Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Free Life Coaching Offer

 
 

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via Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : by Tim Brownson on 3/30/10

There are lots of changes going on behind the scenes here at the moment. The result will be a new blog design, new domain name and sadly, the demise of the cartoons I have been using for the last 18 months or so.

The style of writing will NOT change (stop groaning at the back!), but I really want to generate some actual clients from my blog rather than relying so heavily on referral work as I do now.

There are too many mixed messages here for new readers and I have a feeling some first time visitors that may be looking to hire a Life Coach think I don't take what I do very seriously.

The fact is, I take Life Coaching and my clients needs very seriously indeed. It's life that I don't take so seriously, but I throughly understand why people may not realize that from my blog.

I have also been charging a lot less than most life coaches with my level of experience and proven results, so my prices are going up too when the new site launches. This will also allow me to dedicate some more time to the How To Be Rich and Happy project without wondering if I can pay the rent!

With all that in mind, I'm wondering if you want $2,000 worth of free life coaching?

Whether you or somebody you know would like to work with me for 6 months and not pay a Penny, Peso or Euro?

I'm not going to say any more here other than my head is going on the block. So if you're interested and you really want to take your life to the next level, then check out Free Life Coaching Offer at How To Be Rich and Happy.

By the way, if you read and enjoyed the great guest post from Carl Harvey called 'Death of the Self-Help Seminar' you'll be keen to pop back on Thursday(ish) when he takes it all back and I publish his latest offering "Resurrection of the Self Help Seminar"


 
 

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Educating Kids to Be Change Agents

 
 

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via Outside Innovation by Patty Seybold on 3/25/10

My most recent trip to URDT in Uganda was the most satisfying of the five trips I've made there in the past four years. In the past, I've been able to go on field trips into the bush to see firsthand the differences being made in the lives of local people and to talk with them directly. This time, I took four field trips to meet and talk with people who are taking the initiative to change their lives from living conditions that are extremely primitive to near-middle-class lifestyles. I also interviewed and solicited essays and drawings from the 262 students in the URDT Girls School. 

The three secrets of success of this integrated rural development program are:

1. Using a visionary approach-focusing on people creating the outcomes they want to achieve.

2. Girls and young women as change agents-in a culture in which women are treated as second-class citizens and are under-educated.

3. Community radio to engage citizens in strategic conversations about the issues that matter most to them.

As many of you already know, I am midwifing a children's book that will be written and illustrated by the girls at the URDT Girls School—the 10- to 18-year-olds who are becoming effective change agents. In doing so, I have learned much more about their school, their stories, and their lives. It's amazing how much you can learn from and be inspired by a motivated young person!

Although I have written about the URDT Girls School before, I had never really analyzed it to understand HOW these girls (and their families) are educated and how they catalyze change in their households and communities. As you'll see, this is a true "path of least resistance" story. At the Girls School, URDT has created a structure and an environment that makes it logical and easy for people to improve their sanitation, nutrition, and basic living conditions so that they can aspire to and create productive lives for themselves and their families.


 
 

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IQ. EQ. We Need CQ--Creativity Intelligence. How Much Do You Have? How Muc...

 
 

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via NussbaumOnDesign - BusinessWeek by Bruce Nussbaum on 3/25/10

There is an extraordinary moment in "Horse Soldiers," a book about the US Special Forces team that went into Afghanistan right after 9/11, when the men realize they need to ride horses into battle to defeat the Taliban. Dropped into a culture they knew little about, in a land of unknown and threatening terrain, with tools that were insufficient for the mission, and dependent on a group of distrustful people, the SF team did what it was trained to do--design a valid new pathway to their goal.

The 12-man, multi-disciplinary team went through the ritual of innovation--they observed and empathized with the local culture, collaborated among themselves and with their partners, brainstormed to generate new options, iterated a few and chose the best one. In the end, that best option was to get on a horse. The team mounted up to show respect to the culture, establish their social position as warriors, and effectively transport their high tech GPS and laser sights across the mountains and desert to call in air support and achieve their goal of victory in battle.

The Special Forces have a very high CQ--Creativity Quotient. Another way of putting it is that they have a high DI--Design Intelligence. Teams know how to go into unknown, changing, dangerous cultural spaces, do fast ethnography, brainstorm, collaborate, iterate options, choose the most valid solution for the situation and execute. They would never call it Design Thinking, but that is what it is. They learn it in training, through education. It is no accident that this paradigm of "as if..." organization and behavior is spreading not only through militaries around the world, but through the smartest global corporations as well.

