The Best Part Of Your Day You’re Not Using

running on the beach in Rockaway

I confess.

I am the first one to say, “Oh, its raining?  Too bad, I’ll just sleep in this morning.”

Then I will roll over and hug my pillow even harder to get a few more hours of sleep.  Andrea, my running buddy, is the biggest reason that I drag myself out of bed and out to the beach at 5:00 am – I can’t deal with the guilt.

Besides, there has never been a day, ever, that hasn’t been wonderful after a morning beach run.  The five mile stretch we cover delivers us a beautiful sunrise as a reward, although somedays it is simply a foggy mist as well as a clear mind, a burst of energy that some people call “the runner’s high”, and a heightened sense of awareness that lasts the whole day.

From the Art of Manliness, here is an excerpt that I love that gives us reasons to embrace running:

Made to Move

“Nearly every top killer in the Western world–heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, hypertension, and a dozen other forms of cancer–was unknown to our ancestors. They didn’t have medicine, but they did have a magic bullet–or maybe two, judging by the number of digits Dr. Bramble was holding up. “You could literally halt epidemics in their tracks with this one remedy,” he said. He flashed two fingers up in a peace sign, then slowly rotated them downward until they were scissoring through space. The Running Man. “So simple,” he said. “Just move your legs. Because if you don’t think you were born to run, you’re not only denying history. You’re denying who you are.” -Christopher McDougall, Born to Run

Our bodies were made to move. We’re beings of flesh, bone, and muscle. If we weren’t designed to move, we would have evolved to be great blobs of tissue–human clams.

And we didn’t evolve to move slowly, either. We’re made to move vigorously for long periods of time…to run, and run far.

How do we know this? It’s written into our anatomy. Unlike humans, walking animals like chimps lack an Achilles tendon and an ample gluteus maximus–both of which are needed for running–as well as the nuchal ligament, which keeps the head steady when an animal is moving quickly. For a long time scientists puzzled over why we have such features and yet are such seemingly ineffective runners…what was the evolutionary advantage behind our slow and steady running ability?

The answer is “persistence hunting.” Primitive tribes hunted by running down an animal until the prey dropped dead of exhaustion. The fact that humans could run for hours on end without overheating was a distinct survival advantage.”

Made to Think

When I run, I think.  Or sometimes I think of nothing.  Either way works wonders.

Some people I know use this magical part of the day to write.  It is quiet, there are no distractions and your brain is rested and ready to go.  Seth is up and taking care of as many details of our lives that he can so that emails are ready to go out, lunches are made, bills are paid and lists are made.  Laura Vanderkam offers some insightful suggestions about what successful people do before breakfast.

All of this activity happens in my house on a daily basis before 7:00 am.  By the time I am looking at breakfast, my mind is already having lunch.  A maximized morning places me in the aheadness part of my day – just where I like to be.

At the edge of the moment and on top of my game.

What are you going to do with the best part of your day?

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Hoong Yee

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Guide To Grantwriting: Killer Narrative

photo by daniele martinie

What is it about you that would inspire someone to give you money?

Are you a charismatic, mysterious, enigmatic character with a violent past with piercings and a tattoo of a dragon curling over your upper body?  And even if you are, so what?

What makes someone take your grant application from the stack sitting on their desk and place it in the In box?  Your passion to do what you believe will make the world a better place?  Maybe.

Have you ever wondered about what goes on in the minds of funders as they decide which projects are worth funding and which ones are not?  Of course, why wouldn’t you?  Businesses need to understand why their customers buy from them.

You need to think like you’re in business.  The business of writing for money.

OK, how do you become the one they award funding to?

Grantwriting is part of a skill set that transforms your dream project into a killer package that gets funding.  For many small and emerging groups, this can be a valuable source of income that can not only support the project of your dreams, it can sustain your infrastructure, pay for consultants, and even help acquire physical space.

How to write a killer narrative

As a grantmaker, I appreciate concise, clear and brief writing.  It is easier to write more than less.  Brevity forces you, the writer to really think about what you do and how to convey that message.

