Live Passionately

- - - | written by Jason on 5/15/2012 | - - -

The Art of Living Unconventionally: Interview with Chris Guillebeau

A few years ago, Chris Guillebeau made it his goal to visit every country in the world before his 35th birthday. He's already visited over 175 of them, and is on pace to complete the quest next year. He is also a writer, entrepreneur, purveyor of the blog The Art of Non-Conformity, and author of the excellent book by the same name. His mission is to help people live unconventional lives, make their own choices, and change the world. We had a chance to chat with Chris recently, and covered a wide range of topics. We asked him about his world travels, how his adventure has changed him, and …

- - - | written by Jason on 5/8/2012 | - - -

How to Do What You Love and Create a New Future

Many people I talk to have an inkling of some kind of dream business they'd love to start. A cute yarn store. An interior design consultancy. A little coffee shop. It's often deep in the back of their mind, buried by things like fear and doubt. Something's holding them back: Lack of funds. Uncertainty about what steps to take. Or the comfort of a job that already pays the bills and provides benefits, even if it's one they dislike so much that they'd rather punch kittens for a living. …

- - - | written by Jason on 5/7/2012 | - - -

Bucket List, Summer Edition

A few months ago, I wrote about the idea of making a list of things you want to do this summer. A summer bucket list, if you will. This is mine. Time flies, whether you're having fun or not. Creating a great life story requires living with intention. As the old saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there. But if you want to create a life filled with great scenes and happy memories, you need to do your part. You need to invite those scenes and memories into your story. One way to do that is with a bucket list. Write it out. Draw it, like I did. Or …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/9/2012 | - - -

Want to live a better story? Ditch your New Year’s resolution and do this instead.

How’s your New Year’s resolution going? If you’re like most people, you either thought to yourself, “Wait, what was my new year’s resolution?” or just descended into a shame spiral. Me, I’m not a big fan of resolutions. Instead, I like to choose a word of the year. …

- - - | written by Kim on 11/23/2011 | - - -

On The Brink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OHuSa8fXQM What adventure are you on the brink of? The trick is to find that balance between anticipation and enjoying the moment. P.S. Learn more about bringing Jason in to inspire and energize your group right here. …

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- - - | written by Kim on 10/12/2011 | - - -

How to Feel More Alive

As the belly bump gets bigger and bigger (who am I kidding, it's no "bump" -- at 32 weeks it's more like I'm hiding a pumpkin under my shirt), I've had a couple of people recently ask me why I am choosing (for the seconds time) to have a natural childbirth. There are so many "amazing" drugs out there -- why wouldn't I choose to make my experience less painful? In discussing this with our midwife, she had a really cool take on it. I'm paraphrasing, but in essence she shared... People want to FEEL their lives. Why do we run marathons? Climb mountains? Learn how to paint? Because we have the …

- - - | written by Kim on 9/28/2011 | - - -

Is Your Life a Bored Game?

If you are feeling that your life is dull or unfulfilled, liven it up with this four-letter word, which also happens to be the name of a popular board game. …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/7/2011 | - - -

Just About the Best Compliment Anyone Can Get

One day an early childhood professional was tying a four-year-old boy’s shoes. He looked up at her and asked, “Miss Mary, are you an adult?” Mary, who was in her mid-fifties, sported silver streaks in her hair and boasted wrinkles around her eyes -- the kind that come from smiling too much. She could tell from the boy’s inquisitive eyes that his question was not intended to tease. He was truly puzzled by this dichotomy that was tying his shoes. “Well,” Mary thoughtfully began, “I have an adult body, but I still try to think and act and have fun just like a kid.” “Oh,” grinned the …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/31/2011 | - - -

Do You Love What You’re Doing As Much As This Duck?

Kim and I took Lucy and two of her cousins to a Madison Mallards baseball game recently. I brought my camera and managed to snap a few photos of Millie, one of the mascots, and she danced down the first base line jazzing up the crowd. It's an ok photo, but did you see it? …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/3/2011 | - - -

Cynicism is for Losers

Most young children look at things from an optimistic point of view. But as we get older, pessimism is in. Cynicism is a way to show how smart you are. Sarcasm is cool. Except it's not. Not even close to as cool as this: We often wonder where kids get all their energy from... Try beginning your day *enthusiastically* reciting (out loud) everything you're thankful for and the things you're good at, and tell me if you don't have a little hop in your step. Optimism. Enthusiasm. And a spirit of gratitude. It is (and always has been) the only way to change the world. …

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