So it is time for individuals and organizations to ask themselves--what is our CQ? Just as IQ and EQ has proven to be measures of specific capabilities, the capacity for creativity is increasingly the core to building value in these uncertain and treacherous times. And just as IQ and EQ scores can be raised significantly for anyone by teaching and training, so too can CQ be bolstered for individuals and organizations. When Rotman's DesignWorks holds a workshop, it raises the CQ of the participants. Ditto for IDEO, ZIBA, Continuum or Jump.

At a recent symposium on the Future of Design at Stanford University, a group of design/innovation practioners and educators (including myself) came up with the concept of Design Intelligence/ Creativity Quotient. We hope it takes Design Thinking and the conversation around innovation to the next level. The concept really came home to me when Bill Burnett, the Executive Director of the Stanford University Design Program, said he wanted to add an additional screening measure to the SATs and GREs that students submit for admission to the school. "We measure math, verbal and writing capabilities, why not creativity?" Why not indeed.


 
 

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.

 

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How I Became (Mostly) Google-free in About a Day

 
 

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via Zen Habits by Leo on 3/18/10

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on twitter or identica.

Are we too reliant on Google's services? As long-time readers know, I love Google's products and use them daily, as they're absolutely the best I've tried in their categories: Google search, Gmail, Google Chrome browser, Google Reader, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Picasa, mostly.

But is it dangerous to give all our information and to rely so completely on one corporation? Should we be worried? Should we be looking for alternatives? Should we be moving our data out of Google as soon as possible?

Another thing that concerns me is the commercialization of every aspect of our lives. It's bad enough that advertising is already so pervasive — in television, in newspapers and magazines and blogs, on billboards and in our mail. But if it's also in our email, calendars, maps, search, and basically everything we do every day, then there's no hiding from it. I'm not convinced that using amazing software is worth giving a corporation complete access to my life and my attention.

I've been thinking about this for some time. I don't have answers.

However, last week, I decided to try an experiment: could I go (mostly) Google-free? How hard would it be? How much would I like the alternatives?

It took me one day.

Here's how I did it, and how it's turned out so far.

First, Overall Principles

Remember that my main reasons for doing this are that 1) I don't want all my data in one corporation and 2) I don't want everything I do to be pervaded by advertising.

So the main principles I chose when seeking good alternatives were to find services that:

  1. are not Google (whether it's a corporation or not)
  2. are pretty good to use

And in an ideal world, those alternatives would also be:

  1. free, open-source, using open-standards
  2. free of advertising
  3. non-corporate (small businesses are OK)
  4. as good as or better than the Google services they're replacing

These last few ideals are not necessary, but would be great. In most cases, I didn't achieve them.

Google Search

The all-pervasive app that we can't live without. There aren't really good alternatives — there's Google search, then there's everyone else. Bing gets talked about a lot, but I don't much like the results and Microsoft isn't any better in my mind than Google. Same with Yahoo.

The alternative I chose: so far it's a split between Clutsy, ixquick, and Scroogle.

A word on Scroogle — actually it uses Google's search, but sets up an intermediary (Scroogle) that sits between your computer and Google's servers. Google places its cookie on Scroogle's computer, and then Scroogle deletes it, and also deletes any logs of your anonymous searches. So the results are as good as Googles, but ad-free, without Google's tracking, and 100 results per page (instead of the frustrating 10 results that Google has).

Update: Be sure to go to Scroogle.org, not Scroogle.com, which is completely different and NSFW.
Still, it seems like cheating, so I've been alternatively trying Clutsy and ixquick. Both are decent, not the best, but also sometimes have ads.

The transition so far: I set up each of these as my browser's default search engine for a little while. They all work fine, but I've been finding Scroogle finds the results I want more often.

Other alternatives I looked at: Ask, Cuil, Wolfram Alpha.

Gmail

I absolutely love Gmail, so giving this up has been as hard as Google Search. It's by far the best email program, period. And I've tried almost all. Luckily, I'm far less reliant on email these days — mostly it's just for family and a few business partners.

The alternative I chose: Fastmail. It's not as pretty as Gmail, but it's fast and secure and has a lot of great features. Most importantly for me, it has great spam filters (as Gmail does) and keyboard shortcuts. If you pay a nominal fee ($5 for a year, or less than 10 cents per week), you also don't get any ads.

The transition so far: It was easy to set up, and I forwarded all incoming Gmail emails to Fastmail. Eventually I'll delete my Gmail, but for now I'll leave it. I like Fastmail almost as much as Gmail, especially now that I've set up a few key folders (like Archive) and filters and learned the keyboard shortcuts. A couple things I really miss: Send & Archive (in one button or shortcut), automatic adding of email addresses to the address book (Fastmail does it but you have to confirm each time), and threaded conversations.

