Archive | October, 2007
The Think Different Challenge

The Think Different Challenge

I love Vancouver, but there is one thing that is taking awhile to adjust to: the rain. Vancouver receives A LOT of rain and this is very different from my experience growing up in Australia, where one of the major problems is the very lack of rain. Because I love the sun and the outdoors so much, I often get a bit down when it rains.

So yesterday, during another rainy day, I had a thought: “what is the point of letting the weather affect my mood? It’s not like I can control it.” At that point I resolved to think differently about the rain. In fact, I even made a list for myself as to why the rain is alright.

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Personal Stories of Change Blog Carnival: Edition 9

Personal Stories of Change Blog Carnival: Edition 9

Welcome to the 9th Edition of the Personal Stories of Change Blog Carnival. This carnival is dedicated to sharing true and inspiring stories of change. The following were my favorite stories of the submissions I received.

Tina presents Valuable networking tips for professional and personal growth posted at Life Balanced.

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21 Ways to Make Someone’s Day

21 Ways to Make Someone’s Day

The other day I was driving along in not the best of moods, mainly due to the traffic and the rain. I flicked on my indicator to change lanes but, given my mood, I expected to have a hard time getting across. But no, the car that was coming up on my left immediately slowed down and let me in. As I exchanged a smile with the driver, my mood immediately lifted.

What this simple act of kindness made me realize is that often it doesn’t take much to make someone else’s day. So your mission for today, should you choose to accept it, is to go out into the world and brighten someone else’s day.

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A Weekend Without Alcohol

A Weekend Without Alcohol

Last weekend I decided to throw away the wine and lock up the beer fridge. Actually it wasn’t that dramatic, but I did decide to have a weekend free from alcohol. I normally drink in moderation and don’t consider alcohol to be a problem in my life (although it was a few years ago). That said, lately I have been drinking more frequently than usual so I wanted to put the brakes on this habit and consider some potential benefits of abstaining from alcohol.

The following is an account of my weekend, followed by my thoughts about the experience.

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The Truth About Debt and Dreams

The Truth About Debt and Dreams

Does debt cripple dreams? Or is it the very thing that makes them come true?

My first real experience with debt was a credit card I got back in 2003. I was traveling overseas for 10 months, and a credit card was both a way to access funds whilst away and a safety net for if I ran out of cash. Since it was predominantly a working holiday, for the first 9 months I had little use for the card, and what I did put on the card was quickly paid off from my savings. My last month overseas, though, I was on the road and anyone who has ever been traveling will realize how expensive this is.

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Book Review: Getting Things Done

Book Review: Getting Things Done

Many personal development sites focus heavily on productivity, and for good reason. I am, however, going to admit here that productivity has traditionally not been one of my strengths. For example, there was quite some time between purchasing Getting Things Done and actually reading it – kind of ironic really.

Well I’m glad I finally got around to reading Getting Things Done. I have not read many productivity books, but I can appreciate why it is commonly known as the “bible” of personal productivity. The following are a few of the points in the book that had the most impact on me.

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The Paradoxical Commandments

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

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