“Success is sequential, not simultaneous. No one actually has the discipline to acquire more than one powerful new habit at a time. Super-successful people aren’t superhuman at all; they’ve just used selected discipline to develop a few significant habits. One at a time. Over time.” —Gary Keller & Jay Papasan from their best-selling book The ONE Thing: […]
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #114 One of the most popular requests from readers for topics to discuss here on TSLL blog and the podcast is time management, especially my approach to time management. And while I do not profess to have figured it out, as I am regularly tweaking it and the onset of unnecessary […]
“The best way to conquer self-doubt is to follow your dream and work your ‘bass’ off.” – CBS Sunday Morning speaking of musician Meghan Trainor ~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #93 The highs in life that we each experience from landing the job we’ve been coveting for years, celebrating a hard-earned diploma, signing the papers on […]
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #69 Seeing effortless style in-person can be quite powerful, and part of the impactful punch is how the person carries themselves in the clothes they wear. In mere minutes it is evident if the clothes are wearing the person or visa versa. Having the opportunity to have worked and currently work […]
“A knife can be used both to heal and to hurt. Whether in the hands of a surgeon or the hands of a criminal it’s the same instrument. Tools are seldom good or bad per se. It’s what you do with your charisma that matters.” -Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth The Simple Sophisticate, episode […]
~The Simple Sophisticate podcast, episode #17 One of the popular maxims when it comes to life advice is that lessons repeat themselves until they are learned. And while I’ve heard this before, I always felt there was a negative tone to the reappearance of a life lesson that we had experienced before. As if to […]
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” –Aristotle With all of the bits and pieces of information we have to remember on a daily basis, relying on habits that require our minds to “just go with it” is a relief – that is of course if the […]
{A simply luxurious life, while full of the concept less is more, luxuriates in the decadence of high quality, complementary style and an appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us in decor, fashion, nature and people themselves. One does not need to maintain a balance in the bank that one might associate with a millionaire, […]
“Most people are in a constant state of falling for whatever the most interesting thing is. Falling for whatever the most popular person is doing . . . This introduces the endless cycle of constantly ‘shopping’ for experiences. An endless search for novelty, hedonism, and just a dash of escapism. Because they do not conduct […]
“If I sit around and wait for other people to create magic in my life then I will be waiting until the day I die.” —Kerry Washington, on CBS Sunday Morning, October 7, 2018 The magic of life is tangible, and actually not magic at all. For the purposes of today’s topic, the definition of […]
“Being at ease with not knowing is crucial for answers to come to you.” —Eckhart Tolle Throughout our world at the moment, there is much nebulousness about what will come, how certain situations will work out, what opportunities will arise or perhaps which tribulations will present themselves. Such uncertainty is not a new phenomenon that […]
Whether we work at home or away from our homes, the desk space we have is our opportunity to create a sanctuary of welcome and productivity. And as with most decorating and style projects, it takes time to find what works best for our individual approach, our needs, our job demands, etc. Case in point, […]
“Resilence is more than bouncing back from adversity. People who are resilient keep pursuing their goals in the face of challenges. Consequently, learning how to regulate your brain’s motivational machinery is a key aspect of resilence.” —Rick Hanson, Ph. D, author of Resilient: How to Grown an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength and Happiness Living […]
Books —Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport Being released on February 5, Cal Newport shares specific, easy to do tips to calm us down and increase our happiness. Making a valid point that technology is neither good or bad, but rather a tool, and it is how we […]
“Finding an ease with what you are thinking, feeling, the world as it is, not necessarily accepting it, but not resisting it. This is contentment.” —Andy Puddicombe The truth about contentment is that it is different than being happy. We cannot know what it feels like to be happy if we have not known sadness, […]
“When you take control of your mornings, you take control of your days. You get to engage with the world under your terms. You can act, instead of react.” —Hal Elrod, Miracle Morning Millionaires Reflect on those mornings in which you eagerly step out of bed regardless of the early hour. What was to happen […]
Today’s post is a bit of stream of consciousness in so much as the first full week of a new year is surreal in many ways. But I am doing my best to not simply go through the motions as the new year begins, trying not to do anything as I have in the past […]
If you Google “self-care”, more than two billion posts, articles, books and videos pop up. For a variety of reasons, many valid, self-care is topic of discussion in the world, and the reality that stress levels in America have increased for the first time in 10 years is evidence that perhaps we all would benefit […]
British Treat ~A Country Life: At Home in the English Countryside by Roy Strong Approximately one year ago, a TSLL reader introduced me to Devon blogger Margaret Powling and her blog Devon Dreaming. I have been enjoying it ever since, and it was just a few days ago that she shared this book. It was […]
“In bringing about genuine inner transformation and change, the Dalai Lama emphasizes the importance of making a sustained effort. It is a gradual process.” —The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. The resolutions whether you have concretely written them down or potential ideas of what […]
“Things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.” —Benjamin Hoff, author of The Tao of Pooh ~Below is a list of the life lessons shared on today’s podcast episode. For detailed conversation about each point, be sure to listen to the […]
Books ~The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene Bestselling author Robert Greene’s new book dives into the laws of the social creatures that humans are and how to understand our emotions, understand how our empathy can lead to deeper insight and much more along the road to a deeper and more enjoyable and successful […]
Books ~Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear Released last month, discover simple ways to find success with the habits that will make a positive difference in your life in Atomic Habits. Read anecdotal stories about Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, […]
“Becoming Parisian is possible, but remaining Parisian is an art.” —Nathalie Peigney, author of Sophie the Parisian: Style Tips from a True Parisian Woman To spend time in Paris is to spend time in a city with a feminine energy. Simply the proper article spoken when saying the city of Paris is la ville de Paris […]
