If you’re looking for a good reading list, OnlineClasses.org has a list of 100 inspirational books they think everybody should read. I have read a few off the list, and the rest are highly recommended, so I believe there should be some solid finds within it.
Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category
Inspirational Book List
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
What I Do In Lieu of Work
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010Sometimes, I lose my motivation or decide to take a break from getting things done. In lieu of being productive, I do many things. I have decided to share some of them here, hoping to inspire all to be productive while being recreational.
- Hit the Stumble button. It’s a great way to expand one’s horizons.
- Browse Lifehacker.
- Catch up on The Simple Dollar.
- Do yoga or pilates.
- Belly dance.
- Brainstorm or create something new inspired by music from Pandora or GrooveShark.
- Make duct tape wallets.
- Learn something new through MIT’s Open Course Ware.
- Browse Google for new productivity or organization applications.
- Review my days, weeks, or months.
- Catch up on my 101 Things in 1,001 Days list.
- Daydream about where I want to be in the future.
- Browse stock photos for inspiration.
- Work on my scrapbook.
- Look for a new book to read via reading lists or Amazon user reviews.
- Search for other blogs in my niche and leave “good job” comments.
What do you do when you are bored, but do not want to actually do work?
What Are Your Addictions?
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010I think regardless of how hard we try, in today’s society, addictions and habits are inevitable. For many, breaking habits is a new year’s goal that is rarely kept or completed successfully. So today, I want you to think about your addictions and, if you want, share them here.
Mine are smoking, caffeine, shopping for office supplies and belly dance gear, and planning. I cannot go without these things. If I do, I go crazy. The first two are terrible for me, and I am actively trying to break myself from them. Shopping is not too bad, because I rarely buy anything and it does not consume too much of my life. I consider window shopping and browsing online a recreational activity and treat it as such: I only do it when everything I need to get done is finished.
Finally, planning is a productive activity taken to the extreme. I have to-do list after to-do list and lists to show where my calendars are. I am completely obsessed with staying organized. As such, I am trying to free myself to the point where I can do things productively but not obsessively. I will let you know when that is done.
How I Maintain Balance
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010I write a lot about how to do things, but so far, I have not really shared how successful I have been with the challenge I set forth for all of you. I realized this recently and decided to change it. What better way of doing this than to write a personal post about how I keep up with all the tips and ideas I spew out here?
Medication
I maintain my mental health in a number of ways. To be honest, this includes medication, because I am bipolar. It also includes taking fish oil and a multivitamin because I do not have the best diet ever. I have admitted to myself that, for now, I need help keeping healthy. I am okay with this and I would hope my readers would be as well. To me, it is far better to be healthy and happy with help than to be unhealthy and in denial.
Scheduled Posts
I am definitely the opposite of a morning person. Actually, I’m more of a mid-afternoon productive type. But I want to have a post first thing in the morning for my American readers. Because of this, I schedule nearly every post you read on this site.
Jewelry
Yes, even a silver pendant has something to do with my routine. Every time I leave the house, I put on an om necklace I got as a gift for a little over $20 on Amazon. It is a constant reminder throughout the day to remain balanced, polite, and in a good mood.
I Have Friends
I have made friends during my life who have similar goals to my own, who want to remain in touch with their spiritual sides and treat others kindly and respectfully, and who have some ideas for how to go about it. They have helped me immensely.
I Have a Role Model
I have a person in my life who is the epitome of how I want to act, and seeing this person interact with others never fails to inspire me to be a better person.
I also have a new mentor, who I think will provide me with direction in my college and work careers.
Whether it is a necklace or a best friend, there are little things in my life I like to keep around in order to help me stay healthy and sane. What are some of the methods you use to stay balanced?
My 2009 End-Of-Year Review
Thursday, December 31st, 2009Major Achievements
- Got straight As in the fall semester
- Defeated depression
- Opened and funded a high-yield savings account
- Made over $200 dollars by writing
Minor Achievements
- In better shape now
- Maintained the One-Year Tightrope for a month and a half without missing an article
- Wrote in a journal every day for two months straight
- Made an excellent, supportive new friend
- May have gotten a steady job as a writer
- Began eating well and exercising regularly
- Implemented a productivity system that works for me
- Learned to brainstorm effectively
Growth
- Learned introductory accounting
- Understood object-oriented PHP
- Began re-learning Spanish
- Meditated somewhat regularly
Failures
- Did not make $1,000 online like I wanted
- Did not get a job like I should have
- Made a B in Biology over the summer
- My GPA is still not to 3.5
- Operated under a very high level of stress
Positives of Failures
- Encouraged to work harder next year
- Know more resources for making money online
- Learned a lot about myself and how far I can be stretched
What I will do the same
- Continue to work smartly
- Continue to plan and review weekly
- Continue to learn and grow every day
- Exercise and eat healthily
What I will do differently
- Be kinder to myself
- Study more often for harder classes
- Begin meditating more often
- Work more toward my 101 in 1,001 goals
How Will You Be Remembered?
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Image via Wikipedia
Tomorrow, along with Black Friday, is the National Day of Listening – a time when it is proper to ask for and share stories about communities, lives, and families. For this holiday, I want to challenge you all to both ask somebody else and answer the following question yourself: how will you be remembered?
The question is not meant to be answered as either objective or subjective, nor is there a right or wrong. The idea here is what a person truly thinks about himself or herself and to analyze that, and change what is desired. As Gandhi said, be the change you want to see.
As for me, I will be remembered as a loyal, close friend who always tried to lend a hand when others were in need. I hope.
Why Recycling Changed My Life
Friday, November 13th, 2009I only recently restarted recycling plans after a few-year hiatus. When I lived in Alabama, I was an avid recycler of aluminum cans because I was a prolific drinker of Code Red Mountain Dew. The addiction may have transformed to diet soda, but it still remains and I still consume four or more cans per day of the liquid amazing.
Have you ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It’s a huge area – twice the size of Texas, in fact – filled with garbage. The world’s largest landfill. And it’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which touches most continents on the Earth.
Ever thrown away a diaper? That’s where it goes. Aluminum cans? Yep. Paper and plastic and glass bottles, oh my? Absolutely. Everything gross you decide not to keep in your house ends up either in the ground or in the ocean, and chances are it lands here.