Other alternatives that look good: Roundcube, Zenbe, and Sup (self-hosted, but similar to Gmail but for command-line geeks). I may eventually use Sup once I get a better command of the command line.

Google Chrome

In the last few months, Chrome has been hands down my favorite browser, for its simplicity, speed, and beautiful features. I love it, and can't do without it. Firefox, Safari, Camino, Opera all seem clunky next to Chrome.

The alternative I chose: Chromium, the open-source version of Chrome. This is almost cheating, as it's practically the same browser. But after switching to other browsers for a little while, I couldn't stand it, so I chose Chromium. It's open-source, which is great, and doesn't track your info like Google does.

The transition so far: absolutely painless. I had to migrate some of the keyword bookmarks I'd set up for Chrome, but that took a few minutes. Otherwise, it's the same browsing experience, and just as stable.

Other alternatives: Firefox, Safari, Camino, Opera, and the beautiful Plainview.

Google Docs

I store almost everything in Google Docs (and Dropbox, for text files I draft on my computer). It's absolutely great for sharing documents. Haven't used Microsoft Office in years.

The alternative I chose: Zoho, an online document and productivity suite, actually more complete than Google Docs. I'd tried it in 2007 but concluded that Google Docs (or Writely, before that) was better. That hasn't changed, but Zoho is a decent second.

The transition so far: Migrating is fairly painless. You can sign up for a free account, and you can even import your Google Docs (through a mis-labeled "Upload" button), though only 5 Google Docs at a time. Zoho works just as you'd hope, though it's not quite as good or fast as Google Docs. Still a good alternative, although I'd love an open-source alternative that worked as well.

Other alternatives: Etherpad looks great but was BOUGHT BY GOOGLE! It's now open-sourced so you can try it Google-free at Typewith.me or PiratePad. While these are great for individual collaborative documents, unfortunately it isn't a great replacement for Google Docs in managing a lot of documents. Others to check out include drop.io, Feng Office, Peepel.

Google Reader

By far the best RSS reader (for reading blogs & news), Google Reader is simple, fast, and always synced no matter what computer you're using. It beats desktop RSS readers easily, and I've used them all.

The alternative I chose: Vienna, an open-source desktop app for Mac. I was using NetNewsWire for a little while and liked it but then realized there was no way to sync without Google Reader anymore, and as I don't want to give my info to Google, I had to ditch it. So I tried Vienna, which doesn't have sync at all, but is even better than NetNewsWire in every other way. And is open-sourced and ad-free, which is great.

The transition so far: As Vienna doesn't sync (at least I haven't figured out how), I just read on my Macbook Air, which is absolutely fine. It means my iMac is now just for working, and not reading, which is actually a great thing for my productivity and focus. I exported my subscriptions from Google Reader and imported into Vienna, which took like 30 seconds, and otherwise reading in Vienna is great.

Other alternatives: online readers such as Netvibes, Pageflakes, and Bloglines, or desktop readers such as Netnewswire, FeedDemon, RSS Owl, Thunderbird (not a great RSS reader in my view), or self-hosted varieties such as Gobble RSS or Fever, or browser plugins such as Sage.

Google Calendar

Absolutely my favorite calendar ever, I've been using Gcal for almost four years and love it. So much better than iCal or Outlook, it's simple and fast and accessible everywhere.

The alternative I chose: 30 Boxes, another good online calendar that I can share with my wife and access from multiple computers. I tried this several years ago but liked Gcal better — still do, but they're fairly close.

The transition so far: I probably could have found an easier way to export Gcal events and import into 30 Boxes, but I was testing out 30 Boxes and started entering the events manually. It's pretty fast and painless, so I ended up doing all my events by hand. Took about 20-30 minutes. 30 Boxes works pretty much as you'd hope, and I haven't had any problems so far.

Other alternatives to try: Monket (open-source, self-hosted), desktop apps like iCal or Sunbird (open-source), or online suites such as Zimbra or Feng Office.

Picasa

Great photo management software that's integrated on my desktop and online. Makes syncing your photos painless and works better than you'd expect if you're used to clunkier alternatives such as iPhoto.

The alternative I chose: SmugMug, which is a beautiful online photo app but not cheap (if you do sign up, use my coupon to save $5: TlepT5Lpv1XmQ).

The transition so far: Honestly, I haven't fully made this transition yet as I have thousands of photos in Picasa and haven't had the time to move them all to SmugMug. I've uploaded some of the photos I have in iPhoto using a free plugin, and it works pretty well, but moving all the photos will take a little time. SmugMug is a nice service, though again, not cheap.

Other alternatives: Flickr (which is good but I've never been a fan), iPhoto, a few others I didn't bother to look at.

