A Glimpse of Matt Ridley's Genome

Genome by Matt Ridley is a fascinating read explaining our twenty-three pairs of chromosome and their whats, hows, if sos and so whats. Each chapter offers an in depth look at how the human genome affects our history, fate, intelligence, self-interest, disease, stress, personality, sex, death, and so on, and so forth.  

But what I love most is Ridley's prose. He elegantly transforms complex, abstract concepts into  easy-to-understand metaphors. 

It's been years since I've read it, but Ridley's words left a powerful visual imprint on my mind. Today, I'll illustrate a few of my favorite passages: 

"Imagine that the genome is a book.

There are twenty-three chapters, called Chromosomes.

Each chapter contains several thousand stories, called Genes.

Each story is made up of paragraphs, called Exons,
which are interrupted by advertisements called Introns.

Each paragraph is made up of words, called Codons.

Each word is written in letters called Bases."

"In the beginning was the word.

The word
proselytised the sea with its message, copying itself unceasingly and forever.

The word
discovered how to rearrange chemicals

so as to capture little eddies in the stream of entropy and make them live.

"The word
transformed the land surface of the planet from a dusty hell to a verdant paradise.

The word
eventually blossomed and became sufficiently ingenious
to build a porridgy contraption called a human brain...

that could  discover and be aware of the word itself."

"My porridgy contraption boggles every time I think this thought. In four thousand million years of earth history, I am lucky enough to be alive today. In five million species, I was fortunate enough to be born a conscious human being. Among six thousand million people on the planet, I was privileged enough to be born in the country where the word was discovered.

In all of earth's history, biology and geography, I was born just five years after the moment when, and just two hundred miles from the the place where, two members of my own specifies discovered the structure of DNA...

and hence uncovered the greatest, simplest, most surprising secret in the universe."

Lessons from Our Grandparents

Recently for the first time, I saw records documenting my great grandfather's emmigration from Italy.

A million questions sprang forth: What was he like? How did he feel?

Was he outgoing and funny?

Ecccentric? Or dark and brooding?

I can picture him setting off to sea, eager for a fresh start. In my mind's eye, I see him landing in his new world and trying hard to fit in.

Eventually came his daughter, my grandmother, on the left.

This picture is—of course—worth a thousand words. But I'm more intrigued by the words that were never said.

What was she thinking at this very moment?

What was her inner world like?

Who was her friend? How did they influence each other?

And were they open to desire?

Did their society present opportunities and hope...or constraints and limitations?

My grandmother recently passed away, so she can't answer these questions now. But at the very least (in an effort to better understand the situation) I can try to re-trace her steps.

....

History is the link from her past to my present. Her generation faced the aftermath of WW1 and the great depression. A failed economy, mass migration, extensive unemployment, and increased poverty. Gloom that spread across the globe.

And I can only imagine how much more difficult it may have been for first and second generation immigrants...

...

That was a much different time. Society has changed... and the rules of the game have changed as well.

Our world is an entirely different world to make sense of. It's kinda hard to “follow in their footsteps” or “walk a mile in their shoes” when that road has long been paved into a highway. 

Think about it... today, there are more than one billion internet users. The internet represents choice and possibility.

It reminds me of the printing press from history class. Around 1440, it displaced the old way of doing things—laboriously transcribing texts—and allowed for the mass distribution of knowledge. Sometimes, technology doesn't just make our daily life easier. It also changes the way we communicate, how we obtain knowledge, and deepens our understanding of the world. It changes the fabric of who we are.

By Alte Bilder

With the passing of the older generation, my generation finds itself at an interesting crossroads.

With all that we know now about neuroscience and how influential we are on young minds, we have a moral imperative to leverage this societal shift to promote the good aspects of human nature and minimize the bad.

Sure, in 500 years perhaps anything I do in this life will be long forgotten, but any small impact I had by merely being a good person could leave some faint imprint on future people.

A radio program recently broadcast great words of wisdom from a centenarian. When asked for the most important piece of advice he'd like to pass on, he said:

“Be open to change.

