Emma Thompson: Harvey Weinstein 'top of harassment ladder' - BBC Newsnight

"There just aren't enough women in positions of power to balance out the system." Harvey Weinstein is just at the top of this particular iceberg, so let's not pretend that he is somehow unusual. Talk to the girls and women in your lives and take your blinders off.



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Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness. (Video)

Something we all already know, and yet somehow forget again and again.

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.



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BJ Miller: What really matters at the end of life (Video)

Here is a talk I found both moving and inspiring this week.

At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it’s simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a palliative care physician at Zen Hospice Project who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life.



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One Little Word 2014: October - December

And just like that another month is over.

As you might recall, my word for this year is Cultivate. I am taking a more laid back approach to my word this year. Am picking a theme for each month, and then seeing where I end up.

My focus this month was to cultivate a sugarfree lifestyle 

sugarfree 

adjective

free of sugar.

An overall goal I have for this year is living a healthier, more active lifestyle, and so far I've been quite pleased with my efforts. And then it occurred to me that I need to get off the sugar hill. I have spent the past several years educating myself on healthy diets - and by diets I do not mean something you go on to loose a few pounds and then return to status quo - I'm talking about a lifestyle diet. 

The options are overwhelming: paleo, vegan, south beach, atkins, no-carb, etc. And here is my truth: I have actually tried South Beach three or four times over the past several years, and each time I felt fantastic, the weight fell off, I fixed my symptoms of metabolic syndrome. And then over time, I fade back to not paying attention, and I find myself stalled out. And you know the biggest culprit? Sugar. There is lots of research that shows that sugar lights the same parts of our brains as heroin/cocaine does (look it up!), and I've heard Dr. Oz talk about how sugar is like having really sharp razor blades ripping us apart internally. But I have resisted knowing this. A life without sugar cannot be worth living! Besides, a little cannot be all that bad can it? Well, it turns out that sugar is not just in candy and desserts, but is in almost everything processed, and our bodies treat many carbs just like sugar.

And here is what I have finally admitted to myself: My name is Elizabeth, and I am a sugar junkie. And like all junkies, I cannot have just a little bit. Once I take a bite, I get back on the sugar roller coaster ride, and while it is thrilling for a while, my body and mind do not feel so good.

I have now been sugar free for a month. An entire month! Something that would have been inconceivable to me even a couple of months ago. I have learned how to make sweets/treats that do not spike my insulin. And you know what? I have never felt so good. My mind has never been so clear. The excess weight is falling off. And after the first several days of detoxing, my cravings have completely disappeared. This is so important to me that I have decided that it will be my focus for the rest of this year.

Are you sugarfree or thinking about it? How do you do it?

The What's Underneath Project: Jacky O'Shaughnessy (Video)

Stumbled across this incredible project with this video. Honest. Searing. Real. Love it.



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You can see more videos from this project here.

The 29-Year-Old Who's Chosen to End Her Life Speaks Out (Video)

Brittany Maynard, who is suffering from brain cancer, explains why this is the right choice for her. I am in awe of this courageous young woman, who has decided to end her life with dignity. It still boggles my mind that there are only 5 US states that allows a person this option. 

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You can also read the interview she gave with Good Housekeeping here.

One Little Word 2014: July

And just like that another month is over.

As you might recall, my word for this year is Cultivate. I am taking a more laid back approach to my word this year. Am picking a theme for each month, and then seeing where I end up.

My focus this month was to cultivate fitness. 

fit·ness

noun

the condition of being physically fit and healthy.

There are so many ways one can think about fitness, but this month I wanted to pick a way to measure fitness that was tangible. I decided to go with tracking the number of steps I took in a day. My goal was simple: 10,000 steps or 5 miles. Every day. 

I decided to use a Fitbit to track my progress, and you read my mid-month review here. Based on my goals, my target for July was 310,000 steps and 155 miles. How did I do? 

I took 419,620 steps and covered 185.39 miles, which I know is a personal record for me. As you can see there were 4 days where I did not meet the target, but I was so much over the other days, that it did not matter.

