A winter day in Stockholm

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

I needed exercise to shake down the christmas food so I took on my ski clothes and went for a nice long walk in the misty snow-covered landscape.

One nice characteristic of Stockholm is that there is water everywhere! There is plenty of open space. 10000 years ago we were covered by 1km thick glacier ice. The weight pressed down the land below sea level. The land is slowly rising but lots of water still remain.

Anyway there are plenty of opportunities for a nice walk along the water :o)

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

White snowy Christmas coming up!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

We have had several days of snowfall in Stockholm! Writing this I can hardly see the buildings across the street because of the heavy snowfall :o)

Yesterday was a pause in the snowfall, and I had a lovely walk around the city lake. It was covered with ice, of course, and a large number of herons rested there.

Stockholm will have a White Christmas this year!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Laying the puzzle of life

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Look upon your life as a puzzle! You are standing in the middle of the puzzle. There is a constant stream/flood of pieces come flying your way. They represent all opportunities that appear every single moment - far more than you can handle! You constantly make choices - select only a few of all the flying pieces.

You build the puzzle as you go, catching a few of all the pieces from the stream to build the puzzle.

Sometimes you catch a piece that does not fit where you planned to build the puzzle; you have to either dispose of the piece or build in another direction.

Sometimes you lack only a certain piece to complete a part of the puzzle... should you wait for the right piece to come flying or grab another piece and start building somewhere else?

Sometimes you put a piece somewhere in your puzzle only to find later that it did not really fit there.

Anyway this is a fun way of looking upon life!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Pieces of the puzzle

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A simple and fun little metaphor I use in order to understand myself and others is to look upon people as pieces of a puzzle.

We are all connected - right? And every single piece is important to make up the complete picture. All pieces are unique. Each piece is perfect just the way it is. But all pieces do not fit together well. There are many resemblences between a puzzle and people ;o)

Try it! I have lots of fun when I use it, and it honestly makes it easier for me to understand when I run into someone that I don't go along well with: It is nobody's "fault" - it simply that we are pieces from different corners of the puzzle!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Physiology matters

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Having talked about language, which is an easy way to improve how you feel about yourself and life.

Physiology is also an "easy" way to stay in the positive. Try greeting yourself with a wide smile every morning when you look into the mirror. Regardless how you feel...

Think about your posture... you will feel the way you look and behave! Feel the "hook" attached to the centre of your chest, pulling you forward and upward!

If you feel tired try to open your eyes really wide!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

When talking to yourself

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Be very careful what you say when talking to yourself. It is easy to make a disrespectful remark, like "how stupid I am"... Well: DON'T DO THAT!

Talk to yourself using empowering kind words! It will set yuorself in a positive openminded powerful state of mind, ready to take on any challenge!

If you don't show yourself respect how can you expect others to?

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Language!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

I have learned from several events with Tony Robbins that "language" is a good and efficient way to control your own state. And in practice I have found that it actually works! It is so easy to implement.

Always use clear, distinct and positive language, also when talking to yourself and about yourself! Avoid disempowering, vague phrases like "I will try to..." "I would like to..." A straight and clear "I will do..." is much more powerful and communicates more certainty and decisiveness. Notice the different feeling when saying it in different ways.

This is quite simple to do, and you will notice that people listen to you in a different way. And most important: You will notice a difference in how you look upon yourself and feel about yourself!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Happiness comes with age :)

Today is my favourite day!

I have noted that life only gets better and better as years go by!

I get wiser, more self-confident and more at peace with myself. I learn to handle difficulties and to accept things I cannot change. I learn that challenges are great opportunities to grow and become a better man. I learn that every minute is a precious gift to enjoy. I also learn to appreciate the "small" things in life: GOOD FRIENDS, a good meal, a nice walk, an extra hour of sleep, a shower, drinking water in the tap... there is so much to be grateful for!

It is easy to be happy if you just allow yourself to see and note all the miracles and beauty inside and outside yourself!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

People are different!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Be very careful who you socialize with! There are people of all kinds on this planet. And we are more or less "compatible" with each other.