Not Fully Google-free Yet

There are some things that I haven't done yet, but plan to do in the future to get fully Google-free:

  • migrate all photos & other data from Google's services
  • shut down my Gmail once my main contacts know my new address
  • move from Feedburner's blog subscription service (I actually forgot about that until just now)
  • stop using minor services (minor to me as I hardly use them) such as Google Maps – haven't researched alternatives for these yet

There might be others that I've forgotten about, so it'll take a bit longer than a day. But in one day, I was able to move from the main Google services I've been using for years, to good alternatives.

Conclusions

Overall, I haven't missed the Google services one bit. I really thought it would be harder to make the switch, but it was fast, fairly easy, and without glitches.

The services I'm using are almost as good, and once you get used to them you don't feel like you're making a sacrifice.

I need to be clear: I don't hate Google, nor do I think they're evil. They make great things, and in general have been more supportive of open standards and open source than other corporations like Microsoft or Apple. But it's not wise to put everything you have into one corporation, nor do I like commercializing my entire life. It was time for a change.

I also believe that if you give someone power, eventually they'll abuse it. It's just a matter of time. How much power should we give one corporation?

I don't know if I'll stay (mostly) Google-free, or if I'll eventually head back to Gmail or one of the other services. But I do know that I like using multiple services — putting my eggs in different baskets — and I like having fewer ads in my life. And I also know that it's possible to get out of Google's clutches.

Next up: Apple (see Linux). Twitter is in my sights as well (see identica).

Post inspired by Freemor.

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

9 Tips For Better Sleep

 
 

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via Stepcase Lifehack by Seth Simonds on 3/24/10

This article is the 4th in the 6-part series, Lifehack Challenge: Become An Early Riser In 5 Days. If you'd like to join, leave a comment that includes your promised wake-up time. The hard part is actually getting out of bed!

Whenever I see a toddler or small animal sleeping in a ridiculous position, a little part of me gets terribly jealous. Not because I want to be a small child or a furry kitten. Because I want to enjoy that same sort of rest!

I had a lot of trouble sleeping a few years back. Through a lot of experimentation and a bit of help from some very cool experts, I was able to take charge of my sleep and learn how to not just sleep, but find true rest.

At first glance, most of the tips listed below will seem familiar to you. They're straightforward, simple ways to get better sleep. It's okay if you've seen them before. The question is, have you actually put them into practice since the last time you saw them?

Hmm?

If not, let's have another try and maybe get some better sleep tonight!

1. Learn your sleep position

Your "sleep position" is the position you always move into right before falling asleep. If I'm not very tired I'll spend some time on my back, stomach, or other scenario until I feel like sleeping. Then, as soon as I feel like sleeping, I move onto my side and get down to sleeping business. Once you know your sleep position you can move into it immediately once you get into bed. Take a few deep breaths, relax, and your body will assume that it's time to sleep and you'll be drooling on your pillow in no time.

2. Create a sleep ritual

Not unlike your morning ritual, a sleep ritual is a few things you always do before going to sleep. Do you brush your teeth (you should be), listen to a bit of some favorite song, or stretch for a few minutes before bed? Figure out what helps you relax and make a habit of doing those things every time before you plan to sleep. You'll soon find it's easier to rest, even in circumstances that otherwise might have kept you awake, because the rhythm of your sleep ritual has lulled you into a relaxed state.

3. Build a sleep cocoon

Please don't start spinning silk and wrapping yourself up to sleep. If you can actually do that, your problems are much bigger than a simple lack of sleep! (Do spiders sleep? Anyone?) What you should try is creating a "cocoon" of silence and cool darkness that makes it easier for you to sleep. Experiment a bit with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to counteract the loud neighbors, air conditioning or a fan, and a blackout curtain to keep the street lights from keeping you awake at night. You know your situation best. Now optimize it so you can sleep better!

4. Experiment with naps

You could take an extreme and try polyphasic sleep (been there, really hard to get started, kinda fun once you've got a groove going) which is only naps. I'd recommend something more along the lines of a quick cat nap in the afternoon when you're feeling tired. Napping doesn't work for everybody. In fact, it might make it harder for you to sleep at night! The easiest way to find out if an afternoon nap will work to help you get the best rest is to try napping over a weekend and see how you feel afterward. Keep it under 30 minutes long and you should be able to avoid the bewildering effects of longer naps. There's always the caffeine nap, but that might conflict with the next tip.

5. Skip the late-afternoon caffeine

If caffeine can affect you for up to 8 hours after consumption, what are you doing sucking down coffee at 8pm? Skip the caffeine in favor of a tall glass of water and a few minutes of aerobic exercise. You don't need to put on a purple leotard and dance in the hallway. A few flights of stairs in your normal clothes should do the trick.

