‘I’ll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time.’ ~Emily Dickinson

Post written by Leo Babauta. You can follow him on twitter .

These days, I wake as the sun begins to softly express itself on the day, and enjoy the early light and the quiet thrum of the world.

Then I do three things: Sit. Read. Write.

It’s my new simplified morning routine.

Like almost anything else I’ve written about, however, this has changed in my life over the last few years. At one point I abandoned routine altogether, and since have revisited the idea a few times.

Recently, I’ve simplified my routine to those three things. And those three things have been wonderful. Because of this routine, I now start my days slowly, in peace, doing the things I love, mindfully.

It’s hard to start a day better than that.

The Routine

Not everyone will love the three things I do in the morning, so I don’t recommend that everyone adopt it wholesale, but I thought I’d share just to provide ideas for others who might be interested:

1. Sit. I wake up and start the coffeemaker, drink a glass of water, then sit on a small pillow. I just sit, and focus on my breathing. You don’t have to meditate — sitting still, contemplating, taking in the world, is a beautiful thing.
2. Read. I read a book. The paper kind, that doesn’t require electricity. I like reading with no distractions. I’ll read for about half an hour to an hour.
3. Write. Before I check email or Twitter or read my feeds, I sit down and write. It doesn’t matter what — a chapter for my new book, a blog post, answers to an interview someone emailed me, anything. I just write, without distractions.

After I’ve done that, I am now free to check email and read my feeds (I only follow a handful). I get on with the rest of my day.

I used to exercise in the morning, but since moving to San Francisco I’ve found that I prefer waiting until the day has heated up before I venture outside. Moving my exercise has also allowed me to simplify the morning routine.

I used to eat breakfast in the morning, but now I wait until mid-day to eat my steel-cut oats. Why? No special reason — I’m experimenting a bit with compressing my “eating window” from the normal 12-14 hours or so (the time you first eat until the time you last eat in the day) to about 8 hours. It hasn’t been a major change but something I’ve been trying out. It also means I can simplify my morning routine.

Later in the day, I also have tea with my wife, usually, and find time to play with the kids, read some more, write some more.

But early in the morning, I’m enjoying the simplicity of this morning routine.

A little trick I like to use to make my days much more pleasant is to find little, simple pleasures and sprinkle them throughout my day.

They’re not big things, but they each simple pleasure can translate to a great day if you use them right.

So in the morning, I might have a cup of coffee, and sip it slowly to enjoy it fully. I might read a gripping novel, and revel in the world of fiction. I might watch the sun come up, and marvel at the world in pastel hues.

For breakfast, I might put berries on my cereal … and I just love berries. I savor each one, closing my eyes. In the shower, I might also close my eyes, and just let the cool water run over me (I live on a tropical island, so cool water is a nice thing).

You get the idea — these are little things, and don’t really cost a thing (or not much, anyway), but they are tremendously satisfying. I’ve just described some of the things I might do to start off my day, but the possibilities are endless, and can be done throughout the day.

I thought it would be fun to compile a list of simple pleasures, to give you all some ideas of what I mean, and to spark other ideas of your own. Of course, you can probably come up with a thousand more, and it should also be noted that one person’s pleasures aren’t always pleasures for others.

1. Berries … mmmm.
2. Walking barefoot in grass.
3. Listening to good music in the car.
4. Taking a long, relaxing shower.
5. Coffee.
6. A good novel.
7. Popcorn and an old movie on DVD.
8. The smell of fresh-cut grass.
9. Watching the sunrise.
10. Walking on the beach.
11. A gentle morning run.
12. Yoga or stretching or meditation.
13. Snuggling in bed with your partner.
14. Watching the sunset.
15. Hugging your child tightly.
16. Good wine.
17. Dark chocolate.
18. Dancing like you’re crazy.
19. Telling jokes till your sides ache.
20. A long conversation with a good friend.
21. Root beer float.
22. Kissing in the rain.
23. Being lazy on a Sunday.
24. Waking to a clean house.
25. An uncluttered room.
26. Banana split.
27. Pillow fights.
28. Fries and a chocolate milkshake.
29. Singing in the shower, loudly.
30. Dancing in the rain and stomping in puddles.
31. Watching your child play.
32. Fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.
33. Helping someone in need.
34. Making someone smile.
35. Homemade pie.
36. A nature hike.
37. Laying back and watching the stars.
38. Making a sandcastle.
39. Floating in the water.
40. Taking an afternoon nap.
41. Serving your spouse a surprise breakfast in bed.
42. Watching your children on Christmas morning.
43. Laying back and looking up at clouds.
44. Watching the ocean.
45. Getting a massage.
46. Reese’s peanut butter cups.
47. PB&J sandwich.
48. Iced green tea.
49. Playing footsie.
50. Acting crazy in public.
51. Seeing your savings account grow.
52. Seeing your debt shrink.
53. Taking a hot bath.
54. Blowing bubbles.
55. A gentle breeze.
56. The feeling after a good workout.
57. Checking something off your to-do list.
58. Snuggling together under the covers on a stormy day.
59. Coen brother movies.
60. Watching your kids play soccer.
61. Playing a good game of basketball.
62. The smell of a new Moleskine notebook.
63. Writing on good paper with a good pen.
64. A clear desk.
65. Fresh popped popcorn.
66. A fresh snow.
67. Swinging on a swing.
68. Homemade strawberry shortcake.
69. Watching animals in nature.
70. An empty email inbox.
71. Playing hooky.
72. A very slow and sensual night with your partner.
73. Staying up all night talking.
74. Having a picnic.
75. Swimming at night.

