I saw this today and thought some of it is crap, some is useful. 

Steps for crafting an exceptional life

1. Exercise daily
2. Get serious about gratitude.
3. See your work as a craft.
4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.
5. Keep a journal.
6. Plan a schedule for your week.
7. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
8. Say no to distractions.
9. Drink a lot of water.
10. Improve your work every single day.
11. Get a mentor.
12. Hire a coach.
13. Get up at 5 am each day.
14. Eat less food.
15. Find more heroes.
16. Be a hero to someone.
17. Smile at strangers.
18. Be the most ethical person you know.
19. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
20. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
21. Save 10% of your income each month.
22. Spend time at art galleries.
23. Walk in the woods.
24. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.
25. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
26. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
27. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
28. Have 5 great friends.
29. Become stunningly polite.
30. Unplug your TV.
31. Read daily.
32. Avoid the news.
33. Be content with what you have.
34. Pursue your dreams.
35. Be authentic.
36. Be passionate.
37. Say sorry when you know you should.
38. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
39. Have a vision for your life.
40. Know your strengths.
41. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.
42. Be patient.
43. Don’t give up.
44. Clean up your messes.
45. Use impeccable words.
46. Travel more.
47. Honor your parents.
48. Tip taxi drivers well.
49. Be a great teammate.
50. Give no energy to critics.
51. Spend time in the mountains.
52. Know your top 5 values.
53. Shift from being busy to achieving results.
54. Innovate and iterate.
55. Speak less. Listen more.
56. Be the best person you know.
57. Make your life matter.

I think they forgot some important ones like help others, spend time with children.  Hiring a coach isn't on my bucket list either.  But hey, that's the thing with all these lists out there: we all have different lists for what we think would make our life exceptional.  Mine primarily involves doing the right thing, helping others who need it, being a good friend, being the best person I can be.  I'm lucky enough to have enough exceptional people around me to set the pace for me. 

   

Having a dog can't hurt either ;)

Take the bad with the good and never forget the heroes

 

American culture is torn between our long romance with violence and our terror of the devastation wrought by war and crime and environmental havoc.  --Katherine Dunn

To dream of the person you wish to be is to waste the person you are

I refuse to be one of those people who complain about something and do nothing to fix it.  There aren't many things that bother me more than those guys!  Nothing worth anything is easy so here's to attempting to be the best I can be.

 

"Everyone tries to define this thing called Character.  It’s not hard.  Character is doing what’s right when nobody’s looking."

  I think we can't go around measuring our goodness by what we don't do - by what we deny ourselves, what we resist and who we exclude. I think we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create and who we include.

“Don’t be afraid to be a fool. Remember, you cannot be both young and wise. Young people who pretend to be wise to the ways of the world are mostly just cynics. Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. Cynics always say no. But saying yes begins things. Saying yes is how things grow. Saying yes leads to knowledge. “Yes” is for young people. So for as long as you have the strength to, say yes.”— Stephen Colbert

The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others. — William Lyon Phelps

People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life doesn’t get better – only your perception of life improves

"I think these difficult times have helped me understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes around worrying about are of no importance whatsoever."
Isak Dinesen

Filling the gaps

The ABCs of me.  I shared my blog (for the first time) today so I thought I should maybe post something about myself and not just my inspirations.

A - Age: 28 I was born in November but I don't believe in any of that astrology bs.

B - Bed size: Queen though I dream of a King size.

C - Chore you hate: Folding and putting away laundry. 

D - Dogs: Harley boo

E - Essential start to your day:  My day typically starts when I arrive at work and have my first sip of coffee.

F - Favorite Color: green

G - Gold or Silver: silverish gold - see what I did there?
H - Height: 5'5" with brown eyes, smile like the sunrise.

I - Instruments you play: this no longer applies.  I have nothing.

J - Job title: Peds Cardiology EKG/Exercise/Holter technician

K - Kids: Not yet, but definitely sometime soon.  I have some neices and a nephew, my love for them can not be put into words.

L - Live: FREE

M - My mom's name: Dianne, anyone is lucky to know her.

N - Nickname: ohhh boy: Gooding, Goodtime, Linds, Linny, LiLi, Lin...  Steve has a different list.

 O - Overnight hospital stay: No, I don't recall one.
P - Pet Peeve:  People that constantly complain and do nothing to fix their problems.

Q - Quote from a movie: Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here.  -Jack Nicholson.

R-  Right/Lefty: Righty

S - Sibling: two older brothers.  I'm about to inherit some more.

T - Time you wake up: Alarm is set to go off at 6:05, I drag myself out of bed by 6:25.

U - Underwear:  This is a bit intrusive, I must say.  Just about every pair of underwear I own come from Victoria's Secret.  Yeah, and I wear thongs.

V - Veggies you dislike: Beets, they taste like dirt.

W - What makes you run late: What to wear!

X - Xrays you've had: hahaha well that is intrusive as well.  I had a bad stomach ache a few years ago.

Y - Yummy food you make: I am a FOODIE.  I love my salsa and grilled veggie/goat cheese sandwich.

Z - Zoo animal: I've always loved the otters.