Simple Pleasures, Everyday Joie de Vivre.

Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash With the weather soaring into heated temperatures and crazy weather patterns all over the world, more people are concerned about the state of the environment and what they can do to help. So here are a few helpful hints for doing your fair share. I know it's a lot, and it's tempting to opt for more convenient options, but just try to do what you can. Even something as simple as tuning the lights off when you're not in the room can make a profound difference.  Turn the lights off when you're not in the room.  Pay your electricity company for green power. If they don't have this option, switch to a company that does.  Use a thermos to keep your tea or coffee hot, rather than boiling the kettle over and over again keep some tea or coffee in a thermos flask.  Recycle: Look for the little recycling symbols on your packaging and recycle accordingly.  Install solar power. If you own your own home, install solar panels. It's cheaper a...

Photo by Look Studio on Unsplash Sometimes looking at things from another point of view can be refreshing and enlightening. So what do other cultures say about motivation and well-being? Read on  to find out.  Willpower in Tao, mastery. If you act with vigor you will have willpower.  Mastering others is strength, mastering self is power.  Virya Virya is Sanskrit for energy, diligence, enthusiasm, zeal & effort.  It pertains to perseverance and vigor, It also stands for courage and strength. Virya is the antidote to Thina. Thina pertains to sluggishness, dullness and lack of drive. The Dalia Lama says that it is wise to be diligent.  Ppalli-Ppalli Ppalli-Ppalli  Is South Korean for the concept of speed. The phrase basically means  Quick quick, hurry hurry.  From serving in a restaurant in minutes to erecting buildings years before the deadline, Korean is a culture based on speediness. If you think about it, doing things with haste is more...

Photo by Jamison Wieser on Flickr Do you remember the golden story of the Little Engine that Could? A locomotive breaks down and other engines are asked to pull the train over the mountain but they have excuses for not doing it: One is broken down, one is too pompous, one is too self important, and one lacks the strength and determination. Finally a little switch engine is asked to pull the train and she decides to give it a go. So off she goes, repeating the phrase 'I think I can - I think I can - I think I can. Anyway she makes it over the mountain and then uses the phrase I thought I could - I thought I could - I thought I could. The moral of the story is to teach children about optimism and hard work. So using the idea of a train we are going to see how to manage projects and achieve goals. First: Plan your trip.  Decide on your project. Choose something you've been meaning to do to work on. It should challenge you just enough to interest you and not so much that's it...