Without question, your narrative must answer who, what, when, where, why and how.  I like seeing this done in the first sentence.  And if you can tell me the answers to the following questions, I am even more impressed and likely to personally walk your application over to the Inbox.

What is your story?

Tell me in seven words or less and I will be impressed.  That tells me you have thought a lot about who you are.  You probably have an elevator speech, a tagline and a marketing message or brand that is uniquely yours.

Why do you deserve to exist?

Ask yourself this question.  Your answer will tell you if what you do makes a difference in the world.  Another way to ask this question is:  If you disappeared from the universe, would anyone notice?  Here is a great interview by Pamela Slim about changing the world from her keyboard.  Wow, the world would be a duller place without Pace and Kyeli, founders of the Connection Revolution and creators of the World Changing Writing Workshop, and their love of bringing about change through words.

What is your tattoo?

This is my way of asking you what is your special gift to the world?  What added value do you bring?  What sets you apart from the crowd?  I am inspired by creative thinking that produces new and innovative ways to do things.

Why are you unique?

Lispeth Salander is an expert computer hacker with a photographic memory.  She was the perfect employee for a security company.  Think about all of the resources you possess that can enhance your funding appeal.

What is in it for me?

I have a board member who constantly reminds me that all funding relationships are a fluid conversation at a table where there is something for everyone.  If you get funded, who else benefits?  Your audience?  Your community?  How about your funder?  Does your project give your funder something to be proud of?  Let me offer you a tip: Be a good listener and take good notes.  Remember, it is not about you.  It is about the world.

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

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Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

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– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

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Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

How To Raise Income and Drop Weight

photo by kevindooley

Warning! Must Get Used To People Staring At Your Butt

One of the most refreshingly candid fundraising campaigns I have seen is also a very personal endeavor for Patricia Wilson, Executive Director of Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation,.  In the decade she has been at the helm of her organization, it has grown significantly.  So has her butt.  Clearly, not a great situation.

Here is an excerpt from the email she sent to her board and friends:

“I apologize for not sharing this news with you in a more personal manner. But I wanted to let you know about some changes I am making in my life. The short story:  you are going to see less of me.

“Why? Because while I’ve helped to grow our organization significantly over the last 10 years; my butt has grown significantly as well.  That situation just has to change!

“Beginning today, I am launching my own “Biggest Loser” campaign with two goals: to become a healthier and smaller me over the next 12 weeks, and to seek your support in a $$ Pledge Per Pound so that Make-A-Wish will be healthier, too!

“In return for your $$ Pledge Per Pound, I will report to you weekly of my progress. And if I end up gaining weight, I will personally pay both YOU and Make-A-Wish. Wouldn’t you love a healthier executive director and a healthier balance sheet at Make-A-Wish? This kind of amusement and entertainment at my expense over the next 12 weeks has to be worth something!”

There are now more than 100 people contributing to my campaign, and I’m raising $610 for every pound I lose. And more pledges coming every day. I even created a Facebook page for the campaign. I didn’t bother to restrict access to it . . . once you start firing off unflattering photos of yourself, you may as well not bother with privacy settings!

Some unanticipated benefits: I feel GREAT. I’m forced not to spend so much time at my desk.  Walking my dog really helps the stress level during these trying times. Six other Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers have started their own Biggest Loser campaigns, too.

I think this is a fabulous idea, however, you need to feel OK about posting pictures of yourself publicly to do this sort of thing.  Some people prefer other incentivized scenarios for weight loss and fundraising that may not involve such merciless exposure.

Competition, Public Humiliation and Consequences

Men lose weight differently.

My friend Tom needs the above in order to drop pounds.  He and a friend – you need to do this with someone for the competition – went on a website and did this last summer.  I am not sure what kind of public humiliation took place but I am sure it was a guy thing.  The consequences of not meeting the goal were to make a donation to a cause you really hate.  He promised to send a check to the Campaign to Re-elect George Bush.

