No surprise here…the most clicked link was… The Astonishing Difference a Smile Can Make. Even though we cannot see your smile under a mask, your eyes reveal your smile. It’s known as the Duchenne smile.

“A Duchenne smile is the one that reaches your eyes, making the corners wrinkle up with crow’s feet. It’s the smile most of us recognize as the most authentic expression of happiness.” Source

And, now, 5 Things to inspire and educate you...

1. Judy Rodman sent me this music video shot on a rainy day at the beach in Santa Monica. STARDUST by Cassandra Kubinski

2. Need a pick me up? Use this 60-second meditation to rid yourself of stressful thoughts. Via Morning Brew.

3. If like mine, your home is a bit messier than usual, it’s OK. This article gives you permission not to worry about it.

4.  Marketing resource: AppSumo has a free SEO checklist for you. Optimizing your website can be confusing. This can help you make sense of what to do. Clickminded SEO Checklist

5. In the Marketing Trailblazers Business Book Club, we’re turning to a classic and reading Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek. I read it 5-6 years ago and it will be a great refresher for getting back in touch with what’s important about one’s reason for being in business. I’ve created a list on Bookshop on all the MTC books we’ve read if you’re curious.

Your turn…what have you read or watched this week that inspired you? Please let me know in the comments, below. And, feel free to share the post with your friends and colleagues!

Denise
You Guide To Better Visibility on the Web

P.S. The next Get It Done Day Work Sprint is on October 23. Get the details here.

This post was originally published as an email on September 4, 2020

Click here to catch up on previously published 5 Things emails.

Photo by Reinis Birznieks on Unsplash

Photo by Reinis Birznieks on Unsplash

The post 5 Things for Inspiration and Your Education appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

Heatwave! According to the forecast, Los Angeles can expect five days of hot, hot, hot weather. Last night I received an email asking Los Angelenos to conserve energy by not using our air conditioners between 3 and 10 pm…the hottest hours of the day!

My plan for the next few days is to get up early to get my work and exercise in before I melt!

By a wide margin, last week’s top clicked Thing was the photo essay about the gorgeous black panther in India. Why am I not surprised???

And, now, 5 Things for you to read...

1. Every time I do assessments around my strengths and values, my top attribute is revealed as “curiosity.” So, it’s natural that this article caught my eye! Why are humans so curious?

2. If you’ve been reading 5 Things for awhile you know I’m super curious about how to prevent cognitive decline, as much as possible. Couch Potato No More: How the Benefits of Exercise Transfer to the Brain

3. Thanks to Ellen Britt, I’ve become a fan of Topo Chico mineral water. There is something about the mineral content that makes it taste better than other mineral waters. But is it actually good for you? Is Fancy Mineral Water Actually Any Better for You Than Tap Water?

4. Ellen Britt and I moved our intermittent fasting newsletter to the Substack platform and the latest edition is now live. We address one of the top questions we get about IF… IF Insider – No. 11 – “Why aren’t I losing weight?” Edition

5. And finally, here’s what I’m reading… Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. I’ve read Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, both of which were riveting. Krakauer’s investigative research and writing style keep me glued to the page. Under the Banner of Heaven, from 2003, is a fascinating account of the history of the Fundamentalist offshoots of the Mormon church.

Your turn…what have you been reading this week? Please let me know in the comments, below. And, feel free to share the post with your friends and colleagues!

Denise
You Guide To Better Visibility on the Web

P.S. The next Get It Done Day Work Sprint is on August 28. Get the details here.

This post was originally published as an email on August 14, 2020

Click here to catch up on previously published 5 Things emails.

Photo by Reinis Birznieks on Unsplash

The post 5 Things for the Curious appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

Way less TV and way more reading. And that’s a good thing, for me anyway. Keeping my mind in an active state vs. a dull state is better for my mental health! How about you… reading or TV? What keeps you mentally sharp?

BTW, the most clicked link in the last 5 Things was for Amazon’s World Book Day. While the free books are no longer free, you can still learn about and buy the books recommended, written by authors around the world.

Now, here are the 5 Things to read or use for your personal and professional development:

1. Let’s start with beautiful photographs! This place is now on my “must-experience” list when travel is allowed again. The Most Beautiful Flower Garden In The World Has No Visitors For The First Time In 71 Years And I Got To Capture It (31 Pics)

2. If you’re wondering who could use your help with donations or virtual volunteering: Here’s How You Can Change Lives in the Pandemic

3.  Are you prone to “optimism bias?” Why we find it difficult to recognise a crisis.

4. This is worth paying $1.50 for (support the person who created it!) so you can print it out and use it daily… Isolation Mental Health Wellbeing Daily To-Do List Worksheet.

5. Ann Handley, the author of Everybody Writes, offered a free webinar about her approach to writing. It was brilliant. From her presentation style to her enthusiasm and use of the children’s book, Charlotte’s Web to teach her points, I was hooked every minute. You can watch the replay at Marketing Profs, though you must sign up for a free membership to do so. It’s worth it.

