Traveling Lightly(ˈlītlē) & Being Grounded in the Middle of Chaos(ˈkāˌäs)

By Leo Babauta

Today Eva and I decided at the last minute to move our round-the-world trip up two days early, to avoid running into a strong typhoon(tīˈfo͞on) that was headed our way.

Luckily(ˈləkəlē), we travel lightly and are flexible(ˈfleksəbəl) enough that the switch in plans wasn’t too difficult.

We put up some typhoon shutters(ˈSHətər), bought(bôt) our kids some food to eat as they weather(ˈweT͟Hər) out the storm with their grandma, and packed our bags.

Through(THro͞o) all of this, we felt tremendous(trəˈmendəs) groundlessness, leaving our kids as the storm approached(əˈprōCH) (though we know they’ll be safe), going into Africa(ˈafrikə) armed with typhoid(ˈtīˌfoid) and yellow(ˈyelō) fever(ˈfēvər) vaccinations(ˌvaksəˈnāSH(ə)n) and a handful of malaria(məˈle(ə)rēə) pills, a bunch(bənCH) of work left undone(ˌənˈdən) as we headed to the airport.

What is helping us in this time of chaos and uncertainty, in this time of groundlessness … is two things:

Having the flexibility(ˌfleksəˈbilətē) of traveling lightly; and
Grounding ourselves in the center of the storm of our lives.

I’d like to share a little about these, because I believe they have larger lessons(ˈlesən) for our everyday lives and the groundlessness we feel all the time.

If we can practice(ˈpraktəs) in the middle of a 3-week trip that starts on Guam(gwäm) and goes through Asia(ˈāZHə) and Europe, centers on a safari(səˈfärē) in Kenya(ˈkenyə,ˈkēnyə), then goes back across Europe and North America to California(ˌkaləˈfôrnyə), and finally back through Asia (Tokyo) and landing back on Guam … if we can practice through a deliciously(dəˈliSHəs) crazy(ˈkrāzē) and tiring(tīr) trip like that … we can practice through just about anything.

Let’s start with flexibility and traveling lightly.

…
https://zenhabits.net/flexible-chaos/

Let pedestrians(pəˈdestrēən) define(dəˈfīn) the walkways

By Derek Sivers

A new college campus(ˈkampəs) was built, but one thing was still debated(dəˈbāt):

Where in the grass should we put the paved(pāv) walkways?

Some felt the walkways should be around the edges(ej), to leave the grass green. Some felt the walkways should cut across diagonally(dīˈagənlē).

One professor(prəˈfesər) had the winning idea: Don’t make any walkways this year. At the end of the year, look at where the grass is worn away. That shows where the students are walking. Then just pave those paths.

Of course I think about this with life plans or business plans.

As time goes on, we get smarter. We learn more about ourselves or our customers, and what we or they really want. Therefore(ˈT͟He(ə)rˌfôr), we’re at our dumbest(dəm) at the beginning, and at our smartest at the end.

So when should you make decisions(dəˈsiZHən)? When you have the most information, when you’re at your smartest: as late as possible.

Like the college campus, you can do without walkways for a year.

Resist(riˈzist) the urge(ərj) to figure it all out in advance(ədˈvans). Realize this is when you know the least(lēst).

When people expect you to make these decisions in advance, get used to saying, “We don’t know yet.” Then tell this simple story about walkways, to show them how wise(wīz) you are.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/219/219-h/219-h.htm

Google overhauls(ˌōvərˈhôl) search to show more pictures, videos and context(ˈkänˌtekst)

By Hamza(ä) Shaban

Google has unveiled(ˌənˈvāl) a host of updates to its search product, designed(dəˈzīn) to make visual(ˈviZHo͞oəl) information more useful(ˈyo͞osfəl) as pictures and video become more central(ˈsentrəl) to the Internet experience.

The new features showing up in searches include introductory(ˌintrəˈdəktərē) videos about public figures(ˈfigyər), topic videos to help users plan trips(trip) or learn about new subjects, and an overhaul of its ranking system for displaying image-based searches, offering users more context and easier ways to shop online.

Previously a stand-alone app, Google Lens uses artificial(ˌärtəˈfiSHəl) intelligence(inˈtelijəns) to identify the contents of a picture without needing words to figure out what it is. Now, Google will integrate(ˈin(t)əˌɡrāt) Lens directly into searches “to make your search experience more visual,” Cathy Edwards, director of engineering for Google Images, said in a blog post. She said the goal of these changes was to help users find information visually and improve specific(spəˈsifik) image-oriented(ˈôrēˌənt) searches: when people shop for products, look for interior(inˈti(ə)rēər)-decorating(ˈdekəˌrāt) inspiration(ˌinspəˈrāSHən
) or tackle(ˈtakəl) DIY projects.

