[I usually lean toward more uplifting stories… but here goes!] Maybe you’ve seen today’s news story of a father who filmed his daughter’s birth—while driving to the hospital. Oddly, it was introduced as a “feel-good” piece which was “guaranteed to put a smile on your face.” Says whom? As a former child protection worker and now a journalist, I’m appalled – not that one needs to be either of course, to be equally incensed. In case you missed it: http://tinyurl.com/p76zuos I appreciate birth is a magical moment. At the same time, there surely is no more delicate life than a newborn. Despite… [Read More]
WINNERS! 2014 Savvy Life Awards/Savvy Girl Awards
WINNERS! $5000 in Prizes! 2014 SAVVY LIFE AWARDS/SAVVY GIRL AWARDS The inaugural Savvy Life Awards/Savvy Girl Awards has now wrapped up, and our thanks to each person who entered. You came from all across the US! We took inspiration as you shared your thoughts on a savvy life, and how you help your family, friends and wider communities. In addition to the prizes below, winners will receive a copy of Alicia Young’s award-winning book, The Savvy Girl’s Guide to Grace: small touches with big impact—at work, home & in love. It explores ways to tap our inner Audrey Hepburn,… [Read More]
The Year of No.
[HAPPY NEW YEAR! I allow myself one re-post each year, around now. I offer it as a reminder to us all – myself included – of the need to become/stay comfortable with saying no when people or obligations tip the scale and become toxic. Please consider. Also, while I have you, we’ve just switched to the domain savvylife.net, and doing so meant we lost social media data on the posts. Please know how much we appreciate the tweets, “likes” and “shares”. – Thanks, Alicia.] Could you organize the group gift? Could you babysit this weekend? Could you lend me some… [Read More]
Five touching moments in 2013:
5. Selflessness: Our little neighbor, who shared her birthday toys with children at a local shelter. 4. Generosity & discretion: Strangers help blind man to keep his aging guide dog. NYC resident Cecil Williams had expected he would soon have to give up his faithful companion, Orlando, as his insurance doesn’t cover a non-working service dog. In December, Orlando helped save his master’s life when Mr. Williams fell on to the tracks of the New York subway. Donors covered costs to ensure the pair stay together. 3. Grace: Nine-year old swimmer presents championship trophy to his rival. Florida boy Josh… [Read More]
What makes a life happy or successful?
Over the weekend, I delivered a talk on success in different cultures. What constitutes a happy or successful life? We all use a different yardstick, of course. Maybe a combination of family time, career accomplishment and financial security? A Mercedes in the driveway? Designer clothes? An Oscar? Let me tell you about one of the most successful people I’ve met. I’m not talking about a world leader, nor a famous athlete … in fact, no-one who would headline a Vegas show, walk the red carpet or stand on a dais. She was a six year old girl, and I met… [Read More]
Laughter
Laughter is surprisingly canny (as opposed to, say, canned laughter). On the surface, it’s just an amused reaction to something funny: lighthearted, guttural, fleeting. Yet it has surprising power to ease tension at the highest levels or seal instant friendships, and its healing benefits have long been touted. You can even enroll for laughter therapy. In California. Of course. A baby’s laughter is surely one of life’s intoxicating sounds. When little ones are amused, their joyous gurgles bubble up from within. They’re fully in the moment, sometimes unaware of anyone else, perhaps fully engaged in their own toes. And it’s… [Read More]
Time
“I’ve been on a calendar, but I’ve never been on time.” —Marilyn Monroe. Each of us has a relationship with time. We might bluster through our day, lurching from appointment to appointment, or we might move like molasses, unperturbed. Society vows “faster” is better. I found a spray called a “sixty-second shower” —apparently, a few good squirts, and you’re good to go. A fast food ad proclaims “Served in nine minutes—or it’s free.” Carl Honoré is an international journalist, always jetting off to exotic locales—and always battling the clock as he races to file the story. A pivotal moment inspired… [Read More]
A few of my favorite things…?
Maybe I’ve caught bits of The Sound of Music a little too often (she says, loving it every time). Maybe it’s the frequent fire sirens lately. Or maybe I was inspired by a writer friend, who wrote eloquently about possessions and the hold they can have on us, as well as the delicious release when we let them go. So I’m wondering: what are your three most treasured possessions? And here’s a challenge: you can’t say family photos, diaries or books! Here goes: I have a parasol which I love. I use it every day for sun protection and it… [Read More]
The Small (small) Screen: addicted to our phones.
In a coffee shop today, I discreetly observed an elderly man with his two granddaughters, young teens who had just finished a sports game. My heart broke for him as he tried to engage them, smiling as he talked proudly about one girl’s great kick, or recounting gleefully about a dexterous move the other pulled off in the game’s final minutes. He got only grunts and rolling eyes in response. They barely looked up from their phones, hypnotized by their screens. Many others around us were similarly glued to their screens, as they had coffee and chatted with friends. Neighbors… [Read More]
CHARITY FATIGUE: If, when and how much to give?
If you’ve ever experienced a little charity fatigue, I feel for you. I live in an activist neighborhood, where most days a Savvy Girl can’t take three steps without being pressed for a signature, a membership, a donation, or occasionally, a kidney. You want to help, but it can be overwhelming sometimes. Yesterday I witnessed something that is still washing over me. A woman in a wheelchair has been on the same corner for years, asking for money. “Pam” has had a hard life; struggle, rejection and hunger is etched in her face, making her look far older than her late forties. She’s pleasant and chatty, and… [Read More]