Big Idea Coach

Stomping Out Spring Stress & Just Having Fun...

Kim from Escape Adulthood wrote a wonderful piece on 27 Ways to Stomp Out Spring Stress that has some great ideas on how to have some fun as winter fades away and spring slips in.

....Oops! I darn near forgot that I posted short article on Fun Things To Do Just Because It's Spring a couple of years ago that has a similar theme. ( I may need to add "take a course on memory improvement" to my list of spring activities this year!)

Hopefully, either or both of these will give you an idea or two on how to squeeze a bit of fun out of our glorious spring days.

Who is stealing YOUR dream?

That's right. Somebody out there has YOUR dream in HIS mind... who will make it real first?

Jason Kotecki, of ESCAPE ADULTHOOD, shares a great story about dreams that you really oughta read.

Remember: dreaming big is just the first step...

10 Tips to Change Your Attitude Today!

Sure, it's easy to say, "Change your attitude and you'll change your life," but how do you do that if you don't know what to do? After all, if changing one's attitude was easy why don't more people do it? Especially if it means they could be happier, more joyful, and much more successful?

Honestly, I don't know. What I do know, however, is that changing one's attitude doesn't need to be difficult and, in fact, can be quite easy. . . . All you need is to consistently employ a few simple techniques and you'll be on your way. So, to get you started, here are my 10 tips to get you started on improving your attitude.

Good luck!

1. Think like you want to be

It's tough to be happy, joyful, successful, etc. if you don't think that you are a happy, joyful, and successful person. Think it first, then do it!

2. Smile

There's no arguing with this one -- research has shown the smiling has both psychological and physiological effects. So, put a smile on your face and you'll be on your way to a change in attitude!

3. Immerse yourself

Read books, articles, magazines that help you understand and adopt the new attitude. Watch films or listen to music that inspires you and encourages you to change.

4. Change your actions

It's hard to change your attitude if you keep doing the same old stuff the same old way. Do things differently to start thinking differently.

5. Change your environment

Make your environment reflect the attitude you wish to have. Create the physical spaced that makes you eager to change.

6. Follow the leader

Find someone who already has the attitude you wish to have. Follow their lead, learn from their example.

7. Help others (and help yourself)

One of the fastest ways to change your attitude is to take the focus off yourself and to help others in need.

8. Get a little help from your friends

Let everyone know what you're doing and enlist their support to help you change and give you ideas. The more you feel like you're part of a group effort, the more likely you are to be successful.

9. Get a pro

If the change you desire to make is a big one or is extremely radical, consider getting the help of a mentor, counselor, or coach. These professionals can reduce the time & frustration involved as well as provide you with many new ideas to help you grow.

10. Be patient

Recognize that most changes occur slowly, over an extended period of time. If you don't get immediate results, don't be surprised and DON'T QUIT! Keep working, it'll come.

--Jim Allen

The Big Idea Coach

...For more ideas, be sure to  subscribe to my internet newsletter, THE BIG IDEA. Just send a blank email to: bigidea@add.ms00.net                                    

Fun Things To Do Because It's Spring

Ah, spring! What a wonderful time of year:

April showers, May flowers, cool breezes, singing birds.

Everything about Spring encourages one to grow, to reach, to succeed. It's a great time to get things done... and to have some fun.

My suggestions?

Well...

1. Take a holiday.

Oh, maybe not a full vacation, but just a single holiday.

A "mental health" day.

A sick day (or rather, a "well" day).

A day you play hooky, sleep in, rest, relax, and recharge.

But not just any day -- make sure it's a bright, sunny, warm, breezy day so you can get outside and enjoy yourself.

2. Play with your kids.

If you're having a holiday, why not make it a family affair?  Take the kids out of school and make it a play-day for everyone.

Don't have kids? Then take your dogs to the park and play with them.

3. Take a hike.

Or at least a walk in the park or your local nature preserve.

Nothing recharges your batteries quite like getting in touch with nature.

(Hint: You can recharge even faster if you take your shoes and socks off and walk barefoot through the grass.)

4. Have a picnic.

Pack a lunch, toss it into a picnic basket or a paper bag and have a meal in the great outdoors. Share it with a loved one, friend, or friendly passer-by.

5. Go to a museum.

Enjoy the beauty of spring and the beauty of great art, visit your local museum and spend some time among the great artists of history.

No local art museum? Wander through a few art galleries or local arts and crafts centers. (Sometimes the most inspiration art is right in your own community.)

6. Plant a tree.

Or a bush.

Or shrub.

Or flowers.

Maybe even a whole garden.

Get some dirt beneath your fingernails.

7. Go flying.

Nothing is as uplifting as, well, flying. It is simply exhilarating and fun.

And you don't have to go in a huge jumbo jet. And you don't have to fly yourself. Almost every community has a local private airport where there are plenty of private pilots just looking for a reason to get up in the air.

So give 'em a reason.

8. Take a nap.

Most of us don't get near enough sleep. While it's impossible to "catch up" on missed sleep, a nap can help your body recharge and revitalize.

9. Do something you've never done before.

Each of us has a list of things we'd "love" to do but have never done.

Quit putting it off...

Pick an activity on your list the go do it!

10. Surprise someone else.

"Spring" a surprise on your spouse, best friend, neighbor, co-worker, dog walker, or whomever you choose.

Don't be the only one having fun in the spring, share the joy with someone else!

                                                        --Jim M. Allen, The Big Idea Coach

Eat More Pie, Einstein!

Right around New Year's day, Wayne, a retired engineer I know, handed me a home-made calendar for the year 2005. Above each month was a picture of a different pie, except for December, which had a picture of his wife.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's my pie calendar."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm giving these to everyone I know," he said. "I'm hoping to encourage them to eat more pie."

"Eat more pie?"

"Yeah. Most people I know like pie, but hardly anybody actually eats pie. So I decided, this year, I was going to eat a different pie each month. These," he pointed to the calendar, "are the pies I had this last year. I put the picture of my wife there since we haven't had our last pie for the year."

I had to smile.

Wayne smiled back.

"See," he said, "it's already working. Just thinking about it is making you feel good."

And you know something, he was right. The idea of eating more pie, silly as it was, brightened my day.

Wayne had hit on a great idea:

• If you like pie, why not eat it?
• Why not enjoy the things we like?
• Why not make the effort to include things that we love into our lives on regular (daily? weekly? monthly?) basis?
• Why not enjoy life TODAY?

So, take Wayne's idea and run with it. Think about that special treat you really love that you could add to your calendar to brighten up your day, your month, your year, your life!

And while you're thinking... enjoy a piece of pie.

Cheers!

p.s.

Speaking of pie. Did you know that yesterday's date, 3.14, is also the first three digits of the number Pi. (And, interestingly enough, Albert Einstein's birthday.)