Patty's Full Circle Blog

Friend, David Kadavy called me out to make a list of life hacks. No surprise to anyone who knows me, but here are a some of the simple things I do that make me feel like I’m “cheating the system”…

1. Bike Commute. 

Not bike riding, bike commuting. This is not a pastime or hobby, bike commuting is a lifestyle with its own unique culture. The benefits are fairly obvious—fitness, mental health, environmental impact, connection to community—but nothing beats the feeling that you’re “cheating the system” and getting away with something like cruising past the cars jammed up on Lake Shore Drive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 2. Watch the Sunrise.

Sunsets are for couples. Sunrises are for individuals. The world is still asleep and there aren’t any competing time commitments in the early morning hours. Nothing makes me feel more centered than the natural beauty of a sunrise. The sunrise is about starting fresh and represents a new opportunity to create something of meaning. It’s about looking forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Make a Vision Board

I have a serious obsession with vision boards. It started a few years ago when I made one at a New Year’s Day party and by the Eve of the following year, EVERYTHING on the board came true. Now it’s a tradition of mine to make a  board with each new year and make smaller specific boards to help create positive experiences in other areas of my life (starting a new job, planning a party, designing a wardrobe). What is a vision board? Short version (this deserves its own post): Vision boards utilize The Law of Attraction and are a functional tool to keep your affirmations and visions for the future present in your thoughts. The idea is to create a collage using words or pictures that evoke positive emotions associated with the future you want to live. It allows you to live the future *now* as if you are already there.  Some people start with a list of  goals they want to obtain and then look for images to capture those. I find it works better to sift through pictures in magazines and pull out what speaks to me and look for themes and patterns from there. This allows the subconcious to detect what the concious mind overlooks. There are times when I don’t even know what an item means when I add it on the board, but I always discover the meaning in the future experiences I have. Give it a try, with no expectations, the first timers often experience the best results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Get Crafty. 

There is something incredibly gratifying about making something with your hands. For me, I like to make crafts, mostly paper crafts–cards, scrapbooks, collage (hence why I love vision boards). For you it may be painting a picture, making pottery, baking a cake, working on a home improvement project, or putting together Ikea furniture.  The key element is to be able to look something and feel the finished product. When it doubles as a gift, inspiration piece, or is used to serve someone in need, then the positive effects and sense of gratification are amplified.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Know When To Hire a Professional.

Typically, I am all about the bargain. I take advantage of sales, hunt through thrift stores, and troll Craigslist looking for deals on all goods and services. There are some areas, however, where you really need to draw the line and hire a professional. The one area I have learned not to go cheap is with hair. I have tried every deal out there–Craiglist ads, Aveda hair schools, the street-solicited-salon-packages-so-cheap-you-can’t-say-no-deals, “my friend the hair dresser”, and do-it-yourself kits.  Amazingly after each botched job and the self-loathing that comes along with it, I would come across another deal and delude myself into thinking “this time will be different!”  I have finally come to terms with it, *you get what you pay for* when it comes to hair. For you it may be something entirely different, but it is important to know your limits and accept that for some things a hiring a professional is the only way to go.

Looking at it from the cost-per-use analysis model, you wear your hair every day and at $200 for cut and highlights and tip every 3 months that’s just over $2/day. Small change to prevent this Goth Girl ‘do from every happening again…(luckily my nephew didn’t mind).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Dine as the Locals Do.

Wherever you are, experience the local culture through their cuisine. It doesn’t matter if you are in a European city or at a truck stop in Nebraska. Take the opportunity to eat as the locals do. Eating, unlike any other activity, allows you to participate on an intimate level in a way that visual observation could never duplicate. People laughed when I took pictures of all my meals while backpacking in Europe, but it is those images, more than the ones of the *Must-See-Sites* that bring me back to the specific moments that added significance and richness to my travels. Play the part and enjoy the experience the local culture through your taste buds. In NY have a bagel, in Philly have a cheese steak, in San Diego get a burrito, in the ‘burbs go to Applebees. In Amsterdam, get fries with all the dipping sauces mmmmmmmmm…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  Behave Like a Tourist…in your own city.

Being engaged in the present moment is easy for people when they travel. We are intentional about taking in the surroundings fully and consciously, the agenda often is to just be there in the moment. This gets lost when we run around in our own cities and towns while trying to accomplish the day-to-day responsibilities of life. When we do this we lose the sense of awe for our surroundings. To reclaim the present, only a simple shift in perspective is required. Look for awe (or as the Ignatian Jesuits say, “find God“) in all things, you will be able to connect to that spirit that makes travel and new experiences so fulfilling. Behaving like a tourist, searching out new experiences and observations in familiar surroundings, will bring about a sense of presence and connection to your day-to-day. If you don’t have the motivation to do this for yourself, host a friend, or better yet a stranger in your city and explore through their eyes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Reflect.

I have been accused of reflecting too much. This is possible and I have realized the limitations of process getting in the way of action, but I am a special case. There are great benefits to taking the time to reflect on our experiences in a *structured* intentional* way and it is my belief that most people don’t do it enough, if at all. Reflection can take place in shared group exercises or individual introspective practices. Sometimes the best answers are derived through sharing and feedback and other times internal reflection produces the most clarity.  The best results come from applying multiple outlets for reflection. This can not be done passively, again–the key is to participate in activities that are structured and intentional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Embrace the Mess.

Despite what some former roommates may have to say about the matter, I am not a messy person. I am a busy person who places organization and tidiness low on the list of priorities. Would I like a color coded sock drawer? Sure, but I’d rather spend my free time  biking, crafting, volunteering, and reflecting. The decision to embrace the mess is more about not letting what you can’t (or choose not to) control bother you. Simply, let it go. Your metaphorical mess could be any situation that you are currently in that you don’t like, but can not or choose not to change. You don’t have to like it, but the only option to alliviate the negative resistance is to ACCEPT  the situation for what it is. When you do this, you may even begin to enjoy and embrace the moment. Turns out there are many benefits to being A Perfect Mess.

Check me out…embracing my mess on the Today Show.  

10. Intentional Diversity.

Intentional diversity  means exposing oneself to people, places, and experiences that are outside one’s sphere of daily living. Look for opportunities to embrace these opportunities and appreciate how they contribute to the world. Work to appreciate the richness in the differences and understand the universal oneness that connects us all. Allow this gratitude to expand your perspective and enrich your life. 

Afternoons with Char always helped with perspective. When all else fails, make fish faces…

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Give….and Take.

First, get out there! Give, Help, and Serve.

Do it your own way–volunteer, share a passion, commit a random act of kindness. Just do something.  

Many people stop there, thinking the job is done. Really, doing the act of service is only going half way.  They’ve offered guidance, support, and care.  What else is there?

To make giving a complete act of service, you must also find something to take. Not just for yourself, but for the people you serve. When you take something away from the experience, you allow the other person to give, bringing the experience FULL CIRCLE for everyone.

Instead of thinking of service and giving as something you do for people not as fortunate as yourself, begin to think of it as an exchange.  (Susan Ellis)