Advice for Life: Free University Courses at MIT Opencourseware

Free university courses sounds too good to be too true right?  Fortunately it is true.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has opencourseware in which they share the lectures, exams and videos used in real MIT courses.  There are over 1900 courses you can choose from ranging from subjects as diverse as Astronautics to Music to Health Sciences.  You won't receive a degree or credit for '"taking" these courses, but it is a great way to learn about a diverse range of subjects from the braniacs at MIT, all without leaving the comfort of your house and without the tuition. 

Advice for Life: Identify the Problem

Identify the problem is one of the 12 commandments in The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and applies to virtually any problem you may be facing.  For example, in The Happiness Project, Rubin has a problem hanging up her coat, i.e. she never does it and leave it wherever it lands because she hates hanging it up.  This is identifying the problem.  Once you've identified the problem, it can be much easier to come up with a solution, in this case, put a hanger on the back of the door to hang up your coat which worked for Rubin. 

I decided to try this for myself.  My problem is finding the time to exercise.  Now that the problem has been identified, I can come up with solutions, i.e. break exercise into smaller chunks, work out at lunch, exercise while watching t.v. etc.  Do I always act on these solutions?  No, but every time I tell myself that I have no time to exercise, I think of these solutions and I am exercising more.  It's a start.  Alternatively, you could always ask an honest friend for advice, since other people's problems always seem so much simplier to solve than our own.

Advice for Life: Do Something Fun

When is the last time that you had fun?  We all get so busy with work and life that sometimes we forget to have fun and what is fun for one person, may not be fun for you.  A few years ago I thought I needed to be more cultured so I started going to the opera and the ballet on a regular basis, thinking it would be "fun".  While I have a huge appreciation for the talent and dedication that goes into perfecting ones art, I hated it as an audience member.  It was not fun - so I started doing something that was fun for me- playing board games. 

I love board games, and have a particular fondness (read obsession) for playing Chinese Checkers.  Now I realize that playing board games may not be everyone's idea of fun either, especially on a Saturday night, but I can think of few other things I would rather do than spend an evening playing board games.  It is fun for me.  For other friends, fun is salsa dancing, taking a photography class, or training for a marathon, you name it, "fun" runs the gamut.  What's your idea of fun?

People playing board game photo courtesy of:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/justin/373499416/

Advice for Life: Grow Your Own Food

Today's advice comes from a book I absolutely devoured, The Wisdom of Tuscany by Ferenc Mate.  In The Wisdom of Tuscany, Mate waxes poetically on about how wonderful life is in Tuscany with such passion that its almost enough to make you pack up and get on the next flight to Tuscany. 

I especially loved Chapter 11 - The Tuscan Food Garden.  In Tuscany, this is how the love of food seems to be passed down, not just on a plate at dinner but in its entirety, literally from the ground up.  No child I know is "taught" to plant, or dig, or harvest.  No neighbor I know assigns chores to his children - Tuscan kids are much too spoiled for that - yet all the kids are out there working from a young age in every season:  it's their play, it comes naturally, they find their own way to fit in.  And along the way they find for themselves the best way to contribute to the family, filling its needs.  In this chapter Mate also describes how growing your own food is good for your health, the environment, improves your wealth, provide the opportunity to bond with your family, and the flavours of your own food are bursting with flavour.  So why not try growing at least some of your own food?  I live in a condo and have a little herb garden and even that brings me immense joy, nothing flavours a roast like fresh rosemary that I've grown chemical free.  If you're feeling more ambitious, why not try growing tomatoes and peas?  Both of which are easy to grow.  You don't have to grown all your own food, but you may be surprised at how enjoyable growing your own food is and how much more connected with the earth you feel. 

The other piece of today's advice is to read The Wisdom of Tuscany.  Although I wasn't planning on it, I finished this book in less than a day, I just couldn't put it down.  It was filled with tons of descriptions and antidotes on how to live a good simple fulfilling life, just like the Tuscans do, so much so that I felt transported to Tuscany even though I have never been. 

Tomato photo courtesy of:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/benmcleod/39266302/

Advice for Life: Get a Library Membership

A library membership is one of the best values for money out there.  In my city, an annual membership is only $12 - less than the cost of one book!  Not only will a library membership save you money, but it also helps save the environment - think of all the trees being saved with hundreds of people reading one book instead of each buying a book. 

