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               LIVING MY WAY NEWSLETTER December 2009
 
WELCOME!

I have just discovered that this early December edition did not go
out on schedule (because I did not tell my distributor to send it)
so here it is a month late.  I hope you all had a happy, peaceful,
fun holiday season and are looking forward to a wonderful New Year!
 

December greetings to all and welcome to my new subscribers!  I
hate to tell you this, but I'm starting the month with a trip to
Florida to attend the Positive Aging Conference. Sunshine and the
beach - now that's a positive thing to do!
    
So now Halloween and Thanksgiving are done - that leaves
Christmas/Hanakkuh and New Years.  Maybe it's a good thing  all the
holidays come in a string but I sure am glad when they are all
over.
   
Personally, I greet the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21st with the most
enthusiasm because that means the days will start getting longer
again.
   
No matter how you celebrate the holidays, keep it simple and make
it fun.  December is a time for loving and laughing and sharing
with others.  Enjoy!
  
                   *****************************
The new blog site is up and going - http://sowhatsnext.me to see
it.    There is an RSS button - click on it and sign
up to receive an email in your inbox each time I post - once or
twice a week.   I'll be adding some of the better past stories back
into it as well as some new features next year.                    
                                                                                                   

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6 GIFTS TO GIVE YOURSELF 

The celebration of this time of year in almost all faiths around
the world involves the giving of gifts to those we care about so I
think it is
most appropriate that it also be a time for each of us to give the
Gifts of Self.
  
Here are 6 gifts you can give yourself toward a better life:

1.Be a child - give yourself time to be in the moment - notice the
clouds in the sky, the feel of a silky shirt, the smell of an
herbal tea,  the taste of a tangy food, the touch of someone else's
hand, the feel of the wind in your hair. Let a sense of wonder, awe
and fun be a part of your daily life. 

2.Be emotional - allow yourself to truly feel your emotions - cry
at sad movies, laugh out loud at a child's antics, express
disappointment in others, admit fear of loneliness or illness,
recognize feelings of anger.  Pushing feelings away keeps us from
experiencing life and relationships in a positive way.  

3.Be a student  - learning is vital to healthy living.  Take a
class, read a book, join a club, travel to a place you've never
been, ask questions, be willing to try something new. How about
Salsa dancing, Yoga, French cooking, basket weaving for example.?
Or go back to school to study a new subject.

4.Be caring - it is perhaps a cliché, but the more we care and
give to others, the more we get in return.  Really listen to a
friend's problem,  express concern for someone's illness,  remember
to thank and congratulate others for what they do, volunteer to
help another person without being asked, smile at strangers. 

5.Be a giver - focus on others.  Find a cause to support, a place
to volunteer, do your part to improve the world right around you or
far away.  We're all part of the same human family and our future
and our children's future depends on us.   

6.Be who you are - most importantly, honor your own unique self. 
Every one of us has something to offer, a contribution to make, or
a way to be important no matter how small.  Don't worry about what
others think, live the life that's right for you at this time. 

No matter how you celebrate this season, be sure to give yourself a
gift. 


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YOUR BOOK LISTS

Last month I asked for suggestions of good books and you responded
with an interesting list - Some are fiction, some are good
entrepreneurial guides, some are inspirational.  They are all now
available in my bookstore that you can link to below. 

Thanks for the ideas - I've added a couple of my own.   Here are
the titles:
  
 
No Impact Man by Colin Beavan 
Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich
Don't Retire, Rewire! By Jeri Sedlar & Rick Miners 
Finding Your Own North Start by Martha Beck 
The Good Life by Helen & Scott Nearing - at your library
The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Gifts From a Course in Miracles by Frances Vaughan & Roger Walsh
This Year I Will by M.J. Ryan
Weekend Entrepreneur by Michelle Anton & Jennifer Basye Sander
The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk and Adventure in the 25 Years
after 50 
Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher  - (anything by Barbara is great) 
Making a Living Without a Job by Barbara Winter - new edition 2009 
How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer
Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Ann Klauser 
 
If you have others to suggest, please share them with us. 
     
       Send an email to jane at lifeandworkbydesign dot com
                                                              
Remember that my recommended books are available through the BOOKS
page on my web-site from Amazon.  You get the same free shipping
deals and I get a small commission for sorting them all out for
you.  Thanks! 

                www.lifeandworkbydesign.com
   
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A LITTLE INSPIRATION 

 Another amazing book I highly recommend on every nightstand is A
Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlan. 

 Here's an excerpt:
 
"But you are the only person alive who has sole custody of your
life.  Your particular life.  Your entire life.  Not just your life
at a desk, or your life on the bus or in the car, or at the
computer.  Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your
heart.  Not just your bank account, but your soul. "  (p. 10)
  
"I learned to love the journey, not the destination.  I learned
that is not a dress rehearsal, and today is the only guarantee you
get." (p. 42)
 
 Find some way to pause to listen to your inner voices, feel the
desires of your heart,  and express your SELF in whatever way
brings you joy. 
   
                      HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!    


    My e-mail box is always open if you'd just like to chat..
               jane at lifeandworkbydesign dot com