Picture of the Week (POTW)

Picture taken in a bayou in New Orleans (Feb 10)

Becoming aware

One of my favourite pastimes is to walk. Near our apartment there is a large waterfront and that really make my walk a lot more interesting. I usually have the company of the birds and ducks and looking at the animals and flowers relax me. I have been down with a slight cold and thus been cooped up at home. Today the weather was too beautiful to pass up so I laced my trusty shoes and went out. The warmth of the sun ray felt so wonderful. There was soft breeze and I could hear the sound of the vehicles in the distance.

As I walked, I sharpened my senses and became acutely aware of my body movement as well as my breath. I am grateful that all my senses are intact, that I am able to walk and see all that nature has to offer. I stopped to look at the flowers that were in bloom. There are so pretty!

I took a quick break and decided to stretch out in order absorb the sun. I closed my eyes and imagine the ray strengthening my body. Like the plant, I drew energy from the sun. As I took deep breaths I felt immensely grateful to be alive.

Try this exercise when you're feeling tired and depleted.

Stand in the sun and stretch out your hands. Tilt your head up and absorb the energy from the sun. Take deep and slow breaths. Slow down. Look at the scenery like it is the first time you're seeing it. Be grateful that you are alive.

Lessons from Cirque Du Soleil

I am a huge fan of Cirque Du Soleil. My very first experience with Cirque was via Quidam back in 2005. I was totally blown away and mesmerized by the mind-blowing performances. Since then my husband and I make it a point to watch Cirque's production whenever the opportunity presents itself. Our all-time favourite is KA :)


We went for our most recent adventure with Cirque via Ovo and once again I was reminded of why I love their performances so much. Other than the jaw-dropping acrobatics and outrageously beautiful costumes and sets, I draw great lessons and inspiration from the show. It is incredible how the performers use their bodies to sculpts stories, to carve ideas out of thin air in order to evoke the audience's emotions. Simply astounding.

When I shared my thoughts with my husband, he told me about Cirque du Soleil: The Spark - Igniting the Creative Fire that Lives within Us All. The next day, I was thrilled to find the book on the shelf waiting for me to devour it. Devoured it I did, most definitely. It was written in a form of a story to demonstrate the work ethics and passion of all those who are involved in the production of Cirque's performances. Engaging and inspiring, I managed to pick up important life lessons from the book.

• Passion is the key to everything we do.
  
• Learn to take the right risks that will allow you to fulfill your vision.
  
• Our fears hold us back, make us fall short of our goals. Only by taking risks can we hope to accomplish the extraordinary.
  
• You are never trapped in life. When you realize that, you find you're free to accomplish incredible things.
  
• You have to be confident enough to let your imagination spin off in all kinds of directions. And if you really want to make things happen, you have to be willing to crash.
  
• Risk-taking is inevitable in life – not just the big risks but the small chances you take every day that give your life a sense of excitement, of possibility.
  
• It is never my failures that I regret, it's the things I pass up because I am too scared, too safe.
  
• If you want to live fully, you have to trust.
  

After reading the book, I am even more in awe and inspired by the incredible work that they do in igniting that "spark" that we all need in our lives.

"This is what Cirque is about. We transform the dull and ordinary into something special and memorable, something that touches people's lives. All of us have that power no matter what we do."

Great stuff! I highly recommend the book especially if you are a fan of Cirque.

Introducing Fitbit

After been through challenging health crises in the last few years, I fully appreciate the importance of good health. Keeping fit and healthy requires commitment and discipline. Like many it is way to easy for me to slide and slacken. The intention remains just that - an intention. Thus, whatever help that one can receive makes a great difference.

Thankfully I have a tech savvy guy for a husband and whenever possible he will try to convert his wife into one. I was gifted Fitbit at the start of new year. This small and wearable gadget is big in its uses. Firstly it serves as a pedometer to track the number of steps you take each day. In addition, it tracks the amount of calories that you burn and if you're diligent enough to input the foods that you consume it can track that too. In addition, it tracks your sleep quality. For that to happen, you must remember to hold the button till it says "start" and "stop" it when you wake. I tend to forget to do this most of the time!

Here it is!


I've been using it for 2 months and it has been useful. It makes me feel motivated when I see the chart going up in terms of activity and of course when the weight goes down I'm even more delighted. All you have to do it to wear it (it's very light) all the time and you're good to go. What is wonderful about it is that you can sync the data unto your computer. If you are anal about keeping records, this is simply perfect! What is not so perfect is that because it is so tiny it tends to come off easily and unfortunately I have dropped it once too often :( Otherwise, it is a good investment.

More reviews here and here.

Quote of the day (QOTD)

"Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference."
– Virginia Satir

Picture of the Week (POTW)

Picture taken in front of our apartment (Jan 10)

10 Lessons to transform your marriage

Marriage is a lot of hard work. In all the fairy tales, the ending is always so sweet and happy. One can't help but wish that her own marriage is like a fairy tale too. Alas that is not the case for many. Thankfully there are plenty of books written for this important topic. Recently I was fortunate enough to attend a conference where John and Julie Gottman from the Gottman Institute were speaking. Impressed with their workshops, I decided to get the book.

The book was well-written and easy to read. The 10 lessons come in 10 case studies where details of the couples and their communication patterns were documented and subsequently corrected by the expert. Hence, for every couple 2 dialogues are presented; one that took place before they were counseled and one that happened after they have heard the advice. Plenty of suggestions and explanations were given as to why certain behaviours and/or communication pattern could be harmful to the relationship.

A host of problems common to marriage were addressed. These are:
1. the stress of caring for a new baby
2. exhaustion from working too hard
3. loss of interest in sex and romance
4. health problems
5. recovering from extramarital affair
6. struggles with depression
7. arguments over housework and finances
8. changes that come with retirement
9. the loss of a job, identity, or a lifelong dream.

What I like about the book is that it is pragmatic and at the end of each chapter there are exercises that one can do to enhance the learning experience. These exercises provide the starting point for couples to dialogue and discover more about each other.