A library membership also exposes you to books you would otherwise never read.  A colleague of mine frequently checks out coffee table books on a variety of subjects - space, wildlife, travel, crafts, etc. that she leaves out for her family to read.  What a great way to expose yourself and your family to new ideas at very little cost - so get a library membership today!

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." Charles W. Eliot, The Happy Life, 1896

Book photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickgage/3738107746/

Advice for Life: Shop Online at Etsy

Shop online at Etsy.  Etsy is a website where hundreds of thousands of craftspeople from over 150 countries sell their wares, so why not support a crafts person, save costs by cutting out the middle man, and get something really unique at the same time?  Or perhaps you`re a craft person, why not try selling your goods on Etsy, where your customers can find you from across the globe? There are definitely bargains to be found at Etsy.  When browsing under paintings, some of them started as low as $20 for an 8x10 in original piece, while fine art was also available! The next time I`m in the market for art work, I`ll definitely be checking out Etsy.  Check out Etsy today!

Painting available on Etsy:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/47074445/red-wave?ref=cat2_gallery_18

Advice for Life: Join a Meetup Group

Join a Meetup Group.  Meetup is an online network of local groups in 45,000 cities across the globe, with 6 million members.  There are 68,000 groups so you are sure to find something that interests you.  In my city alone, there are over 300 different meetup groups.  Meetup Groups are formed around a common interest ranging  from:  hiking meetups, to learning spanish meetups, to raw food meetups, to cultural events meetups to knitting meetups to board game meetups.  Literally whatever you are interested in, chances are there is a meetup group.  Best of all is that most Meetup Groups are usually free to join or with very minimal fees, i.e. $10 a year.  By joining a Meetup Group you will meet meet new interesting people who you have something in common with and just may just make your life a little richer. 

Photo courtesy of:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/mulazimoglu/3870930869/

Advice for Life: Eat Your Soup

Soup is filling, can be extremely healthy and it's an easy way to sneak lots of vegetables in, so why not make a big pot of soup once a week?  This way your lunches, dinners or snacks will be a breeze all week, making it easier to eat healthy, even when you are pressed for time.  You can also freeze some if you get tired of eating the same soup all week, and then you have some healthy meals on hand when you need a quick bite to eat.  There are also so many kinds of soup you can make that you will never get bored.  Among my favourites are pea and pancetta and Mexican black bean and spicy sausage, mmm, yum, now eat your soup!

See How to Cook Healthy for more ideas

Bowl of vegetable cream soup photo courtesy of:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhard/3039108760/

Advice for Life: Laughter is the Best Medicine

"Laughter is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles.  It won't take the potholes out of the road, but it sure makes the ride smoother."  Barbara Johnson, Writer

We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine and it turns out this saying is true.  Not only does laughter make you feel better but it also strengthens relationships and boosts immunity, to name just a few benefits of laughter.  Source:  Laughter is the Best Medicine.  Anyone know any good jokes?

Laughter is the best medicine photo courtesy of:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/gardenbeth/3951721315/

Advice for Life: Hug Someone

"A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away."  Cartoonist, Bill Keane. 

Go on, reach out and touch someone.  Not only does it feel good, but hugging has positive health benefits including reducing stress and pain according to Dr. Kim.  Hugging will also improve your relationships.  A 20 second hug will raise your level of oxytocin, a hormone that makes you feel closer to your loved ones.  Source:  How Hugs Are Proven To Help Your Health.  Who will you hug today?

Photo of two brothers hugging courtesy of:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/304779065/

Advice for Life: Click To Save Animals

Part of a happy and healthy lifestyle includes helping those less fortunate than we are.  Fortunately, you can help save animals in literally seconds a day with the click of your mouse.  Click to save rescued primates, Click to protect threatened wolves, Click to protect big cat habitat, or click on each one.  How does it work?  Sponsors make a donation for every click, in return for having their ad seen on the web page - social entrepreneurship at it's best.  I have these sites saved under my "Favourites" in my web browser and try and click daily.  Advice for life that you can feel good about!



Chimp photo courtesy of:http://www.flickr.com/photos/andy2580/4401273975/

Advice for Life - Buy Yourself Some Spring Flowers

Spring flowers can really perk you up, so why not treat yourself to a nice bouquet of sunny daffodils or cheery tulips?  Often you can find  a simple bouquet for under $5. 

Don't wait for someone to buy them for you. Buy them for yourself.  You may be surprised at how good it feels to treat yourself with something so beautiful.  
Spring Flowers Photo courtesy of:  flickr.com/photos/powi/2347124183/