Photo Friday: Van Gogh to Rothko in 30 Seconds

Today's Photo Friday is a little bit different.
It's actually not just one image, but a thousand images of some of the world's greatest works of art.
It's fascinating how images one right after the other for 30-seconds tells a pretty epic story.

See more about the project here.

Do the Crazy Thing

I so totally love this!

Source: Lululemon Blog

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Today, this blog hit a major milestone: 10,000 page views!  When I first started my blog, I wasn't even sure if it would get 100 views, much less TEN THOUSAND.  I am honored, humbled, and so absofreakinglutely amazed that so many of you have stopped by to get your daily dose of inspiration.  Thank you.  From the bottom of my heart.

It is Not the Critic Who Counts

Last week, I posted an incredible talk by Brené Brown on Shame.  In her talk, she recited what I believe is one of the most motivational quotes ever.  It's by President Theodore Roosevelt on the man in the arena.

I'm not one of those people who can just recite amazing quotes at will. Mostly because I just don't have that part of my brain that some people have that allows them to memorize long passages easily.  However, this quote inspires me to want to memorize it.  It's that powerful.

Image Source: The Quote Collective

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause, who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

—Theodore Roosevelt

TED Talk Tuesday: Draw Your Future!

How often do we say we're going to make a change in our life?

I'm going to get a new job.
I'm going to lose 10 pounds
I'm going to kick a bad habit.

Then how often do we go right back to what we've always done, and we never make that change?


Research shows that the odds against us making a real change in our lives are 9 to 1.
So how do we beat those odds?


Patti Dobrowolski, founder of Up Your Creative Genius and author of Drawing Solutions believes we need to draw a picture.

1. Draw your current state.
2. Draw your desired new reality.
3. Then let your brain fill in the three BOLD steps to get from your current state to your desired new reality.

Watch her 10 minute TEDx Talk and start drawing your future!

See it

Believe it

Act on it.

Motivation Monday- 212: The Extra Degree

At 211 degrees, water is hot. 

At 212 degrees, it boils. 

And with boiling water comes steam. 

And steam can power a locomotive. 

One extra degree... makes all the difference.

And, the one extra degree of effort in business and in life... 

separates the good from the great!

Here's one of the best Simple Truths videos.  Hope it gets you fired up this Monday morning to turn up the heat!

Photo Friday: Happy Spring!

March 20, 2012 was the first day of spring!  In honor of the season of rebirth and renewal, enjoy this gorgeous photo.

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/people/lordv/

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Happy Spring!

Beautifully Imperfect

We work so hard to chase perfection, when it's really the imperfections that make life beautiful.  

Don't Say You Don't Have Any Time

"Don't say you don't have any time.  You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein."

 -H. Jackson Brown

TED Talk Tuesday: Brené Brown on Shame

Last Tuesday, I featured one of my favorite TED Talks by Brené Brown on vulnerability.  Three days ago, her follow-up TED Talk on shame posted online.  I really, really love this talk.  Maybe even more than her first one.


Shame is the root of so many issues, yet it's the dirty little secret that no one wants to talk about.  Ever.  Dr. Brown defines shame is the voice in our head that says, "you're not good enough," and "who do you think you are?"


Do yourself a favor and watch this talk.  Bookmark it if you don't have time right now.  It's powerful and so worth watching.

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On another note, this post is my 100th post!  This blog has been such an amazing journey for me.  Whether this is the first time you've stopped by my blog, or the 100th, I just wanted to send a humungous THANK YOU to you for reading it.  It really does mean a lot to me.  I hope in some small way, it hopes to inspire your day!

Motivation Monday: Everything You Want is on the Other Side of Fear

Quote by George Addair

So what are you still doing on that side?

Photo Friday: Brilliant Blue Butterflies

Years ago, I did a 23-day Outward Bound Course in Costa Rica.  One of the most magical parts of that trip was when we stumbled upon a brilliant blue wall.  As we got closer, we realized it was hundreds of butterflies.  It was definitely one of those overwhelmingly inspiring moments that has always stuck with me.

Source: Costa Rica Vacations

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Happy Friday!

Everything You Need to Know About Napping

This Monday (March 12, 2012) was National Napping Day.  Who knew?  

Apparently this holiday was created by a professor and his wife thirteen years ago to bring attention to the benefits of napping.  They chose the day after Daylight Savings, since most people are more "nap-ready" after losing an hour of sleep.

We live in a culture where sleep-deprivation is the norm, even a badge of honor.  Napping has been shown to increase alertness, improve memory and even decrease your risk of getting heart disease.  

In honor of my new favorite holiday, here's a pretty rad infographic on napping.

Source: Patio Productions

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When was the last time you napped?

You Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take

Come on, take a shot!

