Good day, and welcome to Tuesday!  We're now in the eighth month of the year,
as the summer in the north and the winter in the south of the planet continue doing
their thing, following the cycles that life continues to go through, over and over.
We hope that the last couple months of your season are wonderful ones!

The Rhythm of Life
Matthew Kelly

The Need to Become Silent in a Noisy World
Mike Moore

Sprouting Seeds--the Roots of Self-Growth
Gary Barnes

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Arthur Schopenhauer

What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.

Ellen Burstyn

Hope is like a road in the country; there never was a road, but when many people walk on it,
the road comes into existence.

Lin Yutang

There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it.  Only the wisest of people achieve the second.

Logan Pearsall Smith

As I reflect on the world in which we live, it isn't any wonder that I fell so blindly into the traps I did.

We live in a world obsessed with noise, speed, and activity.  We live in an age plagued by greed, lust, and violence and paralyzed by fear.  The climate of our age is seductive.  The effects are so gradual that we hardly notice them from day to day, but over time they are dramatic, even devastating.

We live in a troubled time, in many ways an age of confusion and crisis.  Not only in a personal sense, but also from a social and cultural perspective.  It is my belief that any adequate solutions to the challenges that face us in the world today must be both accessible and applicable to everyone, everywhere, regardless of age, color, creed, or culture.  Furthermore, the practicality of these solutions must impact and be deeply intertwined with people's day-to-day living.

My experience and reflection lead me to believe that one of our greatest challenges in the modern world is lifestyle.  In today's hectic world, we often push ourselves to the limit--sometimes forgetting that our bodies, hearts, minds and spirits all need time to refocus and recharge.  Striving for a balanced lifestyle--one that enables us to maintain a natural state--will ensure optimum health and well-being.

The rhythm of life is a passport to achieving this balance.

The rhythm of life is a way of life.  It is a lifestyle that integrates all of our legitimate needs--physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.

The rhythm of life is the perfect combination of rest, activity, and peace; it ennobles us to become the unique individuals we were created to be, enables us to excel in all we do, and empowers us with a certain clarity of mind and peace of heart.

The rhythm of life is the antidote for our busy age.

I believe life should be lived passionately and that the day-to-day drudgery that stifles the greatness of the human spirit should be avoided at all costs.  I do not despise simple daily tasks, but I believe their place is in building us up, not in tearing us down.

As we venture into each new day, the challenge life presents to us all is to develop a balance between activity and thought.  But, particularly, to fill our lives with action that springs forth from contemplation and an understanding of our essential purpose.

Look at the world.  Look at yourself.  Look at your lifestyle.  Ponder these things.  Our chaotic world and complex lives are crying out for a little order and simplicity.

Most people stumble through life believing that one day they will find the pace of life and variety of activity that will create the rhythm of life that is conducive to optimum health, happiness, efficiency, and contentment.  They will not.  The rhythm of life must be desired and created.

We make a thousand lifestyle choices every day.  Those decisions either create or destroy the natural rhythm of life.

Life is not a hundred-meter dash; it's a marathon.

There is more to life than increasing the speed.  Faster isn't always better, bigger isn't always better, louder isn't always better.  More isn't always the solution.  Life is not a competition to see who can collect the most expensive toys.  The best things in life are not things--and sometimes less is more.

Find your rhythm . . . and you will flood your life with passion, creativity, and energy.
   
   

Living Life Fully, the e-zine
exists to try to provide for visitors of the world wide web a place
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It is quite evident that we are living in one terribly noisy world and it seems to be getting worse every day.  Everywhere we go we are accosted by loud, unwanted sound.  When we enter elevators, malls and restaurants we are engulfed by muzak.  I recently had lunch at a popular restaurant and found the background music so loud that it interfered with normal conversation and the enjoyment of my lunch.  When I asked the waitress if she could turn the music off, or at least down, she said, "I don't think we can."  Surely, we as a people are still in charge of volume controls.

