Live Your Life 10 Minutes in the Future
Although the best advice for a happy life is to “live in the NOW,” that doesn’t always apply.
A List: Top 5 Ways to Fail at Everything
I am fascinated by lists.
In college, my “go to” book was “The Book of Lists,” which was, um, well — basically a list of lists.
In today’s digital age, most are on-line. One site I found had the most popular “bucket list” ideas. Some of the trendiest objectives included visiting virtually every locale, jumping into a pool fully clothed, and — I kid you not — covering someone’s car in post-it notes. You scamp, you!
Techcrunch posts the most common Google searches. It contained “Ice Bucket Challenge”, “Ebola,” and “Flappy Bird” (a game). Sadly, the loss of “Robin Williams” generated the most searches.
Finally, Listverse, whose raison d’être is to make lists, presented its most popular of all time. Claiming spots in that prestigious ranking are “Top 15 Amazing Coincidences,” “Top 10 Amazing Facts About Dreams,” and the most popular list ever: “10 Fascinating Last Pictures Taken.”
Different times of year spawn season-appropriate lists. January might bring forth “Ten Tips to Getting Organized in the New Year.” In April, we’re informed of “Most Common Forgotten Tax Deductions.” June could give rise to “Top Wedding Ideas of Successful Brides.” (Of course, I don’t know what an “unsuccessful bride” would be.)
I want my own world-famous list. So, I thought of something no one else has done, which I now unveil: (insert fanfare please)
“Five Things You Can Do to Make Sure You Never Achieve Anything.”
In reverse order (because that makes it more exciting I guess):
Dieter beware; it’s the Season
I was prompted to write this because I heard an advertisement proclaiming easy weight loss by simply putting drops on one’s tongue.
This always irks me because I hate it that so many people lie about weight loss; taking advantage of the desperate (and unthinking). The only drops one can put in one’s mouth to cause rapid weight loss would be super glue (and I’m not saying to do that of course). Yet, ‘tis the silly season; that yearly ritual where anyone with a megaphone can make false claims about how one can lose weight overnight, without adjusting any behaviors.
Why do so many buy into this time and time again?
Well, let’s start with some facts: According to surveys, the top New Year’s resolutions are: Number One, “spend more time with family and friends;” and number two is “get fit.” “Losing weight” rounds out the top three.
So, it’s obvious that it’s important to many people.
Paradoxically 80 percent of resolutions find their way into the trash heap by January 20, and 92 percent collapse before year’s end. Bottom line? Only eight percent of resolutions survive the year. Why the low success rate? The reality is that so many people are so desperate to shed that weight — and to do it quickly — that they put their brains into neutral, falling for schemes that they’d never accept if they slowed down long enough to think.
Putting on my consumer advocate hat, I therefore did some research to find out what to avoid, should you wish to be one of the successful eight percent instead of the sad 92. Webmd.com listed several diet types to avoid if you wish to successfully lose weight. [Read more…]
Imagine “As If…”
Imagine your plans turning out exactly as if it was supposed to.
We all have our moments where we imagine how things can go wrong. Sure, “stuff happens,” but not as often as we think it does, and when it does, it’s usually not as bad as we thought it could be.
Picture everything working out the way you want it to.
Imagine how you’ll feel when you get what you worked for. Think about what the success will feel like. Fill yourself with the emotions and beliefs of accomplishment.
Even if it doesn’t turn out exactly the way you thought it would, you’ll still enjoy the ride much more.
(Besides, can it hurt to imagine the best?)