Because it will happen no matter what."

Before the invention of the radio, we would have never dreamed it possible, and when it came out, a lot of people were suspicious of it. Then the same thing happened again with television—it upset a lot of people because they didn't like the direction the world was headed. But eventually people got used to it.

I can still hear his voice say, "If you accept that change is just another inevitable part of life, you'll be better off and much happier.”

 Accepting change frees our minds to promote progress.

What will our generations' legacy be?

Inner Strength trumps Outer Judgment

Photo: Mauricio Alejo

Putting my thoughts out there via this blog can sometimes feel a little daunting. It makes them real, out on an open platter for criticism or judgment. And I blush when I think about coworkers or boyfriends reading these very words.

Of course I want to put my best face forward.

Of course I want to be accepted by the people I care about.

Humans are taught social norms and expected behaviors; we often put on masks to showcase our ideal selves.

But you know what?

When it comes down to it, I don't really care. I won't let fear stop me from believing what I believe or saying what I think should be said.

Out of 7 billion people, there has got to be at least one person who feels the same way I do. And I find strength thinking about the shared human experience. The shared struggles, as well as the shared joys. When you think about all the humans deceased, living, and yet to be born... it makes my personal moments of insecurity seem like an insignificant tear drop in a vast sea.

Really, now who doesn't have complex issues to deal with? Who doesn't face pressure, expectations, unmet desires, or bumps along the road?

I ask you, reader, how do you live a life full of hope and joy, versus collapsing under the weight of so many expectations? For me, I think if I can accept my own flaws, then I can accept the flaws of others. If I can accept others, then I can accept the situations around us. If I can accept uncertainty, then I can focus on finding stable ground. I can allocate my energy toward being healthy, thinking clearly, and learning from the situation.

This is how I try to ground myself when I find myself being an emotional nutcase...when I start doubting myself or who I am:

• I write. Writing is what sets my heart on fire. It's how I express my thoughts and is my emotional release. What are your life passions? Is it math or painting or soccer or playing the guitar? Whatever allows you to relax into your own skin is always worth doing again and again. How else will you feel connected to your most passionate desires?
• I reminisce. I do this best by remembering myself as a child. I distinctly remember the 12 year old me--a hyper, free-spirited bookworm in a sunflower dress. When classmates teased me for being nerdy, my parents told me, “Bianca, one day you won't even remember their names.” By golly, mom and dad were right. I can wear that sunflower dress in a bigger size now.
• I affirm. That means shower myself with the encouragement I need. I have to believe in myself first, because if I don't... then who will? "You can do it, Bianca!"
• I remind. It might sound cheesy, but I wrote down my personal mission statement. I re-read it whenever I need to remember my life's purpose.
• I repeat "what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger." It's a popular adage for good reason.

Emotional strength is a muscle.

We have to nurture resilience so in tumultuous times, when probed and prodded by difficult challenges, we have a strong foundation.

Challenges test us and ask, "Who are you?"

Find strength in the answer.

Our future selves will be very proud for spitting back the answer with tenacity and purpose.


----

Make Healthcare Accessible

YOU have the fundamental right to see a doctor regardless of social or financial standing.

It breaks my heart to hear about single mothers who sacrifice their health to provide for their children:

• I know an amazing single mother who was struggling to get by. She prayed that she wouldn't get into an accident because healthcare was not an option. She had to take care of her son. That money had to go toward making sure he was covered... nevermind her own health.
• There's another woman who didn't see a doctor practically her entire adult life because she needed to make ends meet for her kids. In other words, she didn't get a mammogram. She died from breast cancer.

Why are we comfortable buying car insurance, but anti-health insurance? My guess why: because the financial liability is clearer in a car crash, whereas there is no immediate gratification to navigating health plans. 

And the choices we have suck. Self-bought insurance plans are too expensive for "high risk" groups (with prior existing conditions or elders) and too expensive for "healthy" groups (youngins who may not have employer health benefits).

