1. Quote I’ve been pondering this week – “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. “– John Lennon
2. What I’ve been reading on the internet- I’ve been reading and re reading this article about how who we spend time with can change what we think is impossible to possible. It’s a really good read, helping you think about the people you surround yourself with and the effect they have on you and your view of the world.
3. Best health hack – standing on one leg brushing my teeth. A while back I discovered I’ve got an extra disc at the base of my spine. Apparently we used to have tails and so I’m part of the 10% that has a left over (proof that I’m special!). All this led me to researching spinal health where one of the outcomes was keeping my core in good shape. With so much to do each day I’ve started to merge activities. This is one of them. I use an electric toothbrush with a built in timer and do 60 seconds on each leg, try it, you’ll be amazed at the benefits.
4. I found my picture of the Imagine mosaic this week (I’d lost one since moving companies). I have one at home and one for my desk at the office. Whenever I visit NYC I make sure to sit and watch the world go by at Strawberry fields. Seeing the picture daily reminds me not to give up dreaming.
5. If you’re after a short form podcast you might want to listen to Adam Grants new one Worklife. Episode 1 is about benefiting from criticism, it’s a fascinating listen. Historically it’s been hard for me to accept criticism, it’s really not that easy to hear and then act upon. I still find it hard, though thankfully reading and listening to Tim Ferriss and others has helped me see how it’s actually a gift. If you find criticism hard to take and act upon, listen to this podcast and see if you feel differently.