I am sure if he was able to secure pledges for every pound lost, this would have funded his entire capital campaign.

Less is more

I am thinking about how cool it would be for my entire staff to do this.  Losing weight as a competitive team sport is an interesting way to work towards a goal and intrigue people to pledge.  Here’s another place to find people to lose weight with.

More funding for less of us.

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If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

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Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

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Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

How To Turn Your Meltdown Into Muscle

photo by muscle[spell]bound

What are you doing about yourself?

Having one of those days?  Feeling not fabulous, physically and mentally?  Don’t you just hate when that happens?

These meltdown days occur more often than I like and boy, is it easy to let myself wallow in self pity grazing and all forms of inertia.   You know what I am talking about.

I am hiding behind this cold spring.  Actually relieved that it is still chilly outside so that I can still waddle around in long sleeved layers and not have to angst about my arms in a tank top for a good couple of weeks.  This is the ostrich in me talking.  You know that I know that we all know that the season of sleevelessness is not far and we will have to face it.

Well, what am I going to do about this meltdown marathon?  What are you going to do about it?

You could lose weight, fall in love, take static trapeze classes and immerse yourself in other fascinating and cool activities that actually tone your body and give you killer conversation props at any dinner party.

“My biceps?  Oh, those!  I get them from my silk rope workout, you know, like Cirque du Soleil.”

My nutritionist actually takes these upper arm enhancing classes and so many times I have to restrain myself from bouncing quarters off his arms.  Which brings me to another aggravating weight loss fact:  how women lose weight and how men lose weight are completely different ways through the same universe.  Seth can eat gallons of Cheezits and slip into his slim cut jeans the next day.  You can’t imagine what that would do to me.

Try laughing

A sense of humor goes a long way.  Maybe it does something chemical so that you aren’t so snack focused after a good belly laugh.

Here’s a funny video of a normal guy racing an athlete to give you something to chuckle at.

Here’s what I do

I confess.  I love to eat but what I really love is muscle.  Once I started to build muscle through my running and free weight exercises,  I found myself craving food less.

So, this is my To Do list:

• Exercise.  A lot.
• Stay away from  foods that I love but don’t love me.  Like dairy, wheat and caffeine.
• Pop lots of pills.  29 a day including all kinds of vitamins and supplements.  (Full disclosure:  I am under an endocrinologist’s care for hypothyroidism and have been advised to take these)
• Drown myself in water.  At least 8 glasses a day.
• Laugh every day.

What do you do?

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?

Year of the Poodle: Do I Look Fat?

Jerry and Seth in the Hong Kong Supermarket

Beware of Hairy Vegetables

We celebrated Chinese New Years with our friends at Joe Shanghai in Flushing, a few days late because of inconvenient snow storms.  Part of the charm of having dinner with friends in Flushing is that we can always drop by the Hong Kong Supermarket and pick up a few bags of frozen dumplings, smoked tofu and gunpowder tea.

I like stock up on the kinds of vegetables my mother cooks.

Seth and Jerry always have a good time in the produce section.  I make it a point to avoid cooking what they have been playing with.

Eat Stuff that Make You Feel Better

The vegetable that I am particularly wild about these days is daikon.  I think it is related to a radish but I am not sure.  I do know I can only eat it like I eat radishes – not too much of it and I prefer it with sliced red peppers in salads.

Eating daikon makes me feel great, in addition to the other healthy stuff I try to have each day.  But something about it gives me an extra bounce.

And the Hong Kong Supermarket has all kinds of daikon.

Year of Not Looking Fat

This is my second new year’s resolution to not look fat.  Seth and I are eating enormous amounts of salad, fresh vegetables, good things with an occasional lapse into Hershey kisses.   Mostly dark leafy vegetables, all types, fruits, lots of them and less things that have been processed.

And daikon.  Lots of it, just not the hairy kind.

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee

– Subscribe and get a little Wow! every day

– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested

– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)

– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?