happiness

LifeOhm Book Club – The Book of Joy

2017-05-14 By Monica 4 Comments

I’m starting a new monthly series here on LifeOhm where I can share some of my favorite books with you. This one, The Book of Joy, I actually read in January, but I loved it so much that I knew it had to be the first book I featured. I got this book as a Christmas gift (thanks Mom!) and am planning to gift this book to others.

The Book of Joy is the story about Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s trip to visit the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India to celebrate His Holiness’s eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others, and it truly is a gift.

Writer Douglas Abrams helped facilitate the dialogue and brought in some of his own research to support the concepts presented. The reader gets the benefit of the wisdom of these spiritual leaders, groundbreaking research on joy, and to witness the playful interaction between these sweet souls. [Read more…] about LifeOhm Book Club – The Book of Joy

30 of the World’s Greatest Quotes on Abundance to Help You Live a Richer Life

2017-04-07 By Monica 10 Comments

An abundant life is one where you have the ability to create, explore, and experience your desires consistently. Abundance may include financial wealth, but it also includes having a rich life, full of meaning and joy. If you’re ready to live abundantly, or just need some inspiration, here are 30 of the World’s Greatest Quotes on Abundance. Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts, or your own quote in the comments below.

1.”When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” ~ Tony Robbins

2. “Choose joyful abundance in your heart and be unbounded, free, and relaxed. Be relentless with your choice and you’ll make your mark.” ~ Amy Leigh Mercree

3. “Gratitude builds a bridge to abundance.” ~ Roy Bennett [Read more…] about 30 of the World’s Greatest Quotes on Abundance to Help You Live a Richer Life

25 Ways to Use Lavender Essential Oil

2016-11-26 By Monica 1 Comment

I love to visit the beautiful lavender farms around Portland. Lavender is also my favorite essential oil for relaxation and for its wide range of uses. I use lavender every day as my perfume, just a drop behind each ear and it is my favorite oil to diffuse in my home. Sometimes I add a few drops of lemon oil with it for a fresh, clean scent. Lavender oil has been called the “Swiss army knife” of oils because it is so versatile. Here are 25 ways that you can begin using lavender essential oil too. [Read more…] about 25 Ways to Use Lavender Essential Oil

Relax and Be Present With This Simple Ritual

2014-11-24 By Monica 19 Comments

Last week I had the Monday of all Mondays. The kind of day that gives Mondays a bad name; when everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

First, my car wouldn’t start. I had to take it to the shop, which caused me to forget I had scheduled coffee with a friend. My phone died, so I wasn’t able to work at the repair shop. Then I spent the day trying to catch up, feeling frantic and frenzied. We’ve all had one of these days. [Read more…] about Relax and Be Present With This Simple Ritual

Find Purpose & Happiness Through a Pursuit

2014-09-21 By Monica 27 Comments

Pursue your passion. That’s the traditional wisdom, right? But there’s more to it than just that. In his new book, The Happiness of Pursuit, Chris Guillebeau explains how you can also find a purpose in the pursuit of a quest. The book is based on his experience visiting 193 countries, and how the pursuit of that quest also gave him great purpose in life.

Since I received two copies of the book from the publisher (thanks, Chris!), I’m giving away a hardback version of Chris’s book to one lucky reader! The contest details are at the end of this post.

So what is a “quest” exactly? According to Guillebeau, a quest “is a journey toward something specific with a number of challenges throughout. Most quests also require a series of logistical steps and some kind of personal growth.”

Some quests that were completed by people interviewed for the book include:

Traveling across the country in an RV and documenting the trip in photos
Cycling across the world
Practicing Tai Chi and writing down food eaten for one thousand days
Creating a charity that provides clean drinking water (Charity: Water)
Write 365 thank you cards in one year

Why Quest? [Read more…] about Find Purpose & Happiness Through a Pursuit

5 Things You Should Know About Finding Your Purpose

2014-09-17 By Monica 12 Comments

I’ve been spending less time on my blog this summer. I guess you could say that I’ve been away on a long journey. Not the kind that requires a passport, but a long journey just the same.

Most of the journey was spent finishing my master’s degree, researching and writing the massive paper required for my final thesis. I knew it would be a big, time-consuming project as I mentioned in this article about Climbing Your Own Mount Everest. What I didn’t realize was how much of my focus and energy it would take. As a result, I took a little break from blogging and other social activities. You could say, I was a bit of a hermit.

After successfully completing my thesis and graduating, I felt an overwhelming sense of, “Now what?” Maybe you’ve experienced the same feeling in your own life – after completing a large project, when your child started or finished school, when you left a job, or some other major transition.

I had thought once I completed my master’s degree and thesis, that my journey would be complete and I’d jump back into my “regular routines.” What I failed to consider was that completing that goal would begin yet another journey. I began to question whether I wanted to continue this blog, continue my healthcare consulting work and taking coaching clients, or perhaps, take a new direction instead. I spent a lot of time re-evaluating my own purpose in life, and even reevaluating what “purpose” means in the first place. It was a great period of self reflection as I enjoyed what was left of summer, and visited with friends and family at our home.

I realized some really great lessons about purpose that want to share with you. Here they are, in no particular order:

1.) Know Your Why

Your “why” is the reason you do the things you do. Simon Sinek summarizes this concept brilliantly in his book, Start With Why, as well as in his TedTalk.

The only consistent thing in life is change. There are endings, new beginnings, and all kinds of things in between. Your why isn’t tied to any one job or role that you play. Your why remains relatively consistent throughout your life, even though your role or the expression of your why may change. [Read more…] about 5 Things You Should Know About Finding Your Purpose

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