The inequity of access is exacerbated in rural or small town America where clinical care (something as simple as a 24-hour pharmacy) is limited or non existent. Residents in these small towns have health insurance, but they don't have access to the care they need.

Recently, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision that allows for the new healthcare law to move forward. It will hold insurance companies more accountable, lower health care costs, and improve the quality of care.

There are obviously many supportive and opposing voices around this issue and I respect everyone's opinion. And here's what I think: I fully support The Affordable Care Act because it provides better access to care. While it might not be a perfect piece of legislation, the law will provide coverage for 30 million people who otherwise have no access to insurance.

While observing the political bickering, I can't help but think how making change is not easy; it's a process. At least we're starting somewhere! We can't just stick our head in the sand and pretend like our health problems will fade away on their own.

And since we're already on topic... how about a reality check? The most common diseases today are caused by lifestyle choices and excessive consumption. Diseases which are preventative.

We will save so much money in the long run by promoting wellness and preventative medicine instead of sending people to the ER when it's already too late. And sadly, it becomes a cycle of disease, passed from generation to generation because parents teach their children to make the same poor food choices. The victims of childhood obesity suffer most because they don't know any better. This is a community issue, not just a parenting issue.

How does the community take ownership?

• By promoting health eating via healthy school lunches.
• By offering more walkable routes and green spaces in our neighborhoods.
• By caring about low-income communities where crime and high traffic deter people from physical exercise.

The health status of our country has many complicated factors and offering affordable healthcare is just one aspect (not the silver bullet) to cure our communities' public health burdens.

We have to be proactive about our health.

I assure you healthcare organizations are also doing their part to fight the spiraling costs of care. I work for Swedish the largest healthcare provider in Seattle. For the past 6 years, they have been working diligently to improve quality, reduce costs and increase access to care. Not to mention the large amount of charity care the organization provides. And I'm personally making it my mission to build new efficiencies and broaden our doctors' reach via technology.

Health is not just physical...it's mental and emotional too. Which means reducing stress is also important. So I've decided to tune out the conservative versus liberal bruhaha.

Why is our healthcare subject to the whims of controversy-lovers and drama queens?

Additional Resources:

• Here is an amazing resource from Reddit to learn about the law
• Or hear it directly from the White House here
• BTW- I should also mention that there are alternative healthcare resources for eligible low income families in metropolitan areas like Seattle like Neighborcare which is an amazing organization.

[p.s. the views expressed in this blog do not reflect that of my employer]

Clear Vision

My buds at Rivet & Sway launched their site today. I adore their eyeware, so when they asked me to model glasses for them, I jumped at the chance.

One particular pair (Kairos) has a special place in my heart because of it's description—it's so suitable for Gentle Lift. Let me share it with you:

What a concept – Kairos.

Wikipedia says:

"Kairos was central to the Sophists, who stressed the rhetor's ability to adapt to and take advantage of changing, contingent circumstances. In Panathenaicus, Isocrates writes that educated people are 'those who manage well the circumstances which they encounter day by day, and who possess a judgment which is accurate in meeting occasions as they arise and rarely misses the expedient course of action."

Love the concept of rising to the occasion. In my line of work, I encounter complex challenges on a daily basis. As I try to navigate unchartered territory, stress doesn't enter the equation. My mantra is simply "assess the situation as it unfolds." My confidence comes from my team because I know we'll find success if we try our best to understand. Yes, there's learning, yes, there's knowledge. But the most important goal is understanding.

Understand what exactly? To quote author David Wallechinsky, “Behind every scientific discovery, every engineering feat, every movie, every song or work of art, and every historical event are human beings. The human beings, real people just like the ones we see every day, achieved their results by thinking, working, and consulting with others.” I think it's a pretty darn useful to seek to understand other people, as well as our selves. It means understanding the world around us, and the world inside.

How? By opening our eyes and asking the right questions. Sorta like a pair of glasses. Our vision tends to blur over time with age. But we wear corrective lenses. Our trusty glasses can put the world into focus and we then see things we never dreamed possible.

