It’s the end of the year, and we’ve just come through a season that for many is one of consumerism, gifts and acquisitions. And hey, I like good ‘stuff’ as much as anyone, but I’ve always preferred quality over quantity …  in possessions, surroundings, experiences, and especially, in life.

I’ve just finished reading, The Not So Big Life by Sarah Susanka, a book that really spoke to me and one I would recommend to anyone looking to create more ‘space’ and meaning in his or her life. As another year draws to a close, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on what’s working in our lives, what we’d like to adjust, and what we’d like to create in the future. Read more below.

Sarah Susanka, an architect who created the bestselling Not So Big House series of books, believes “big” is not necessarily better, in our physical spaces or our lives, and quality is more important than quantity. In The Not So Big Life, she uses architectural metaphors and design principles that apply as much to building a life as a home, and drafts a “blueprint for a new way of living.”

Susanka suggests the way to change (and enhance) the way we live is by being fully present and engaged in each moment, and every area, of our lives. Citing influences such as Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Eckhart Tolle, Rumi and others, she takes a spiritual approach to demonstrating that form and function serve not only architectural design, but life goals, processes and experiences as well.

Just as we can makeover and remodel our physical interiors, The Not So Big Life shows us that we can also adjust and align thoughts, actions and beliefs to open up the interior walls of our selves and our souls. In doing so, we reveal new possibilities so we can start living more passionately and effectively by engaging in the things we love to do and, as the book’s tagline says, “making room for what really matters.”

At the end of The Not So Big Life, Susanka includes an exercise for a year-end ritual, which she describes as a process similar to ‘sowing seeds’ to bring to fruition intentions, goals and projects for the new year. She lists a series of questions about the past year, present existence and future, and at the end of December she sets aside several hours to respond to these queries. When completed, she rereads the previous year’s answers.

Some of the questions about the past year include how she has spent her time, the results of the actions taken, what has inspired her, and what accomplishments, creations or disappointments have changed her. In reflecting on the past year, she also examines conditioned patterns, hidden beliefs and habits, and the effects they have had.

In her questions about the present she asks: “How am I different now from the way I was last year at this time? How can I integrate the key lessons of the past year of my life? “ Other important queries include: “What am I becoming? Who am I really?” and “Has my experience of time changed at all since last year?”

Lastly, in her questions about the future, she poses: “What is it that I wish to focus on or experience in the coming year? Looking far into the future, what wishes, longings or creations will I be bringing into being or engaging in some way?”

And finally, she ponders: “If I could sum up all my desires and longings in one simple statement spoken from the highest aspect of myself … what would it be?” (This is my favorite question.)

Susanka’s year-end ritual is provocative and insightful, and one I am putting in to practice. And this time next year, I can’t wait to review the results of what I have ‘planted.’

As December wraps up, a review of the year’s news and events, and making resolutions for the coming months are common traditions.

Do you have any year-end rituals that you practice? And do they make a difference in how the New Year, and your life, unfolds?

However you celebrate the passing of one year and the arrival of another, here’s to a happy, meaningful 2012.

Happy December! With winter and the holidays upon us, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book, hunt for the next bestseller (or something more obscure) or find the perfect literary gift. Lately, one of my favourite distractions has been surfing the Internet for fun and unusual websites for book lovers, word nerds and people who read too much. So forget Amazon, Indigo, Chapters and the other big bookselling sites for a while and check out a few new online spots to expand your digital literary experience.

1)    Book Crossing: www.bookcrossing.com

If you love your books set them free. This site lets you to share and send your books “out in the wild” with a special identification label that tracks the book, sometimes around the world, and lets you know who’s reading it. The site has a system to follow a book’s journey and the lives it touches, as well as a way to add journal entries, reviews and searches for books that have been “released.” It’s been described as a “modern day message in a bottle.”

2)   Bookslut: www.bookslut.com

Ok, this one made the list just for its name. For those of us who’ll read anything anywhere, Bookslut is a daily blog of insightful features, reviews, and outrageous commentary, including regular columns such as Cookbook Slut, Latin Lit Lover, and UnAmerican. The blog itself is a good read, not just its passionate book recommendations.

3)    Bookninja: www.bookninja.com

This one also gets points for its name. Bookninja is a Canadian literary site and according to its homepage one of the top literary sites in the world, and nexus for news, opinion and discussion about fiction and poetry. Also part of the site, Bookninja Magazine contains original articles and reviews.

4)    The Book Bench: www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books

If you love The New Yorker magazine (and I do) this blog is “loose leafs from the New Yorker Books Department.” That includes reviews, clever commentary and all the NY buzz about what’s popular, hot and happening on the literary scene.

5)    The Believer: www.believermag.com

The monthly online magazine, by its own admission, “covers book reviews that are not necessarily timely and are often very long, and interviews that are also very long.”  That said, the current issue has a weirdly entertaining interview with actor/writer James Franco in conversation with an artist called “Carter.” I also like that the magazine states outright: “We will focus on writers and books we like.

