Meaningful Wealth 

Late August a very dear and life-long friend and I drove about 2 hours north of San Francisco for a spa holiday at Indian Springs. There we found ourselves in the flow of meaningful wealth. Our experience of it was effortless - feeling centered, at ease, and nurtured by nature. As we noticed the beauty in the natural environment, our sense of being wealthy expanded. All it took was blue skies...palm trees - tall and short...verdant forest in nearby mountains...small wild life - a hummingbird resting on a tree branch, little lizards in the summer sun, cat prints on the car. Nature's bounty - but for the absence of our attention - so often escapes our view.

Rich and Enriching

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Folks Ain't Got Time 

Instead of thinking "I'll be happy when..." or saying "I'll be happy if...", freelance writer Veronica Ray suggests we ask ourselves a question. What 'if's' and 'but's' are limiting our enjoyment of life? In her book Choosing Happiness: The Art of Living Unconditionally she reminds us to focus on a natural and available energizer - JOY. 

"We may miss a great deal of joy because we expect it to be unusual, dramatic, and spectacular. We are waiting for lights to flash and bells to ring. But the truth is that joy is here, right now, waiting for us to notice it."

Return to the Present

What joy awaits your attention in this moment?

Anxiety Is Not an Option

Instead of worrying about whether you are making the right decision, practice being a commitment to having what you need and want. Sound strange? Well, it just means you can embody decisions that are right for you. For instance, a client of mine realized her work/life demands had left her drained - mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. She needed a work-free vacation. No laptop. No blackberry. No internet cafe. Just some real downtime for relaxation, fun, pleasure reading, and effortless sponteneous conversations. She had plenty of unused vacation time and said that two weeks of work-free vacation would revive her sense of herself - replenishing and rejuvenating her energy.

Still she was hesitant to take a work-free vacation because she worred about the constant stream of shifting priorities at work and all the emails that would flood her inbox if she didn't check it several times a day. So I invited her to use 4 Questions to Decide. Once she decided, we identified what next step she would take to embody her choice - the right decision for her. In another week she'll be enjoying her 10-day work-free vacation. 

4 Question Approach

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It's Easier Than You Think 

In our crazy busy work and lives we forget to feed the deeper parts of ourselves. If you're curious and fascinated by new perspectives and illuminating ideas, one easy way to do this is to watch videos from the TED Conferences - Ideas Worth Spreading. You'll find yourself thinking more vibrantly and learning a lot about what's possible when life and work enliven you.

The 19-minute presentation by anthropologist Wade Davis - National Geographic Explorer In-Residence - at the 2008 TED Conference is just one example. So grab a refreshing drink, sit back, relax for a bit, and enjoy this caffeine-charged brain trip to the worldwide web of belief and ritual that makes us human.

Too Busy To Be Happy

I agree with Robert Holden, Ph.D., Director of The Happiness Project, when he says: "We live in a Success Culture." In his new book Success Intelligence he challenges us to escape the "insanity of success" that leaves us manic, hyper, and busy to the point of distraction. It's certainly no mystery that balance is the secret to sustainable success.

How Much Success is Enough?

Robert Holden's study of success reveals a hidden side of its pursuit.

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