The updates highlight the shift from text(tekst)-based browsing to a more image-heavy Internet, now that smartphones and their smaller displays have overtaken desktop computers. “The growth of mobile devices(diˈvīs) and small screens made it even more important to be able to quickly scan visual results,” Edwards said.

…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/09/25/google-overhauls-search-show-more-pictures-videos-context/

middle school angst(aNG(k)st,äNG(k)st)

By Henrry Walker

carry(ˈkarē) the flag? me?

our middle schoolers can be loved,
capable, skilled in sport and class,
well-liked by friends, positive forces(fôrs) for a world
that ought to “get them,” appreciate(əˈprēSHēˌāt) them, support them,
yet something is wrong,
the snake(snāk) of self-doubt(dout) slithers(ˈsliT͟Hər) through their sureness:
fear of what might happen,
anxiety(aNGˈzī-itē) when product or friend falters(ˈfôltər),
feeling the disturbance(disˈtərbəns) in the Force
when political(pəˈlitikəl) leaders don’t lead us toward a future
where climate(ˈklīmit) change is resisted(riˈzist), bills paid, hate(hāt) rejected,
inequities(inˈekwitē) of income, skin color, orientation(ˌôrēənˈtāSHən), gender,
considered worth the effort to resolve(rəˈzälv) toward a dream of equality(iˈkwälitē),

it must be hard to awake toward adulthood(əˈdəlt)
and then to realize that so many adults in charge
are not yet ready to be worth the respect an elder ought to deserve,

how unfair to the children
to have to grow up too fast,
since so many who run the country have not yet grown up,

I understand the cracks(krak) within the self-confidence
that allow self-doubt and worry to worm(wərm) their way in,
but I also believe that the young can be of “the kingdom of Heaven,”
I feel for them as they have to grow up in a world
that needs their rightness to release(riˈlēs) itself,
that needs them to pick up the flag and carry it forward,
since the earlier bearers(ˈbe(ə)rər) have fallen.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2018/09/middle-school-angst.html

How to Become an Early Riser

By Steve Pavlina

It is well to be up before daybreak(ˈdāˌbrāk), for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom(ˈwizdəm).
– Aristotle(ˈarəˌstätl,ˌarəˈstätl)

Are morning people born or made? In my case it was definitely(ˈdefənitlē) made. In my early 20s, I rarely(ˈre(ə)rlē) went to bed before midnight, and I’d almost always sleep in late. I usually didn’t start hitting my stride(strīd) each day until late afternoon.

But after a while I couldn’t ignore the high correlation(ˌkôrəˈlāSHən) between success and rising early(ˈərlē), even in my own life. On those rare occasions(əˈkāZHən) where I did get up early, I noticed that my productivity was almost always higher, not just in the morning but all throughout the day. And I also noticed a significant(sigˈnifikənt) feeling of well-being. So being the proactive(prōˈaktiv) goal-achiever I was, I set out to become a habitual(həˈbiCHo͞oəl) early riser. I promptly(ˈprämptlē) set my alarm(əˈlärm) clock for 5AM…

… and the next morning, I got up just before noon.

Hmmm…

I tried again many more times, each time not getting very far with it. I figured I must have been born without the early riser gene(jēn). Whenever my alarm went off, my first thought was always to stop that blasted(ˈblastid) noise and go back to sleep. I tabled this habit for a number of years, but eventually I came across some sleep research that showed me that I was going about this problem the wrong way. Once I applied those ideas, I was able to become an early riser consistently.

It’s hard to become an early riser using the wrong strategy. But with the right strategy, it’s relatively(ˈrelətivlē) easy.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/

Our family took a ‘time out’ to travel the world

By Shannon(ˈSHanən) E. Wall(wôl)

My husband and three kids play in the Mediterranean(ˌmedətəˈrānēən) below(bəˈlō), splashing(splaSH) and diving(dīv) and floating(ˈflōtiNG) in the picture(ˈpikCHər)-perfect sea. It is ridiculously(riˈdikyələslē) beautiful(ˈbyo͞otəfəl) here in Majorca(məˈyôrkə), Spain(spān). The way the sun dances(dans) across the turquoise(ˈtərˌk(w)oiz) water, making patterns in the sand, as tropical(ˈträpəkəl) fish swim by. The sapphire(ˈsafˌī(ə)r) horizon(həˈrīzən), dotted(dät) with storybook sailboats(ˈsālˌbōt). The rocky(ˈräkē) caves(kāv), carved(kärv) into a backdrop of jagged(ˈjagid) mountains(ˈmountn). I almost can’t believe my eyes(ī).

