humility and wisdom, Ann Patchett reminds us that ourlives are unpredictable. That education, status, and the labels placed onus by ourselves and others only tell part of the story. The paradox that we have to figure our paths out for ourselves and yet “the truth is that we need to hear other people, all people, especially in those moments when we don’t know exactly where we’re going ourselves (p.35).”

Based on a college commencement address, this is a great book for anyone who is searching, puzzled, stuck, disillusioned or disappointed.

LinkedInShare
Improve the web with Nofollow Reciprocity.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Subscribe