Why the effort? Because, we are faced with so many choices. Clear vision helps gives us the power to select the best course of action given the situation at hand. The the value of clarity is a positive result.

Anyway, this post's call to action is not to buy glasses (although you could do that too). It's to explore the world around us, ask questions, and never lose our childish curiosity. That's why I try to study other religions, cultures, histories. It's the only way to understand this crazy beautiful world and the crazy beautiful people in it.

And yes, I do firmly believe we should all look hella stylish doing it. Check out Rivet & Sway. ;) 

How Free Is Our Will

Sometimes I wonder: am I free to make my own choices, or is my behavior determined by my genetic code? By the chemicals in my brain? By my social environment?  

Philosophers have put forth some interesting food for thought-

Do we have free will? In other words, do we act solely on our own accord? Without being forced to be influenced by others or natural law?

Or is the universe deterministic in nature? That means that every action that has occurred up to this point has its own predictable root cause, so it was all bound to happen. Therefore, our very behavior must also be deterministic.

And then there's compatibilism which argues that the concepts of free will and determinism are not mutually exclusive. Both free will and determinism can co-occur.

I like the explanation of Hume's Fork in the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy:

"Either our actions are determined,
in which case we are not responsible for them,

Or they are the result of random events,
in which case we are not responsible for them."

We probably won't land on a definitive answer during our lifetime, but we can at least take solace in our own individual pathway. As Matt Ridley points out in his book Genome, there's at least some comfort in realizing that we are at the very least each able to express our own determinism and not somebody else's.

So while I think long and hard about how I make the choices I do, I will also remind myself to enjoy the cognitive and societal freedom (or perception of freedom) to make them.

What You Could Learn as a Monk

My best friend Aditya Prasad has been studying neuroscience and meditation for a very long time. This is a video he made summarizing his conclusions.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Death Weighs on Seattle

Seattle's been mourning over the tragic loss of our community members. It's difficult to deal with, and the grief has shaken the city. 

The only way I know how to deal with these things is with dialogue. And yes, you guessed it—this post is my platform.

First off, deep sympathies to the friends and families.

[Pause]

If we want to keep Seattle the safe, beautiful city we admire, we can't ignore violent undercurrents.

Questions come to mind: What do we know? What can we learn? And how do we prevent this? What can we do as a community to prevent meaningless hatred?

Crisis is the time to unite and reflect. It's hard when we have complex emotions to deal with, but it's also when it's most dire. It's our opportunity to uncover wisdom. 

As Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz told reporters about Cafe Racer, "In my almost 30 years in this department, I've never seen anything more horrifying and callous and cold. We as a police department, we as a city, we as a community really need to make sure that we are doing everything possible to never allow anything like this to happen again."

I don't have a solution, but I will say this: these events are showing us humanity's dark side. And it's my belief system that there's a ying to that yang.

To spread empathy.

What do I mean by empathy? Caring. As in actually caring.

Caring comes from within, it means relating to people–to one, a few and to all. It also might mean understanding that society's good is up to each individual. It could mean understanding that one's own wants can be transcended for a greater principle. 

And that one person can ultimately benefit all.

If we all can teach that to our children, and if that actually sunk in, would there still be violence over a material possessions? Or violence from fits of rage? Probably, but even the smallest snowflake could snowball.

Realism and optimisim can meet halfway. Let's honor of the victims and their families by passing along peace and kindess.  

It's Perceiving Time

How do we perceive the passage of time?

There's no quantum leap from childhood to adulthood. We experience millisecond after millisecond...even right...

NOW.

How we visually imagine the continual flow of those seconds can invoke a wide range of emotion. Busy people think time moves too fast. Some people feel time speeding up or slowing down by life stage. And a ticking clock often symbolizes deadlines, due dates, or new beginnings. 

Can we truly define the nature of time? Einstein said, "People like us who believe in physics know that the distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubborn persistent illusion."

Only one thing is certain: how we feel about it, how we interpret it, and how we spend it varies by person and by culture.

Are you ready to explore the illusion?

