life

The eighth of December 2018

goats

Today is the first day I have updated Goat of the Day from my iPhone! Screens get a lot of criticism, including contributing to insomnia, anxiety, depression, ruining our relationships, making us terrible parents and generally slow down our brains. However, I think that the smart phone revolution has a lot of benefits for humanity. For example, it makes it a lot easier to keep tabs on old friends you may have otherwise lost contact with. My family relies heavily on calendars in order to stay organized and a lot of notes and journaling that would have required lugging around a bunch of things is eliminated – I can keep it all tucked away in my pocket! I also love being able to quickly share photographs – when I was a kid if I wanted to share photographs you would have to get the film developed and pay for prints – now with a few clicks I can send photos across the Atlantic and basically no cost as things happen. I wonder, if in a few decades the weariness over such devices will have faded the same way suspicion over other new technologies in the past.

The seventh of December 2018

goats

Only a few more hours until the weekend begins. What adventures or relaxing activities await you after you leave your workplace, shut down your computer and enjoy a couple days of freedom? Will you reconnect with old friends, catch up on leisure reading, or embark on a longer fitness pursuit than the weekend usually allows? Whatever your plan – or lack of plan – is, I hope that it is wonderful.

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Another weekend full of possibilities is upon us.

The sixth of December 2018

goats

What may feel like a tiny gesture of kindness to you could transform the recipient’s day. Isn’t that amazing? In all of us, we have the power to spread joy and compassion, just by being kind. One of the reasons I think that I am so keen on goats is that smiles are contagious. I can’t help but smiling back when I see a goat, even if that goat is giving me a smidgen of side-eye. Even when you have a difficult day, flashing someone a smile or doing a small act of kindness can be a form of self care. It is especially important to remember to be kind during the holidays, you never know what the stranger on the bus or person you pass on the street has going on.

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Smile at strangers and be kind to all.

The fifth of December 2018

goats

Have you ever noticed the amazing restorative power of taking a walk? Two thousand years ago, Hippocrates noted the amazing benefits of walking. A daily stroll can help lower your blood pressure, may decrease your risk of getting cancer, decrease your risk of dementia and memory loss, improve your mood, and generally contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Even when the weather is terrible, it is good to get outside and move around, even only ten minutes a day makes a difference.

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“Walking is (hu)man’s best medicine” -Hippocrates. 

The fourth of December 2018

goats

When unexpected things happen that disrupt your plans you are faced with a choice. You could react negatively, dig in your heals and try to resist. Alternatively, you could just roll with it. Sometimes we aren’t lucky enough to have a choice, things happen that are simply out of our control. You can save yourself a lot of unnecessary stress by not getting angry at forces outside of your control. Stay calm and you never know, an unexpected disruption could be an opportunity for something amazing.

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Calm and cool, just roll with it. 

The third of December 2018

goats

Sometimes it is so hard to stay focused. December is a time of fun and festivities, but it is also a time of deadlines and duties. Self-care during this time of year is especially important, when you feel like you are all over the place and run ragged, take a moment (or two, or five, or an hour!) for yourself to refocus before polishing off your to-do list.

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Don’t forget to take care of yourself during the busy holiday season. 

The thirtieth of November 2018

goats

Can y’all believe there is only one month left in 2018? The time can go by so fast sometimes, and this time of year is especially easy to feel over-booked. Take some time to think and reflect about the year before it slips away, there is still time to accomplish many things before 2019 rolls in!

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Don’t let time get away from you!

The twenty ninth of November 2018

goats

Do you ever worry about fitting in and belonging with a group, squad or tribe? Sometimes there can be a lot of pressure to finding the right fit or going along with the flow. Many famous writers have remarked that the true path to belonging is to just be your most authentic self. It is difficult sometimes to find the balance between being your most authentic self and fitting in with others, but realizing that belonging is kind of an illusion, and happiness, belonging and less alienation happens when you just let that need for belonging go. Maya Angelou sums it up better:

You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all

Find your own path, your own place to stand, and the rest will follow.

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“Be courageous, but not foolhardy.” -the wise Maya Angelou.

The twenty eighth of November 2018

goats

Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back. Sometimes, the most limiting cages are the ones we create for ourselves. Break free of your assumptions, of your self-critique and go for it – whatever it is. Press on, even when obstacles appear in your way. You never know, what you might first perceive to be a prohibitive boundary might be an opportunity in disguise.

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The most confining spaces are the ones we create ourselves.