6)    Narrative Magazine: narrativemagazine.com

As its tagline reads, Narrative Magazine is “a non-profit organization dedicated to storytelling in the digital age,” sometime described as the PBS of literature. All content (which is a lot – stories, poetry, novel excerpts, articles and writing contests) is free to readers. The site acts as a virtual bridge to connect readers and writers around the globe, and celebrates work by established authors as well as emerging ones. There’s a “Story of the Week” and “Poem of the Week” as well as my favourite find, “Six-word stories.”

Of course, this is just a smattering of the many fun and fabulous literary sites online. Let me know about some of your new and wonderful finds in the digital literary world, and leave a comment below.

Greetings one and all!

Imagine if Mary, Joseph and the Wise Men had had the internet and social media to announce Jesus’s birth?
Christmas may have gone like this… check out this adorable, and rather clever, Nativity scene in the digital age.
And remember the true “message” of Christmas is best sent in person, or at least in spirit. So connect with those you love and have a wonderful worldwide holiday.

My greatest fear in life is not dying… but rather not living while I’m alive. In other words, not living up to my full potential. That’s far more scary for me than death. I’ve looked fear in the face, a few times, stared it down and won. But now as I’m taking a new direction in my career and life paths it returns, uninvited,  like an unwanted house guest — manageable but inconvenient.

Fear often gets in the way of our creativity, relationships and pursuit of happiness, so I was delighted to discover a free online  magazine, aptly named fearlessstories.com that puts it all in perspective and delivers brave new stories by courageous people. The latest issue covers everything from the biology of fear (who knew our brain’s response to fear is biological not just psychological?) to stories about taking big scary career risks to achieve big amazing results, to articles about taming fear through mindfulness and bringing any painful crisis to its knees through compassion– for ourselves and others.

The difference between success and failure is often not because of  better talent, ideas or skills, it’s courage to act… to show Fear the door and invite Boldness, Gutsy and Moxie to the party.

So if fear is blocking your potential, creativity or ability to rock this life, check out fearlessstories.com for some worthy inspiration. And if you’d like to read my own story and biggest life lesson in overcoming fear –and I mean that life-altering kind of fear– that changes you at a cellular level, and reminds you not to wait until fear subsides before you decide to live fully and freely, refer to my  blog post of Oct. 2, 2009, archived under Personal Insights, entitled ‘Someday is not on the calendar.’

Thanks for being here. Stay fearless.

I’ve always found the best gift (other than love) is sharing a good idea, great find or a hot tip. So as we wrap up the year, here a few of my favourite things from 2009.

Favourite book: The Road by Cormac McCarthy (www.cormacmcCarthy.com). In a post-apocalyptic landscape, a father and young son struggle to survive on a road littered with despair and depravity. In the constant face of death, when all else falls away, this dark yet life-affirming fable explores the limits of morality, compassion and humanity.

Favourite film: The Road, adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, with compelling performances from Viggo Mortenson and  young actor Kodi Smit-McPhee. A difficult, bleak film to watch, but one that brings into sharp focus the best and worst of humanity.

Favourite live concert(s): Leonard Cohen, still sexy and poetic at 74; and Cold Play, Chris Martin and fellow British band mates whose exuberance, playfulness and serious ability to rock made for an unforgettable show. Both at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre.

Favourite new music discovery: Snow Patrol (www.snowpatrol.com), the Scottish pop-rock band who opened for Cold Play in Winnipeg, and could have carried a concert on their own.

Favourite website: http://www.ted.comThe absolute best and brightest working in technology, entertainment and design. Check it out and be inspired.

Favourite blog(s): http://www.sethgodin.comfor a regular dose of sage marketing advise and just good business sense; and 2 design sites that spark both the imagination and inspiration that beauty provides: http://www.designtherapy.com and http://vicentewolfblog.com

Favourtite restaurant(s): In Winnipeg, Bistro 71/4 (725 Osborne Ave.), a charming, intimate French bistro; and Pizzeria Gusto (404 Academy Road) whose unusual pizzas and European atmosphere live up to its name.

In New York City, Tartine (253 W. 11th St.), an adorable, tiny French café in the West Village that could have be lifted from the streets of Provence; and Pastis (9 Ninth Ave.) a large, bustling Provencale-style bistro in NYC’s meatpacking district that serves up fabulous, classic French fare and ambiance.

Favourite travel destination (this year): New York City – have been there more than 20 times, but as one of the world’s most energetic and culturally diverse cities NYC never fails to offer delight and discovery.

Favourite quote: “Fortes fortuna juvat.” (Fortune favours the brave.) Or as my friend says: Luck favours the bold.

Best life advice: “You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down and has made all the difference in my life… stay hungry. Stay foolish.” – Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation) in his address to the graduating class of Stanford University. Click here for the entire speech.  http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html

What were some of your favourite finds, good ideas or new discoveries in 2009? Please send them to me.

And all the best for 2010.

