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10 Things to Do Before I Die

April 18, 2011 Zen Garden
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Although I am now finishing up my seventh decade of a most exciting and fulfilling life, I am planning for the future, as I do every January. I take this exciting trip of the mind, soul, and body (in spite of two malignancies and a pair of knee prostheses) in the spirit of George Bernard Shaw who said:

“When I die, I want to be all used up.”

My list looks like this, complete with some sort of rationale for each, and in parentheses my best guess for the probability of their successful completion:

1) Summit Mt. Aconcagua: I reached 21,600 ft. in 1996 and 21,700 ft. in 2002. Unfortunately, as the highest peak outside of Asia, the peak is at 22,800 ft (6,962 meters). My wife, Elaine, notes that if I get an additional 100 ft. every 6 years, I will summit at the age of 135! (5%)

2) Summit Mt. Cotopaxi: I have never been to Ecuador, which is reason enough to go, but at 19,347 ft. (5,897 meters) the summit might be attainable in spite of my maturity (age) and low testosterone (effects of therapy for prostate cancer). (35%)

3) Swim with the snow monkeys in Japan: This probably illegal, dangerous, and foolish, but every time I see their photos, as a Scorpio (life being focused on water, fire, and sex…not necessarily in that order) I am lured, at least re: the water part.(35%)

4) Take the Trans-Siberian Railway trip: Since I have been to Russia, climbed Mt. Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains, at 18,510 ft. (5642 meters) the highest mountain in Europe, and have spent a month in China, it is time to link the two. (75%)

5) Write a NY Times #1 Bestseller: I have written five books, including Optimize Your Life! which is an international best-seller (the Chinese publisher’s edition was on the Book-of-the-Month Club). For motivation, I have pasted the book title and my name over the #1 slot of a copy of the NY Times best-seller list, and I “visualize” it every day as I brush my teeth. (wow! and priceless!)

6) Keynote fee of ,000: One of my great mentors, the late Dottie Walters, said that I was a “,000 keynote.” I’m working at it, Dottie! (50%)

7) Closer relationship with, my wife, Elaine: After my “near-death” and rescue on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire I realized that the Elaine would have been the real victim, if I had died or become permanently disabled. (100%)


8) Enjoy my/our new sexuality: What age fails to do to undermine one’s sexuality, anti-hormone therapy, radical surgery, chemotherapy, and external beam radiation will. However, as a result of trips to India and Nepal, we have learned (and mastered to some degree) Tantric sex, etc. Scorpio lives. All we need is the fire, which we have in a fire pit in our Zen garden. (100%)

9) Tune up my body/mind/soul: As I now struggle to complete my book, What Better Place to Die, based on my Mt. Washington misadventure, I am keeping a “promise” I made while I was on that mountain. (100%)

10) Finish the other five “promises” I made Mt. Washington: to be insensitive to negative criticism, to get rid of non-productive real estate, to make amends with some key people, and to better network with key people from my past… write the book. (100%)

That’s my list. What is on your list…and why?

Since childhood, my value system has been basically Judeo-Christian, although I have become quite eclectic over the years. As a Buddhist, should I “stop striving? As a Hindu should I graciously enter the fourth phase of life and “become a sannyasin, a wandering hermit, seeking only spiritual enlightenment?” Psychologist Abraham Maslow in Hierarchy of Needs described the ultimate phase of one’s life as self-actualization, that is, going beyond the basics of life and finding one’s single “calling” and heeding it. Single calling… how about ten?

In Worth Magazine in 1999, Edward Sussman wrote an article, “24 Things to Do before You Die” which focused mostly on interviews with celebrities. Grand Dame, Brooke Astor advised one to “be gracious to someone you despise.” CNN economics guru Lou Dobbs suggested that you “thank someone instrumental in your success,” while author George Plimpton advised us all to “go on a quest.”

You may not be able to run away with the circus at this stage in your life, but you can sneak off for a window of time, time well chosen and spent, time that will expand your horizons, time in which to create powerful memories.

Enjoy the journey! Do it now!

Bernhoff A. Dahl, M.D., author, public speaker, keynote speaker, consultant, humorist and veteran mountaineer shares his near-death and rescue on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire in a positive, inspirational message focused on three admonitions:


1. Be prepared to die!

2. Have a plan to live!

3. Do it now!


You are encouraged to join Dr. Dahl as he completes his book, What Better Place to Die,

by visiting http://www.MtWashingtonMisadventure.com. Dr. Dahl is available for interviews about his near-death experience on the mountain and the life lessons he has learned. Dr. Dahl is the author of the international bestselling Optimize Your Life! book series. Contact http://www.TrionicsUSA.com for details.


Bernhoff A. Dahl, M.D.

9 Shore Lane

Winterport, ME 04496

DrBDahl@aol.com

Phone: 207-223-9998


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Callie Moore 6/27/2010…Lemony goodness, Sunday Naps and Happy Yummy Yum Things! Purchase album on Digstation: www.digstation.com Purchase on itunes:itunes.apple.com Purchase on CDbaby (physical copy): www.cdbaby.com
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Callie Moore “Being Alone” Unplugged

April 16, 2011 Zen Garden
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Callie Moore Unplugged Series Week 5. Join us every Tuesday for a new music video! Purchase My Music Here: itunes.apple.com www.cdbaby.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Stress Relief Tips for Real Estate Agents

April 8, 2011 Zen Garden
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The housing market has definitely taken a beating in many parts of the country over the last year. When just a couple years ago record numbers of people were entering the real estate industry, today many of those same people are leaving the business because they’re unable to make a stable living. As the economy struggles to get back on its feet, there are things you can do to keep yourself in the industry that you love, and maintain some semblance of peace while doing so.

