| Resources -
Island Wise: Lessons in
Living from the Islands of the World |
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| In her book Island Wise (Broadway Books, 2003; ISBN 0-7679-1204-7),
Janis Frawley-Holler reflects on memorable experiences she had while
visiting islands around the world, and draws the following lessons from
the islands and islanders: |
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Taha’a, Tahiti: Adopt Natural Pleasures |
· Be a flower child - risk to wear flowers
· Seek the healing power of natural settings - spend time with nature
· Water power - surround yourself with relaxing water
· Don’t forget that fire is part of nature - candles and a cozy fire
cheer up the coldest winter night |
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| Nassau, The Bahamas: Take Back Your “Sun”days |
· Put “Sun”day on your calendar - block it out for you and your family
· Make it a “no-day” - no work on Sundays, get it done on Saturday
· Turn off the alarm clock - live at your own rhythm
· Stir your soul - embrace spirituality |
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Sark, The Channel Islands, United Kingdom: Defy The Mainland |
· Assert yourself - become confident and independent-minded
· Stand by your convictions - be genuine
· Set limits - don’t allow yourself to be degraded
· Curiosity never killed the cat - ask questions |
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Prince Edward Island, Canada: Honest To Goodness |
· Keep your promises - take them seriously
· Be word-wise - choose words that invite positive results
· Eliminate “easy words” - don’t get caught on the spot, postpone
answers to questions you are unsure about
· Heed word warnings - listen to your body’s reaction to what you say |
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Anegada, The British Virgin Islands: Be In The Quiet |
· Gaze at the world - look at , listen to, taste, feel what is around
you
· Become an anti-noise activist - reduce noise pollution
· Your own private Eden - create a sanctuary for yourself |
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Key West, Florida, USA: Be True To You |
· Create your own style - let your appearance express who you are
· Say “adios” to compromising attitudes - live authentically
· Believe in the true you - have the courage to go your way |
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Crete, Greece: Develop A Health Conscience |
· Think “farm-fresh” - take advantage of your local farmers’ markets
· Join the honey bunch - cut down on white sugar consumption
· Decode the jargon - learn how to read the labels
· Give yourself an oil upgrade - use olive oil instead |
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Oahu, Hawaii: Seize The Moment |
· The present is a gift - live in the here and now
· Stay wakeful to catch the waves - get plenty of rest
· Adopt a surfer attitude - open the door when opportunity knocks |
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Hong Kong, China: Uphold Traditions |
· Embrace new traditions - be open to the customs of others
· Indulge in individual rituals - create your own traditions
· Investigate your family’s customs - incorporate your family history
into your life
· Take an honest assessment of your observances - explore what might be
keeping you from enjoying traditions |
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Jamaica: Practice Patience |
· Practice patience - what’s the big hurry, anyway?
· Learn to wait constructively - utilize waiting times to relax
· Stop whining - have ‘no complaint’ days
· Choose to defuse - when you feel your blood boiling, choose not to |
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Santa Catalina Island, California, USA: Be A Friend To Mother Earth |
· Watch your water ways - don’t waste water
· Care for the air - use alternative energy sources
· Use moral sense - don’t be a part of our environment’s destruction
· Live by an environmental mantra - waste not, want not; recycle and
reuse |
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Likiep Atoll, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia: Live Simply |
· Exercise your right to simplistic encounters - patronize easy-to-deal
with businesses
· Don’t overschedule - erase or condense errands
· Ditch the digital - insist on simplicity instead of high tech |
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St. Honorat, France: Breathe Well |
· Unwind with lavender - surround yourself with this natural
stress-reducer
· Traffic tamers - use relaxing fragrances in your car
· Fill the world with fragrance - perform aromatherapy on your
environment
· Aromize your atmosphere - use scents around the house |
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Isla Santa Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico: Unplug |
· Tune out - turn off your television
· Unplug on vacation - leave the lap top, cell phone and beeper at home
· Courtesy call - be considerate of those around you when using your
cell phone
· Don’t be e-diverted - the best learning doesn’t come through a machine
but through life itself |
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Chincoteague Island, Virginia, USA: Unwrap The Gifts Of Your
Ancestry |
· Story time - listen to and record family memories
· Ances-tree - research your genealogy
· Surround yourself with the spirits of your ascendants - keep grandma’s
quilt around you
· Don’t throw away your past - keep old photographs alive |
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Terceira, Azores, Portugal: Create Festivity |
· Plan weekly food festivities - food brings people together
· Celebrate everything - transform “ordinary” days into occasions
· Decorate your life - use fun props to create a perky atmosphere
· Fashion fest - set a light frame of mind by wearing cheerful clothes
and accessories |
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Borneo: The Heart Of Courtesy |
· Don’t be rude - consider others
· Mind your manners - show respect for others by the way you talk to
them
· Turn off sources of negativity - turn off disrespectful language on
TV, music, or at home
· Be courteous to yourself - set limits to what behaviors you accept
from others |
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Cuba: Follow Life’s Rhythms |
· Go live - experience live - music at least once a week
· Move while you grove - dancing is great exercise, too
· Serenade your day - music will make any day better |
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Baranoff Island, Alaska: Give Back |
· Revive thank-you notes - it is great to find out that we have touched
another person’s life
· Keep a gratitude journal - become more aware of the beauty and
kindness around you
· Impart from the heart - give more personal homemade or homegrown gifts
· Thank the blues away - override feelings of having a bad day |
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Jost Van Dyke, The British Virgin Islands: Steal Idle Moments |
· Take a soul siesta - have downtimes and play
· Group lime - have simple get-togethers with no talk about work or
problems
· Find your own Foxy - find a nearby place to relax and people watch |
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The Galapagos Islands, Equador: Creature Comforts |
· Make your yard into an animal playground - create habitats for
critters and wildlife
· Engaging critters - acquaint yourself with animals
· Get your animal “degree” - check out programs which teach you more
about understanding of animals
· Stand up for your animal friends - donate time to protect animals |
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St. Lucia: Savor The Flavors |
· Learn to use a slow cooker - re-discover the joys of slow-food
· Double up - make double batches of food and freeze half for another
day
· Kitchen timer - spend time in your own kitchen rather than in
restaurants
· Release your kitchen spirit - simple cooking is simply relaxing |
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Sjaelland, Denmark: Reclaim your holiday spirit |
· Celebrate the season your way - celebrate in your own heart-felt,
stress-free way
· Choose gifts from the heart - instead of buying gifts, give letters,
stories, or pictures
· Be charitable - give the gift of supporting a loved one’s favorite
charity
· Simply cut back - keep it sweet and simple |
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Seguin Island, Maine, USA: Treasure Tending To Hearth And Home |
· Make it fun - make chores enjoyable
· Get you hands dirty - pick your own
· Clear the clutter - a de-cluttered home equates to a de-cluttered life |
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Bimini, The Bahamas: Take Things In Stride |
· Get real - take a reality check on your responses to situations
· Charge up your power source - remember your breathing
· Smiles go miles - an outside smile turns into an inside smile
· Pack a spirit-booster kit - bring a relaxing activity for potentially
stressful waiting times |
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| Note: the words in italics are our attempt to summarize or paraphrase
the author’s comments about each lesson |
