Time seems to have flown by again this past month - and I'm not the only one noticing how information keeps on coming to us in larger amounts, more quickly than ever before, while time seems to shrink.

I seem to stay afloat among all this flow of information, and on top of my daily responsibilities I have managed to even paint a couple of things as well as being a host for some relatives who were visiting from South Africa, taking pictures here and there (see the beautiful dawn of a morning in November), and developing a new project.

Which brings me to making a special announcement... I am writing an ebook which will be launched on the first week of January 2011: How to deal with conflict at work. Having experienced a difficult situation at work for about two years, I have learned many things which have helped me to maintain my internal peace regardless of what's going on.

I see many others struggling in similar situations at their workplace. I see them full of frustration, anger and hopelessness, as I was, as they try to find a way to be at peace at their job - since it doesn't seem to be easy to just change jobs currently.

So I'm compiling all the tools I've used and all I've learned about dealing with conflict at work, and I'm writing it all up nicely in an ebook. There will be a discount available for the readers of Dare To Play It Big - so keep an eye on this one - I guarantee it will be of help to you if you are experiencing conflict at work.

Until the next month's issue - keep well!

The other day I came across an initiative which will take place on November 27th in the UK: it's the Buy Nothing Day.

It's easy for all of us to see how, at least in the first world, there is this tendency to buy things - sometimes when we don't even need them - really! And so I find the Buy Nothing Day a great way to think about and to stop so much buying.

This initiative takes place in other countries as well, on or around November 26th - check the links at the bottom of the page to see whether your country is included there.

Find out more about the Buy Nothing Day by following this link.

The more complicated our lives get, the more we need to keep it simple, if we are to cope mentally and emotionally with the times.

That's why this month I'm bringing you a reminder of the seven simple things you can do any time which will help you to feel better. Many times the simplest things in life are the ones which work best ;-)

1. Get back to your breath. This is key. Think about it: breathing is the connection to life. The breath is also a gateway to a different dimension of existence - that described as "enlightenment".

Breathing properly balances our body and mind, and subsequently our state of being. To use the breath to bring balance into your life, make the in breath and the out breath equal in length for a cycle of 17 breaths - and feel the difference it makes to your whole being.

2. Listen to your body. If you pay attention to your body, you will notice that it tells you exactly which food it wants and which one it doesn't. For instance, sugary things may seem very appealing to the mind, but if you listen to your body closely you'll see that that's not the case.

Your body also speaks to you when it comes to resting and activity. As much as your daily commitments allow you to, take the time to rest when your body tells you to, and move about and stretch when your body feels stiff.

3. Take time to be alone. Nowadays we are more in contact with each other than ever before, thanks to the internet - think Facebook, Twitter, forums... That added to the actual face-to-face interactions we have daily makes for very socially busy lives.

Take the time to be alone daily - to sit somewhere quiet, with no distractions, just with yourself. This feels already very calming, as it allows you to let go of any stress associated with dealing with other people. It will feel even better if you can let go of all thoughts and focus on your breath, or if you choose to meditate.

4. Start anew in your mind. Sometimes we live in this funny paradox in which we may be feeling down due to thoughts about something that happened in the past, yet in the actual present moment there is nothing that is causing us to actually feel bad.

Now is the moment of power. Any time is the perfect moment to start anew in your mind; this is, to let go of the thoughts that make you feel bad and to choose a fresh start. Choose a thought that is pleasant, and keep on reaching for thoughts that make you feel good.

5. Do something that brings you joy. One of the most pleasurable feelings I find is the joy that comes from doing something that you like to do. For me it's writing, painting, making music, and many other things.

When you find yourself immersed in doing something that you like to do, a feeling of peace comes in, time seems not to matter, and you find yourself joyful and free from worries. What is it that you like doing?

6. Practice gratitude. It is so very interesting the way in which life seems to open up when we focus on choosing thoughts that make us feel grateful. For me it is specially amazing given the fact that being grateful takes no time or money - just intention.

Any moment is perfect to practice gratitude. Intend to find something that makes you feel grateful; it could be from just being alive to having clothes or having good friends... Once you've started looking for things to be thankful for, you'll find that many more come to mind - and you feel better and better.

7. Simplify. There is a saying in Spanish that goes "The less the items, the more clarity" - and I just find it to be so true. Notice where it is in your life that you have too many of something - clothes, emails, things you don't use - and let go of them as much as possible. This will make you feel lighter.

If you are interested in really simplifying and decluttering your life, check Leo Babauta's ebook "Zen Habits Handbook for Life" - it shows you how do just that to live a happier life.

I wish that this reminder comes to you timely - these are things that we can put in practice easily and which bring us more benefits that I can even tell you.

Keep it simple. Keep it fresh ;-)

Every month I receive emails from readers - some of them contain questions or comments, and some of them are contributions, such as a positive story, an article or a tip.

This month Vanessa, from the US, shared this piece of gratitude:

"I am so grateful for a God that Loves me unconditionally. Human love has conditions, but God's love has no strings attached.

I am grateful for food on the table, clothes for the family, a car to drive, a job that brings home money, no matter how small amount it is... I have a wonderful family... two beautiful children and a husband... we may be struggling to survive during this economy... but I truly believe that it's been a good, humbling experience that everyone needs to go through to appreciate what they do have.

I spend very little time giving thanks... so today I wrote myself a reminder and put it up in my cubicle, to take a break, and remember all the things I am thankful for..."

You can read this piece of gratitude on its page at "Giving Thanks".

Thanks, Vanessa! :-)

My friend Taska shared with me a short inspiring movie: "Our deepest fear" - and I find its message so true that I wanted to share it with you.

The movie is an excerpt from Marianne Williamson's book "A return to love", and it is narrated by her.

Take five minutes of your time to find out what's our deepest fear... this may just be the timely message you need to move forward ;-)

I believe that being grateful for something is one of the most powerful tools to feel better immediately. Here are the two thanking bits of the month:

Thankful for... writing! I've loved writing since I was a kid. I enjoy the craft - writing the rough idea, choosing the words that convey what I want to say, giving the text its shape. I also appreciate the resistance-releasing mechanism of putting things in writing.

Thankful for... for things being exactly as they are. Preferences aside, you can see that all that life brings us is useful in one way or another - whether to enjoy it, or to learn from it and grow. The more I experience life, the more I know every experience comes for a reason, and the more accepting I am of all of life.

What are you thankful for? Send me an email through the Contact Me form and let me know!

Care to send me your thoughts about this issue's topics? Email me and let me know!

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please pass it along to your friends, family and colleagues, or send them to the Dare To Play It Big sign up page. I thank you in advance.

Stay well,

Cristina