Here is what I've learned about myself this month:

1. I am a numbers and chart driven person, and I loved the feedback, tracking and charts. This is a perfect fit for my personality.
2. I am competitive. Umm, I have always known this, but this time around I used data from friends to spur myself on. As an example, there was an evening that I simply did not feel like going out for a walk. I had a good movie on DVD waiting for me, and I was totally into settling in for a couple of fun hours. A quick glance at my Fitbit leaderboard though showed me that one of my friends was ahead of me, and I simply could not let that stand. Laced up my shoes, grabbed my flash light and headed out for a night walk around the neighborhood. Yes, I achieved my goals of exceeding daily targets and put my friend in her place (smile), but more importantly, it was a new moon night and the stars took my breath away. I would have missed that celestial show if I had watched the movie. 
3. It is important for me to have people (or as I call them: Jack rabbits) that I am chasing. As satisfying as it is to beat people, it is really important that I have people who are out of reach. Not unrealistically, but a long stretch away. In this case a solid 20,000 or steps ahead of me at any given time. I love striving to reach them. It makes my day when on certain days I do.

So I end the month fitter both physically and mentally. I've built a solid foundation onto which I plan to add other activities to in the coming months. And I had fun doing it. To my Fitbit friends and Jack rabbits (you know who you are) thank you for the motivation this month.

These are some of the ways I cultivated fitness this month. How do you do it?

Fitbit Junkie

I've joined the Fitbit train, and man, oh man, am I enjoying the ride. Who knew? I've used RunKeeper to track my workouts the past couple of years, and while I love it, there is something addictive about tracking how much I move during the day, and reviewing the data and charts I get with my Fitbit. 

There are several product options, and after doing my usual exhaustive research and reading loads of reviews, I decided to go with the Fitbit One model. 

As you can see from the product info above, this tiny device measures steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, stairs climbed, hours slept and the quality of sleep. It syncs via bluetooth to your smartphone or computer. I have an iphone 4, and the direct sync does not work with it - it needs a 4s or newer model, but this is not an issue as I can easily sync via my computer and I can view the data on my iphone 4 via a free app. 

Here for example is a screen shot of  my phone from yesterday. 

I love the hours slept and the quality of sleep function, and you can track additional information like the amount of water you drink (I do), and the food you eat (I do not).

I bought the device on July 1, and have set my daily target at 10,000 steps, which is about 5 miles, and I've hit or exceeded that target every day but two.

Does it work? It depends on the type of person you are. If like me, when you see that you are short of your target for the day and that gets you moving, then yes, this is for you. If you have friends who are kicking your butt and you are determined to catch up and maybe even pass them, then this is for you. If however you have a tendency to beat yourself up for failing at yet one more thing, then maybe this is not for you. Another bit of advice is to track what you actually walk in a day, and then set a realistic target depending on your baseline. Do not set yourself up to fail.

Yes, comparison is the thief of happiness, but in this case it gets me moving just so I can catch up to a friend who seems to be a jack rabbit.

A fad? Maybe. But 2 weeks later, I've walked or run about 84 miles. Not bad. Not bad at all. And a bonus side effect is that the kitchen has never been so clean! Yup, that is what I'm doing right before going to bed to get in those extra steps.

Are you a fitbitter? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and if you'd like a little friendly competition, let's be fitbit friends.

I feel the Kenyan in me

I am a runner people! I never thought I would say that. Ever.

I simply did not understand why sane people would choose to run. Bike, hike, swim, anything else made sense. But run? Not for this girl. Even though I come from a country known for its marathon runners. Even though I take out my huge Kenyan flag and wave it at the Boston Marathon. Even though I weep every time a Kenyan wins and they play the national anthem. I could not imagine running myself.

Then last January (2012), I decided to train for a 5K. Why? I simply do not know. Must have been a low sugar moment, and it seemed like a good idea. But then, I proceeded to tell everyone I knew that I was going to do it. Why oh why did I do that? Why could this "brilliant" idea not go the way of all resolutions, and fade away into that dark night? But I was committed. So now what?

First I needed a plan. I'm a planner when it comes to these kinds of things, so I spent some time online and looked at various Couch to 5K plans, and finally settled on this one. It was a free podcast, so what did I have to lose right? Now I'm no couch potato, so figured the first couple of weeks would be a breeze. Nope. Turns out you use different muscles for running than walking. And I was running at a pace slower than I could walk. Why was I doing this again?

