Relaxing Yoga Pose: Supported Bridge (part 3)

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As we've seen in Parts 1 and 2 of the relaxing yoga pose series, yoga doesn't have to be complicated or make you look like a pretzel in order to be effective and provide restorative and relaxing benefits. In fact, one of the most relaxing yoga poses I know is Supported Bridge with a block. I like this pose so much that whenever I make it to yoga a bit early I grab a block and assume the position - it is the perfect way to achieve a gentle stretch yet totally let go. It's easy to get into - just lay on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet firmly on the ground hip-width apart. Use the strength of your thighs and glutes to lift your hips into air, and slide a yoga block on it's second tallest height under your sacrum (just above your tail bone) before slowly lowering your weight onto the block. Allow your arms to rest alongside you body, close your eyes, and take some deep breaths - you're whole chest can really begin to open here.

Not familiar with yoga blocks? These foam, cork, or wooden blocks are handy tools often used to modify more challenging yoga poses. A foam or cork block works especially well for supported bridge pose as they're a bit softer on the sacrum. I just invested in a couple foam blocks to complement my practice at home, and found some good quality, inexpensive options on Amazon. I recommend going for blocks that are 4" x 6" x 9" - the 3" blocks tend to be too narrow for my liking. Of course, if you don't have a yoga block and want to try out supported bridge, a strategically placed chapter book or two can give you the same idea.

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Relaxing Yoga Poses: Legs Up The Wall (part 2)

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I mentioned in my first post about relaxing yoga poses that there are many time-tested positions that calm both the body and mind. Legs Up The Wall is another relaxing pose that offers a gentle stretch, reduces stress, and re-ups your energy. The pose itself is as self-explanitory as it sounds - start by sitting on the floor directly next to a wall and swing your legs up so that they rest - slightly bent - against the wall as you lower your torso onto the floor. You will end up lying perpendicular to the wall as the photos show. You can place a pillow under your back or hips to make the pose more comfortable, and might experiment with moving your hips closer to the wall or further away depending on the flexibility of your legs. You might let your arms rest out to the side, palms open to the sky, or bring your arms up over your head to gain a side-body stretch.

Whatever variation of Legs Up The Wall you choose, you'll gain the benefits of this leisurely inversion, such as stretching the backs of the legs, relieving swollen or tired legs, ankles, and feet, and flooding the body with energy. For maximum impact, enjoy the posture for about 5 to 10 minutes. Close your eyes, keeping the back of your neck flat on the floor, and breathe down deeply into your belly as you feel the tension melt out your body.

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Budgets: Part I

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I've written a bit about determining your long and mid-term financial goals (if you haven't read it yet, you can read it here) and I hope you’ve had a chance to reflect on and determine what your own goals are. If you have, you might be thinking - but how do I get there from here? The answer will differ for all of us, and not just because we are each starting at a different financial location and aiming for a unique destination. While most of us probably have a plan for achieving our financial goals along the lines of “spend less save more”, that model can have a distinct look for each of us depending on our situation and our priorities.

There are likely a million and one ways to spend less on the things we need, to discover the joys of cost-free entertainment and experiences, to increase the return on our investments, and to develop a sense of empowerment and a healthy attitude towards money. Those are all topics I’m anxious to write about and explore further, but they will all be ineffective for those without the solid foundation that is a well-formed budget.

A budget is your guide to reaching financial goals; mapping out your weekly, monthly, and annual benchmarks that will keep you on track with your long-term plans. The prospect of sitting down to create a budget may be daunting to some, but the great thing is that once you have crafted your budget you can relax knowing that you have a well defined path to financial success. If you start feeling discouraged about your finances and think, “I can’t do this – I’m in over my head”, you can look to your budget as a reminder that you CAN do it. You have written proof that your goals ARE attainable.

I’ll be diving into the specifics of creating and honing a budget in future posts. Now is the time to brainstorm a list of all the expenses you have in your life, right now. Be objective and honest. You’ll want your budget to be detailed enough that everything you’re currently spending money on is taken into account – even those things that you are looking to cut out of your spending habits like costly trips to the manicurist or daily stops at the 7-Eleven. Understanding where your money is going now is key to developing a budget that will work for you and your priorities. One easy way to do this is to look over a month or two of history on your credit and debit card statements. If you pay for most things with plastic, this will give you a really clear picture of how much you spend on what. If you’re still not sure where your paychecks are going, make a log of everything you purchase over the next couple of weeks.