What’s something you’ve been reading lately?  Please let me know in the comments, below. And, feel free to share the post with your friends and colleagues!

Denise
You Guide To Better Visibility on the Web

This post was originally published as an email on May 1, 2020

Click here to catch up on previously published 5 Things emails.

Photo by Reinis Birznieks on Unsplash

The post 5 Things for Your Personal and Professional Development appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

What are you doing to stay mentally and emotionally healthy? Based on the article with the most clicks last week, you’re looking for ideas to help stay focused on what’s important: Six Daily Questions to Ask Yourself While Social Distancing.

In my breaks from staying on top of my business and to clear my head of Covid-19 news, I’ve been bouncing between reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and rewatching all 5 seasons of The Wire after HBO opened access with no subscription required. Best. Show. Ever. Any other fans out there?

Now, here are the 5 Things to read or watch while you #stayathome:

1. April 23, 2005, the first-ever YouTube video was uploaded. Here it is. You may be underwhelmed.

2. Thanks to my fave morning new email, Morning Brew, I discovered a slew of Quarantine Book Recommendations via Literary Hub. It also happened to be World Book Day on April 23 and you can get 9 free Kindle ebooks on Amazon through the end of today (sorry, this special has expired)

3.  As a card-carrying introvert, I can relate…Yes, Even Introverts Can Be Lonely Right Now.

4. I don’t entirely agree with the last point… 8 science-backed ways to boost resilience during the COVID-19 crisis.

5.  And for a hit of beauty and peace: Coyotes, bobcats and bears: Wildlife is reclaiming Yosemite National Park .

One more thing, if you’re curious about Intermittent Fasting, my colleague Ellen Britt and I are hosting our second 10-Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge, starting May 4. Details here.

What’s something you’ve been reading or watching lately?  Please let me know in the comments, below. And, feel free to share the post with your friends and colleagues!

Denise
You Guide To Better Visibility on the Web

This post was originally published as an email on April 24, 2020

Click here to catch up on previously published 5 Things emails.

Photo by Reinis Birznieks on Unsplash

The post 5 Things for #StayAtHome Life appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

Sleep has been on my mind. In the Inner Fire program that Dr. Ellen Britt and I recently ran, one topic was how to optimize your sleep. I mentioned I was experimenting with blue light blocking glasses since blue light can have a detrimental effect on your vision and sleep.

Here are 4 things to read and apps I started using:

1. First in this article and interview with Prof. Roger Ekirch, History of sleep: what was normal?, Ekirch talks about how different sleep patterns were in the pre-industrial age. With the advent of artificial light in the late 19th century, our sleeping patterns significantly changed.

2. Do you like tracking data? Seems like most everyone I know wears some kind of tracking device. I used to, too. This article argues that maybe you don’t really need to track everything! The Sad Truth About Sleep-Tracking Devices and Apps

3.  For the hikers reading this, well, read this article before you go out on a hot day. A couple of years ago I was hiking with my sister in Northern California. It was a very hot day and we thought we were prepared. We had a lot of water and snacks. But the heat and lack of shade took their toll and we both suffered from heat exhaustion verging on heatstroke. It was scary when my whole body seized up and I couldn’t move. My sister who was also sick had to hike out to the road and flag down some people to help drag me back to the car. Fortunately, I was able to cool down and get some electrolytes in me and I recovered. But there were a few minutes when I thought I might actually not make it.

4. One of my favorite note-taking tools is Google Keep Notes. I have it on my desktop and my phone and use it every day to save links (like for these 5 Things emails), notes and pictures, and make lists. This article shares some good tips and tricks for using Keep.

5.  Back to sleep and controlling blue light in the evening…it’s been around for a long time, but I just learned about Flux, an app you install on your computer or smart device. It makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. The first day I had it on my computer and the display changed from bright to warm as the sun went down, I could feel a noticeable difference in my eyes. I felt much less strain. And since I often work on my computer in the evening, it’s made a big difference in how I feel at night and I’ve slept better.

Bonus: since 3 out of 5 of these things are about sleep, I’ll note that I’ve also been working on building a habit of meditating at night before I go to sleep. I use an app called Simple Habit (free version) and listen to short guided meditations designed for relaxation and deep sleep. I’ve been waking up more refreshed in the morning and rarely want to take a nap in the afternoon!

What’s something you’ve discovered or an app you recommend?  Please let me know in the comments, below. And, feel free to share the post with your friends and colleagues!

Denise
You Guide To Better Visibility on the Web

This post was originally published as an email on July 19, 2019.

Click here to catch up on previously published 5 Things emails.

Photo by Reinis Birznieks on Unsplash

The post 4 things to read… sleep, meditation and apps appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.