When you add lawnmowers, snow blowers, leaf blowers, jack hammers, jet engines, transport trucks, and horns and buzzers of all types and descriptions, you have a wall of constant noise and irritation.  Even when watching a television program at a reasonable volume level you are blown out of your chair when a commercial comes on at the decibel level of a jet.

We seem to have created a cultural acceptance of our noisy world in spite of the fact that it is making us ill physically and psychologically. We can't seem to live without background sound.  We have friends who turn on the television the moment they awaken in the morning and leave it on all day.  The house is just too quiet if it isn't on.  Former high school students of mine used to tell me that the first thing they did on arriving home after school was turn on their CD player as loudly as would be tolerated by their parents.

Cornell University recently conducted a study to determine the impact of noise on employees in an open area office space where people are constantly exposed to fax machines, telephones, office chatter, shredding machines, etc.  Test results revealed that workers in an open area had high levels of adrenalin in their urine.  Adrenalin is released by the body when under stress.  It prepares us for fight or flight.  When these employees were compared to those in self contained office spaces the results were startling.  People in a quiet, self contained work area did not have the same high levels of adrenalin in their urine.  They were much more relaxed and less stressed.

A puzzle, demanding attention and concentration, was given to both groups of employees.  The open area group was found to be less diligent in the solution of the puzzle, becoming easily frustrated and giving up much earlier than the group from the quiet office.  The study also found that workers from the quiet office slept better at night, had better digestion, were much less irritable at home and felt better at the end of their workday than employees from the open concept office.  Noise does seem to affect focus, productivity and general physical and psychological well being.  Noise tends to increase stress levels which in turn can result in increased frustration and anger and strained interpersonal relationships.  We must begin to establish a friendship with silence.

How to Make a Friend of Silence

While we have very little control over noise in the environment at large, we do have control over our own private environment.  This is where we begin to cultivate a friendship with silence.

* Make a conscious commitment to the experience and appreciation of silence.

* Go for a walk in nature.  Let the silence soothe your spirit.

* When you are alone in your residence turn off all noise making appliances.  Begin with fifteen minutes of silence and gradually increase the duration.

* Learn how to meditate and schedule a ten minute meditation period once or twice a day.  Gradually extend your meditation time.

* When driving to work turn off your car radio and drive in silence.

* Go camping for a night by yourself.  Find a quiet campground where they don't allow people to blast their music without consideration for others.  I usually go solo camping for one week each year to be alone and silent in the outdoors.  It has become something I eagerly look forward to.

* Drive to a lake at sunset and rent a canoe.  Paddle slowly along the shoreline observing the silent sights and the gentle sounds of nature as the sun sets and darkness approaches.

* In silence listen to your breathing.  Get a sense of the silent rhythm of life.

* Just before retiring go outside and look up at the night sky.  You will soon sense another universal rhythm so unfamiliar to many.  Let the night sky and the darkness embrace you and calm you as you prepare for a night's rest.

* When you read a book, do so in silence.  Many of us read to music or during television commercials.  Try silence.  You'll grow to love it.

Soon you will begin to cherish the periods of silence you have built into your day and long for more.  You will quickly discover that you are becoming more relaxed and less tense even in the midst of our noisy world.  You will have made an invaluable new friend of silence, a friend which can comfort, heal and soothe your spirit.  What a gift you will have given yourself.

Be still and know the restorative power of silence.
  

Mike Moore is an international speaker and writer on human potential, motivation and humour. You can check out his website at http://www.motivationalplus.com

Sprouting Seeds--The Roots of Self-Growth
Gary Barnes

In this fast-paced world, we have forgotten about ourselves.  Instead of loving ourselves, we zeroed in on how we are going to live up to society's image.  We run ourselves ragged trying to live the American dream--the large income, nice house, and many other material possessions that we believe will complete this scenario.  Somewhere in the competition against our fellow humans, we have lost ourselves.  Instead of focusing our attention within, we attempt to paint an illusion by manipulating the world around us.