Below is a list of common budget items that can help you get started or fill in gaps with expenses you may have missed – print it off and jot down next to each item what you currently spend on each. Don't forget to stop by tomorrow when we'll explore how to translate what you learn from this exercise into a budget that is tailored to you. I'll also be sharing some wonderful web-resources that make developing a digital budget a breeze!

Rent or Mortgage Payment

Renters/Home Insurance

Utilities – Electric, Gas, Trash, Water

Cable/Internet Service

Phone Service

Car Payment

Gas

Car Insurance

Car Maintenance

Public Transportation Pass

Debt Payments

Groceries

Prescriptions and Medical Expenses

Personal Care - Salon Visits, Massages, etc.

Eating Out and Drinking

Entertainment – Movies, Dancing, Concerts, Shows, etc.

Classes/Tuition

Gym and Club Memberships

Clothing

Organizational Dues

Donations

Pet-Related Expenses

Travel

Gifts

Priorities, Part 3

Photo via Chris Bell Online

Over the past few days I've written about why prioritizing is an important tool in today's information age and how to take stock of where your personal resources are going. Today I am going to provide some guidance on aligning your priorities with your personal resource allocation. If you are not clear on what I mean by personal resources, check out Priorities, Parts 1 & 2.

Now that you've taken a clear look at where your time, energy, and funds are going and made note of what your priorities seem to be, it's time to sort out what you want your priorities to be and take action.

Carve out a good half hour to sit down and make a list of your priorities, what you want your priorities to be. What is important enough to warrant your precious time, your limited energy, and your hard-earned dollars? Don't censor yourself - jot down everything that comes to mind.

If you're having trouble getting started, imagine yourself the way you've always wanted to be. What do you see? Who do you spend your time with? How are your days spent? Where do you go? What does your living space, wardrobe, and community look like? I find this exercise really helpful for getting my creative juices flowing.

Once you've got a solid list of priorities, read through it a few times and see what really jumps out. Go ahead and start circling, starring, and crossing out as you wish. When you whittle it down a bit, it's time to take a second look at the personal resource log you made. How can you reallocate your resources to make the priorities you chose to focus on a reality? What activities are sucking up your time and energy now and preventing you from living the life you have imagined? Be bold, and if possible, cut them out of your life entirely. Now you can put your newly found resources to much better use - Towards the priorities you've deemed truly worthy of your time, energy, and funds. Towards the priorities that comprise your ideal life.

You might not have the time, energy, or funds to do everything you want, all the time. But by being honest about where your personal resources are going and prioritizing your desires for the future, you can be sure to make the most of your personal resources, and take a big step towards the life you've imagined.

Priorities, Part 2

Photo via Mental Health

Yesterday I wrote about priorities and why prioritizing is such an important tool in today's world of endless opportunities. So how can you make prioritizing work for you? And where do you begin?

For starters, taking time to set our priorities can help us take stock of where our time, energy, and funds - I refer to these as our personal resources - are going, and recognize where they could be better utilized. When we take the time to consciously prioritize our desires and commitments, we are giving ourselves the power to redirect where our life is headed. That's powerful stuff!

An easy way to take stock of what your current priorities are is to make a personal resources log. You can do this by creating a journal, chart, or spreadsheet where you log everything you do over the course of a week. Your log doesn't need to be too detailed, but it should include each activity, how much time you spent on it, whether it was energizing or energy zapping (this will vary for each of us), and the cash result (either inflow or outflow). Here's a couple examples:

Watched TV, 1.5 hours, energy zapping, $0 (you could prorate your cable bill here if you wanted)
Worked, 9 hours, energy zapping, $500 inflow
Dinner with a friend, 1 hour, energizing, ($40)
Played soccer, 2 hours, energizing, ($10) on a new team shirt
Showered, .5 hours, energizing, $0

Photo via Ask Miss A

The purpose of this log is to give you a snapshot of what your personal resource allocation looks like right now. Feel free to alter these categories or add more categories as you wish - maybe noting how you felt after each activity or who else was involved.

Once you have a week's worth of information in your log, it's time to tally up where your time, energy, and funds went. Take a look at which activities took up the most time. Recognize where the most money was spent, and earned. Note which activities zapped your energy and which revved you up. Finally, after looking at only your personal resource allocation, what do your priorities appear to be? Try to answer this question as analytically as you can, without letting your personal bias answer for you. You might realize that watching television or working overtime has become more of a priority than you'd like to admit, and that's important to be honest with ourselves about. Or perhaps you realize that where your personal resources are going is just where you want them, and that's important to see as well.

So what do you do now that you have an accurate picture of your personal resource allocation (and what your actions are telling you about your priorities)? It's time to reassess if your actions match you desires. Stop by next time to find out how.

Priorities, Part 1

Photo via BarryDean

Wouldn't it be nice to be a black belt in Kung Foo, prized sailboat racer, #1 parent, and homemade cookie entrepreneur? Or perhaps you aspire to be a top New York attorney, back-country skier, Habitat for Humanity volunteer of the year, and moonlight as a radio DJ?

We're fortunate to live in an age of endless possibilities. With the world at our fingertips, the internet age has brought with it so much information that many of us feel completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of advice, knowledge, propaganda, ideas, instruction, advertisement... (in short, info) that a single Google search can bring. And yet, the more we are exposed to, the more we tend to want as well.

Here's an example I think most of us can relate to: You're running errands with a friend who needs to pick something up at Target. You don't want anything from the store, but you go in to be a pal anyways. By the time you hit Aisle 3, you've got a cart full of must have merchandise you didn't have the least bit of desire for before you entered the automatic doors to consumer heaven.

Photo via KrazyCouponLady

I think the same concept can be applied to the buffet of information the internet provides. You see, many of us might see bits and pieces of other people's lives online and suddenly realize we want our lives to be like that too! We want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro just like that cool-looking earthy guy did on his blog. We want to bake fresh bread for our family every day with that great e-book recipe. We want to take up base jumping like in those sweet YouTube videos. We want to take adult education classes like Oprah told us to on her podcast. We want to do all this and more.

I'm not suggesting that the internet has done anything wrong - but there's no denying that it has exposed us to so many more opportunities than our ancestors would have ever realized. The catch is, we don't have any more time in a day than they did to take advantage of these opportunities. We don't have considerably more money to fund them either. So where does this leave us?

It leaves us in a position to practice some serious prioritizing - prioritizing where our time, money, and effort will go. Prioritizing may seem to some like a limiting exercise. After all, if you're setting priorities it ultimately means some things you want to do just won't make the cut. In reality, prioritizing is a powerful tool for making the most of your resources and overcoming opportunity overload.

Tune in next time when I'll be exploring some tips for setting empowering priorities that fit your desires.

Parkour

In following with yesterday's theme of the crazy and inspiring things people do (you can see yesterday's post on bicycle polo here) I wanted to share another fringe hobby that is quite simply a delight to watch. Parkour is sort of a combination of running, obstacle maneuvering, and ninja prowess. While not really a spectator sport, Parkour is both a mental and physical art in which practitioners use their bodies to fluidly interact with the world around them in an efficient, quiet, and natural manner. The back story for how Parkour was started is actually very interesting, and you can read more about the founders of Parkour on the Wikipedia entry here. The brief (very, very brief) version is that inspiration for the practice came from a Frenchman's (Georges Herbert) observations of the abilities of Africa's indigenous peoples and was put into practice largely by the Belle family (Raymond and his son David).

What's really cool about Parkour is that the entire practice is based on the natural movements and abilities of the human body. It is by not exactly a sport, and there is a push among many within the Parkour community to keep the activity competition free - after all, the practice is about self-development and it would kind of be like making yoga competitive... you just don't.

Now, since it is really hard to describe what Parkour actually entails (and I have likely done nothing but confuse you so far!) let's get on to the videos, shall we? Quickly, though, disclaimer: don't go trying to jump off a building or climbing up some sculpture at the park because you saw someone do it on my blog, okay? I admit, it makes me want to go jump over something too - but be smart and think of this as motivation to explore more of your body's abilities next time you go for a jog, not a confirmation that you can be reckless, scale the side of your neighbor's house, and not get injured. These people have been working on their craft for a long time.

