by patricia on March 12, 2012
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
I am not quite sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way my days got shorter. As a child I would skip out of the house and return at sundown with scrapes, sweat and a huge smile. Life was good and the days were long. But now there are days when I look up and swear someone has changed the clock. Although I always accomplish the big items of the day, I rarely seem to make it to my wish list. You know the list…“I wish I had time for that” list. Simply transferring the dreams with high hopes to the next day’s list, I’m fully aware I may have better luck with a lottery ticket. Still I remain optimistic because I know my time is coming. Thanks to our OLC boot camp….I think that time is NOW!
This week’s OLC boot camp was all about putting yourself first, reprioritizing and finding balance. All of those things can be difficult at times. However this week I am going to try to be purposeful about the choices I make in order to bring a little more balance into my life. Here is my plan and hopefully you will join in.
- Putting yourself first – Like most women, I don’t ask for help, but I do realize that not all tasks have to be completed by me. In truth, I never like to ask anything of someone that I can do for myself. Yet in my professional life I had no problem supervising close to 100 people. It is SO crazy. My family life is totally different. However that changes this week. I am going to ask for help on at least one task a day…because my time is important too.
- Reprioritizing – Each Tuesday I make a life’s tip list for TheDailyOWN and this week’s list will include 10 simple ways to reprioritize your life. My goal is to find great ways to utilize and even steal a little time back from my to-do list and incorporate them into my own life. We all deserve a little peace and balance in life. Be sure to check it back tomorrow for some great tips!
- Finding Balance – I read an article on Oprah Magazine one time that taught me a mediation I never put into practice. This week I am going to do it! Zen teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, taught us a simple telephone meditation to help us find a little peace and balance. Here is how it works. This week when the phone rings, wait to pick it up. Breathe in and out slowly, then walk to the phone calmly and answer the phone at ease. The person on the other end will actually feel your peace. I am going to try it when the phone rings, when the doorbell rings, when someone asks something of me and even when I approach someone else. This week I will make a concentrated effort to be responsible for ALL of the energy I bring into my space.
Mini-boot camp challenge: Although many of us spend our days taking care of others, try to give yourself a cut-off time each night. Do your best to respect the time because you get far more accomplished once you have gotten a good night’s sleep. Good luck!
Be Inspired! Share this with the world!
by patricia on March 7, 2012
This week OLC Boot Camp is focusing on getting in touch with your spiritual side. The hope is that by the end of the week we will find ourselves more connected with our true self. For some, it is easier than others, but it is equally important for all.
Often people are so inundated by their daily routines that their spiritual side is only called upon when they fall into crisis. Suddenly they are on their knees or praying a mile a minute hoping to stay above water. But the reality is that there is no need to panic if you are truly in tune with your spirituality. Your spirituality is SO much more than just your God.
Although not all of us have the same spiritual beliefs, most of us can agree there is something bigger than all of us. Spirituality is your soul’s personal journey of truth…the energy that moves you through your existence. Living spiritually is a choice and a connection that you make each and every day.
The stronger you are spiritually, the more you can handle in life. It is that simple. I don’t believe you need to be methodical about it, at least I’m not. But I do talk with my God each day….in fact, throughout my day. That is where I find my strength. However, everyone needs to find their own way. Not every journey is the same. Here are few soul stretches for you in your search to reconnect with your spiritual side:
- Surround yourself with visual reminders like a print out of your favorite saying or prayer, photos that evoke a feeling of inner peace, and things that remind you of who you wish to be.
- Read. There are a lot of books out there on finding your spiritual self or becoming more in-tune with your spirituality.
- Get involved and spend time with people who share similar spiritual paths. You will find that the conversations you share will be the most inspiring.
Be Inspired! Share this with the world!
by paula on February 27, 2012
With the excitement of Oprah’s Lifeclass coming to OWN for a second season, it makes perfect sense and almost seemed to be in harmony with our lives that we would move ourselves through a four week Oprah Lifeclass Boot Camp challenge before the new classes started. Looking to remind ourselves of the amazing lessons and inspiration from the first season of shows, we are hoping that this soul stretching and searching will get us back into shape for what’s to come with Oprah’s second semester of classes. With Oprah taking the Lifeclass series on the road and adding new teachers to the stage, the new lessons are sure to be powerful and we want to make sure that we are not just ready to hear them, but that we are prepared for what they might bring into our lives. Like any marathon, the training is part of the journey. This OLC Boot Camp is our training ground for the run to come and as always, we welcome anyone who wants to take the journey with us.
For the next four weeks, we will be putting ourselves through a “mind, body and soul stretching” challenge and telling you all about it here at The Daily OWN. We will be taking all of the lessons from season one of Oprah’s Lifeclass as well as looking into the future at what lessons might lie ahead in this next season, and share our soul stretches with you. So, each Monday morning, we will remind you and ourselves of our focus for the week. During the week, we will take you on our journey as we commit time to revisiting our classroom notes and looking at this OLC journey in our lives. Here is our boot camp schedule:
OLC Boot Camp Weeks
- Week 1 (Feb 27th): Soul Stretches – Looking back at season one of OLC and what was learned. How has Oprah’s Lifeclass changed your life?
- Week 2 (Mar 5th): Getting in Touch with Your Spiritual Side –How do you reconnect with your true self? Finding your spiritual center and connecting with your spiritual self.
- Week 3 (Mar 12th): Refocus and Finding Balance – Putting yourself first. Re-prioritizing life. How do you find your balance?
- Week 4 (Mar 19th): Welcoming Change – How excited are you about OLC? What are you hoping to get out of this next season? What are your thoughts on Oprah’s new Lifeclass teachers? Do you already have stories to share? Are you ready for what is to come?
Check back on our progress…we’ll be posting daily for this OLC Boot Camp and hope that some of our other OWN Ambassadors will join and share in this journey. Whether you want to JOIN IN and go through your OWN Oprah Lifeclass Boot Camp challenge or simply come back for the lessons and tips, we would love the company! Get ready…it’s time to get ready for class!
Be Inspired! Share this with the world!
