28 Oct

Posted at 14:25h in Lifebook Members, Spiritual Life

Written By:  Lifebook Member Kevin Donahue

When going on a long journey, having a map is important.  A GPS makes the ride even more comfortable.  But having a DESTINATION that you look forward to is the key!

My LIFEBOOK has given me my destinations.  I've found that life is so much better when we create BIG things to look forward to: Weddings, vacations, new homes, promotions, new business ventures, exciting partnerships, the birth of a child, etc.  All of these things create excitement in our hearts, put a pep in our step and give us an internal guidance system that somehow gets us there no matter what.  

28 Oct

Posted at 14:14h in Health & Fitness

Written By:  Lifebook Member Andrea Metcalf

Health and fitness changes are at the forefront of everyone's mind.  We know we need to take care of ourselves - we know that when we do, we feel so much better.  But somehow the time slips past and we've not only missed a workout for the day, but we have also missed meal planning.  This is where the excuse of "only 24 hours in a day" comes into play.

"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time,' is like saying, 'I don't want to.'" - Lao Tzu

However, in this case, I know you do want to make changes and you will make the time.  Let me share with you a few simple things you can do to instantly change your health:

26 Oct

Posted at 08:25h in Quality of Life
When it comes to travel, the question Missy and I are most often asked is, “What was your favorite trip ever?” The answer to that question is simple; there is NO WAY we can answer that question! Every trip we’ve taken has been different and wonderful in it’s own way… From luxurious indulgences in SE Asia to challenging safaris in sub-Saharan Africa, from short romantic getaways in Europe to extended stays in 3rd world countries, from rainforest treks with our friends to awesome educational adventures with our kids… It's just impossible to single out one travel experience as our favorite trip ever. But Missy and I really DO want to share some of our travel experiences with you, so we created a series of posts that outline some of our favorite trips BY THEME.

23 Oct

Posted at 08:10h in Health & Fitness
Article by Lifebook Member Jason Moore
If you’re like most people, when it comes to eating, and drinking, it tends to go one of two ways: either you eat and drink for pleasure OR you eat and drink for health. And probably do a lot of yo-yoing between the two. Most people believe they can’t have it both ways – it seems like nothing that’s pleasurable to eat and drink can really be good for you and nothing that’s good for you can really be pleasurable to eat and drink. This is BULLSHIT! A limited view of eating and drinking all begins with a limited definition of “health”. So, let’s ask the question, “what is health any way”?

22 Oct

Posted at 10:04h in Quality of Life
Transylvania, surrounded by the mighty Carpathian mountains of Central Romania, is one of Europe’s best kept secrets... Missy and I spent a week driving through this beautiful region and it was one of the most unusual and enjoyable travel adventures we’d ever had together. From the moment we crossed the border from Hungary, it was “goodbye Starbuck’s and McDonald’s” and we spent the next 7 days exploring ancient castles, virgin forests, medieval towns and rural villages that haven’t changed much since the 18th century. The name Transylvania conjures up images of vampires, werewolves and haunted castles – and there is a very good reason for that...

22 Oct

Posted at 08:06h in Quality of Life
Myanmar, formerly Burma, is one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. One of South East Asia’s largest and most diverse countries, it is situated on the vast Indian Ocean in between the two great Asian civilizations of India and Thailand. A land of breathtaking beauty and charm, it has only recently begun to emerge into the modern world. Myanmar is called “the MOST Buddhist country on earth”. And for good reason…

21 Oct

Posted at 08:03h in Quality of Life
Two of our dearest friends were invited to attend a wedding in La Paz, Bolivia (how random is that?) and they asked us if we wanted to join them. Heck yes! (it doesn’t take much to get Missy and me to jump at a chance to go somewhere we’ve never been before…) And we all decided that, since we’ll be in the neighborhood, we should stop by Machu Piccu in Peru to take in one of the world’s most awesome sights at the same time! So off we flew! Miami to Panama, Panama to Ecuador, then over the great desert lake of Titicaca and straight on to Bolivia...

20 Oct

Posted at 08:01h in Love Relationship, Quality of Life
When it comes to romance, Europe wins hands down! Nothing compares to walking hand in hand down the cobblestone streets of a medieval square at sunset, looking for that perfect cafe table to spend a romantic 3-hour dinner, gazing into each other's eyes and sharing a beautiful bottle of wine... If you're in love, that's just as good as it gets. One of the most romantic places we've ever been in Europe is the stunning, crescent shaped island of Santorini, Greece, with it's quaint white villages clinging to the volcanic cliffs above black sand beaches...

19 Oct

Posted at 07:59h in Quality of Life
Missy and I have seen a lot of the world, including many 3rd world countries, and it’s pretty difficult to give us culture shock… But that is exactly what happened on this life-changing adventure… We’d been trekking through India for more a little more than a week, dressed traditional in Indian clothes, eating the local food, experiencing the local customs and taking in the EXTREMES of this fascinating culture; from the most spectacular opulence of the Taj Mahal, to the most intense poverty in the back streets and alleys of Dehli… But nothing could prepare us for what we’d experience in Varanasi.

18 Oct

Posted at 07:51h in Parenting, Quality of Life
My good friend, Tim Ferris, wrote a little book you may have heard of, "The Four Hour Work Week" (it's sold like 10 trillion copies). Missy and I read it at the same time in early 2008. Among the many big ideas in that book, Tim poses the following question (and I paraphrase); "If you have a job you can perform remotely, why not go live in another country for a while, have a serious, life-changing adventure, and come back smarter, wealthier and substantially more cool?" Reading Tim's book just happened to coincide with another discovery, namely, that our youngest daughter, Jade, was dyslexic, which is why school was so difficult for her. She needed a change. And we needed to do whatever was necessary to help her increase her self-esteem. These factors, coupled with our already passionate love of travel, could only mean one thing...