Busy life? When was the last time you stopped and smelt the roses? Honestly … this morning, last night, yesterday, last week, a month ago? Hmmm. Is it time you stopped to smell the roses?

Stopping to smell the roses is a great saying. It indicates three important things we need to do regularly to live richer lives.

One – stop! Take time out to unwind and relax.

Two – smell! Use your senses. Fill up your senses with all the wonderful smells, tastes, sights, sounds and textures in your world. Sensuality means to use and appealing to the senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.

And three – roses! Nature! Get out there. It’s a big world with some fantastic experiences and things to see and do.

One of the great strategies I teach is called SASTR – Stop And Smell The Roses. I encourage people to choose small, easy ways to stop and appreciate the miracle of living each day. And they only have to be simple things, like doing some simple breathing exercises each morning or night, taking five minutes out of each day to experience nature, or spending fifteen quality minutes a day on planning your goals and dreams. Perhaps you like to spend time with your partner, or children, or pet. Or maybe it’s taking a long walk, a long bath, or a long lunch (my favourite!)

Personally, I love going to a café each morning, and over a hot latte, planning my day and savouring the morning air. Whatever it is, make it simple and achievable. Because TIME is a major factor for most people on the earth, so it’s got be achievable and simple, simply to fit it in to our busy lives.

Or … your SASTR might be to actually plan more time to do what you consider important in your life – rather than trying to SQUEEZE in SASTR time and activities. SASTR, as a habit, a strategy, is important if we’re serious about living quality lives. And one way to make SASTR habitual is to plan SASTR time in your diary or calendar. Develop the HABIT of planning other things around your SASTR time, not the other way around, or it’ll never happen. SASTR should be first on your list. If you don’t believe me, let me ask you this question: When you’re 95 years old, and reflecting back over your life, will you regret that washing you didn’t hang out in time, or getting that project to your boss 5 minutes earlier, or buying that black shirt instead of the blue? Or will you regret not having had more fun, done more things, travelled more? I’ll bet the latter. Infact, research shows that when people are nearing death, or dying, they most certainly regret not having had more fun!

So, would you like to SASTR more often, and with more oomph?

Here’s a few tips for staying loose and practicing SASTR:

• Stay loose
• Learn to watch snails
• Plant impossible gardens
• Invite someone dangerous for tea
• Make little signs that say YES and post them all over your house
• Make friends with freedom and uncertainty

• Look forward to dreams
• Cry during movies
• Swing as high as you can on a swing-set by moonlight
• Cultivate moods and refuse to be responsible
• DO IT FOR LOVE
• