Lessons from Randy Pausch

"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want".

"Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things".

Randy Pausch and what his legacy means to me

Yesterday night, as I due every couple of weeks, I checked out Randy Pausch's site and found out that he died on Friday morning. I do not like to read the news, all that negativity is not good for the soul. But that bit of information made me cry. My reaction was that of someone who knew Randy. The truth is, I did not. However, like millions of others, I did see the Last Lecture.

This man was an inspiration to many people. The lecture is about fulfilling your dreams. But it is also about hope and the frailty of life. He was only six years older than me when he passed away. But in his lifetime, he had done so much. And he made every day count.

So now I sit here and think about the fact that I've been talking about not sweating the small stuff in the last couple of days. I also sit here and pray for Randy's wife and three children. But I am also happy in a strange way. You see, Randy Pausch did something that most people don't get to do: he lived to see his legacy. He got to see the impact his last lecture had on people. He got a chance to make some special memories for his children. He prepared, as best he could, for the day that he was no longer going to be there. And for that, we are all greatful. Rest in peace Randy.

And if there ever was a time when my usual last comment is valid, this would be it: keep trying.

Check out Randy Pausch Last Lecture - press here.

The strength of will

This week has been very productive for the blog and for me. I've posted several times this week. I got back on the bike for 15 minutes, three times this week. I started belly dancing again. I walked quite a bit. I discovered that organizing my day on a list worked, I am averaging 80% accomplished. I am having a good week, and I also had some epiphanies.

1) I am what I look like - if I want to feel better, I should look better. I am not talking about fancy clothes or a ton of make up. I am talking about simple things, like posture, keeping my hair short (because I hate brushing my hair and now you can't tell), wearing earrings and breathing. Yes, it is amazing how much we hold our breath in a single day.

2) Eat 6 meals a day and you will not feel hungry (most of the time). I have only being doing this for two weeks, and it is true that I am concentrating on quantity first to then go to extreme quality. But I've had more fruits and veggies this week than usual. I started eating salmon again and I am drinking more water than ever (and I have always drank a lot of water).

3) Read a lot and enjoy it more. I have always loved to read. But with life getting in the way, I rarely read for entertainment. Now, I only ask to be able to read one chapter a day of a novel. And I am doing very well. Which brings me to my next point...

4) Do a little bit at a time and you will get more done. On my daily list I go by chapters, not try to finish the whole book in two days. Granted, tomorrow is a lazy day, so I will probably read more, but if you break things into really small parts, you can get more done in a weekly basis. I have heard and read all the experts talk about this, but I had never been able to break things in chunks that were comfortable for me. Now I understand how to tailor good ideas to my lifestyle. And it is really encouraging to see how much I am getting done.

5) Do what works for you. There are many good ideas out there. Like the Dalai Lama says "take what you can use and let go of the rest". I'm sure he did not say it like that but the point is, you take advice or ideas or whatever it is, you tailor it to your needs and whatever does not work, discard it. You need to find what works for you. For example, I am not big on going in public right now to exercise. I am very self conscious of looking ridiculous and being clumsy. So, I am well stocked with every possible exercise video and machine I like, and little bit at a time, I am incorporating them into my day. When I feel more relaxed, I can take a class or two. My immediate goal: to loose 20 pounds so I can sign up for spinning classes close to home. Let's see how that goes. I will keep you posted.

Keep trying.