How did the five of us end up here, on this little piece of paradise(ˈparəˌdīs), many kilometres from our home in Victoria(vikˈtôrēə)?

For as long as I can remember, my husband and I dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was something we always wanted to do “one day,” before our three boys came into the world. It was one of the things we talked at length about, on long flights to Tokyo and Tuscany(ˈtəskənē), when we imagined(iˈmajən) our life with the children we hoped we would have.

The dream was simple. We would pack(pak) a few things, hop on a flight across the Atlantic(at-,ətˈlantik) and just follow the sun, our whims((h)wim) and inclinations(inkləˈnāSHən). The rollout(ˈrōlˌout), however, was a little more complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid).

In the blink of the eye and 14 years later, we have three delightful(dəˈlītfəl) boys who are growing up faster by the day. It was time to make good on those plans.

…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-our-family-took-a-time-out-to-travel-the-world/

For My Grandchild, the Moon

We spend money on our grandchildren because we want their childhoods to be special, because we need them to know we love them, because it’s one way to feel part of their lives.

By Paula Span

What I call Bubbe’s(bäbē) Folly(ˈfälē) began(biˈɡan) when a catalog(-ˌäg,ˈkatlˌôg) for a pottery(ˈpätərē) maker showed up in my mailbox a few months ago, intended for a former tenant(ˈtenənt) British(ˈbridiSH) who’d moved away, not for me. But I leafed(lēf) idly(ˈīdlē) through it — and spotted(ˈspätid) something wonderful.

The earthenware(ˈərTHənˌwer) plate(plāt) had blue and white stars sprinkled(ˈspriNGkəl) around the rim and, charmingly(ˈCHärmiNGlē) painted(pānt) in the center, my granddaughter’s favorite bird. Because the pattern was being discontinued(ˌdiskənˈtinyo͞od), I could buy both the plate and a matching mug(məg) for a reasonable 30 bucks. I headed for my computer to place(plās) an order.

That wasn’t the folly part.

I haven’t yet hosted my granddaughter Bartola(bärtolə) (a pet(pet) name that’s a nod(näd) to former Mets pitcher(ˈpiCHər) Bartolo Colon(ˈkōlən)) at my apartment, which is inadequately(inˈadikwət) equipped(əˈkwip) for a toddler(ˈtädlər). Instead, we spend time in her Brooklyn home, where I’m the Thursday day care provider.

But soon, once she’s easier to schlep(SHlep) on the subway and the commuter(kəˈmyo͞otər) train and no longer needs a crib(krib), she’ll come spend a weekend with Bubbe (it’s Yiddish(ˈyidiSH) for grandmother) here in New Jersey(ˈjərzē). I’m slowly collecting books and toys for those visits. Wouldn’t it be swell(swel) for her to have her own special plate and mug, too?]]It would. But as I completed the online purchase(ˈpərCHəs), I discovered that shipping the two items from England would cost as much as the merchandise(ˈmərCHənˌdīz, ˈmərCHənˌdīs) itself. Instead of a $30 indulgence(inˈdəljəns), this had become a $60 one, for a little girl who might well break the plate the second time she used it.

The folly was: Bubbe bought it anyway.

…
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/well/family/for-my-grandchild-the-moon.html

When Fear is Stopping You From Pursuing(pərˈso͞o) Meaningful Work

By Leo Babauta

I was having a discussion(disˈkəSHən) with a friend recently who is holding himself back from doing the purposeful work he thinks he wants to pursue.

What’s holding him back?

Fear of putting himself out there in public. Fear of failure(ˈfālyər). Fear of being judged. Fear of choosing the wrong path. Fear of not being good enough.

Do any of these fears sound familiar(fəˈmilyər)? They’re very common, and hold a lot of people back from pushing themselves into the discomfort and uncertainty of meaningful work.

These fears cause us to procrastinate(prəˈkrastəˌnāt), distract ourselves, comfort ourselves with food and social media and shopping and games, avoid even thinking about it, and beat(bēt) ourselves up for not doing anything.

If we could deal with these fears, we’d be rock(räk) stars.

I’d like to share a few techniques that will help, if you put them into practice.

Exposure(ikˈspōZHər) Therapy(ˈTHerəpē): Don’t Start at the Superbowl(bōl)

Most people make the mistake of imagining themselves at the scariest(ˈske(ə)rē) part of the journey(ˈjərnē) of their meaningful work — speaking in front of a huge crowd if you want to do public presentations(ˌprezən-,ˌprēzən-,ˌprēˌzenˈtāSHən), having an audience of hundreds of thousands of people if you want to write a blog or do a podcast, managing a huge team if you want to run a non-profit organization.