I have learned that the people I have around me have a big impact on my own well-being!

Positive people are gifts from heaven! Practice a positive attitude yourself, and you will attract others like yourself. Positive, as well as negative tend to be contageous.

Some negative people make you struggle to keep your energy up. They talk about problems, make you feel pity for them. They drain your energy, hold you down. Avoid them!

Some people are unreliable and dishonest. Lots and lots of talk, but very little action. They live in the past or in the future, not now. You will hear talks about past victories and future success. And they always have an excuse for not doing things right now: "Next week/month/year I will..." "As soon as xxx happens I shall..." Avoid them! Even more than the negative ones!

Be with people who move forward and upward together with you and share laughter and pain!

Carpe Diem;
/Tomas

Positive attitude *YES* - but...

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A positive attitude is a very good character trait! There is always something positive in everything. To focus on the positive certainly makes life much more rewarding. No matter the circumstances a strong positive attitude makes you thrive and enjoy!

It is also contageous, so by being positive you can help other people towards a richer happier life!

Something to consider, though, is to listen carefully to yourself at all times. The flip side of being positive is that you might end-up staying in situations, places or relations that are not very good for you. Because you are positive you always find something good, and manage to thrive anytime.

This could affect your internal drive to go towards your dreams and goals!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

A great weekend :o)

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

About one year ago my mobile was stolen at a café in central Stockholm. It was the best phone I ever had, and I had downloaded my favourite music to it...  Since that I have managed with old, half-broken phones without music. But last week a dear friend GAVE ME a mobile, quite similar to the one that was stolen - THANK YOU! Today I went for a four and a half hour power walk, phone in my pocket and headphones on, playing my favourite music :o) I notice myself thinking: "they don't make this kind of music anymore..." Getting old - Eh?


The weekend has been absolutely awesome so far! Friday evening a visit to Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival with a good friend! WOW - GREAT FUN :o) And crazy fun stuff... How about warm beer with whipped cream? Lots of people and a great band playing their a--es off :o)

Saturday offered an interesting webinar followed by a game of ice hockey with my son. First game for the year at our home arena! The arena was filled to the last seat! After the match my son and I had a nice dinner together.



Now a nice warm shower and then go for dinner, as a perfect ending to a perfect weekend :)

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Learning curve

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Have you noticed how the progress of learning seem to follow an irregular "curve". At least for me it is a not a smooth curve at all, rather like a staircase with irregular steps. Periods of progress are followed by periods of no progress or even "regress". The length of the different periods and the speed of progress is highly variable. Phases of progress are often frustrating, but I get a distinctly good feeling when I reach a new level of knowledge! I can stay there for a while and enjoy the good feeling, but then it is always time to continue along the "staircase". Life-long learning!

This above seems to be valid in most aspects of life: when learning new skills as well as learning to know new persons and also when I learn to know about myself!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Time to go!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

It's in the air! Summer is over; days are getting shorter, leaves turing yellow, there is a different tinge to the air... AUTUMN! Today's warmth and brilliant sunshine is a bonus! Last chance to charge batteries and fill depots for the upcoming winter.

Migrating birds gather in flocks, moving around restlessly. Soon they'll take off: Southward bound!

"Something" out there is calling, urging, enticing... I can feel my body and soul respond - resonate - vibrate - YES! Been living here for 3 years - YES! I am done, I am ready, enough - YES!

Time to move on!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

A day to relax

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

An intense busy week ended with a very nice dinner and talk with my daughter on Friday night. It is wonderful to get a look into her life, and share my life experience with her.

Today I had a late lazy morning. No schedule for today! It is such a good feeling to to allow time to pass and slowly meet the new day, calmly thinking about what to do with it.

And today is a truly lovely day! Sunshine, crystal clear sky, cool crisp autumn air. It is interesting to notice how autumn come creeping in! There is a subtle but obvious difference in the air, temperature is lower, nights and mornings are darker and the green leaves are turning red and yellow.