TED Talk Tuesday: Brené Brown on the Power of Vulnerability

Brené Brown is a researcher who has extensively studied vulnerability, shame, connection and authenticity.  In her funny and sage TED talk, she shares what she's learned about the "wholehearted:" people who have a sense of worthiness, a strong sense of love and belonging, including these highlights:

What do the wholehearted have in common?

1. Courage to be imperfect.
2. Compassion to be kind to themselves first, then others.
3. Connection as a result of authenticity.
4. Fully embraced vulnerability.

Vulnerability is the core of shame, fear and the struggle for worthiness.

It is also the birthplace of joy, creativity, belonging and love.

Why do we struggle with vulnerability so much?

1. We numb vulnerability.  
2. We make everything uncertain, certain.  
3. We perfect.
4. We pretend that what we do does not have an effect on other people.

Advice to live like the wholehearted:

1. Let yourself be seen.
2. Love with your whole heart.
3. Practice gratitude and joy.
4. Believe that you are ENOUGH.

Do yourself a favor and take the time to watch her TED talk.  

It is genuinely a impactful and awakening video.

Motivation Monday: Motivational Manifesto

This is an awesome manifesto created by Clare Lancaster for women in business, but I totally think it applies to everyone.

1.    Follow your passion, it knows where you should go
2.    Help people
3.    Explore, play, laugh, enjoy
4.    Move more, stress less
5.    Set and celebrate milestones
6.    You have to put something out there to get something back
7.    Everything you want and need is up to you to make happen
8.    Carve a niche
9.    Get it out there
10.    Make your own path
11.    Define what success looks like for you then go after it
12.    Do it now
13.    Collect experiences, not things
14.    Ignore doubters, even when they’re in your own head
15.    Embrace online business
16.    Believe in yourself
17.    Simplicity is key
18.    Nourish your mind and body
19.    Take time out often
20.    Be your own hero
21.    Give yourself permission
22.    Trust your instincts
23.    Take it one step at a time
24.    Leverage everything
25.    Build your days around what is important to you
26.    When you’re doing what you’re passionate about you’re making the world a better place
27.    Never stop learning and experimenting
28.    The less you spend, the more you have
29.    Be thankful
30.    Look at your goals every day

Photo Friday: Lightning Over Honolulu

In honor of the lightning, thunder, hail, power outages, flooding and otherwise crazy stormy weather we've had in Honolulu this week, today's photo is a gorgeous picture of lightning over Honolulu by Aaron Yoshino.

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Happy Friday!

Stress is a Choice: 7 Rules to Simplify Your Life

I love Simple Truths Videos!
This one comes from the book, Stress is a Choice and offers seven helpful rules to help you simplify your life and live with less stress.

1.  Choose to set your priorities.
2.  Choose to leave the past behind.
3.  Choose to be a victor.
4.  Choose to discover your magnetism.
5.  Choose to be less if-fy.
6.  Choose to know your purpose.
7.  Choose to slow down in order to go faster.

All Great Changes are Preceded by Chaos

TED Talk Tuesday: Keep Your Goals to Yourself

This seriously goes against everything I've ever learned.

You always hear:

"Write down your goals, and then tell them to someone.  Tell them to lots of people.  The more people you tell, the more accountability you'll have."

Derek Silvers believes this is wrong.  That it's actually better to keep our goals secret.  He presents evidence in his short (3-minute) TED Talk that shows that telling someone your goal actually makes it less likely to happen. Interestingly, when you tell someone your goal, your mind is tricked into feeling it's already done.  Because it feels the satisfaction, you're less likely to get it done.

What do you think about his theory?  Is it better to tell others our goals, or to keep them to ourselves?

Motivation Monday: What's Stopping You?

Oh that's right.  Nothing.

Photo Source: 365Q

So why in the world aren't you doing it?

Photo Friday: On the Edge

There's a fine line between scary and exhilarating when you're living on the edge.

Source: http://magicalplaces.tumblr.com/

Letting Go Takes Love

This morning, a good friend gave me this great poem (thanks, Tom!).  It immediately struck a chord with me and thought you'd like it too.  Enjoy! 

LETTING GO TAKES LOVE

To let go does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can’t do it for someone else.
To let go is not to cut myself off,
it’s the realization I can’t control another.To let go is not to enable,
but allow learning from natural consequences.
To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means
the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try to change or blame another,
it’s to make the most of myself.
To let go is not to care for,
but to care about.
To let go is not to fix,
but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their destinies.
To let go is not to be protective,
it’s to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to deny,
but to accept.
To let go is not to nag, scold or argue,
but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.
To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires,
but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.
To let go is not to criticize or regulate anybody,
but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To let go is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the future.

To let go is to fear less and love more.

Remember: The time to love is short.

— author unknown