Got a Minute?
     Sent 2/27/2007

Sharing Creative Energy Newsletter
By Darla Arni

February 2007
Sharing Creative Energy Newsletter is a free monthly, or whenever Darla
can get it out, publication for clients, friends and subscribers who want to
be more creative, energetic and productive in their life and work.
Past copies are archived on our web site: www.darlaarni.com.
© 2007 Darla Arni
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In This Issue:
Got a Minute?
Quote of the Month
Connections Update
Mensa Moment
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GOT A MINUTE?
We all have them, those awkward snippets of time sandwiched between appointments, activities, flights, or errands, but what do we do with them? This month I am sharing a plethora of meaningful, fun, and sometimes productive ways to use those spare moments.

1. Straighten Up
Look around you and start cleaning and organizing something. In your car, clean out your console, glove box, and other nooks and crannies; keep a dust attracting cloth and wet wipes handy to wipe off the dash, seats and cup holders. In a waiting room, dig into your purse, briefcase and even coat pockets to get rid of pens that don’t work, small trash, old files, grocery lists, and more. While home, clean one shelve of the fridge, one junk drawer, or that catch all basket everybody throws things into. Get the idea?

2. When in Doubt, Read
When I was a little girl my mom and I were often stuck in the car waiting while my father talked business with someone he just happened to run into. But my mom had a plan, she always had a Reader’s Digest or two tucked away in the car to make the time go faster. I truly believe my vocabulary increased by leaps and bounds while doing the word quiz in each issue! Be prepared and have a book, periodical, or newsletter handy at all times. Ask any mother, waiting goes much faster when you are entertained!

3. Open Your Mouth and Say ‘OM’
A year ago I wouldn’t have thought so, but incorporating yoga breathing and movements into my life has enabled me to handle stress better, lose weight, and improve my sense of well being. You don’t have to take a class to appreciate and reap rewards from relaxing breathing techniques and stretches. Check out yoga basics at www.fitnessmagazine.com to get started. When you are stuck in traffic, frustrated by your computer, or waiting for your child to finish basketball practice put your time to good use and do a few neck rolls and shoulder stretches instead.

4. Listen to Yourself
It’s not easy to do is it? Instead of turning on or tuning in to the media noise of the world, turn everything off and enjoy the peace. After you get used to it you will find your mind becomes clearer, your breathing relaxes, and creative thoughts pop into your brain. We use up so much personal energy trying to fill our lives with activity and noise, but it is never enough. You might find the answers you were looking for were already here, you just weren’t listening. Ssshhhh, be quiet and try it!

5. Reach Out
Use those unstructured moments to make a phone call, send an email, or write a personal note. (I know, here I go again with the personal note thing!) Keep small cards or personal postcards handy so you can easily jot down a few lines in minutes. Put some in your briefcase, your car, and the main hub of your house. Notes don’t get written or sent if you have to spend ten minutes trying to find paper!

There are many more ways to make good use of those lost minutes during the day, but I don’t want to overload you so I will share some more in another issue. As always, I am interested in what you do with those ‘snippets’ of time; send me your ideas and I will share them with my readers.
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CONNECTIONS UPDATE:
I am now on my ninth week of writing one person a week and the results so far are outstanding. First, it makes me feel good that I am taking time to reconnect with people I’ve lost touch with and now that I’m in the groove, names just keep popping into my brain to add to the list. Second, this week I received a three page, single spaced letter from an old college friend I hadn’t heard from in over five years. As I read her letter it brought back vivid images of her; I could hear her voice and see her talking to me through the pages. I also discovered many of us are dealing with the same challenges; in this case we are both caring for our elderly parents in one way or the other. The connection was still there, just not being used.
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“Speak little, do much.” –Benjamin Franklin
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MENSA MOMENT
A water lily growing in a circular pond doubles in size every day. It takes 30 days for it to cover the whole pond. How long does it take to cover half the pond?

Email your answer to Darla. Correct answers received within the first week will be entered in our prize drawing.

Last Month’s Answer:
The letter i. Congratulations to Laura Johns. Please email me with an address of where to send your prize. Marshall Wilmot, Nov/Dec winner, has still not contacted me for his prize.

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Darla Arni is a Professional Speaker, Consultant and Author of Sharing Creative Energy at Home, Life Compass for Women, and the Sharing Creative Energy Newsletter.

Sharing Creative Energy
e-mail Darla
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