If yes, then fire up some candles, turn off the lights, get comfortable. Listen to this radio segment called the "Time Kaleidoscope."

Mlodinow on the Power of the Subliminal Mind

Last night I attended a lecture by physicist/author Leonard Mlodinow who described just how little control we actually have on our perception, behavior, memory, and social judgment.

Thanks to groundbreaking discoveries in neuroscience, scientists are learning that the human mind relies on subliminal processes.

Or in other words: we make decisions without realizing we are making them.

Think about the implications this has on our work, attitudes, and relationships!

The best part was how he structured his talk: with audience participation he ran interactive exercise after exercise showing people just how easily he could manipulate their choices by using anchoring techniques or visual imagery. He showed us how our retinas actually don't pick up all the visual details we think we see, and how our memories are not a perfect recording of the past. 

He also articulated how our sense of self is an evolutionary trait that developed to help us overcome adversity.

It was quite entertaining to hear the audience's reactions—gasps of disbelief.

We assume that human beings are born with the ability to perceive the world accurately. We have instincts like how to eat food, track visuals, and avoid danger. Then we inherit education, culture and history from our ancestors. Mash all of this together with our philosophies, stereotypes, and social constructs and...voila! You have a creature grasping at straws, trying to make sense of this glorious and mysterious thing called life.

I am so happy that in today's modern scientific and technological world, there are creative and inspired souls developing the tools we need to learn more about ourselves and each other.

As humans, we should all strive to learn more about ourselves. It's the best way to help one another and future generations.

I always like to remind myself, "I don't know what I don't know."

“These submilinal aspects of everything that happens to us may seem to play very little part in our daily lives. But they are the almost invisible roots of our conscious thoughts.” - Carl Jung

Be sure to check out his book Subliminal to learn more. 

And to get a flavor of his lecture, check out excerpts from a similar talk he gave to the Secret Science Club. 

Seattle's Weather: Rainy with a Chance of Gloom

Seattle's weather is downright predictable. It's cloudy, rainy and cold year round. And what's equally as predictable is everyone's reaction to it...especially right now as the Spring sun starts poking through, teasing us with kayak wishes and barbecue dreams. 

Naturally because it's top of mind, it instantly becomes the most popular conversation topic.

“Howya been?”

“Oh, man....this weather...”

or

“What are you doing Saturday?”

“Well, if it wasn't for this weather...”

I never know how to react because I love the weather and would rather talk about how refreshing it is, or how the plants are so green and lush. 

But my cheer usually doesn't go over well, so I've learned just to change the topic. The success rate depends on who I'm speaking with. 

After much observation, I've pinpointed the top 4 Seattle-weather-complaining-types:

• Bubbling Ragers- They take the weather personally, and they are very angry about it.

• Awkward Pause Filllers- They can't think of anything else to say. We've all been there.

• Delicate Flowers- These people are very sensitive to all external forces, the weather being one of many.

• SAD Pandas-Victims of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Warning signs include pasty skin and dark under eye shadows. Rarely seen because often hibernating.

It's fascinating that there are so many ways to hate the weather, yet it's the bond that all Seatteites share.

I don't want to complain about complaining, but let me share what comes to mind when people start ranting and raving: in human relations, there is a continuum of quid pro quo. Everyone has an effect on someone else, just like a skipping stone sends ripples across the water. If positivity and negativity are both contagious, what are we spreading when we start bitching about the skies?

Besides, it's not like Mother Nature can respond in a meaningful way anyway... Well, unless you've got the money to seed the clouds.

Yes, Seattleites, we do have the right to talk about whatever we want, and yes, I support you getting it off your chest. But I also want to remind everyone that this is one of the most literate U.S. cities AND there are approximately 1,013,913 words in the English language. Oh, imagine the convos that could be had!

The clouds may suck, but being a little proactive to satisfy personal needs could go a long way. We have to make sure we are getting the right amount of sleep, exercise, fresh air, and socializing to prevent SAD.  It's up to the individual to root out how to ease the pain—like planning a tropical island getaway, or maybe throwing an indoor luau...in which case I hope I get an invitation. ;)

Rainy or not—every day is a new day. There's only one chance to make it count.