Still, I decided to stick with it, and by week 2 was tired of the podcast - the same old music - so paid for the app version of the program. I could spend a couple of bucks to listen to my music surely. And I loved it. I got the coaching, plus a variety of music each workout.

Since things were going so well, I decided to sign up for and run a 5K in February. This after never running anywhere but on a treadmill. And you might recall that I started running for the first time ever less than a month prior. I do things like this. You can read about that event here.

Then started what I call my ouchy phase. In my case, the ouch was caused by painful shin splints. I tried everything - Rested/Iced/Compress/Elevate/Stretch. Nothing seemed to work. A few minutes after I started running, I was in so much pain I could not continue. Then I discovered this idea, and you know what? It actually works. I do it now before every run. I was on the road to recovery. I gave myself lots of rest, and decided to try to ease back into running. But I had lost momentum, and with it all motivation.

Fast forward to this year (2013). The goal of running a 5K was back. What is it about January that does this to me? Again, I made this public proclamation, and then decided to not run the entire month of January. Yes. I do things like this. But you know what? The break, both physical and mental, was good for me. I started back up in February with Week 4 of the plan, and last week completed my 5K101 training. I took my time and repeated weeks as needed. Also before big jumps in running times, I slowly built my confidence by doing the supplemental training weeks. For two weeks now I have been running for stretches of 30 minutes at a time. For the first time in my life.

What now? I continue to run three time a week, and am working on increasing my pace and distance, and transitioning to outdoor runs. And training for my next 5K race.

It has been a tough journey. There are days I do not feel like I can run. Or even want to run. And I am reminded of this: It is never a question of can you, but will you? And I lace up. And do it. Last week, I was heard to whimper, "I can do it, I can do it" to myself. And I did. When I don't feel I can take another step, I reach deep down and feel the Kenyan in me. I have experienced that elusive thing called a runner's high, and holy moly it is so good.

I do think that running is now a part of my life. I love the physical workout, and the mental clearing of the cache. It turns out that running is more mental than physical for me. Don't get me wrong, it is really tough physically too, but the harder part for me is the mental part. I have spent a lot of time with that gremlin in my head, and it has been illuminating. Yes, there are moments that I still feel like a hippo running to a watering hole, but there are entire stretches when I feel like a springbok. And that is what keeps me lacing up my shoes.

21-Day Meditation Challenge - Perfect Health

I so loved the 21-Day meditation challenge that Deepak Chopra ran in November of last year. The theme was Abundance. Looks like Deepak has teamed up with Oprah for a new meditation challenge which starts on March 11. You can learn more and sign up here.

Andy Puddicombe: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes

When is the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 whole minutes? Not texting, talking or even thinking? Mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe describes the transformative power of doing just that: Refreshing your mind for 10 minutes a day, simply by being mindful and experiencing the present moment. (No need for incense or sitting in uncomfortable positions.)

You can watch his TED talk here.

2012 Mileage Graph

As part of my healthy for life project in 2011, I decided to walk 50 miles each month. I was so excited that I charted my progress for the year, and added up the miles. The grand total? 714 miles. One step at a time over many days add up.

Decided to challenge myself in 2012 and work towards running a 5K. Ran/walked my first one in April of the year, and while I cannot run the entire distance yet (painful shin splint issues), I have learned much about myself in the process. So, here is my mileage graph for 2012. I simply love seeing the 780.1 miles displayed this way.

(Click on image to enlarge)

So what are my healthy for life goals for 2013? Be able to run a 5K without walking. Get in more hiking and biking. Add yoga into the mix, and stay injury free. Let's begin.

Journal page

So looks like we survived the end of the world. For now. Am loving being home. Have several creative fires burning and will share soon. On another note, remember how I wanted to give my brain a workout so signed up for that online Astronomy class? Well, people I am here to tell you that my brain is all pumped up. Almost feels like it is busting out of my skull. That is how pumped up it is. And you know what? I notice a difference in problem solving - things are just firing better. Guess that old adage, if you don't use it you loose it, is dead on.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Pen and watercolors.

Thanks for checking in. Happy Holidays.

World AIDS Day

Today, December 1, is World AIDS day. You can learn more here.

Check out this ad that I saw on Danny Gregory's blog.

Thankful

As we, here in the US, celebrate Thanksgiving weekend, I'm spending Black Friday marching to the beat of a different drummer. No traffic jams, and shopping malls, and rude, unhappy people for me.

I am thankful that there is really nothing that I need. Sure there are things that I want, but how often do we take the time to consider all that we already have?

If you recall a post from earlier this month, I'm following along with Deepak Chopra's 21-Day Meditation Challenge. I can honestly say that my brain is being re-wired. And in a good way. Now, don't get me wrong - my monkey mind still comes out to play and throw things about - but as a whole, I am a better person for it. If you are doing the challenge too I'd love to hear your thoughts.

So today I am thankful. For loved ones. For friends. For health. For having everything I need. For beauty. For nature. For great books. And for you. You out there in the blog-o-sphere, who check in regularly  who leave comments, who inspire me each and every day with your creativeness, and grit, and generosity  Thank you. Or as my peeps say, asante sana.

The sugar hill

Remember how I recently said that I was listening to something that was blowing my mind? It is about the latest research on sugar. I've been paying attention to sugar for a couple of years now. Started by removing easy sources - white foods, sweets, candy, etc. And I notice a difference. My system burns cleaner. I feel better. I have more clarity. I'm not yet at the point where I eschew sugar all together, but my friends, I think I am slowing inching my way in that direction. You can listen to Steve Gibson talk about his experience with the sugar hill here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Pen and watercolors.

Hello November

I love the start of each month. It is a time to reflect on the months past, and set goals for the months to come.

As part of my goals for this month, I have signed up for a 21 day meditation challenge. Starting Nov 5. Care to join me? Learn more about this free program here. 

DFL (-1)

Now if you know me, you know that I am not a runner. Have never understood that "high" runners talk about when they go out for an "easy 5 mile" run. Walk a 5K? Sure. No problemo.

So, why, oh why, have I decided that one of my goals this year is to run a 5K?

I started with the couch to 5K plan on Jan 2. Imagine my shock when I learned that I can actually walk faster than I can run. Huh? Gather this is true of all beginner runners. My 3 times a week training sessions have been on plan and going really well. So of course, I decided to throw a wrench on the entire plan by signing up for a 5K this past weekend. Never mind that my training so far had been indoors on a treadmill. Need I mention that there was no incline involved?

Yes it was true that I had not completed my final weeks of the training program, but the event I signed up for was a charity event - a fun 5K run/walk that benefited a local theater company. I would not be deterred.

To get ready for actually running outdoors, I had 2 practice training runs outdoors the week leading up to the event. On the first one I thought I was dying - could running outside be so very different from a treadmill? Discouraged, I came home to take stock. Turns out that I have no way to gauge my pace when outside. Unlike being on a treadmill, there are no big red numbers in front of me telling me how fast I am running. Turns out I was running about a mile and a half faster pace than I had been training. Aha. I can correct for that. My second (and final training run before the 5K) my right calf seized up and I painfully hobbled home. The lesson there was not to play a long game of racquetball and expect not to pay the price.

Never-the-less, I showed up early on Sunday morning, Babes in tow to boost my morale. It was cold. I mean below freezing cold. Believe the temp at the start was 29 deg F. But all that nervous excitement kept me from feeling the icy winds in my lungs.

I had 3 goals for the race:
1. Finish.
2. Run as much as possible.
3. 50 minutes or less.

Notice, that "have fun" was not a goal. A bit of fore-shadowing...

Started out fine. The jack rabbits were soon out of sight, but I the mighty tortoise would not be daunted. Onward. Then about a mile in my calf (yes the same one) seized up. Stretched it out and limped along painfully for a while. Would I be like some others around me and be a DNF? I think not. I could feel the Kenyan in me.

The results? Not only did I finish, I finished in 47:47:81. A personal best for me. I dug deep at the end and was not DFL. If only the Patriots had dug deep last night as well - but that is another story.

So, today I am feeling quite accomplished. Nursing along sore and leaden legs. Scanning the race blogs. Looking for my next 5K race.