Yes! I will spend a lot of time outdoors today! But first wash dishes and walk the vacuum cleaner :o)

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Nice restaurant, 9/11 and the Berlin Wall

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Yesterday I had dinner at my favourite restaurant. A somewhat old-fashioned place, with brownish-red sofas and chairs, brown wood decorations, dimmed lights, candles, friendly and discrete service and a very relaxed and quiet atmosphere. They may not get stars in "Guide Michelin" but they sure get stars and hearts in "Guide Tomas".

Anyway I enjoyed a glass of Cognac after dinner :o) and began to reflect upon big world-changing events. It is funny I have no clue whatsoever what I did on 9/10, but I remember exactly what I did on 9/11. I was at my desk at Ericsson, working with the their 3G system, when a colleague came up to me with a VERY peculiar look on his face: "Tomas, please open www.cnn.com and tell me what you see. Am I going crazy???" I opened cnn.com and saw the impossible happen: a jetliner crashing into World Trade Center. I distinctly recall the unreal feeling, and the turmoil of questions forming in my head. Word spread around the office and soon we were all gathered in small groups, calling friends and family, asking "What is going on?"

Another event I recall very vividly was the fall of the Berlin wall, soon 20 years ago. At that time I was in Nice, watching the evening news in french. From the pictures and what little french I knew I understood we were watching world history: "They are tearing down the Berlin wall"! No guns fired, no arrests, all peaceful! Two months later, around christmas 1989, the Rumanian dictator Ceausescu was shot. Two more months and me and my then wife ventured into Rumania only to find ourselves in violent Hungaro-Rumanian ethnical riots in the town of Marosvasarhely/Tirgu Mures. But that is another story!

Enjoy a lovely Sun-day and Fun-day.

Carpe Diem
/Tomas

Job hunting campaign

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

September is a good time to get a job or contract. Companies rev up after summer and plan for the rest of the year. A good opportunity to find a job or contract!

I have initiated an intense campaign to get a job or contract. Today is my second day of the campaign, and I intend to work 7 days/week. It makes my days easier to focus on ONE task, and give it my all!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Time!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A relaxed Sunday... Woke up refreshed! Got up and did some general house-keeping in home and online.

Time! This precious gift... We all get 24 hours each day. Question is what do we do with the hours! So many fun and interesting things to learn, family and friends to connect to, work to do, money to earn, house-keeping, maintenance and repair of possesions, travel, cooking...

We frequently speak of "cost" meaning the amount of money to pay. There is also a "cost" measured as the amount of time spent! We can borrow money from a friend, we can save money and spend it later, we can win money on a lottery or we can get a new job and earn more money... But TIME is 24 hours per day - period! We get it absolutely for free, regardless we work or idle or whatever. Time runs constantly; every single second is unique and passes away never to come back!

Today I will go for a long walk and think about how I spend my time! Every day, every hour, every minute every second is a precious gift! And I have the opportunity to "spend" it any way I like!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Live in the POSITIVE

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

It is always a good idea to practice a positive attitude. Life becomes easier, you feel better and you have a good influence on your fellow human beings!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Efficient day

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

And a very efficient day too! Got my dear bicycle repaired and washed all my laundry! And applied for a job, scheduled lots of auto-tweets for twitter and handled other business issues necessary at the turn of the month.



But most of the day was spent translating legal papers for a client that needed them urgently. I just delivered about half hour ago, so now I feel very satisfied with myself.

I will go to a pub for a beer. I need to plan the rest of the week so I will bring calendar and some paperwork to do there. It is very nice to get some change from my own desk!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Tomas the tomato

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!





Yesterday I took the whole day "off"; did absolutely nothing work-related during the whole day! My first day for a long time without work...

And today I have picked up my son and his computer from a LAN party and went for a nice long walk. I really need the exercise, spend too much time at my desk nowadays!

And then my friend MarieLouise called, she had picked lots of fresh tomatoes in a greenhouse and offered me some!!! Tomatoes are my favourite vegetable, I LOVE THEM :o) Look forward to pick them up later tonight.