P.S. LOVE this picture Gloom from redditor pentium4borg [karma].

"Mindful" by Mary Oliver

Today is a beautiful, sunny day in Seattle which means that everyone is flocking outdoors to soak it all in. To honor everyone's energy, here is one of my favorite poems by Mary Oliver.  

I'm off now to Volunteer Park where I'll be turning Oliver's words into reality. 

Every day

I see or hear

something

that more or less

kills me

with delight,

that leaves me

like a needle

in the haystack

of light.

It was what I was born for -

to look, to listen,

to lose myself

inside this soft world -

to instruct myself

over and over

in joy,

and acclamation.

Nor am I talking

about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,

the very extravagant - 

but of the ordinary,

the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.

Oh, good scholar,

I say to myself,

how can you help

but grow wise

with such teachings

as these -

the untrimmable light

of the world,

the ocean's shine,

the prayers that are made

out of grass?

(Why I Wake Early)

Compassion for Animals

Sunday evening I sat in front of a tree to enjoy the sunset.

A fat red-bellied bird sat down on a close branch and sang to me. After a couple of minutes, he was interrupted by a distant sound. I couldn't see bird #2, but I could tell it was pretty far away.

My serenader then responded with a series of high pitched tones.

Just like an answer. 

The flow of their communications made me giggle--the exchange sounded just like a human conversation.

Something like:

Bird 1: Skwaaa Skeee Skiii Skaaa....

Bird 2: Skwaaa.

Bird 1: Skiii Skaaa?

Bird 2: Skweeee!

And so on and so forth.

Maybe I was projecting, maybe I have a strong imagination, but it sounded like they were interrupting each other and cutting each other off. At times, I could see the little bird in front of me cock his head to an angle as he listened intently.

It made me think:

Animals are so similar to humans. They have families, cultures, and feelings just like we do. They are mentally and physically a lot like us, except they lack higher brain functioning.

We should really be nicer to them.

And not put them in zoos. 

How to Write Your Eulogy

Imagine this: you are in a funeral home surrounded by your friends, family and other familiar faces. It's decorated with your favorite flowers. The photo on display at the center of the room is your own. The program has your name on it. You died last week.

This exercise is from the book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey. 

Covey asks the reader to picture themselves at their own funeral and asks:

• What are they saying at your eulogy?

• How are they describing you?

• What kind of impact did you have on them?

Covey makes an interesting point: There are various roles we lead in life, and many relationships that we choose to foster. Do you want to be a loving parent, a prolific artist, a constructive community member, an effective activist, or a passionate  careerist? 


Keeping the end in mind might help us set our priorities today.

Covey says the next step is to take that list and actually make it real by blocking out time on the weekly calendar. How many hours, days, weeks, months, years will we put toward it? This is the true art of scheduling. 

When I did this exercise I learned that self-discovery isn't easy. It takes effort to articulate values and life goals—but they are definitely there, sometimes hidden in the subconscious. I sat down with pen and paper one day and thought long and hard about Covey's words. 

It took some time, but I pulled a few things to the surface and found the spots in my schedule to make it happen. That's why I volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters—and during my busy months when I can't devote as much time to them, I can at least spread the word,** which is just as valuable.


It's a deep question to sit with, but I'm glad I did. I straight up asked myself:

What do you want in life? And what do you plan to do about it?

**There are 600 littles on the waiting list hoping for a mentor...just in Puget Sound alone. 
Most of these children are boys who don't have a strong father figure in their lives, but there just aren't enough male volunteers. If you know someone who might be a great mentor, let them know. It doesn't take much, but it makes a huge impact. 

Self-Compassion: More Powerful Than You Think

                          "You really should be kind to yourself, 
                       and it'll actually be really healthy if you are." 

Check out this interview with Dr. Kristin Neff on compassion science and it's relationship to your self esteem.