1.) EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

2.) YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

3.) WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

4.) IN LIFE, YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENINGS,
WHICH WILL ONLY MAKE YOU BETTER.

5.) TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF
TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.

We all need to be constantly sharpened.

This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities.

Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish.

Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are, is what’s inside of you.

~Author Unknown

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!

The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, “Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car AND sent us to the hospital!”

That is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.”

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.

As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.

Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

So take your own garbage out – …but not out on others (Thought for the day by Kirk Weisler)

1.  Unwind with a shower! – Just 10 minutes under a hot steamy spray is enough to rev productions of the calming hormone oxytocin and slash levels of the stress hormone cortisol, studies found.  It’s so effective, researchers say, it can hold your tension at bay for as long as 12 hours!

2.  Chill out with chocolate! – Cocoa is loaded with phenylethylamine, a compound that amps up productions of the happy hormones serotonin and dopamine, say University of Arizona researchers.  What’s more, simply sniffing the scent of chocolate brings on tranquilizing alpha brain waves!

3.  Nix your angst with handiwork! – A mere 20 minutes of manual activity that requires fine motor control, such as knitting, crocheting or scrapbooking, can reduce your flow of stress hormones by as much as 45% and ease muscle tension up to 25%, resulting in a near-meditative state!

4.  Nosh on pumpkin seeds! – This tasty fall snack is a terrific tension buster!  Credit goes to its rich stores of the mineral magnesium – just 1/4 cup has 185 mg.! – which acts as your body’s natural muscle relaxant.

5.  Breathe your way to Zen! – Take just 10 deep breaths or fewer per minute for a total of seven minutes a day, recommend researchers from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.  They found that this exercise is enough to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, significantly zapping tension!

~Smart Ideas from Woman’s World Magazine

‘The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Post written by Leo Babauta.

These days we have an abundance of luxuries, but I’ve found that excess actually decreases my enjoyment of life.

Sure, we can get massive amounts of rich foods, feasting to our heart’s content, stuffing ourselves in alarming displays of gluttony … but is that really enjoyable on a regular basis?

And yes, television can be fun, and so can ridiculously large parts of the Internet, but if it’s always on, if we’re always connected, doesn’t that lower the fun factor?

Excesses lead to all kinds of problems, but the biggest problem is that life is less enjoyable.

I’ve been finding that simplifying things means I can savor life more fully.

Savoring life starts with a mindset. It’s a mindset that believes that excess, that rushing, that busy-ness, that distractedness, isn’t ideal. It’s a mindset that tries instead to:

• simplify
• do & consume less
• slow down
• be mindful & present
• savor things fully

It’s the little things that make life enjoyable: a walk with a loved one, a delicious book, a chilled plum, a newly blooming tree.

And by simplifying, we can savor life to the fullest.

Some ideas I’ve been considering lately:

1. Coffee: Instead of ordering a latte, mocha, cappuccino with whipped cream and cinnamon and shavings … simplify. Just get pure, good coffee (or espresso), brewed fresh with care and precision, with quality beans, freshly roasted. Make it yourself if you can. Drink it slowly, with little or nothing added, and enjoy it thoroughly.

2. Tea: I recently had tea with Jesse Jacobs, the owner of Samovar Tea Lounge, and he poured two different teas from tiny tea pots: Nishi Sencha 1st Flush and Bai Hao Oolong tea. It was fresh, hand-made tea from real leaves, not a tea bag, and it was simply delicious. Drink it slowly, with your eyes closed, fully appreciating the aroma … wonderful.

3. Workouts: I’ve been a fan of simpler workouts recently. While others might spend an hour to 90 minutes in the gym, going through a series of 10 different exercises, I just do 1-3 functional exercises, but with intensity. So I might do some sprint intervals, or a few rounds of pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats. Or 400 meters of walking lunges. Let me tell you, that’s a simple but incredible workout. Another I like: five rounds 85-lb. squat thrusters (10 reps) alternated with pushups (10 reps). Today’s workout was three rounds of 15 burpees and 800-meter runs. No rest unless you need it. These are great workouts, but very simple, and very tough. I love them.

4. Sweets: I used to be a sugar addict. Now I still enjoy an occasional dessert, but in tiny portions, eaten very slowly. What I enjoy even more, though, is cold fruit. A chilled peach, some blueberries, a few strawberries, a plum: eat it one bite at a time, close your eyes with each bite, and enjoy to the fullest. So good.

