Living To Do

Deepak Chopra

February is Spiritual Teachers Month, a time to honor the spiritual teachers in our lives, find one if we are in need, or perhaps even become one.

Spiritual teachers can be found in many forms. A live, breathing guide is a wonderful person to have—you may find one of these at school, at church, or even within your own home. But spiritual teachers needn’t only be living, breathing people. Here are a few ways to learn more about spiritual teachers, find one for yourself, or even begin to become one. Read more

First of all—what a fun book! This has to be the best Living To Do book (and I’ve bought or read quite a few) I’ve ever come across. Written by three sisters, You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls is a jumbo book filled with things to do—the cover page declares, “Dare to Dream, Learn Something New, Do Something Just for You!” And it’s not like any other Bucket List book you’ve ever read.

For one thing, it’s written by a woman who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The book was Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas’ dream, a dream her sisters—Vaughn Catuzzi Lohec and Dara Catuzzi Near—shared and supported. With its heartfelt introduction and explanation about Lauren’s wish, the nonprofits that were set up in her honor, and simply getting the most out of life, it would be hard not to jump right into the book with both feet—talk about inspiring. Read more

January is almost over, but that doesn’t mean you have to scrap any resolutions you haven’t yet kept, feel like a failure, and grab a pint of Rocky Road. In face, many self-help coaches recommend using the month for planning the rest of the year, starting resolutions themselves in February. So really, you still have a weekend of planning left!

January is Self-Help Awareness Month, a month where we can recognize those groups and volunteers at AA meetings, coping circles, and other groups who help us be the best people we can possibly be. Though often anonymous, many people think of these groups as their extended friends and family. One of the things you might want to do this year is start a self-help group. Read more

Dark Days.....I went for a walk today when the weather was a bit better, but it didn’t help my mood later on. At the moment, I am feeling frustrated, angry inside, and like I am feeling the effects of SAD, which, trust me, is not altogether uncommon in the Pacific Northwest.
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With the kiddos at home today, you might be wondering what to do with them so soon after holiday break. Sure, you could let them sit in their PJs and watch cartoons or play video games, but what’s the fun in that? Instead of another boring day off school, why not make it a fun day by celebrating the reason they’re off—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sometimes it’s hard to celebrate people—it’s not exactly the same as celebrating a cartoon character or commercial holiday where plenty of activities and decorations are readily available. How can you make Dr. King and his message accessible to your kids? Here are a few ideas to get you started. Read more

Remember that lovely Dave Matthews video where the frumpy hero seeks out a hug from all of the people in the street? Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all were like that—just happy to be, to just go around getting and giving random hugs to one and all? Ok, with the current mentality we have it would also be a little crazy, for sure—but all of that aside, like Matthews sings, all you need is love, every day. With that in mind, on this National Hugging Day, you might want to give out a few of your own—or maybe add a similar item to your Living To Do List, such as… Read more

It’s a hefty order to fill—a year without regrets? Many people claim that they have no regrets to begin with, but you have to wonder… if he or she didn’t regret dancing on the table and falling, crushing his or her hip and puking all over the bouncer at once, there’s probably something wrong. “Oh, it was a learning experience,” people will say—but can you honestly say you wouldn’t go back an change something in your life if you could?

Still, “No regrets” is a pretty positive mentality—even if some people might use it as an excuse to back out of personal responsibility. Why not try to live a year on that kind of mentality, while still keeping your conscience in the picture?

The thing is, I have so many regrets in my life that I don’t know how to even begin this way of living. Here are a few things I have in mind, but I’d love more input from those who say that they live without regrets. Read more

With so many dull and difficult resolutions in the air (dieting, quitting smoking, getting organized—all definitely important, but overwhelming just the same!) it’s no wonder that January is Celebration of Life Month. We need to remember that life isn’t all about hard work, being perfect, or suffering to “do the right thing”—yes, it involves doing your best and personal responsibility—but it’s also a celebration. Every day when we wake up, we are given the fragile gift of another 24 hours; how will your be spending yours?

This year, make it a priority to celebrate each and every day you’re given. Here are a few ways you can do just that. Read more

I like, very much, the concept of "pay it forward."

It's a bit disconcerting to realize that the concept as currently presented, especially in online culture, is most closely associated a slight novel that's so full of saccarine that my teeth hurt just looking at the cover blurb, and a film that's actually even more annoying. Nonetheless, the concept itself is utterly fabulous. Sometimes called "alternative giving," or even "random acts of kindness,""pay it forward" has deep roots in both legal and American culture. Read more

While it’s commendable to resolve to quit smoking, lose weight, and generally make yourself more fit, why not add a quirky, fun resolution to your list this year? Maybe you’ll be more likely to keep your resolutions if one of them is something that you actually look forward to. Here are a few ideas—be sure to add your own.

Make a daily resolution. I heard about a family resolving to take a photo together every day for the year; with digital cameras, this is definitely doable if you can remember to do it! What other daily resolutions would you enjoy? How about a daily joke, walk, small piece of chocolate, song download, mini self-foot massage, prayer or meditation, game…? The trick here is to not make too many resolutions; just pick one or two that you would really enjoy. Read more