6. Maintain a sleep schedule

"Get up at the same time every morning and go to sleep at the same time every night" says the Mayo Clinic. Seriously? Life rarely allows such a luxury as that! If you're not one of the few who can arrange their schedule around sleep, do your best by keeping your sleep and wake times within an hour at each end. For example, if you can get to bed between 11pm-midnight and wake up between 7am-8am, a few minutes given or taken each day shouldn't be a problem in the long run.

7. Go to directly to bed when you're tired

You know what happens when you start to feel tired and decide to stay up for just a few minutes answering emails: you get a second wind and end up watching Youtube videos until 3am and paying for it the following day. Enough! If you're within an hour of your normal bed time and you're feeling tired, go to bed and try to sleep. Anything else is a waste of your time and future productivity.

8. Have clean bedding you love

"Love" might be too strong a word. It's hard to find anybody other than a mattress salesperson who sounds passionate about a mattress. That doesn't mean your bedding doesn't matter though. The clean part, which results from laundering your sheets and pillowcases, matters very much though. Who doesn't like the smell and feel of freshly clean sheets? (Put your hand down. That's gross.) Take a look at your pillow, too. If it's old and the filling is clumping up, it might be time to treat yourself to a new one.

9. Exercise early, don't eat late

Two tips in one? What a deal! There are some who can exercise right before bed and not have it affect their sleep. If you're one of those, good for you. If not, consider exercising when you get up in the morning as a healthy way to get your day off to a running start. Exercise, amazingly enough, can also work well to fight off the fatigue you feel after sitting in an office chair all day. Turn away from the coffee and get moving! You might associate eating with feeling sleepy because of the "carb coma" you get after a big meal. Take a break from the late-night stuffing and focus on relaxing instead. Perhaps a glass of wine? That'd be nice.

Any thoughts or tips you'd like to add? Fire away!

If you're participating in this week's Early Riser Challenge, you'll want to check out reader blogs: PeterxPark, TinaRenee, and LiveLighter.

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I'm an editor here at Stepcase Lifehack. I know the value of long walks, good books, joyful repartee, and a well-made martini. Say hello in the comments here, find me on my blog or hit me up for a follow on Twitter.

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How to Master the Art of Mindful Eating

 
 

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via Zen Habits by Leo on 3/24/10

Editors note: This is a guest post by Jules Clancy from stonesoup.

When I quit my job in January to focus on blogging full time, there were many changes I was excited about implementing in my lifestyle. One of the most rewarding has been around my eating habits.

During my years as a corporate wage slave, breakfast was a meal I ate alone in my car. Bites snatched and barely chewed while I negotiated the frustrating traffic on my one hour commute.

Lunch tended to be an even more disappointing affair. While I did usually take something fresh from home. I didn't give it justice. Scoffing my sandwich in front of my computer while I prepared for the next meeting, I often barely registered what I was taking into my body. No wonder I would finish the lot feeling empty and unsatisfied.

With my new schedule I was committed to making a change. No more meals behind the wheel or a screen, I was determined to start practicing the art of mindful eating.

and the benefits?

Reduced over eating. It's been a while now since I went to bed feeling bloated and over stuffed. Which is great in itself but also means that my 'muffin top' is pretty much gone when I wear my favorite jeans.

Increased enjoyment of food. As a food scientist, I've always considered myself a big fan of eating. Now that I'm on the path to mastering the art of mindful eating, I am finding a new found respect for food and am gaining far more pleasure from meal times.

Improved digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth with the action of saliva. If food isn't chewed properly it means that there's more work for the rest of your digestion system. I may be imagining this, but I think I've also noticed I have less gas now that I'm eating mindfully.

Being satisfied with less. Linked with reduced over eating, the real benefit here is being able to trust yourself to feel satisfied after one or two squares of chocolate so there is no temptation to scoff the whole block. Suddenly there's no need to deny yourself the occasional treat which makes for a far healthier relationship with food.
Ready to change the way you interact with food?

How to master the art of mindful eating:

1. Start small. Like all new habits, it's best to set realistic expectations. Choose one meal or snack each day and commit to focusing on mindful eating at that time.

2. Stop multitasking at meal times. It's really difficult to focus on eating if you're doing other things. Set aside time for eating without other entertainment.

3. Only eat at the table. Another way to minimize mindless munching is to get into the habit of only eating when you are sitting down and able to give the food your full attention. No more snacking on the run.
4. Appreciate the appearance. While we've all drooled over gorgeous food porn in magazines or online, sometimes we forget about the beauty of the food we are about to eat. Taking the time to notice sets the scene for mindful eating.
5. Focus on each mouthful. Think about the flavour, texture and even the sound of the food in your mouth. Focus on how much you like, or dislike these sensations.
6. Chew. While it can be overkill to go to the monastic extreme of 100 bites per mouthful, make sure you chew your food enough so that it is well broken down before you swallow.