5. Meals: While the trend these days is super-sized meals of greasy, fried things (more than two people need to eat actually), I have been enjoying smaller meals of simplicity. Just a few ingredients, fresh, whole, unprocessed, without chemicals or sauces. My meals usually include: a breakfast of steel-cut oats (cooked) with cinnamon, almonds, and berries; a lunch of yogurt, nuts, and fruit; a dinner of beans or tofu with quinoa and steamed veggies (or sauteed with garlic and olive oil). These simple meals are better because not only are they healthy, each ingredient can be tasted, its flavor fully enjoyed.

6. Reading: While the Internet is chock full of things to read, I’ve been enjoying the simplicity of a paper book, borrowed from the library or a friend (borrowing/sharing reduces natural resources consumed). When I read online, I read a single article at a time, using either the Readability or Clippable bookmarklet to remove distrations, and in full-screen mode in the Chrome browser (hit Cmd-Shift-F on the Mac version or F11 in Windows). It’s pure reading, no distractions, and lovely.

“Silence is a source of great strength.” ~Lao Tzu

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on twitter .

It’s a busy day, and you’re inundated by non-stop emails, text messages, phone calls, instant message requests, notifications, interruptions of all kinds.

The noise of the world is a dull roar that pervades every second of your life. It’s a rush of activity, a drain on your energy, a pull on your attention, until you no longer have the energy to pay attention or take action.

It’s an illness, this noise, this rush. It can literally make us sick. We become stressed, depressed, fat, burnt out, slain by the slings and arrows of technology.

The cure is simple: it’s stillness.

Pause

Take a minute out of your busy day to do this little exercise: pause in the middle of all you have to do, all that’s going on around you. Close your eyes, and sit still. Breathe in, and breathe out, and pay attention to your breath as it comes in and goes out. Just sit still, for about a minute.

This stillness might seem like inaction, which we’re taught is a bad thing. It’s lazy, it’s passive, it’s against our Puritan work ethic. And yet, this simple inaction can change our world.

Stillness calms us. It gives us a small oasis of quiet that allows us to hear our thoughts, that allows us to catch our breath, that gives us room to breathe at all. It is the antibody to the stress and rush we feel daily.

“Activity conquers cold, but stillness conquers heat.” ~Lao Tzu

The Strength of Stillness

Stillness has a calming effect on the world around us as well. By becoming still, we cause others to pause, to pay attention. Our quiet also quiets others. We set the mood for those who work and otherwise interact with us.

When we rush and set a frenetic pace, it stresses others and inspires them to rush frenetically too. Stillness has the opposite effect. It slows the world down, allows us to focus, gives us time for contemplation, for what matters most.

It takes strength to be still when others rush. It takes courage to be different, to go against the stream. But while others might think us weird at first, that’s OK. Sometimes it’s the weird ones that make the most difference. And soon, as our stillness inspires others to find stillness of their own, we won’t be the weird ones — we’ll be the ones with wisdom.

It takes strength to find stillness when the world around us is a chaos of activity, but it’s a strength that’s in us, and we need only to find it. Paradoxically, it’s stillness that will allow us to find that strength. Be still, look within, and it’ll be there.

Finding Stillness

It’s pretty simple, really, and you don’t need me to tell you to do this: to find stillness, you just need to take the time to sit still, every day that you can.

Find a time in the morning, when the world is still fairly quiet, to sit still. Don’t do anything, don’t plan your day, don’t check email, don’t eat. Just sit, and learn to be comfortable being still.

In practice, we’ll gradually find that comfort, and we’ll become good at it. If mornings are no good, find time during your lunch break, or after work, or just before you go to bed.

Find a place to be still. It can be a chair in your house, or a front porch, or the roof. It can be a park bench, or the beach, or a path in the woods. Let this be a ritual that you come to look forward to.

From this small place of stillness, calm will carry to the rest of your day, radiating like a soothing force. You’ll be calmer throughout the day, and learn to find little pockets of stillness everywhere: when you first start your workday, when you are ready to sit down and create, when you’re about to eat, when you are ready to exercise, during a meeting, even.

Practice, regularly. Practice, and learn. Practice stillness, and the stillness becomes a canvas upon which you can paint the masterpiece of your life.

“Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of the gods.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are.  If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are.” ~ Thomas Dreier

Throw out the Alarm Clock

Thought for the day by Kirk Weisler

Throw out an alarming alarm clock. If the ring is loud and strident, you’re waking up to instant stress. You shouldn’t be bullied out of bed, just reminded that it’s time to start your day.  ~ -Sharon Gold

I remember years ago someone telling me – “If you need an alarm clock to get you out of bed for work in the morning, then you may need to find another job.”  Love getting up, love and look forward to the challenges of your life and your work (your life’s work)…because they require you to grow & create to solve them.  They also invite you to help others do the same.  ~ Kirk Out