Kudos to Dr. Neff at the University of Texas for pioneering this highly intuitive, yet much needed field.

Gettin' Back to Nature

Ahhh...the joys of modern industrialized life. There's even a meme that pokes fun at how spoiled we are:

As time passes, our world becomes more urbanized...and what's not urbanized becomes suburbanized. There are more buildings, vehicles, pollution, and fewer outdoor communal spaces. With all the privilege and convenience, I wonder: are we losing touch with nature?

Nature and humans used to share a deep bond. Aside from the fact that nature provides life force, the simple act of observing the natural world has driven math and science. It has inspired us to think and question why things happen the way they do—take great thinkers like DaVinci or Darwin for example. And with physics, humans have come up with some answers.

For me, long hikes teach me to appreciate and understand the value of life on earth. Enjoying nature—and soaking it all in—awakens my senses to the beauty of the trees, water, mountains, sky, and critters. Have you ever just layed on the grass and observed how the trees move in the wind? Those are my moments of zen.

But I'll admit, Seattle spoils me with easy to access gorgeous scenes from Mount Rainier to the Olympics.   

At Crystal Mountain with my best ski buddy/trad climber extraordinaire Lindsey. 

For my friends out there surrounded by the urban jungle, get creative. Go to a park or place a bird feeder at your window. Got any vacation time? May I suggest a couple of the most majestic places Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon.

The goal is to immerse ourselves in nature's grandeur. It's easy to fall in love with the outdoors, the hard part is just allocating the time and making it happen. But for me personally, it's worth it. Nature is our greatest gift, a gift we owe to ourselves, and a gift meant for sharing.  

Namaste

As a yoga newbie, I heard the word “Namaste” a lot, but never reeeally understood what it meant.

yoga cameo in the short film Everyday is a Journey (I'm in the grey pants)

Namaste means "I bow to you.” For the fellow linguistic nerds out there, it is derived from Sanskrit and combines two words, ‘Namaḥ’ and ‘te.’ Namaḥ means 'bow' or 'adoration' and te means 'to you.'

What a poetic concept—bowing to others with admiration.

My translation is, “I open my heart and bow to the magic inside of you (which is also inside me).”

It means seeing people clearly for what they truly are…as the miracles of life. The fact that we all beat the odds to get here—from the big bang to procreation—is truly awe-inspiring! Namaste goes deeper than just understanding that fact...it means cherishing it and relishing in its beauty. I'll definitely bow to that!

“Namaste” is also a good reminder to drop stereotypes and get to know them for who they really are.

Sure, that may not always be easy. Who hasn’t come across a rude person or an awkward situation? Who hasn’t been disappointed or hurt? Sh*t happens, but I view those bumps along the road as opportunities to exercise compassion. By taking a moment to pause, breathe, and actually say Namaste, I remember that everyone has faults (especially me).

When we accept our humanness and the humanness of others we relieve ourselves from carrying an unnecessary and stressful burden. It’s liberating.

Disclaimer: exercising compassion doesn’t mean we have to like everyone’s personality or put up with abuse. We luckily have the freedom to choose the people we enjoy. We can open up and learn from everyone who crosses the path.

So, to you my wonderful reader, I bow to you. I bow to the love, magic, and beauty inside of you. From the bottom of my heart to yours…Namaste.

3-10-12 edit: A Redditor offered their own interpretation of Namaste, which I also really like. "The spirit in me, sees, acknowledges, and bows to the spirit in you." [show Redditor Frost 57 some karma]

Work Life Balance

The Energy Project

Our inner worlds are constantly shifting. Like changing weather patterns, sometimes we feel high, sometimes we feel low. On top of that, the world “out there” is in a constant flux. So how do we center ourselves and stay grounded?

The answer is work-life balance.

I devote a little attention to the fundamental areas of life: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, to turbo charge my batteries and positively reinforce who I am.

And I don't compartmentalize—I realize that they are interconnected and neglecting one would  negatively  impact the others, affecting me overall. 

