To continue my series helping adults move “Beyond the Elementary,” in order to overcome stress and acheive success, here's lesson #3. 3. Celebrate more Are you a party animal? Apparently the students at UW Madison are and have earned the award of America's #1 party school (we're so proud). As Jason jokes, the folks handing out these awards have obviously not spent much time in a kindergarten classroom lately. Five and six-year-olds know how to celebrate! …
Delight in the Little Things
New Eyes
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." --Marcel Proust By default, children are born into this world with new eyes. That's why they get so excited by the little things. Years of living can build up thin layers of film over our perspective. Our vision gets cloudy; life becomes a boring shade of gray. Part of what it means to escape adulthood is not to seek ever more elaborate and expensive experiences, but to wake up to the small treasures all around you and see the world with new eyes. …
11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer
Summer is coming to a close, so you need to make the most of these last few weeks. When school starts the harsh reality for most kids is that their small amount of free time will soon be filled with homework, soccer, music lessons, church classes and sleeping. To read more about how overscheduled kids are destined to become perfectionist adults (riddled with Adultitis), check out this article. It's time to cross-reference your recent summertime activities with my list of 11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer. If you would like more ideas, I highly recommend the awesome book, "101 Things …
Step Back to Move Ahead
"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any talent." - Sir Issac Newton Are you experiencing patient attention? Humor me for a few minutes with this analogy. Put your hand in front of your face, with your palm about a 1/2 inch from your nose. (Thank you to my cooperative husband for being my model today.) …
The Ice Cream Man
Top 5 reasons why being an "Ice Cream Man" would be the BEST job in the world. 1. Free ice cream treats aplenty. (Tip: Get your free ice cream here, without having to make it your career.) 2. The jolly tunes. 3. Making kids smile all day long. 4. The freedom to drive around, wherever you want, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. 5. Living the "American Dream," and embracing the entreprenial mindset. Top 5 reasons why being an "Ice Cream Man" would be the absolute WORST job in the world. …
I’ll Have What They’re Having
Last night I had a chance to partake in a little fireworks action. Kim and I have an ongoing debate; she'd prefer they'd shoot 'em all off in in the span of about 10 seconds. I, on the other hand, like when they're spread out a little bit so I can savor them, you know, like a fine wine. (But not too much; my hometown liked spreading them out so much you could read a few pages of the dictionary between each explosion.) …
39 Ways To Slow Down Summer
1. Start the day with an early morning energizing walk. 2. Sleep under the stars. 3. Turn your cell phone off on the evenings and weekends. 4. Find water and sit by it. (It’s that simple.) 5. Dine outside at the local eatery. 6. Walk barefoot in the grass. 7. Send a card or write a letter to a friend (not an email). 8. Go for ice cream after dinner. 9. Invite your colleagues to an impromptu lunch in the grass. 10. Go fishing. …
How to Mess Up Your Vacation
Grown-ups don't do vacations very well. They try to jam as much into it as inhumanly possible and miss the whole point. They plan too much, expect perfection and relax...not at all. Have you ever returned from vacation feeling more tired than the day you left? Join the club. Yet another thing adults could learn from kids. …
A Time and Place for Everything
Today I had a very ironic experience. Jason and I hosted my parents this weekend. The weather was just gorgeous, so we decided a lunch down at The Pier would be great. It's a restaurant connected to The Edgewater hotel in Madison. The tables are right on the pier of Lake Mendota, Madison's largest lake. It was one of those days when you just soak in everything- the sunshine, the breeze, the conversation, the jumping fish, the ducks, the kayakers and even the families nearby (more on that soon...). As we sat under the blue and white umbrella and decided what we wanted for lunch, my mom …
Eau’d to Smell
Kids have it right: life really is about the little things. The big things get our attention and may have a better publicity agent, but the little things are content to confidently sit back in the shadow. The little things know that they are what make living life so fun and truly special. It seems to me that the sense of smell is one of those little things. When people are confronted with the age-old hypothetical question of which one of the five senses would you be most willing to give up, the sense of smell is usually one of the top contenders. But the sense of smell is the one sense that …