A little bit of stress can be invigorating, like when you take on a new client who has a difficult property to sell. While you may feel a bit overwhelmed at first, soon your creative juices start flowing, and you see this task as a challenge to overcome. You’re able to figure out innovative ways to market the property, and learn a few lessons along the way. This is positive stress.

Negative stress comes when there is a constant stream of challenging situations, and little sense of control and stability. Right now news headlines declare that foreclosure rates are skyrocketing, property values are plummeting, and that we’re in heading into a recession. This can make anyone feel scared and unsure about her future in this industry. There is a looming sense of dread and unknowing, and this can lead to agents becoming burnt out very quickly.

Of course the more stress you’re under, the more you feel the effects physically. Fatigue, headaches, and depression can take hold, which only exacerbates the problem. If you’re tired all the time, your ability to think creatively is negated by your physical and mental exhaustion. Your inability to look at things in a more positive light makes it harder to come up with innovative solutions to problems, which then leads to poor performance and less income. Naturally this leads to more depression, and the cycle continues.

To get off this hamster wheel, you need to take care of your mental health at all times, not just when the market is slow. Get into the habit of taking time for hobbies and family activities, as these distractions will help re-energize you in the workplace. Get outside as much as possible, as sunlight is known to have positive effects on mood. Being around nature, even if it’s just a small city park, will work wonders on your mood, and will help your brain to reboot.

Exercise is a classic stress reducer, so be sure to move a little bit every day. This can include activities such as golf and racquetball, salsa dancing lessons, or walks on the beach. As long as you are active, your brain pumps out stress relieving endorphins, which will improve your mood throughout the day, as well as keep your immune system functioning well.

In the office, try to have plants around. They not only emit fresh oxygen into the room, but they also help to make you feel more connected with nature. In addition, the sound of a fountain or aquarium in the background can also be very soothing and aesthetically pleasing. If you can, bring in pictures or ornaments that make you happy. One woman in the industry keeps a miniature Zen garden at her desk, complete with a smiling Buddha figurine. Every time she gets stressed, she looks at the Buddha’s jovial little face, and instantly feels calmer.

Little steps can add up to big changes. Exercising, getting outside, and making sure that you have a fulfilling life outside of work will help you immensely when it comes to dealing with stress. Other ideas include journaling, getting regular massages, or surrounding your home with nice smelling candles and classical music. All these simple things can all help shift your brain from being in a state of fight-or-flight, to being receptive and calm.

Once you’re able to block out some of the work stress, you will be able to look at the present market conditions as being a challenge that you can rise to. The more breathing space that you give your brain, the more exciting ideas and innovating selling techniques it will give you in return.

For great information on the Atlanta real estate market and for incredible Buckhead real estate listings, and to browse homes and properties for sale, visit RealSourceBrokers.com. This site is easily the most developed and useful Intown Atlanta real estate resource online.


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Relaxing, Peaceful, Sleepy Music – Hidden Garden

April 5, 2011 Zen Garden
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Relaxing, Peaceful, Sleepy Music – Hidden Garden

Meditation Made Easy

March 31, 2011 Zen Garden
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Meditation is a spiritual experience. It is simply an easy method for relaxing the body and calming the mind and which anyone can learn and enjoy. Meditation is a very soothing way to cope with the anxieties and stresses of every day life. The desired purpose of each meditation is to channel our awareness into a more positive direction by totally transforming one’s state of mind. The individual preparing to meditate usually starts by harnessing his awareness, such as focusing his mind onto a certain object, or “listening to the silence between thoughts” and by ignoring distractions of the world around us, by refocusing your mind when you see it drifting off. Just like an athlete training, each time you meditate it’s like training one of your muscles and that way you are making your mind stronger.

However, more than anything meditation is a big blessing for one’s personal growth as it turns more positive energy towards life at large. Meditation also helps you to relieve stress and gives the mind that ultimate peace. Meditation calms your body and mind, enabling your nervous system to function at it’s best, producing healthy ‘feel good’ chemicals such as Serotonin and Endorphins, which counteract the constant barrage of toxins in our system brought on by stress and anxiety in our hectic lives. Meditation is also a very effective technique for improving creativity and problem solving capabilities.

Meditation is a very soothing way to cope with the anxieties and stresses of every day life. Meditation is a term used by a large number of religions, but all having the same goal, to bring the consciousness of the practitioner to a state in which he can come to an experience of ‘awakening,’ ‘liberation,’ ‘enlightenment.’ The historical Buddha himself, Buddha Shakyamuni, was said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree.

Many people in this world want to meditate, but they do not know how to meditate or don’t know where to start. Well, one can go for a guided meditation. However, it’s very difficult to find a good instructor and Apart from that, many people sometimes may find it difficult to schedule time in their busy lives for meditation.

But, would you be surprised to know? That with simple soothing sounds from a Zen garden with meditation bowls this can help you to calm down your mind and achieve these states. The subliminal audio waves help you to calm your mind, to concentrate more easily and will have you meditating at profoundly deep levels, just like a Yogi. It will have you experiencing those levels, which are only experienced by advanced practitioners that have been training for many years. I call it Serenity and it makes meditating easy. Hypnotic Yogi Research Institute has done research on perfecting Serenity.

Serenity can gives you many benefits in life. It can help you with health by inducing positive thoughts in your mind. It can help you in reducing your blood pressure. Meditation is very helpful for people who are unhealthy and trying to reduce weight. Yes, it helps in weight reduction. Moreover, Serenity gives you the strength to cope with the every day stresses that occur during heavy traffic, office work pressure and more. Meditation is a safe and simple way to balance a person’s Spiritual, physical, emotional, and physiological states.

Yogi Research Institute’s plethora of life-changing products, visit their site at www.meditationsolution.com to purchase these products so you soon can start experiencing more happiness in your life.


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