Welcome to this month's edition of Adventurous Life!
In this issue:
I welcome your thoughts, feedback & suggestions for stories.
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Do you get shy about sharing when good things happen in your life? Is it sometimes difficult to express your favorite accomplishments?
Most people aren't all that good at "marketing" themselves (which basically means telling others what we're up to in a way that generates excitement and interest). Writers, artists, and social service types, in particular, tend to struggle with the apparent paradox of how to "sell" themselves AND remain authentic. While this common phenomenon probably happens for a wide variety of deeply intertwined social and psychological reasons, that doesn't mean we can't work at doing something about it.
I recently made up the phrase "Happiness shared is happiness squared," and now use it as a reminder not only to tell other people about my own good fortune and current projects, but to make room for them to share theirs with me -- because it truly works both ways.
With this philosophy, we all have an opportunity to make the world a better place. For instance, what happens if someone shares their good fortune, and your response is to clam up and cringe inwardly with envy and miserliness? That leaves both people's hearts feeling small and withered. But if you can say "WOW! That is so fabulous for you!" (and mean it), the world expands a little bit to make room for possibility and dreams.
The more generous you become about other people's happiness, the more compassion you create in the world -- and the easier it becomes to share your own joy and good fortune. If we all do this enough, perhaps we'll discover there's plenty to go around!
Don't forget to drop me a line to share your own favorite accomplishments, dreams, and stories of good fortune!
Starting to think about your winter getaway plans? If you're headed for warmer climes, consider Costa Rica -- and while you're there, I highly recommend a river's-eye view of the lush rain forest vegetation and wildlife. "Don't Miss the Boat," online at BootsnAll.com, gives all the details...and don't forget to drop me a line with news of your own favorite adventures!
And if you're in the Adirondacks this month, check out the Moose River for ringside seats to one of the most spectacular whitewater kayaking creeks in the area!
Books on the Loose!
How's this for a great idea? Over 582,000 books have been released into the wild -- free for the finding! To help you on your hunt, the web site BookCrossing.com lists the ones that have been released in countries around the world within the last 30 days.
Wondering what I'm talking about? BookCrossing describes it thus: "You know the feeling you get after reading a book that speaks to you, that touches your life, a feeling that you want to share it with someone else? BookCrossing.com gives you a simple way to share books with the world, and follow their paths forever more!"
You simply read a good book, register it on BookCrossing.com (a free service) with a journal entry, label it with a unique BookCrossing ID number, and then release it for someone else to read ("give it to a friend, leave it on a park bench, donate it to charity, 'forget' it in a coffee shop"). You can even choose to get notified by e-mail whenever someone finds the book and records a journal entry for it. The best part? It's fun and promises loads of good karma.
10 Things To Do Before I Die
This month's 10 Things were contributed
by Janice L. in Brookline, MA
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Stand behind a waterfall on a hot day -- and meet the new love of my life there
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Ride a horse in Wyoming or Montana or Idaho or Utah
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Camp at a northern Maine lake and watch a bull moose drinking in the morning mist
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Dance to slow, smoky jazz atop a building overlooking city lights with someone I at least like a lot
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Ride a motorbike through the hills of rural Ireland and Scotland
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Hold a young grandchild while telling stories of past camping trips around a campfire next to a mountain lake
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Help a few children learn to believe in themselves against many odds
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Help a few overstressed parents to appreciate and nurture the inner beauty and specialness of their children
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Take my children and grandchildren on a special trip to be cherished in memory until the last of us dies
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Travel through Italy and France eating everything that appeals but gaining no weight
What 10 things do you want to do before you die? What are 7 great reasons to get up in the morning? What 5 thoughtful things can you do to make someone's day? Send me your list!
"Happiness shared is happiness squared."
- Judy Wolf
Top 5 Ideas to Inspire You This Month
- Eat slowly, savoring each bite. Eat with your hands, feeling the texture of your food. Eat fruits and vegetables of every color -- see if you can taste the different hues.
- Roll around in piles of leaves. Collect as many grass and mud stains as possible.
- Go to a craft shop and take a class.
- Keep a journal of three things you notice each day that make you happy.
- Tip every service person you encounter 30% all month. Give your change away to anyone who asks. Feel generous.
"Make
a list of the 20 things you most want to do and prioritize it; then it is
not a matter of if, but how."
- Audrey Sutherland (amazing 80-plus-year-old solo kayaker)
#47 Rearrange your furniture. See whether moving your desk improves your concentration, or whether shifting your bed to the other side of the room helps you sleep better. Go on a detailed exploration of how your furniture is configured in your home and dare to move it to an unimaginable place. Discover the differences such subtle changes can make in your life.
This everyday adventure is from "A New Adventure Every Day: 541 Simple Ways to Live with Pizzazz" by David Silberkleit, excerpted with the author's permission.
About the author:
Judy Wolf is a world traveler, freelance writer, mountaineer, and whitewater kayak instructor. She's taken numerous, extended solo journeys around the world, traveling by foot, bus, jeep, camel, truck, boat, train, plane, elephant, and bicycle to over 30 countries on five continents. She currently lives in upstate New York with her husband and border collie, where she's working on a book-length travel narrative about her most recent adventures…that is, when she's not plunging off waterfalls or entertaining the dog.
Learn more at www.judywolf.com.
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Copyright © 2003 Judy Wolf
