• Elegant Simplicity: 3 Easy Steps
for Living an Extraordinary Life
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• Elegant Simplicity: 3 Easy Steps |
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Featured Article:
Elegant Simplicity: 3 Easy Steps for Living an Extraordinary Life By Crystal Jonas, author of The Power of Purpose “Sometimes I feel like the Mad Hatter in the recent Alice in Wonderland movie, when he sighed, ‘It’s just too much muchness.’” 1. "Think outside the bucks"™ Who doesn’t like having new things? Many of my clients truly enjoy everything about having new goodies, from shopping for them to finding them a place in their homes. While it’s fun get new items, there are three main drawbacks. First, you need money to get them. Second, you need space to put them. Third, you need to do something to maintain them, even if it's to occasionally dust them. Before you spend one more moment acquiring a new goodie that might not really please you after the initial purchase, or that you don’t really have the space for or the time to maintain anyway, consider this. Think of all the glorious goodies in the universe that are right here for you, right now. You don’t have to go buy them, store them, or even take care of them. Think of the last beautiful sunset you saw, or the snowcapped mountains, or the sun shining off the lake just so. Lovely, aren’t they? Can you imagine what these events would cost you if you had to pay for them? And yet, there are the miracles of nature, all around you, at any time you wish to tune in and notice. And the bonus, they’re free. You don’t have to make any money to buy them, find a place in your home where they’d fit, or even maintain them. Every day, they are there for you. Freshly made, like the new day, yours to enjoy. 2. Practice “Satori” This word means to be fully in the moment. It’s been said there are only two kinds of thought: memory and imagination. Too often, are you sacrificing the present to ponder the past or fret about the future? While you surely want to have a purposeful outlook on where you want life to take you so your choices today can support you and carry you on your journey to your desired destination, be sure to make the most of this moment. Save your energy for what you can do right now. Too often, my clients spend mental, emotional, and spiritual energies on items completely outside of their control. Know this: You always have been and always will be bigger than any challenge life will present to you. Focus on today’s work today with the intention of moving in your desired direction. We can never know what the future holds. Just act with what you know now, as well as you can with what you have right now. Do not let absence of all the answers keep you from pursuing your goals. Go as far as you can, and from there, you can see farther. Remember, “the power is in the present.” 3. Take exquisite care of all items in your possession. There was a time in my life of great economic challenge. I developed a real scarcity mentality. I kept thinking, “There’s not enough.” I began to know that as long as I said that, that would be true for me. I decided one day to add something elegant to my life. For me, that was a little teacup and saucer I purchased for $5.50 (a lot for me at the time) at a garage sale. I used the teacup only on Wednesdays and began to truly look forward to drinking that special cup of tea from my beautiful little cup. I started leaving the teacup and saucer out on the kitchen counter on the other days of the week so I could appreciate how lovely it was. I noticed soon that I was starting to see beauty and elegance everywhere around me. It had always been there, I know now, but I just hadn’t seen past that scarcity perspective. Soon, my professional life took a wonderful turn toward economic growth, and I am blessed to have since enjoyed real financial security. I still have that little teacup and saucer. It has its own place on a shelf in my living room. It reminds me to find beauty, grace, and elegance in the most humble places. Crystal Jonas is a motivational expert, professional speaker, and author of The Power of Purpose. “The People Skills Lady,” Crystal Jonas is known for the energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge she brings to her keynotes and seminars. An expert in leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence, some of her most requested programs include “Communicate With Credibility and Confidence.” To arrange to have Crystal Jonas come into your organization to present a custom program for you, contact our Enterprise Learning Solutions department at 1-800-344-4613. Share Your thoughts! We're sorry, but the comment box for this article has been closed. However, you may view the past discussion amongst your peers to see what they had to say ... |
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 EVERY DAY I TRY TO REMEMBER TO THANK GOD FOR ALL THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS US. DO PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE TREES AND NOTICE THE DIFFERENT COLOR GREENS-NOT JUST GREEN. OR THE PUFF IN THE CLOUDS, THE STARS, THE TWINKLING SUNSET, THE LIST COULD GO ON AND ON. BUT BY NOTICING IT MAKES YOU APPRECIATE SO MUCH MORE. THE PAINT STROKES IN ART, THE COLORS IN THE NEEDLEPOINT I'M WORKING ON,THE FLOWERS GOD GAVE US TO SEE EVERY DAY-THEY ARE NOT WEEDS, THEY ARE MIRACLES. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF ALL THE MICROSCOPIC THINGS WE HAVE NO IDEA EXIST BUT THEY ARE THERE FOR US! THE LITTLE THINGS ARE THE BIG THINGS! EVERY DAY I TRY TO REMEMBER TO THANK GOD FOR ALL THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS US. DO PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE TREES AND NOTICE THE DIFFERENT COLOR GREENS-NOT JUST GREEN. OR THE PUFF IN THE CLOUDS, THE STARS, THE TWINKLING SUNSET, THE LIST COULD GO ON AND ON. BUT BY NOTICING IT MAKES YOU APPRECIATE SO MUCH MORE. THE PAINT STROKES IN ART, THE COLORS IN THE NEEDLEPOINT I'M WORKING ON,THE FLOWERS GOD GAVE US TO SEE EVERY DAY-THEY ARE NOT WEEDS, THEY ARE MIRACLES. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF ALL THE MICROSCOPIC THINGS WE HAVE NO IDEA EXIST BUT THEY ARE THERE FOR US! THE LITTLE THINGS ARE THE BIG THINGS! Those three easy steps really made me look at my situation differently. Our words and thoughts can manifest into our lives and we do buy things just to feel fulfillment in that moment, but it never last. Focusing on today and not worrying about tomorrow or the past can really keep down stress levels. These words of wisdom will stick with me and play over and over again in my head.
Thanks Perfect timing for me. I know this, but events in my life lately have caused me to take my eyes off of the sunsets and beauty around me and look to the chaos. The challenge is to stop, regroup and find peace within once again. Allowing the stress of life get to us and land us in a hospital will not change one thing for the better. It's important to focus our energy on our goals, desires and what makes us happy. Thanks, I really needed to read this today. Thank you, Thank you. You have so succinctly expressed my own thoughts on life and its challenges. And what I have just read has brought home to bear what is really important. We tend to lose sight of this in the 'rar race' and trying to do as much as we can. I have recently had my own share of challenges in the workplace and nearly lost sight of these principles.
I thank you again for reaffirming what I felt deep within me. That used to me - always acquiring new goodies. I loved antiquing, collected several "things" and had a great time doing it. Then, 13 months ago, at age 50, I lost my husband to an unexpected illness. Talk about a life-changer! So much in my life had changed, it seemed like I had lost so much. But in time I also gained much! I realized "things" don't matter! People matter, experiences matter, peace of mind matters, spirituality matters. Thankfully, I lost the desire to acquire "goodies" and gained the desire to enjoy life! |
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