It’s a week before Christmas and the best gift I’ve found is this slightly wacky but adorable Christmas song by the group Joy Zipper. So unzip some joy… and remember love is always a good gift.  (Note: I discovered this video on one of my favorite blogs www.designtherapy.com)

Big thoughts and small actions make a difference. – Seth Godin

Marketing guru and author Seth Godin has created an inspiring new e-book with thoughts from 70 of world’s leading thinkers and doers about what’s important now.  By focusing on what matters today, we will change what matters in the future. I particularly liked the entries by Seth Godin on Generosity, Elizabeth Gilbert on Ease, and Derek Sivers on Passion.

click here to find out What matters now to these authors.

My riff on what matters now would be about Humanity, and our need to rediscover what it means to be humane, kind and benevolent in a world that often opposes this — whether it’s greed on Wall Street fueling a financial and social breakdown, governments turning a blind eye to torture, or nations waging brutal wars, to name but a few examples. How a society treats its citizens represents its degree of civilization; how we treat each other reflects our own humanity… or lack of it. We cannot continue to think and act like barbarians and expect the world – including our own world – to be a peaceful and life-affirming place.

What matters now, and in the new year, to you?

Looking for something for the person who has everything?

For current, former or wanna be Manitobans, who know and love our province, a copy of the bestseller Manitoba Book of Everything may be just what you’re looking for.

A year ago I co-authored (with Christine Hanlon and Doreen Pendgracs) this fun-filled insider’s look at all things Manitoban. From its history, rivers, lakes and beaches, to its famous artists, crooks and politicians, the origins of Manitoba slang, place names, people and culture – it’s all here.

All that plus fascinating information that you can use at your holiday cocktail parties such as filmmaker Guy Maddin’s favourite lost Winnipeg buildings, the five worst weather events Sylvia Kuzyk has ever covered and the five Manitobans most admired by former premier and Governor General Ed Schreyer.

Billed as “everything you wanted to know about Manitoba and were going to ask anyway,” (Why does the Red River flood so much? When did Manitoba ever have ‘mountain ranges’? And what exactly is a prairie oyster?) The Manitoba Book of Everything answers these burning questions and so much more.

The Manitoba Book of Everything is available in most Winnipeg bookstores. If you would like an autographed copy, the authors (including me) will be signing books at Chapters (Empress Street location) on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 1 – 4 p.m.

Hey cool Winnipeggers – tired of answering that relentless question: Why do you live in Winnipeg??

Well, now you can tell all your friends, family and followers that even Hollywood (film and TV) producers realize that Winnipeg is one cool city, and worthy of name dropping.

Watch this fabulous YouTube spot called “Does Winnipeg really exist?”

The video was created by www.incrediblycool.ca a, website of Destination Winnipeg.

I discovered it at a workshop today (in Winnipeg, of course) called “Social Media Marketing: Get your Business on the Internet Grapevine,” presented by Murray Conron, a Toronto-based freelance writer.

According to Conron, online social networks are becoming the preferred source of news and market information (why get all that ink on your hands from a newspaper or magazine or face the inconvenience of waiting for the six o’clock news?), and communications via social media, texting and instant messaging are replacing the use of email. (Now your grandma will need to get on Facebook).

And if you are doubting the power and reach of social media, here are a few numbers to consider:Facebook has 320 Million registered users.

YouTube gets 1 Billion views per day (12,000 per second).

Twitter serves 5 Billion tweets.

Now that’s something to blog about.

Perspectives: the ability to discern the relative importance of things; the state of one’s ideas, the facts known to one; the faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship. (excerpt from art exhibition Perpectives: Robert Houle & Tim Schouten)

In an exhibit currently at Winnipeg’s Buhler Gallery (St. Boniface Hospital), two artists offer us some new insight (and perspective) on First Nations Treaty sites in Manitoba, native spirituality and the prairie landscape.

The work of Robert Houle and Tim Schouten look at places, words and spiritual connections as well as issues of trust and accoutability in Canada’s history, where Aboriginal and European cultures intersect.

What does this (or any other art) matter? Because as Pat Bovey, the project’s curator, so aptly says: “culture is a word of many meanings, suggesting both division and diversity… As well it refers to the sum total of knowledge and values shared by society, in this exhibition the people of Manitoba.”

All of these meanings of culture, particularly as it relates to the First Nations experience, are beautifully and simultaneously expressed in Houle’s drawings and Schouten’s encaustic paintings.

Why go see this exhibit?

Because this, like other art, gives us the opportunity to reflect on our own history, beauty and spirituality.

Because art helps us look at who we are, who we have been and who we imagine ourselves capable of being.

Again, as Bovey sums it up, “Houle and Schouten simultaneously provide us with a challenge, the opportunity to understand the multi-layered meaning of culture with the hope of ensuring a richer, postive future.”

What more is there to say?

Get yee to an art gallery… and get some new perspective.

(Perspectives: Robert Houle & Tim Schouten runs Oct. 1, 2009 – Jan. 17, 2010 at the charming and intimate Buhler Gallery on the main floor of St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg.)