7.Use cutlery and put it down between mouthfuls. It's much easier to take smaller portions when using a knife and fork. Of course if you feel like you're having a ridiculous Seinfeld moment eating a chocolate bar with utensils, then skip this step but do put the bar down in between bites so you can focus.

8. Talk and share. One of the joys of eating is sharing a meal with loved ones. It can be challenging to incorporate mindfulness in a social situation but not impossible. Turn the focus of the conversation onto the meal while you are actually eating. Share what you are experiencing in terms of flavours and textures, likes and dislikes. At first this may seem a little weird but trust me, you'll soon find yourself having fun with it.

9. Go for quality not quantity. By choosing smaller amounts of the best food you can afford, you will not only enjoy it more, you're far more likely to be satisfied without having to over eat.

10. Make time to prepare your own meals, preferably from fresh ingredients. The cooking process can be as relaxing and enjoyable as eating if you let it. For me, the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what has gone into my food makes any hassle worthwhile.

Why not try the art of mindful eating with my super simple recipe for broccoli with chickpeas & tahini.
zh broccoli & chickpeas-3

[5 ingredients | 10 mintutes]

super simple broccoli with chickpeas & tahini sauce

serves 2 – 3

This is broccoli at it's best. Crunchy and fresh in some spots, caramelised and complex in others. It seems like so much more than, well, just broccoli. With all that variety it's a great dish to practice the gentle art of mindful eating.

I've added the chickpeas to make it more of a complete meal, but I have been known to happily tuck into a big bowl of the broccoli on it's own.

Tahini is a paste of ground sesame seeds and is available from most health food stores. Natural yoghurt makes a good substitute.

If Leo hasn't convinced you to become a vegan yet, the broccoli is also brilliant served with some crispy bacon or a softly poached egg.

1 head broccoli, chopped into bite sized mini-trees

extra virgin olive oil

1 can chickpeas (14oz or 400g), drained

2 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat a large frying pan on the hottest heat.

Add 2 tablespoon oil to pan. When it starts to smoke add the broccoli and cover with a lid or an oven tray – it's critical to seal it so the broccoli fries from the bottom but steams at the top.

After 2 minutes, remove the lid and stir. Return lid and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and stir. Cover and cook for another minute.

Test a piece of broccoli – if it's tender, remove from the heat. If not cover and cook for another few minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

Meanwhile combine tahini & lemon juice with 2 tablespoons water and stir until you have a smooth sauce.
Serve broccoli and chickpeas with tahini sauce drizzled over the top.

Jules Clancy is the author of the cookbook 'And the love is free' and writes stonesoup – a blog about helping people become better home cooks by using a minimalist approach to cooking.
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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein: Part Deux

 
 

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via Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life by Mr. Self Development on 3/23/10


Given the great response to the article "10 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein," I've decided to publish the other seven lessons that I originally intended to include in that article. These were cut out because I feared the article was too long. However, I now believe that these seven lessons are even more profound than the original ten.

For those who didn't get a chance to read the earlier article, let me begin by recapping Einstein's accomplishments. Then we'll take a look at seven more amazing lessons from Albert Einstein. There's so much to learn from him! If you read the original, feel free to skip past the next couple of paragraphs.

[Recap] Albert Einstein has long been considered a genius by the masses. He was a theoretical physicist, philosopher, author, and is perhaps the most influential scientists to ever live.

Einstein has made great contributions to the scientific world, including the theory of relativity, the founding of relativistic cosmology, the prediction of the deflection of light by gravity, the quantum theory of atomic motion in solids, the zero-point energy concept, and the quantum theory of a monatomic gas which predicted Bose–Einstein condensation, to name a few of his scientific contributions.

Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."

He's published more than 300 scientific works and over 150 non-scientific works. Einstein is considered the father of modern physics and is probably the most successful scientist there ever was.

7 More Amazing Lessons from Albert Einstein:
  1. Devote Your Life to a Cause

    "Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person."

    Success requires all that you are, or as Walter Cronkite so eloquently put it, "I can't imagine a person becoming a success who doesn't give this game of life everything he's got." To succeed, to become a master, will require all that you are. Are you giving your all?

  2. Great People Will Always Encounter Great Opposition

    "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."

    With success comes opposition, there will always be resistance to greatness. Zig Ziglar said, "Little men, with little minds, and little imaginations, go through life in little ruts, smugly resisting all changes which would jar their little worlds." Never let "little men" stop you from achieving your dreams. Know that great spirits have always encountered great opposition.