This first video is a good intro, and especially good for the faint of heart:

Some great female Parkour:

And here is Daniel Ilabaca, simply amazing:

Lazy Sunday: Evening Grilling

It has been a 90 degree day in Denver, and apartment 303's clocking in at a rather cozy (ok, stifling) 81 degrees. The thought of turning on the oven is enough to make my toes sweat, so a no-cook dinner is in the works. If I had a grill, though, it would be the perfect evening to fire up some fresh vegetable kabobs and delicious Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage grain sausages (soy free and vegan, because the best grilling is done without cruelty) to accompany a crunchy iceburg salad. Perhaps some watermelon for dessert? Yes please. Dinner would naturally be followed by serious hammock lounging (1 hour minimum) and reading on the porch by candlelight. Ah...

Artist Spotlight: Ashley Collins

Mend by Ashley Collins via Diehl Gallery

The stunning artwork of Ashley Collins is truly unique from the layering technique (mixed media like aged paper and resin create depth and texture) to the sheer size (many works are 7' x 8' and 8' x 10') to the subjects (simple, neutral color combinations, words and print, and powerful animals). I love the stark yet full nature of the plain backgrounds coupled with striking images that are not overly complicated. To me, her style captures the energy of her subjects in an organic and unrefined way. Not only are Ashley’s final products inspiring, but to see her working in her studio is a treat in and of itself. Check out the photos below to see what I mean. To see more of Ashley’s work and learn more about the artist herself, check out her website here. 

Ashley Collins in her studio via Boise Weekly

Ashley Collins in her studio via Diehl Gallery

Caballo by Ashley Collins via Karin Sanders 

Life by Ashley Collins via Karin Sanders

Ashley Collins Work via Artmajeur

Dune By Ashley Collins via ArtMo

Lazy Sunday: Morning Reading

There's something so appealing about sitting down with a stack of books this morning, sipping iced tea on the porch, and watching the world wake up. Since I am at a lack of porch, or patio for that matter, and my stack of reading is of the academic variety, I am off to the library to watch my computer screen instead. With any luck I'll finish in time to watch the world fall asleep as I skim the pages of something entirely business-less. What are you reading today?

Lazy Sunday: In The Kitchen

Today has been a very lazy Sunday for me, so while my homework waits neglected on the coffee table I'm in the kitchen trying out some new recipe ideas. I have to say, it would be a little easier if the counter space exceeded 2 feet and my 1970's fridge didn't cryogenically freeze any produce that dare enter it's avocado-toned "crisper" drawers - crispy indeed. Despite the cramped kitchen space, I managed to concoct a super easy and so yummy sweet treat... stay tuned, I'll be posting the recipe soon! What are you up to this Sunday?

Simple Aesthetics

Photo via Stock Vault

I enjoyed my all-time favorite simple pleasure today - a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice; or as I like to call it, liquid sunshine. All it took was 2 organic valencia oranges and a little elbow grease. There's no pasteurized juice out there that can even compete on taste (or nutrition), so I've stopped buying bottled juices all together (apple cider is a definite exception, however). 

What simple moments of joy did you experience this week? In such a chaotic world, it's good to step back and recognize that sometimes the simplest of things can bring us incredible happiness.  If you still need some inspiration, here are some simple aesthetics to get your simplicity juices flowing.

Photo via Holobara

Photo via Library News

Photo via Photomural

Photo via Simple+Pretty

Vases by Reverie Daydream Boutique via Cup of Jo

Simple Poetry: The Haiku

Photo via The Painted Eye

Living more simply enables us to get to the point of things. When we free ourselves from excess (in its many forms), we have the opportunity to see the world around us more clearly and avoid confusion and distraction. When we free ourselves from excess communication, we are are challenged to share our perspectives carefully and accurately. 

Enter the haiku. This form of Japanese poetry is concise and follows a 5,7,5 morea (what we in the West would interpret as a syllable) structure. The rules of traditional haiku poetry are rather strict, such as requiring that certain seasonal words be used to reference the natural environment and the incorporation of a kirej (also called a "cutting word", there is no english equivalent for a kirej but Wikipedia tries to explain it here). But despite these traditional rules the lyrically challenged can rejoice, because haiku need not rhyme. 

I really enjoy haiku poetry for its brevity and clarity. It's amazing to me the emotions and visuals some haiku writers are able to convey in a mere 17 morea. Check out some of the poems below and see what you think. Note that many of these are translations and thus the english syllable count may not correlate directly to the 5,7,5 structure. 