But that’s like wanting to be a football player and starting at the Superbowl. You’re not ready for that kind of pressure. Instead, start with youth football, high school football, and then college(ˈkälij) football before even considering the big leagues(lēg).

If you’re an author, this means just write one blog post. No one will read it at first, so there’s no pressure. Then write another.

If you want to do public speaking, just speak in front of a few friends. Then a group of 10 people. One small step at a time, and you’ll get more and more prepared(prəˈper) as you do each step.

This is known as “exposure therapy” — exposing you gradually(ˈgrajo͞oəlē) to the thing you fear, starting with the least(lēst) scary version of it. It is quite effective, and you can use it by structuring(ˈstrəkCHər) your progress gradually, starting very small.

…
https://zenhabits.net/fearful/

Why everyone(ˈevrēˌwən) should write their own obituary(ōˈbiCHəˌwerē)

By Penny(ˈpenē) Lipsett

At a recent annual(ˈanyo͞oəl) gathering, I mentioned to guests at my end of the dinner table that I’d written an obituary that day. My own. The woman across from me quickly quipped(kwip): “Too much time on your hands?”

The man next to me was good enough to ask me why. “For several reasons,” I said. First, writing the final few lines to describe a life is a chore(CHôr) that often falls to some poor soul(sōl) at the last moment. Said soul needs to check dates and other facts as the newspaper deadline looms(lo͞om). It usually means, too, a formulaic(ˌfôrmyəˈlāik) approach(əˈprōCH) listing all the living and deceased(diˈsēst) relatives(ˈrelətiv), hobbies(ˈhäbē) and sometimes societal(səˈsīitl) recognition(ˌrekigˈniSHən). I offered that I want some editorial(ˌediˈtôrēəl) control over what is written about me and any so-called accomplishments(əˈkämpliSHmənt). A linear(ˈlinēər) check list is not what I have in mind.

The initial(iˈniSHəl) draft was fewer than 200 words and my first 43 years were covered in just five sentences; birth, hometown, education – everything. I only included what I thought was important. On the second go around, I expanded the bit about my first job in Ottawa(ˈätəwə) to more than a phrase(frāz) because I’d worked on Parliament(ˈpärləmənt) Hill during the first Trudeau(tro͞oˈdō) government, and those five years had a huge impact on me. It was a heady(ˈhedē) privilege(ˈpriv(ə)lij) to be involved in politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) at that time. These kinds of jobs are all-consuming and I ended up with great lifelong friends who make up an almost family-like tribe(trīb). They were formative(ˈfôrmətiv) years.

…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-why-everyone-should-write-their-own-obituary/

Don’t be a donkey(ˈdäNG-,ˈdôNGkē).

By Derek Sivers

Are you trying to pursue(pərˈso͞o) many different directions at once?

Are you frustrated(ˈfrəsˌtrātid) that the world wants you to pick one thing, because you want to do them all?

The problem is in thinking short-term — as if you don’t do them all this week, they won’t happen.

The solution is to think long-term. Do just one for a few years, then another for a few years, then another.

You may have heard this story:

Buridan’s(bəˈridən) donkey is standing halfway between a pile(pīl) of hay(hā) and a bucket(ˈbəkit) of water. It keeps looking left and right, trying to decide between hay and water. Unable to decide, it eventually falls over and dies of hunger and thirst(THərst).

A donkey can’t think of the future. If he could, he’d clearly realize he could first drink the water, then go eat the hay.

Don’t be a donkey. You can do everything you want to do. You just need foresight(ˈfôrˌsīt) and patience(ˈpāSHəns).

If you’re 25 now, and have seven different directions you want to pursue, then you can do each one for 10 years, and have done all of them by the time you’re 95. (It’s safe to assume that by the year 2088 it won’t be unusual to live to 95.)

It seems ridiculous(riˈdikyələs) to plan to age 95 when you’re 25, right? But it’s a fact that it’s probably coming, so you might as well take advantage of it.

Then you can fully focus on one direction at a time, without feeling conflicted(ˈkänˌflikt) or distracted(dəˈstraktəd), because you know you’ll get to the others.

We’ve all done this on a small-scale(skāl). When something is urgent(ˈərjənt) and needs to be done that day, you really focus. You get distracting thoughts for a minute, like “Wow, it would be nice to go watch a movie now.” But you put it out of your mind because you know if you just focus on this one thing now, you can get it done, and do the other stuff afterwards.

So, expand(ikˈspand) that into months or years. Focus on one at a time, knowing you can do the other stuff afterwards.

Most people over-estimate(ˈestəˌmāt) what they can do in one year, and under-estimate what they can do in ten years.

Think long-term. Use the future.

Don’t be short-sighted(ˈsītid). Don’t be a donkey.

https://sivers.org/donkey