Following a dream

656 pages of inspiration, motivation, melancholy and empowerment. I don't have much time to read, running a business, 5 kids and their activities and maybe some time at the gym, but I felt I needed to read this very big biography of the Steve Jobs, founder of Apple (for those who don't know who he is, if there is anyone).

The book is written with a refreshing objective honesty presenting the two sides of Jobs - the genius and the dragon. Everyone has the light side and the shadow side, some more than others, so I found his persona actually quite balanced in the sense that in his extremes there was balance; extreme highs and extreme lows in the way he did things, treated people, thought, acted, etc. 

The thing that I connected with is the fact that he was not motivated by money but by excellence. He wanted to create great products, simple and easy user experience to simplify and enhance our lives and he wanted to create a great company. 

Like anything in life, when something is done for the right reason with the intention to want to improve and enhance life, society, etc. one is often successful and as a result, money is plenty. Although Steve Jobs was hard on people, he wanted to help them to reach the unreachable. To find within themselves their true potential. Many people in society today are talking about motivation, affirmations, fulfilling your dreams, and making things happen. Robin Sharma's books and philosophy is based on this, being the best you can be. Believe it or not, Maria Montessori over 100 years ago started her method of education to help each individual child realise their true potential.

If we say, "no, it can't be done", it won't get done because we have already created that reality with our thoughts.  Instead we can think like the Little Engine that Could, "I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can. 

A little philosophizing on a Friday morning to give you food for thought on a early March weekend. 

Trevlig Helg!!!

The Oscars

Being from Toronto, Canada and having lived in Vancouver (both cities known for being the Hollywood of the north) it is not surprising that the Academy Awards is as special to me as Idol or Melodifestival is Sweden.

The event, the glamour, the actors we all love to watch as we escape our lives through film are all there together to celebrate an industry that enriches our lives. They tell us stories, portray events that we perhaps have no awareness of, make us laugh, make us cry and take us on a journey with them.

Living in Sweden however with a 9 hour time difference it is not easy to deprive ourselves of precious sleep to see the spectacular show that goes on for 4 hours if you start with the red carpet. So fortunately we will get a condensed version of the real thing this coming Saturday at 18.00.

Until then I would like to share some of my favourites and give my salute to those whose passion and hard work paid off in acknowledgment and sometimes the coveted golden statue called Oscar.

ehandel.org - E-marknadsplatser satsar på social shopping

Photo from ehandel.org's article on "E-marknadsplatser satsar på social shopping"
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Drag n Drop
Den svenska shoppinggallerian Fabulous Living jobbar med etablerade varumärken från utvalda fysiska butiker med fokus på kläder, accessoarer och heminredning. Nyligen presenterade de en del nya tekniker på sin sajt som egentlige inte borde vara så unika...read more http://www.ehandel.org/nyheter/e-marknadsplatser-satsar-pa-social-shopping/

Odd Molly Spring Collection

Odd Molly's Pre-Spring Collection is starting to hit the stores. While the stay and true staples are part of the collection, there is also some new styles. The Timeout Wrap is a perfect piece while the weather is deciding what it wants to do. The Lovely Knit and Grandma Crochet Knit are in great long standing colors of blues, vintage grey, pink and porcelain.

As usual the colors and patterns are luxurious and slightly off-beat. But that's why we love Odd Molly. You can find some of the new collection in Fabulous Living now ... see Odd Molly

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Memphis Colorblocked Satchel
by Marc by Marc Jacobs SS12 collection

A perfect purse for this spring when the colours are so bright. Fuschia pink and red are a perfect combination and the satchet style that will never go out of fashion. I especially like the consistency in the lining and the partitions and sections inside which makes it easier to keep things nice and organized.

An interesting perspective

Today I received my always inspiring GOOP Thanksgiving newsletter. It had different perspectives on judgement which I found very nice to read and also thought provoking.

Here are some quotes from the newsletter: 

From Deepak Chopra:

Judge not lest you be judged.

We condemn in others what we are afraid to see in ourselves.
 

Blame is the projection of guilt.
 

Us-versus-them thinking is destructive to both sides of the equation.

From Michael Berg:
"It is easy to judge others and find fault in them; it is sometimes even enjoyable. Yet in reality, if our aim is to draw greater blessings and fulfillment into our lives, it is one of the most dangerous things we can do.

When we judge others we often think that we are simply making an observation, and that this action or thought will not affect us. However this is not the case. When we judge others we are awakening and connecting ourselves to a force of judgment. It is like trying to throw mud at someone – we might or might not hit them but we are definitely tainted by the mud. And by acting in this way we don't necessarily affect the other person, but we most definitely draw the energy of judgment and lack into ourselves...."

by Carl Gustave Jung:

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." 

From Dr. Karen Binder Byrnes, Ph.D:

"Being judgmental can drain us. Having compassion and empathy restores and increases our energy and our sense of well-being. ..."

To read the full version, click here

Economy or Weather?

You can't help but notice so many stores around Sweden have put their products on sale in the middle of the fall! Stores are reducing their winter coats before winter has even come. Is it because the economy is so bad right now that people aren't shopping? Or is it because we have had an unusually warm fall? 

Last year at this time the country was covered with snow. I myself was one of the lucky to get from Göteborg to Stockholm on the E4 without going into the ditch. So where is the snow now? Are we actually going to get a winter this year? Our winter of 2010/2011 lasted well into the spring, our summer has lasted well into the fall. So it would appear that our seasons are delayed by a couple of months. There are so many changes going on around the globe that are affecting the gulf stream, which is affecting the weather, etc.

Although the weather plays a big part, it doesn't help when all the papers are telling us there is a economic crisis. Sweden as apposed to other countries in the EU is doing pretty well. We were speaking with our banker and she said things are going well; they are strong. Yesterday I read in Dagens Industrie that Handelsbanken had a record profit! 

So what to do... Fear not Shoppers and Shop Owners, the weather will come. But people and the industry needs to change it's patterns. We need to adapt to nature and not force nature to adapt to our wants and needs. So instead of thinking that we need to start buying and selling our fall products in the middle of summer or our spring products in the middle of winter, we should adapt to the seasons. 

That way everyone is happy. As a consumer we don't feel the tempatation to buy things that we don't need at the moment out of fear they won't be any left when the time comes. As a store owner, you won't feel that you have to lose your margin and risk the business because people aren't buying. And finally, the brands should perhaps consider their production times so that there are people willing or waiting to buy the products and everyone comes out a winner!

Just some thoughts...