The winds that blow-

ask them, which leaf on the tree

will be next to go. - Kyoshi Takahama

After killing 

a spider, how lonely I feel

in the cold of night. - Masaoka Shiki

First autumn morning:

the mirror I stare into

shows my father's face. - Kijo Murakami

In all this cool

is the moon also sleeping?

There in the pool? - Ryusui

Covered with flowers,

instantly I'd like to die

in this dream of ours! - Etsujin

Regardless of how you feel about the poetry, I think there is a lot to be learned from the great haiku masters. What could you be communicating more clearly? Why aren't you? How simply can you express your feelings? Now go ahead and do it! The more clear and simple you can be, the more effective your communication will become (and the less frustrating misunderstandings will occur).

No Impact Man Trailer

It is so fitting that as I blog about simplicity this week the first No Impact Man movie trailer releases!  If you don't know about Colin Beavan's no impact project, check out his website here. I don't know if I am more excited to see the movie or read the book, both of which come out the first week of September. Check out the movie trailer below. 

Simple Interior Design

Photo via Freshome

I am a firm believer that you become what you surround yourself with. Craving more clarity and simplicity? Clean the clutter from your quarters and you're well on your way! So, in keeping with this weeks theme of simplicity, it seems only right to highlight some beautiful, simple, and serene interior spaces. After all, simple does not need to mean boring, cold, or overly minimal (sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it?). Check out the photos below to see what I mean. I especially love the Helsinki Bakery design as it's a perfect example of how neutral, minimal design can be warm and inviting. 

Photo via Adelto

Photo via Adelto

Photo via Momoy

Photo via Momoy

Photo via G Living

Photo via G Living

Photos of Helsinki Bakery via Momoy

Meditation Techniques for Restless Minds

Image via Katrina Bos

As I mentioned yesterday, meditation is a great way to decrease stress and discover more simplicity (the theme of this week's posts) in our lives. Whether you are a meditative neophyte or you have tried your hand at a few different meditation techniques, I hope to introduce you to a few new ideas for calming your mind. In particular, since so many of us are running on overdrive day in and day out, it can be impossible to suddenly jump to a cross-legged position and clear our minds of any thoughts for an extended period of time. So instead of discussing some of the more intensive meditation methods, such as transcendental meditation, I'm going to touch upon 3 techniques that are good starting points for those of us who have a hard enough time relaxing before bed at night. So go ahead and give one of these methods a try today. Just 10 or 15 minutes of meditation is a great time-frame to start out with. 

1. Breath Meditation

A basic starting point for many new to meditation, breath meditation involves focusing our attention completely on our breath as we inhale and exhale. To begin, find a comfortable seated position (on a chair, the floor, even recliner will do) and close your eyes. Begin to take slow deep breaths while counting, for example inhale for five counts, exhale for five counts. You can slowly increase the duration of each breath as you progress in your practice to obtain deeper, longer breaths. As you count, focus entirely on your breath, on your rib cage and then your whole chest expanding and contracting with each breath, on the feel of the air as it enters and exits through your nose. Be mindful of your heart rate slowing and your muscles relaxing. Continue to focus on your breath and your counts - this is a helpful way to empty your conscious mind of daily worries and thoughts. For visual people, you may find thinking of yourself as giant balloon slowly filling and collapsing. For more visual options, see #3. If this form of meditation is a bit too quiet for you or you have trouble staying still, then try#2. 

2. Motion Meditation

For those who get a little restless when practicing traditional forms of meditation, give one of these physical meditative techniques a try. One option is called the "sweeping house" technique. For this method, you'll want to again find a comfortable seated position and turn your focus to your breath. When you find your attention wandering, take both hands and place them at the nape of your neck. Then, in one fluid motion, move your hands up the back of your skull, forward across the crown of your head towards your forehead, and finally flick your hands away from your head. The idea here is to physically scoop the mind clutter (i.e. distracting thoughts, worry, doubts) from your head and fling them far away. Repeat this motion quickly ten or twenty times, and then return to your breath meditation. 