But business first! Have to reply to an important email with questions from a potential client and make a draft to a powerpoint slide show.

Carpe Diem
/Tomas

POSITIVE THURSDAY

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Your attitude controls the way you feel! Positive language, positive thoughts...

Let us make this day a POSITIVE THURSDAY

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Sunday = long walk + online business

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

This has been one fun busy week! I am catching up on my "to-do" list and still managed to squeeze in time for fun and exercises:

I have finished translation work and a website. I had meetings to encourage several people to consider a webeditor/template type of website to minimize cost and effort to develop/maintain it. I have been to a 2nd interview for an assignment with an exciting company and applied for several other interesting contracts and jobs. Tried my wings at coaching/mentoring and found (again!) I can really contribute in a good way... and of course learn a lot about myself as I go :o) I attended several interesting webinars about business opportunities, each day I learn more about internet and marketing opportunities there! New ideas pop up all the time, if only I had time to evaluate and implement them all ;o)

Yesterday my dear neighbors invited me to attend their lovely daughters 3-year birthday party. Happy birthday Nicky!

Today I went for a nice long walk around the town lakes... I spent far too much time sitting before the computer this week and my body longed for some action and fresh air :o)

Still some work hours remain on this lovely Sunday! I will make it an early night, tomorrow morning I will get up at 3am for some experiments with internet marketing directed towards the US which are 6 - 9 hours behind Sweden.

To summarize - this has been a good week! I have ticked off several items on my to-do list and I feel I am catching up; getting my nose back above the waterline so to say :o) Still some distance to go though!

And writing those lines I hear my radio station play "It's my life" with Jon Bon Jovi... Ohhh! goosebumps of joy :o)

Remember IT'S YOUR LIFE!
Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Business meeting day

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A day of business meetings and discussions with colleagues and clients. I encourage my colleagues and clients to use a web-editor and template based website solution. For most people I think it is a far simpler solution than to hire someone to make a tailor-made site.

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Sunny Saturday

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

I wake up late, and look out my window to find an absolutely brilliant sunny day waiting outside :o)

I think about all the different possibilities we have for communication today... Talking to friends and business contacts in Thailand, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden easily and conveniently. The world is certainly getting smaller!

I think about my dear 88 year old father... What changes he must have experienced in his lifetime!

This earth is truly a wonderful place, let us take good care of it!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Sunny Sunday!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Woke up late today, I guess I needed some extra hours of sleep. A wonderful sunny Sunday lies ahead!

I will start with my usual power walk. I have some business issues to sort out and walking puts my brain in a creative state where solutions seem to come up by themselves!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Good Morning walk

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Woke up to sunshine! Had some fruit and juice, now I will go for a walk in the lovely sunshine!

Walking is good for my entire system! I get physical excercise, at the same time a very good time for thinking. The physical activity and the nice environment makes my brain work in a relaxed, stressless and creative way. I can highly recommend it!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Relaxed Monday

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY! ...As usual :o)

Try it! It helps me set my mind in a positive state and make life great!

I reward myself with a relaxed day today after the intense translation race during the past weekend. I had a nice 2 and half hour walk this morning. The bridge to the right is part of my walking path. Then a nice lunch outdoors.

But enough is enough! Time to get back to work again!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Translation day

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Time to finish my translation! It is fun and free work but every fun thing has an end!

Today is a nice sunny day in Stockholm, so I will take advantage of the weather and do some outdoor activity, get myself some excercise. My body was made to MOVE, not sit in front of the computer all day :o)

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Time flies!

Time really flies! Already Thursday, where did this week go?

We have a saying in Sweden that "Time flies when you're having fun" :o) And my life is a fun adventure, that's for sure! Nice kind interesting people to meet, new discoveries in my worklife, learning about myself and others all the time!

"In the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years"! So true! Who said that? It was Abraham Lincoln!

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Thank God It is Monday :o)

TODAY IS MY FAVOUTITE DAY!

Another inspiring day! Did some necessary cleaning at home, handled emails and some administrative type web work. Rest of this day is for translation work. Fun!

Carpe Diem
/Tomas

Busy Sunday

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Busy Sunday! I will do translation work in the morning, after lunch a business meeting to plan activities the coming week, and then go and pick up my daughter at the bus station, she returns from her vacation today.

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Continue translation

Continuing my translation... This is honestly FUN WORK!
Got stuck on a particular word now... Using web and friends to solve it. Soon time for a little break, though!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Delivery on a Saturday :)

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

High five everyone! I defeated my urge to go out in the sunshine, instead I sat ambitously at my desk doing translation work :) And I delivered!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Happy Saturday

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A nice long sunny walk in the morning, then lunch at my desk, reading emails and doing some other small things. The afternoon is set for some hours of translation work.

Sunshine outside is very tempting... Better stay focused :)

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Call it a day :)

6pm, time to close my laptop and go out for a nice cool beer in the evening sunshine :)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Carpe Diem
/Tomas

Exciting Friday

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

I need more hours to each day, to have time for all the fun and excitement ;)

Today I will continue my website translation work. I also have many very interesting discussions about life, health, work... with friends on Twitter, Facebook and http://bit.ly/14851q

Rain and clouds in Stockholm, so a perfect day to work indoors!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

First delivery

First delivery to client in the translation project! It will be interesting to see their feedback and way forward.

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Lunchtime

Going for lunch break. Be back shortly, ready to do first delivery on my translation project.

Have fun,
/Tomas

Working on a translation project

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

Starting today, I work with a translation project. A website shall be translated to swedish. Fun!

Interesting to use my experience from websites as well as my language knowledge for this project. And it opens up opportunities! Every time we actually DO something is a possibility for further development and learning.

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

On the road

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A cloudy day but no rain! Perfect for a drive to see my father in the town of Gävle. My son will go with me.

But first a few hours of work.

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

New article published :)

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

My latest article was recently published on Ezine. Welcome to click the "scroll" to the left if you care to read it and other articles I wrote!

The article is about creating your visoin board. Did you do it? I can assure you, it is great FUN! And it also helps to find out and keep focus on what you really want in life, and understand that it is fully possible to achieve it!

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Late lunch today

Too late for lunch! The restaurant was closed... Did some errands instead, and back for a half hour of Twitter, blogging etc.

"Nr 1 Thai" opens at 4pm again, only 5 minutes from now :)

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

Online business and lunch

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

I had an interesting morning with my online business, trying different marketing techniques.

Then drove my daughter and her friend to the bus station for her summer vacation.

And now: LUNCHTIME :) Going to "Nr 1 Thai" for a good meal.

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Cloudy Sunday

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

A new day waiting for me! Cloudy skies, so today is a perfect day for indoor work. Laundry, update my website, some paperwork...

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Nice long Saturday walk

What can be better than a nice long walk on a sunny Saturday afternoon? Enjoy the beautiful surroundings in old Viking territory. See horses, cows and sheep quietly grazing. And get good excercise while doing it :)

Carpe Diem,
/Tomas

nice day so far :)

TODAY IS STILL MY FAVOURITE DAY :)

Spent some fun hours at the driving range. Fun! Long time since I played now, but I still remember which end of the golf club to hold :)) And then a yummy lunch in the restaurant!

Time is 2:15 pm... there is still a lot of Saturday to go. What fun to do next???

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Good Saturday morning

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

This morning it is particularly easy to say those words :) Saturday morning! Long sleep, relaxed breakfast... No meetings, no obligations, not a care in the world! Sun is shining, warm, nice :)

Nice'n slow I will decide what to do with this wonderful day of opportunities...

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas

Post interview reward

TODAY IS MY FAVOURITE DAY!

I had my business meeting/job interview... Very interesting! Now I will reward myself with an icecream cone and a walk in the lovely sunshine.

Carpe Diem!
/Tomas