  3. Make a Decision to See the World as Friendly

    "The most important decision we ever make is whether we believe we live in a friendly universe or a hostile universe."

    Your perception becomes your reality. If you believe the world is plotting to do you "good," than it is. If you believe the world is plotting to do you harm, than it is. Wayne Dyer said, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." Make the choice to see the world as friendly?

  4. Character Trumps Intellect

    "Most people say that is it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character."

    Your character determines how far you go in this lifetime, so work on your character; work on being the person you want people to perceive you to be. Work on your attitude, Einstein said, "Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character," and without character, success has no value.

  5. Never Ever Stop Learning

    "Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death."

    Never stop learning, when you're not learning, you're not growing; when you're not growing, you're dying. Always ask questions; always look for better ways to get things done. Einstein said, "He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice."

  6. Change the Way You Think

    "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

    The only way to conquer a problem is to grow bigger than the problem. You must become a "bigger" person. You must change the way you perceive things. This is why reading is so important; reading expands your mind to new levels, it increases your consciousness and your likelihood for success. Learn to cultivate the joy of reading, readers are leaders!

  7. Serve the World

    "The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule. The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive."

    Einstein said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." Let me encourage you to live your life in service to others, in service to your spouse, your children, your community, and your world. Your greatest success will come from your service to others.
Thank you for reading, and please pass this article along!

Written on 3/23/2010 by Mr. Self Development who is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth; support him by visiting his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com or by subscribing to his feed.Photo Credit: Joachim Reinhardt



 
 

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Monday, March 22, 2010

5 Big Ways to Add Time To Your Days

 
 

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via Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life by Ali on 3/20/10

Timer
A lot of productivity advice offers great hints for speeding up particular tasks: perhaps by concentrating better, by eliminating distractions and interruptions, or by learning to use Firefox, Gmail and other common programs more efficiently.

But what can you do if simply saving five minutes here and ten minutes there isn't enough? What if you want hours more space in your life, or if you feel constantly overloaded and busy?

Here are five big ways to make more time, which, ultimately means you'll have a better chance of succeeding at what you want to accomplish.
  1. Drop One of Your Goals
    It's an unpopular thing to say, but I'm going to say it anyway: You can't do everything that you want to do. I'm sure that, like me, you've got loads of goals and projects and ambitions and ideas... the truth is, you're going to have to pick between them if any of them are going to succeed.

    Can you drop one goal? Can you put it aside for a while? If you're trying to start a side business, lose 50lbs, write a novel and get a promotion all in the same year, you're probably going to end up quitting on all of them. It's much better to make a conscious decision on what you want to drop.

  2. Ditch an Unwanted Commitment
    As well as the goals and projects which we love, most of us have a few commitments which we're not so keen on. Perhaps you got roped in to being on a committee at your kids' school, or maybe you're always the person who cooks at home.

    You don't have to keep on with your commitments month after month and year after year. If you've totally lost interest in something, and if it's become a dreaded chore, then find a way out! You might even find that by quitting, you can open up a space for someone who'd really enjoy that particular task.

  3. Learn to Delegate
    One reason that many of us end up too busy is because we have the attitude that "If you want a job doing, you have to do it yourself." The truth is, there are plenty of tasks – especially low-level ones – which we should be delegating. It's not only better for us, it's better for other people who can learn and grow their skills by taking on those tasks.

    At work, delegating usually means handing on tasks and responsibility to a junior colleague (see here for some tips on delegating effectively). But you can also delegate at home: perhaps getting your teens to help with dinner, or even paying a professional for help with jobs such as cleaning, gardening or decorating.

  4. Get Better at Saying No
    Many of us have a tendency to say "yes" whenever we're asked to take on something new. Often, we're reluctant to say "no" because it's just a little job ... perhaps taking the minutes for a regular meeting at work, or making cakes for the kids' school fete, or helping out with our partner's accounts.

    The problem is, little jobs often go on over time and become tedious commitments, draining energy as well as time. Plus, if you keep saying "yes", you'll find your free time shrinking rapidly. One of the best ways I've found to say "no" is to ask for a few days to think about it. This is often easier than feeling put on the spot for a decision, and it also lets people know that you're taking their request seriously.

  5. Make Your Happiness a Priority
    Finally, if you're really going to create time in your life to do what you want, you need to make your happiness a real priority. That means believing that your happiness does matter, and behaving appropriately.

    You may find that you need to stand up for yourself more, or that you can start suggesting social activities which you enjoy, rather than just going along with whatever friends and family say. You may even end up switching careers, starting your own business or taking a sabbatical.
What could you do this week to free up a big chunk of time in your life?

