Friday 29 November 2019

Efficiency

We often mistake convenience for efficiency...
True efficiency is not about speed; 
it’s about spending more time with what truly matters. 
 - Ryder Carroll

Wednesday 27 November 2019

Reduce

We need to reduce the number of decisions
 we burden ourselves with 
so we can focus on what matters.
  - Ryder Carroll

Monday 25 November 2019

Intentional

Intentional living is the art of making our own choices 
before others’ choices make us. 
 - Richie Norton

Friday 22 November 2019

Busy

Being busy, however, is not the same as being productive. 
For most of us “being busy” 
is code for being functionally overwhelmed. 
- Ryder Carroll

Wednesday 20 November 2019

Emergency

We treat life like an emergency,
 frantically crossing things off our list,
 so we can supposedly get it all done. 
 - Kristine Carlson

Monday 18 November 2019

More

Virtually everyone is complaining
 of having too much to do and not enough time,
 yet their solution to restlessness
 is to find even more to do! 
 - Kristine Carlson

Friday 15 November 2019

November 15, 2019 Chautauqua


Beth's Ponderings

   We recently turned our clocks back to Standard Time again (thank goodness!) which has brought up, yet again, the debate about whether we should continue to switch between Standard and Daylight Savings Time or not.

   BC, and some other places, are exploring scrapping the time change for good.  But, they are proposing to stay on Daylight Savings Time year-round instead of staying on Standard time. 

   Besides the umpteen problems that will create physically, emotionally and mentally in people, because of emphasis on evening light and not morning light, and even night owls need more morning light to function at their best, most people tend to forget that the reason the time change is so jarring on us is because it is a whole hour that is, for all intents and purposes, taken out of context. 

   If we remained on Standard Time year-round we would notice the days lengthening and shortening in a more natural manner, and we’d still have sunshine in the evening in the summers, and all the daylight hours we would need to get done what needs to get done, even if what needs to get done is being lazy.


   I agree, scrap Daylight Savings time, but stay on Standard time as it is a healthier and saner option for all of us, unless we choose to ditch tracking time totally.

Beth 


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Wednesday 13 November 2019

Doors

Life is so subtle that sometimes
 you barely notice yourself walking through the doors 
you once prayed would open.
 - Brianna West

Monday 11 November 2019

Heart

Eyes see only light, ears hear only sound,
 but a listening heart perceives meaning. 
- David Steindl-Rast

Friday 8 November 2019

Pause

Often all it takes to live intentionally 
is to pause before you proceed
. - Ryder Carroll

Wednesday 6 November 2019

Mastery

Mastery replaces the notion of perfection 
with aspiring to better ourselves through dedication and practice. 
When it comes to skill there can be no fixed point. 
Even the greatest masters remain avid students.
 - Ryder Carroll

Monday 4 November 2019

Friday 1 November 2019

November 1, 2019 Chautauqua


Beth's Ponderings

   Ever feel like your life is going from one extreme to another?  Swinging madly back and forth?  Being strongly pulled from one direction to another?

   I know I sure feel like that at times, especially regarding my health journey, as it seems like I go from flat on my back unable to do anything to having to cram so much into one day as I spent too many days flat on my back doing nothing.

   This wildly swinging pendulum effect is generally a result of us “reacting” to what appears in our lives instead of “responding” to it.

   Following the recent election, we had a lot of people reacting to the results.  The knee-jerk reactions covered a whole gamut of feelings and emotions and some wild solutions.  (For the record, separation from Canada is not a viable option for a land-locked province like Alberta).

   Yet, the only way to truly find solutions - no matter what situations we find ourselves in - and move forward in a constructive manner is to “respond” to the situation.  This involves slowing down, breathing deeply, and looking at the situation from MANY different angles, not the most obvious fear-based one.


   Most of us would agree, especially in this go-go-go culture we now live in, that we desire more balance in our lives, and we tend to think of that ideal balance in visual terms as a perfectly horizontal plane, yet what we really desire is being more centred - ie, the pendulum isn’t swinging back and forth, or like a calm body of water with barely noticeable ripples instead of wild waves.  Once we are centred, and aren’t being pulled in all directions, we can truly see where we are and what our next move should be.

Beth


Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua