Tag: books

life curation

2018 Goals – An Update

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Back in January, I outlined 3 goals that I have for this year. As a point of accountability, I want to share how things have been going with those goals, as well as the next steps to take in the upcoming weeks.

Goal 1: Publish some of my writing

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Technically, this blog is a way of publishing my writing, but I don’t heavily edit anything that goes on here, and I want to have a consolidated work (like a book). I mentioned previously that editing and publishing are tests of my discipline and focus, as I tremendously enjoy getting the thoughts on paper but don’t really enjoying reviewing what I’ve written. Here are the actions I intend to take before the end of the month:

  • Start on the 2nd round of edits for my novel
  • Complete 1st round of edits for my how-to book
  • Purchase a MasterClass membership to get additional writing assistance

Goal 2: More travel

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I’ve done one of my major trips – Nairobi, Kenya – but I’ve been eyeing a short trip to London sometime this summer (this ties into Goal 3). I also have a family cruise planned in October, and maybe (hopefully!) one more London trip in December. I’ve also been taking more roadtrips over the past several months, and next month will have me taking a trip almost every weekend! Anyway, here are the actions I intend to take over the next couple of weeks:

  • Make a decision on my London travel: whether I will do one or two trips this year
  • Start pricing my London and New York airfare and hotel stays
  • Reserve rooms for weekend trips in May

Goal 3: Dabble in an art career

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I’m not an artist, but I aspire to work in the art world, as either a consultant or a curator. I’ve researched a few opportunities to help me get a feel for the museum/auction world, but other than listing out those resources, I haven’t taken any other actions. That stops this month. These are the actions I intend to take in support of my future art career:

  • Reserve my space in the Christie’s course(s) I plan to take in New York this summer
  • Begin another online art course
  • Narrow down the opportunities I’ve listed to those most advantageous for the path I’m pursuing.

That’s all for my 2018 goals update. I’ll try to remember to post again at the beginning of June, to let you all know how much progress I’ve made. Talk to you all soon!

 

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Reading List: April’s Book

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creativity is Intelligence having fun (1)

As part of creating the best year of my life, I’m committed to doing the internal and external work that will help me realize my intentions and create the lifestyle that I desire. In support of this journey, I am focused on reading books that will enhance my life, either through providing inspiration, knowledge, or entertainment, all for the sake of crafting a wonderful year.

For April’s book of the month, I’ve selected Lifestyle Design for a Champagne Life by Cassie Parks. I’ve read this one before, but I didn’t execute all of the exercises mentioned in the book. I have, however, read another of Cassie’s books, Manifest $10,000, and I got phenomenal results, so I am confident that Lifestyle Design for a Champagne Life will be truly life-changing for me.

However, as you all know, I’m doing the Joy Challenge for April, so I am going to read Lifestyle Design but I may have to save the exercises for May, when I have a bit more time and can give it my full attention. That being said, if I find that I do have a bit of time, and inspiration leads me to completing some of the exercises in April, then I’ll do so. I believe in not “overworking” my conscious creation muscle by doing too many things at once. But I also believe in following inspiration, so we’ll see how it goes.

Have any of you read Cassie Parks’s books before? Let me know in the comments below!

life curation · reading list

Book Review: How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb

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I’m a bit behind with my book reviews, but it’s great to finally get caught up.  February’s book selection was  “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” by Michael J. Gelb.

I enjoyed that this book is broken down into 7 broad concepts, and the author goes to great lengths to describe how da Vinci embodied those concepts

The seven Da Vincian principles – Curiosita (curiosity), Dimostrazione (closely examining beliefs and learning via questioning), Sensazione (fully engaging the senses), Sfumato (embracing uncertainty and ambiguity), Arte/Scienza (balancing between arts and sciences), Corporalita (physical health and fitness), Connessione (understanding relationships between and connection among all things)- are the building blocks for living a genius life. Gelb provides examples from da Vinci’s life, as well as practical exercises, to describe how these principles worked in the past and how we can make these work in the present day.

 

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I especially appreciated how Gelb provided exercises for embodying the Da Vincian principles at work and while parenting. He took great care to show how these concepts can be applied wholistically. I feel that many books exclude multiple groups in favor of focusing on one particular group. But this is a testament to Gelb’s application of da Vinci’s stance of connessione: all groups are connected, related and at some level inseparable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely reread it! I think I’ll draw upon these concepts for future posts, because I strongly feel that this multidimensional approach to life is crucial. In these times, where change can happen in an instant and we need to be able to respond quickly, I feel there is so much benefit to training ourselves to be the best thinkers that we can be.

Make sure that you check this one out! You won’t regret it!

life curation · luxury

Adventures at Anthropologie

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While spending time with my best girlfriends in Charlotte, we made a stop in Anthropologie. I don’t think I’ve ever shopped at Anthropologie, mainly because my personal tastes were VERY different from what they offer. However, my tastes are changing, and I was open to seeing if they had some things that I would enjoy.

Wouldn’t you know it, I barely looked at the clothing because I got caught up in the books and stationery section. The BOOKS called my name, y’all! I was in heaven among all of the journals, planners, and self-care guides. I was among kindred spirits, because my friends were also stuck in the same section LOL!

One of the planners that I purchased during my Anthropologie trip (you can buy it here)

I kept picking up books and putting them back, because if I’m not careful, I’ll buy them all! So many great planners for those that are interested in living well curated and mindful lives.

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The other book I purchased (you can buy it here)

But my delight didn’t stop with the paper goods. Anthropologie also has a beauty section, including fragrances. You all know that I’m a sucker for perfume. They sell one of my favorite brands, Tocca. I refrained from purchasing, since I already have some great perfumes that I’m using right now. But as soon as I finish using them, I’m stocking up!

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Tocca’s Florence is a sumptuous fragrance that I’ve worn

Maybe next time I visit Anthropologie I’ll actually spend some time browsing their fashions. There’s a lot to see in this store, and I simply couldn’t do it all during this trip. Do you have any favorite picks from Anthropologie? Let me know in the comments below!

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Book Review: The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

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As you all know, my January book review was overdue because of my wonderfully restorative Nairobi vacation. Now, I’m finally giving you all my (very late!) review of Tim Ferriss’s “The Four Hour Work Week”.


This book has been around for about ten years, and it focuses on showing entrepreneurs and employees how to minimize their work hours and maximize their life enjoyment. Tim’s methodical approach to reducing work and creating systems that allow more freedom and income is nothing short of inspirational.

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The author, Tim Ferriss (photo from his website)

Tim provides specific steps for making money online and negotiating remote work agreements, so that readers can start spending more of their time in meaningful, life-enriching activities. I am a big fan of any materials that encourage people to create truly satisfying lives, so Tim’s message definitely resonated with me.

The book is voluminous so I won’t give a chapter-by-chapter overview like I did with The Best Year of Your Life, but I will confirm that the book includes testimonials and hacks that could be very useful to anyone that is willing to give it a try.

My only advice for this book would be to focus on implementing the concepts and principles first, because jumping directly into the Income Autopilots could be an exercises in frustration and futility. While I think the framework for Income Autopilots is effective, the book *is* ten years old and the Internet has changed a lot. That being said, having the groundwork – the mindset and approach as explained by Tim – in place already would prevent some of the mistakes that may come from trying to implement older strategies. Also, I’d advise that any interested readers be sure to listen to Tim’s podcast, as this is consistently updated with Tim’s most recent tips, hacks and life advice.

Overall, this is a great book for any aspiring entrepreneurs or for employees that are ready to create some real work/life balance. I’ll be referring to it throughout the year, as I’m interested in trying some of Tim’s techniques to see if I can increase my income and reduce my reliance upon my current employment.

life curation · reading list

The Best Year of Your Life: The “Dream It” Section

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Happy Monday, beloveds! What better way to start a week than to discuss some of the things I’ve done during the past (almost) two months in preparation for my best year ever?

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(photo courtesy of StrangeCharmed.com, one of my new favorite websites)

As you all recall, Debbie Ford’s The Best Year of Your Life was my December reading list selection, and I reviewed the book in January. I didn’t want to make the review too exhaustive, because I intended to reference it throughout the year. This post is the first of those references, and I’ll share my takeaways from the first section of the book, the Dream It section.

Chapter 1: Creating a Powerful Intent – I’ve been doing affirmations for quite some time now, but I recently changed my daily affirmation to the one provided in the book. Daily, I affirm, “This is the best year of my life”. I’ve noticed that I have had a much “smoother” day-to-day experience, My life isn’t “perfect” but it’s good and I am more aware of the little ways that show my life as being good and satisfying. I can improve on this step by using some of the tips in the book, such as writing my affirmation on signs and notes and posting them in my office and home. I could also use it as a background on my phone and computer.

Chapter 2: Exposing the Fantasy – I need to redo this step. I did it in December but I didn’t put as much time and energy into it as I would like. I need to specify the feeling I associate with my “fantasy” life and then clarify exactly how I will activate that feeling daily. This is a key principle of law of attraction, so I’ve done it before but I’ve never been consistent about it. The consistency will really make the difference.

Chapter 3: Stepping Into Greatness – I could stand to redo this step, as well. My vision for this year isn’t as laser-focused as I would like. It’s a bit fuzzy, so getting really clear and then identifying the personality traits that would make it possible would do wonders for realizing this best year of my life. Off of the top of my head, traits such as discipline and boldness (extroversion) would bring me closer to my dream. But, I want to make sure that I’m invoking the best qualities to bring about my ideal life, so I’ll spend some more time on that.

So I’ll post again, in a couple of weeks, just confirming the progress I’ve made on redoing the activities from Chapters 2 and 3. I’m looking forward to sharing that with you all!

luxury · reading list

A Bibliophile’s Dream . . .

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I don’t often discuss auction houses outside of Christie’s or Sotheby’s auctions. These two entities usually feature more of the items that interest me personally. However, I regularly peruse some of the other big names in the auction world because, well, you never know when you’ll come across a gem of a sale.

I was delighted to see that Bonhams is having an Extraordinary Books and Manuscripts auction in just a few days (March 9). This sale will have all sorts of rare books, manuscripts, and other miscellaneous written material. One item that I found particularly interesting is a letter autographed by Alexander Hamilton. Given the resurgence of interest in Hamilton (we can thank the stageplay Hamilton for that), I expect that this memorabilia will go for much more than the estimated $10-15,000 USD.

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Hamilton’s letter

Two more items of interest to me are a violin owned by, and a letter written and signed by, Albert Einstein. I find Einstein fascinating and I would love to own some memorabilia. These items are expected to fetch between $100,000 and $150,000 each, and I can see them easily going for more than that. I’m sure the lucky winner will treasure these items tremendously.

Einstein’s violin and autographed letter

The auction will happen at Bonhams’ Madison Avenue location in  New York City, USA. If you are a collector of rare books, you won’t want to miss this event!

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Reading List: March’s Book

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I know that I still haven’t posted the review for January’s book, but I’ll make up for it by posting both the January and February book reviews during the next few weeks. Now, however, I’ll share which book I’ll be reading in March.

After several months of “heavy” reading material, I’m reaching for a lighter read. For March’s book selection, I’m re-reading “How to Be Adored” by Caroline Cox. This Hollywood retrospective gives a glimpse into the beauty routines of former and current movies stars. It also provides a simple guide of how to bring glamour into your every day routine.

It’s been years since I read this one, so I’m looking forward to going through it again. From what I remember, it’s a fun, whimsical read that will help me get back into my glamour-girl routine. I’ve been slacking lately (probably because this weather has been dreadful) . . . But now that we’re going into Spring 2018, I’m looking forward to longer, warmer day and prettier frocks.

life curation · reading list

Reading List: February’s Book

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Are you all enjoying The Four Hour Work Week? I know that I am! In fact, I’m really glad for the snow days I had a couple of weeks ago, because it helped me to manage all of the reading I had to do this month.

February’s reading selection should be a great read, though I already know that it’ll be nearly impossible to complete all of the exercises during the month. Ok, I’ll admit it: I’m cheating a bit. You see, I’m already reading this book, along with January’s selection, and another book that was recommended by a mentor. So I’m reading THREE books this month (not an outrageous number for me, but I’m avidly taking notes and plan on discussing each of them, so this is far more tedious than my normal leisurely reading).

The book for February is “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” by Michael Gelb. This book is supposed to help us uplevel to the status of genius, through seven simple steps that we can incorporate daily. I’m currently reading for comprehension, but during the month of February, I’ll be reading for implementation and integration into my life.

 

Have any of you already read “How to Think”? Let me know in the comments, and (without spoilers, please!) let us know what you thought of the book!

life curation · reading list

Review: The Best Year of Your Life by Debbie Ford

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Happy Monday, beloveds! After getting the first snow of the new year, I found myself with some extra downtime – I didn’t want to go out venturing with snow and ice on the ground! That gave me even more time to pick my favorite highlights from December’s reading selection, The Best Year of Your Life by Debbie Ford.

Just a few weeks before reading this book, I decided to look up Debbie and see what projects she is currently working on. Imagine my shock when I found that Debbie had passed on nearly 5 years ago. I mourn the loss of such a wonderful writer and incredible coach. However, I am thankful that she left her wisdom with us in the form of her book and other teaching materials.

The Best Year of Your Life takes the reader through three phases involved with creating your best year. The Dream It phase involves creating a intention that will guide you throughout the year, realizing that what you really want is how you desire to feel throughout the year, and discovering the personality traits that need to be developed in order to realize this ideal year. The Dream It phase helps you create a concrete vision of your ideal year, and gets to the core of the attributes needed to make it happen.

The Plan It phase involves laying the groundwork for the best year ever. Debbie shows readers how to clean up all of the unresolved/incomplete projects and tasks in their lives and how to expose and correct common pitfalls on the path to creating an ideal existence. She then goes step-by-step through the process of setting goals up in a way that practically guarantees success.

Finally, the Live It phase gives readers daily and weekly actions that keep them on track to achieve their goals. Debbie teaches how to create integrity “anchors”, practices that keep them focused throughout the year. She then teaches about the power of having high self-esteem, the necessity of being mindful and aware of our significant moments, and the importance of regularly creating “unforgettable” days that will be the cherishable memories of tomorrow. Lastly, she discusses the power of dedicating the year to a worthy cause or individual and how aspiring to excellence is the perfect support for an ideal year.

Without a doubt, my favorite chapter was Chapter 6, “Planning Your Year”. Debbie’s step-by-step formula for successful goals was just what I needed to get clear and organized in my plan of action. Sometimes, there are a lot of thoughts swimming around in my head, and Debbie’s approach helped me cut through the mental static and get laser-focused on what I need in order to make my best year possible.

The toughest chapter for me to read and begin implementing was Chapter 3, “Stepping Into Greatness”. Identifying the traits that I needed to cultivate in order to be the kind of person that easily attains my goals is something that I’m still working on. Hopefully, I’ll continue to get more clarity as the weeks go on, and, as I get clear, I can start consciously exhibiting those traits more consistently.

My favorite quote in this book was in Chapter 9, “Claiming the Moment”. That quote reads, “Time is precious. And when we realize this, we become aware of the importance of claiming each moment. Every moment holds the potential for being memorable. We all have the power to stop what we are doing and look for a way to make each moment special. If we won’t stop each day and claim some of these moments, they will pass us by, never to be found again.”

I know that this was my December 2017 reading selection, but I suspect I’ll be referencing it throughout the year. Debbie’s words are impactful and her guidance is easy to follow: I can see myself coming back to this as a refresher all year long. This book is a jewel!