Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas 2







Christmas













Saturday, December 15, 2012

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Course on happyness...

Six Tips for Happiness


Advice from Tal Ben-Shahar.



1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.







2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.







3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?







4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.







5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.







6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Lucie's pre-school for next year


On Thursday, we visited Lucie's preschool with her. she went along with the group and her teacher seems very nice. There will be 15 kids for a teacher and an assistant, and half the day will be in English. 


Sunday, June 24, 2012

Sunday in Le Marais

We went for a bit of shopping  in le Marais and ate crepe there...to make up for the rain




Saturday, June 23, 2012

Alice's books

I was wondering how many books Alice was reading a week. Apparently, 19 in 6 days



Cousin's birthday





Friday, June 22, 2012

Article in the Guardian: Top five regrets of the dying

A palliative nurse has recorded the top five regrets of the dying. Photograph: Montgomery Martin/Alamy


There was no mention of more sex or bungee jumps. A palliative nurse who has counselled the dying in their last days has revealed the most common regrets we have at the end of our lives. And among the top, from men in particular, is 'I wish I hadn't worked so hard'.



Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.



Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. "When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently," she says, "common themes surfaced again and again."



Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:



1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.



"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."



2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.



"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."



3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.



"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."



4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.



"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."



5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.



"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."



What's your greatest regret so far, and what will you set out to achieve or change before you die?

Sunday, June 03, 2012

Dance show