With New Years right around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some of the things that made a huge impact in my life during 2011. I’ve decided to wrap them all up into neat little list for your consideration if you might be looking for some direction, motivation or new ideas as we approach 2012.
The Secret
I’m a little embarrassed to admit I liked The Secret as much I did, but it’s true. There’s the book, but there’s also the movie. (P.S., You can watch The Secret through Watch Instantly on Netflix).
Simply put, “the secret” is the way you that think and feel, and how your thoughts effect you and what happens to you in your life.
I can even sum up The Secret for you right now!
Think good stuff and good stuff will happen to you.
That’s it. You’re welcome.
The Secret has been around since 2006, but it was “new to me” in 2011. This is one instance where I’d recommend the movie over the book. We watched the movie first and then tried to read the book. Take my word on it; skip the book and go directly to the movie. Go ahead and Pass Go and collect $200. (Please split the money with me.)
Allow me to give fair warning that I’m sure this movie is not for everyone. Parts of it are plenty cheesy and new-agey and seem farfetched. BUT! If you can wade past the layers of cheese and hokeiness, the message about the Law of Attraction is very powerful. Zak and I both found the movie very motivating and we still talk about it regularly around here.
If you’ve got hopes and dreams – no matter how big or little – I highly recommend The Secret.
A Couple of Books.
Here are the 10 Reasons I loved Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life by Jillian Michaels. The only reason I picked this book up was because I’m a huge Jillian Michaels fan, but I was blown away by what was inside. I won’t go on and on about this book again here, but I will say that I still think about what she wrote in this book on a regular basis. It has shaped the way I think and act and what I believe I can achieve with enough time and effort.
Another “new to me” book (published in 2007), The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. This book was eye opening in regards to our many food chains and all the things most people don’t know about where our food comes from. Michael Pollan is smart and witty (*swoon*), not to mention a fantastic writer. This was one of my favorite reads of the year.
Intermittent Fasting!
I discovered Intermittent Fasting early this year when I was trying to find a way around calorie counting to lose 10 lbs that crept on during a rough beginning to 2010.
You can read more about Intermittent Fasting and my experience with it here. Intermittent Fasting changed the way I faced hunger, helped me better understand the non-hunger related reasons that I eat, made it possible to completely defeat the night time snacking once and for all and was the easiest way to lose weight of any approach I’ve ever tried. (I still had to count calories, but IF saved me from obsessing about food or my next meal once I got the hang of it.)
New (to me) Blogs I Added to Google Reader in 2011 *
Perhaps not “life changing”, but still worth noting nonetheless. * – (and I have yet to unsubscribe because they continue to entertain, educate or enlighten me)
PostSecret (no archives on the site, but you can see old posts in your RSS feed. Be warned, those postcards are addictive!)
Penelope Trunk (thanks, Sarah!)
And One Goal I’ve Already Got for 2012
Big plans to keep the stinking squirrels out of my strawberry bed next year. Do you hear me Squirrels? BIG PLANS.
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So there you have it. A bunch of the things I encountered this year and continue to think about as 2011 draws to a close. Do you have anything good to share with us that made a big difference in your life over these past 12 months? Don’t keep it a secret.
Tip: skip right to the source. Read Esther and Jerry Hicks’ books: “Ask and it is Given”, “The Art of Allowing”. Game changers. OK, I’ll read the rest of your post now. =)
*GASP!* I will! Thank you!
HEY! thanks for the shout-out! That’s MEEEEE! Me, me, me! It’s all about me!
Penelope Trunk still drives me crazy – I disagree with her on so many things, particularly this list she has somewhere about top ten advice for women (she advocates botox, early. Um, yeah.) But, she remains a refreshing voice and I enjoy reading her blog.
I think my biggest lesson about 2011 was I need to cook my oats and not eat ’em raw. Surely 2011 had bigger lessons than that. Hmmmm…I feel a blog post coming on.
Some of her career advice is really good! And I still love that homeschooling post. A little out there with some stuff for sure, I like her!
And yes, start thinking about your life lessons of 2011! I want to hear them!
I’m a big fan of the secret too—I haven’t re-read it in a few years though. When I do, it always re-inspires me! I agree with the earlier commenter too—Jerry and Esther Hicks are awesome. I learned so much from them in the past few years as far as techniques for improving thought processes (they have lots of “games” to play).
In 2011, the book Deep Nutrition and another one, Nourishing Traditions, really changed (improved) the way I look at food. I spent several years trying to “clean” my diet more and more…and then when I read those books, I realized that I was on the right track, but going the wrong direction with it. It revolutionized my physical and mental health
I think I will now check out the jillian michaels book
Thanks Lisa! Deep Nutrition has been on my radar for a while now, I’m curious about Nourishing Traditions as well. And now I definitely need to learn more about who these Jerry and Esther Hicks folks are!
Three biggies for me in 2011: Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Emotional Brain Training (EBT), and Christine Carter/Raising Happiness.
PS ~ You need to share your “anti-pesto” plans for the squirrels with me. They ate all mine last year, too!
Never heard of any of things, very cool. I want to know more!
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