Our website (in Dutch): http://www.haagsevrouwenzaken.nl/
You can also find us on Linkedin. Search in groups for: Haagse Vrouwenzaken
9 HABITS to live to be 100+
Below some ideas to implement these habits in our western lives:
1. MOVE NATURALLY: take the stairs in stead of the elevator, walk to your supermarket and carry your groceries or take your shopping bag on wheels with you to be able to buy more groceries, take the bycicle to the gym in stead of the car, clean your house in stead of paying a cleaner to do this 
, same goes up for your garden: learn to garden yourself in stead of hiring a gardner…
2. Right Outlook -Downshift: Downshift means taking time to slow down. After a day of working/thinking do something to clear your mind: meditate, take a walk, do yoga, close your eyes and breath, put on your favourite music in the car and sing out loud shamelessly, break your routine and have a coffee after a work before heading home…Do what you want to do to downshift regularly and make it a strong habit.
3. Right Outlook -Purpose now: find out what your purpose in life is, because this purpose can make you live 7 years longer! Having a purpose activates you to reach out for that purpose every day.
4. Eat Wisely – wine @5: drink a bit of red wine every day. Read more about why red wine is heart healthy.
5. Eat Wisely -Plant Slant: implement beans and nuts in your diet. Off course eating beans is time consuming. Soaking beans during the night and cook them the next day for at least an hour or 2. But when you decided upon living a healthy live I advice you to overcome the time-limitations and learn yourself this new habit of soaking and cooking beans. When you are in the process of learning yourself this habit, think of the long-term benefits for your health and energy level and keep on trying to think of soaking the beans a day ahead.
It will turn into something which is integrated in your behaviour. Keep a variety of beans in your kitchen cupboards so you have a nice selection to choose from when you’re hungry for beans. Some beans are easy to cook and don’t need soaking, such as marrowfats and lentils.
6. Eat Wisely -80% rule: eat as much as your body needs. Dan tells us in his presentation that the 80% rule refers to eating your stomach full for 80% as the people in Okinawa do. As he says: it takes half an hour for the full feeling to arrive to your brain. I believe we need to listen better to what our body’s want to tell us. Get your mind and body connected again. Use point 2 ‘Right Outlook -downshift’ to get to your mind-body connection.
7. Connect -Loved Ones First: spend time with your loved ones (young & old), help your loved ones when they are in need and you will feel a strong sense of happiness.
8. Connect -Belong: believe in something which keeps you balanced, strong and healthy. Think of religion, a way of life, people you admire, your family and a purpose in life.
9. Connect -Right Tribe: hang out with healthy people and you will get intertwined with their lifestyle.
Good luck & enjoy a healthy and fulfilling life!
Do you need some help with changing your lifestyle?
Contact me: Chungmei Cheng of Orchid of Life -LifeCoaching
The Good Old Days
Do you remember the good old days? When you were young and innocent, drawn to whatever happens outside the house and want to have a good laugh with friends and kids you were about to meet? Well, all these questions bring me back to my childhood where I used to play at the back of my grandparents restaurant in Amsterdam. The memories came back to me a few weeks ago…
Drawn to Nature…
As the photo shows, a few weeks ago, there was a huge amount of SNOW in the Hague. One of the first things I do in the morning is to open up the curtains and I was welcomed by a snowy white view. Amazing. How many years went by without having played in the snow? Without even having touched the soft, but icy snow flakes of which you can build anything you want? The child within me, who used to play in Amsterdam, blinked the eyes, blinked again and decided firmly: today is the day that I am going to make a snowman!!
Playing brings People together
And there I went, to the front door, all by myself, but I wasn’t alone. Just like the good old days friends popped up and played with me. Can you imagine? My neighbours came outside to help me build the snowman. In the meantime it looked more like a icebear. All fine by me. It was fun, it was hilarious. An man walked by and asked if he could take a picture. He said: ‘It’s for my family in Nigeria’. Off course you can! But it wasn’t finished yet. He took a picture of the bottom of the ice bear. The situation put a smile on my face.
As we were grabbing snow and using our artistic views for the process more people came by. They laughed, made small talks and also took pictures. What do you know? Just by playing outside I felt more connected to this tiny world of mine; my neighbourhood.
So to conclude my story: KEEP ON PLAYING & HAVE FUN WITH EVERYONE AROUND YOU
The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.