Desperately, I searched the world over, seeking the answers to life.  I was never able to find what I was looking for.  After reading many books, I came to  the realization that the answers lie within.  In order 
to find them, I needed to form a loving relationship  with myself.  By applying the following principles to  my life, I was able to build self-worth and open the  door to my soul.

* Take Time To Go Within:
Sit quietly or relax for a few minutes everyday.  Try  to spend at least twenty minutes each day going within. I find a comfortable spot where I will not be disturbed, usually outside in my yard, but wherever you feel most comfortable is the spot you should choose.  Enjoy the sounds of nature while you concentrate on your breathing.  Others of you may prefer listening to music or a guided meditation tape.  There is no right way to seek your inner self.  Choose the path you feel most at ease with, and begin your journey inward.

*Self-Talk:
The types of thoughts that fill our head are very important.  You can choose between negative thoughts that will tear you down, or you can think encouraging beliefs that will lift your spirits.  Spend time feeding your mind positive messages.  Tell yourself over and over throughout  the day how worthy you are.  Carry motivational articles or quotes that inspire you.  In a moment of fear or doubt, read these inspirational pieces until you feel confident once again.  I have post-its placed strategically throughout the house, so I am reminded to think positive.

*Eat right:
The body is like a car; it needs fuel.  We are people on the go and living in the age of the all-too-convenient fast food restaurant.  With deadlines to meet and our hectic schedules, we never have time to stop and prepare a healthy meal.  Take a look around you; the lack of a proper diet causes many health risks.  From obesity to heart disease, we are running ourselves into the ground with our unhealthy eating habits.  Each of our bodies is different and needs its own unique diet.  Consult a nutritionist or your doctor to find out the dietary needs of your body.

*Exercise:
Exercise--the thought produces fear in many people.  The image of doing aerobics or spending hours in the gym trying to keep the body fit causes nightmares.  I am not suggesting you train to look like a bodybuilder, but you should spend at least twenty minutes a day in an activity that gets the your heart rate going.  Whether you choose a brisk walk around the block, some gardening in your yard or dancing to your favorite music, the experts all agree about the benefits of exercising.  Not only will you start feeling better, but your physical improvements will benefit every area of your life.  You will be able to increase your stamina, build confidence and, most importantly, reduce stress.

*Sleep:
The amount of sleep we need varies for each of us.  Some people are well rested after five hours of sleep while others need at least eight.  I think the proper amount of sleep is important, but the quality of our sleep is the key.  How many times have you tossed  and turned with worry?  Make sure you go to bed relaxed.  A good rule of thumb is do not watch television right before bed, especially the news.  The news tends to report on negative subjects which can cause stress and worry.  The best things to do are read, journal or listen to uplifting messages that will encourage you.  This puts positive thoughts into your head, and you will awake feeling refreshed and alive.

*Stop Worrying:
Fear and worry run rampant in our society, and prescriptions for stress-relieving drugs are at an all-time high.  We try to control different situations, and when the outcome is not to our liking, we tend to seek new circumstances.  Once again, the outcome is  the same, so the cycle continues.  We can only do our best--the final results are out of our hands.  Worrying  is just wasted energy that negatively affects our entire being.

*Live In The Moment:
We are too busy projecting what is going to happen in the future, or remembering the hurts from the past, to stop and smell the roses.  We only have the moment at hand, so take time to enjoy it!  The past is gone, so why continue reliving it in your mind?  You cannot change it, so learn from it and move on.  We fear what the future may hold, and we are afraid to take action because the results may not be to our liking.  But, planting the seeds of today makes tomorrow's crops possible.  Enjoy each moment as a gift--not only will you have fewer regrets about the past, but your future will become brighter.

Like farmers who neglect their cropland, worrying only about the prices they can get for their produce, we have stopped caring about ourselves and instead care more about external things.  God--with just the right amount of rain, mixed in with a sprinkle of sunshine and his all encompassing love--nurtures the earth and watches as it flourishes.  We need to follow God's example and learn how to nurture and care for ourselves.  The saying goes "you reap what you sow," and if you follow these tips, your life will blossom with peace, love and happiness.