Written on 3/20/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.Photo Credit: Seth Tisue



 
 

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My Experiment to Break Free from TV

 
 

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via Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life by DLM Writers on 3/21/10

couch potato
A few years back, I decided to try a "no TV" experiment. I wanted to see if it was possible to give up television for an entire week. It wasn't as extreme as the 30 day experiment mentioned here, but it seemed like a good length of time to me. Actually, before beginning the experiment a single week of no TV seemed like a lifetime. I had grown quite attached to my TV, but I wanted to get back some of my time. I knew that my time could be spent in a more productive manner than watching TV, but I had grown quite accustomed to plopping down in front of the TV after work and vegging there until bedtime.

As I entered the experiment, I realized I had to overcome some of the excuses I had developed for keeping the TV on. I have heard the following excuses from others and also uttered them myself. I realized that these excuses were really just falsehoods keeping me away from exerting any effort to do anything... anything at all.
  1. I Just Turn it on for Background Noise
    We get accustomed to having noise in our lives. So much so that quiet time can feel quite uneasy or even frightening. We often thrive on that constant source of outside stimulation. The television is a poor source of background noise. Most programming leans toward the negative and some (like the evening news) can be downright depressing. Beyond that however, quiet time is very beneficial. In the quiet we are forced to listen to our own thoughts. We get the opportunity to think for ourselves. The quiet allows us to recharge those mental batteries.

  2. The Kids Watch It
    Ah, the ideal babysitter; needs no payment, doesn't complain, keeps the kids entertained for hours, and allows us parents to get some time to ourselves. It's pretty obvious that "the kids watch it" isn't really a good excuse. Sure the kids get sucked into some happy delightful children's programming and sure they may learn a thing or two, but how much more would they learn by using their own imaginations? We all know that we shouldn't let the kids watch too much TV, but we often long for some time to ourselves and permit that babysitter in a box to do our jobs as parents. And really, the TV doesn't make a very good parent. Our children would be a lot better off if we encouraged play time, reading, and imagination. Of course, part of this includes us getting involved with our children and participating in some of this play.

  3. I Like to Watch the Educational Programs
    I can't count the number of times I've heard someone say they watch TV for the educational programming like the Discovery Channel or The Learning Channel. The best way to approach this is to ask yourself if this "learning" is beneficial to you personally. Would buy a book to read about this topic? If the answer to that simple question is no, then you really aren't learning anything useful at all. I'm not sure how knowledge of Lions in Africa or Kangaroos in Australia will really benefit us in everyday life. Sure the topics may be interesting, but in reality they take away from time that could be spent actually learning; learning something beneficial that we could apply to our everyday lives.

  4. I Like to Relax and Unwind After a Hard Day of Work
    Unwinding after work is a great idea, but is watching TV really the best way? How about a warm bath, a good book, some light conversation with the family, a short nap, or lounging in a comfy chair in the back yard. All of these alternatives would be better ways to unwind. Additionally, that time spent unwinding in front of the TV often stretches into most of the evening. That bit of time intended for unwinding ends up being an evening wasted in front of the TV. I'm sure you can find better methods for unwinding that won't consume your evening.

  5. I Might Miss Something Good
    This was my excuse in my younger years. I hated missing something on TV, especially when everyone else was talking about it the next day. It's a lonely feeling to be left out of conversations just because you missed a TV program and had nothing to contribute. As you get older, the scene changes to coworkers around the water cooler, but the excuse remains. The difference is, as an adult, we should feel less pressure to fit in, and have more meaningful things to talk with our coworkers about. I have missed out on hundreds of "television" conversations at work. It's really not important to me anymore, and I can give a small smile on the inside when a "television" conversation begins because I know I've made better use of my time.
I came across an interesting quote recently:

You sit around watching all this stuff happen on TV. . . and the TV sits and watches us do nothing! The TV must think we're all pretty lame. -Shannon Wheeler

I think the quote hits it about right. My week without TV was a big success. I wasn't twitching, crying in the corner, or drenched in a cold sweat. I actually found myself reading more books, talking more with my wife, and generally enjoying the evenings more. We did allow the TV back into our lives, but on a much more limited basis. In fact, we eventually canceled our cable TV because we weren't getting good value out of the programming available. How about you? Are you ready overcome the excuses and try a No TV Experiment?

Written on 3/21/2010 by Eric Watermolen. Eric is a lifestyle blogger and amateur philosopher. He enjoys discussions of our path in life. You can find him at Eden Journal, where he posts a wide spectrum of articles from personal development to spiritual and philosophical awakenings..Photo Credit: rsc-sprice



 
 

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