Still not feeling the seated-meditation vibe? Try walking meditation. In this practice, we are still focused on our breath, but we also draw our focus to the process and sensation of walking. Of course, you'll want to keep your eyes open for this form of meditation and find a quiet, safe place to practice in. Again, as you count your breaths, focus your attention on the movement of your legs, on the sensation as each part of the foot makes contact with the ground, on the gentle rise and fall of your body. Should unintended thoughts arise (this means anything not related to your breath and the mindful awareness of your body's movement), try the mind sweep technique explained above. You my also find a visual component helpful: When I practice walking meditation, I like to think of any negativity I carry in my body as slowly moving from my head down my body to my feet. Then, I picture the dark clouds of negativity being flung out of my body from the tips of my toes with each step forward.

3. Visualization Meditation

For those who think and learn visually, visualization meditation can be an especially rewarding practice. These forms of meditation tend to work best while sitting or lying comfortably, eyes closed. Again, draw your attention to your breath as a way to slow your body's rhythm and center your focus. You may want to try incorporating color visualization, such as envisioning your body slowly filling with increasingly brighter color as you continue your breath meditation. You may choose a color that represents an emotion or state of being you wish to embody. Trying to calm down? Fill yourself with a serene blue. Looking to embody your sensual side and feel more comfortable in your own skin? Imagine your body is emanating a luscious purple. Are you a little more abstract? Think of your body as a garden, working it's way from wilted and parched to lush and thriving as you practice. Maybe each breath brings with it another blossom or more foliage. 

Another great visualization exercise can be found on Steve Pavlina's website titled Visualization-Meditation Exercise. 

Wanting more?

If you'd like to learn more about the many benefits of meditation and various ways to practice this time-tested art, check out the websites below. Many, including How to Meditate, offer guided meditation videos and audio downloads which can be very helpful, especially when you're just starting out. For now, I'm off to practice some of my own breath and visualization meditation in preparation for a great night of sleep!

How to Meditate

Learning Meditation

Meditation Center - Meditation Myths and Steps for Making Meditation Easy

Mayo Clinic - Meditation for Stress Management

Lazy Sunday: Evening Ride

It was too beautiful an evening to stay inside and my legs were aching for some work so an evening bike ride was the perfect solution. The warm breeze on my arms felt so liberating and by the third loop around the park I could feel my legs slowly firing up - each pedal stoke flooding those underworked muscles with blood and energy. Laughter and chatter from a few remaining picnics tickled the air, dancing my feet quicker and lighter until the motion became nearly effortless. When I finally worked out my restlessness I stopped long enough to snap a few photos and stretch, but the sight of my fellow two-wheel spinners had me back in the saddle after just a few minutes. 

True Value

Photo via Doctor2008

It seems since we’ve entered the recession everyone and their mother is sharing new tricks for saving a quarter here and a dime there.  “I take the toiletries offered at hotels”, boasts one commercial.  “I save on tea by using each bag twice”, claims my friend.  I would not be surprised if someone is advocating turning your dried sweat into table salt. Times are tough for everyone right now, but that does not mean we should suddenly demote ourselves to using low quality goods (or eating our own by-products). Rather, economic downturns can be a great time to reassess what true value is... and I'm not talking about True Value hardware store here. To me, value is not just getting more items for your dollar, despite what the Wal-Mart commercials may lead you to believe. True value is investing in goods or services that yield long-term increases to your quality of your life.

This belief is why I choose organic and natural foods for my kitchen, a high quality day planner with all of the features I need, and a properly fitted and well-padded Swiss backpack. Each time I eat a healthful homemade meal I know I am setting my body up for a long and active life. Everyday when I consult my planner and can quickly locate my to-do list, my monthly calendar, and the business card I need, I have the confidence to tackle everything I want to accomplish in the short 24 hours I’m given. And as I pack my bag to the brim with ten pound text books I sigh with relief, knowing that I invested in a back-pack that will not dig into my shoulders or misalign my spine.  Notice how each investment is not only providing me with quality service now, but it is ensuring that my quality of life continues to improve. After all, that’s what an investment is, right?

This week I will be blogging about some of my most recommended, high value investments.  Some are more expensive, and some won’t cost you a penny.  Some are goods or services, and others are personal commitments.  All of them are great examples of true value.  I also hope that if you have not left a comment on my blog before you give it a try! I would love to hear your feedback and I hope you will share some of your own everyday investment ideas.