Read more about the Charter of Compassion and add your name to the charter. I did too!
In December I gave a training on Passion, Vision and Mission. (Dutch presentation)
To get an impression of the way I work, click through to see the Key Note presentation.
One of the objectives of coaching is to help you shift your focus to positive things in life. A good exercise is to challenge yourself and list a 100 things you like. What?! A 100 things? Yes, you understood it correctly. I challenge you to see all the positive things in your life. Just as I will challenge myself as you can see further down the line.
Make yourself comfortable either behind your computer or at a table with your pen and a piece of paper. Gather your own inventory of 100 things that you love or make you happy. What do you love about you? Note attributes you like in the people you interact with throughout your day. What do you like about your current job or where you live. Think about moments which brought a smile on your face. What are your favorite things to do? What are the simple pleasures in life that bring you joy? These are all clues to what’s important to you and what you’re passionate about. Ask yourself, what are more ways that I can invite love in to my life? And notice what shifts in your life.
Let’s see what I like, I like…
1. food in general & healthy food
2. to cook & dance at the same time
3. dance salsa
4. get to know people
5. creating my own workspace
6. a walk on the beach
7. meditate
8. have a coffee with friends
9. brainstorm about concepts
10. coaching (off course)
11. being inspired
12. playing capoeira
13. learing to play Brasilian instruments
14. learning languages
15. Spanish culture
16. to discover new places around the world
17. baking healthy pancakes with the love of my life
18. magazines, books, newspapers
19. internet
20. walking in my neighbourhood on a quit Sunday morning
21. being outside
22. exercising, doing some fitness
23. helping my family
24. talking to my mother -in-law
25. organising dinnerparties with Luit
26. a clean house
27. going out for dinner, but cooking @ home is just as fun
28. watching pictures
29. cuddling a baby
30. to watch cats
31. to inspire others
32. the innocence of little children
33. my eyes, I have the eyes of my father
34. the curls of the love of my life
35. living close to the beach
36. visiting friends in other countries
37. speaking Spanish, more than I like speaking in English
38. reading a mail from a dear friend whom I haven’t seen for a while
39. giving presentations & workshops
40. sitting on the edge of the boulevard watching the sea
41. I used to dislike my knees, but know I like them
42. writing in my diary
43. learning to dance the samba which is tiring when you do it in the right way
44. taking pictures & film
45. watching movies
46. going to a museum
47. discover new spots in the city I live
48. reiki
49. Tibetan philosophy
50. Taoism
51. doing yoga in the morning
52. teaching aerobics, spinning, streetdance, steps
53. my grandfathers stories
54. watching my mom grow personally
55. listen to different kinds of music in different languages
56. professional networking
57. speaking to everyone on the streets
58. my lucky number 8
59. my Chinese background
60. eating with chopsticks
61. waking up well rested
62. to see kindness in people
63. promoting my blogs
64. when my blogs are read
65. I especially like the Turkish pizza just a 5 min. walk away from our home
66. I like talking to people in aerplanes
67. travelling on my own
68. food made by my mom
69. doing groceries on the Hague Market with the love of my life
70. to experience that my coachingskills keep improving
71. connect people to each other
72. colours of nature in Chili, Bolivia and Peru
73. sound of the sea
74. pictures taken by my sister; recently I was deeply touched by a family picture
75. sunlight shining through the window
76. watching it snow outside when I am warm inside
77. my gift of freedom
78. to paint
79. people sending me fortune (love) cookies from all over the world
80. learning more and more about different coachingtechniques I can use
81. our orange lounge seets
82. Orchids
83. comedy shows
84. sound of silence
85. my 11 year old Adidas sneakers
86. getting to know the family of my fathers side
87. to grab opportunities to make a difference in someone else’s life
88. marry & have children with the love of my life
89. to interview people about love
90. to start writing books which people will keep on their bookshelves for life
91. I like to finish this list of a 100 things I like
92. unexpected acts of love
93. dance on bachata @ home alone
94. express my emotions
95. make people feel welcome
96. laugh out loud
97. people who really made a difference in the world
98. taking care of my loved ones
99. the space in between you and me
100. following my heart, dreams and tunes in life
Coaching on positive thinking, take a look on: Orchid of Life -LifeCoaching.