Sure it requires extra effort, but the pay off is I am more statisfied and energized to do the things that need to get done.

So how to do it? Something as little as forcing a lunch break makes a huge difference in my day, because my brain rewards me with being twice as effective and efficient once that break is over.

There's a greate quote from Teahouse of the August Moon, “I'm making peace with myself somewhere between my ambitions and my limitations. It's a step backward in the right direction.”

http://www.theenergyproject.com has a simple quiz that helps you conduct your own personal audit. Take the quiz and see if you are haphazardly sabotaging your happiness and productivity.

Instructions: for each true statement, give yourself 1 point.

Physical

1. I don't regularly get at least 7-8 hours of sleep and/or I often wake up feeling tired.
2. I frequently skip breakfast, or I settle for something that isn't particularly healthy.
3. I don't do cardiovascular training at least three times a week, and strength training at least twice a week.
4. I don't take regular breaks during the day to renew and recharge.
5. I often eat lunch at my desk, if I eat lunch at all.

Emotional

6. I frequently find myself feeling irritable, impatient or anxious at work, especially when demand is high.
7. I don't have enough time with my family and loves ones, and when I'm with them, I'm not always really with them.
8. I take too little time for the activities that I most deeply enjoy.
9. I rarely stop to express my appreciation to others or to savor and celebrate my accomplishments and blessings.
10. I often feel that my life is just a relentless set of demands I'm expected to meet and tasks I have to complete.

Mental

11. I have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time and I am easily distracted during the day, especially by email.
12. I spend much of my time reacting to immediate demands rather than focusing on activities with longer-term value and leverage.
13. I don't take enough time for reflection, strategizing and thinking creatively.
14. I rarely have any time when my mind is quiet and free of thoughts.
15. I often work on evening and weekends and/or I rarely take an email-free vacation.

Spiritual

16. I don't feel passionately committed to what I do.
17. I spend too little time at work doing what I do best and enjoy most.
18. There are significant gaps between what I say is important in my life and how I actually live.
19. My decisions at work are often more influenced by external demands than by a strong, clear sense of my own purpose.
20. I don't invest enough time and energy in making a positive difference to others and/or in the world.

Tally up the total and see where you lie:

• 17-20 Full out energy crisis
• 13-16 Imminent energy crisis
• 9-12 Significant energy deficit
• 5-8 Moderate energy deficit
• Below 5 Fully Energized

Are you satisfied with your score?

If your habits are undermining your satisfaction, why have you allowed that?

Be Your Own Hero

mctgarcia photography

I've adopted these words as a mantra to help me when my mind wanders into negativity land:

"We are our own dragons as well as our own heroes, 

we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves. " 

-author Tom Robbins

With so many thoughts buzzing around inside our heads, we're bound to encounter a toxic thought or two. But how do we defend ourselves from ourselves?

Case in point: it's a sad fact that chauvinistic media has distorted how women view their bodies. But both women and men ruthlessly scrutinize themselves in front of the mirror. I've heard friends say, "I look fat, I'm getting old, I'm losing my hair,” even when it couldn't be farther from the truth. This loose talk seems harmless, but it seeps into our consciousness and dissolves our self esteem without us even realizing it.

Just because a negative thought exists, that doesn't make it true. We've got to get smarter about recognizing the inner trickster...that voice that makes excuses, plays con games, and tells us that we don't measure up. When an internal bully rolls around, we've gotta stay solid in who we are and ask, “What is it that I'm trying to measure up to anyway?”

My personal negativity cleanse has paid off for me. By training myself to disregard the bad and focus on the good, it's almost second nature. My goal is to embrace it all—good and bad, to love the world, love myself, feel good sometimes, feel bad sometimes, and appreciate everything for what it is: experience. Striving to be a good person gives me inner peace and I proudly am my own hero, my own mentor, my own knight in shining armor.

Don't be a dragon; be your own inspiration. Repeat that promise to yourself and maybe even hang a reminder on the mirror. Instead of dwelling on body image, let's all open our eyes to the beautiful people we truly are.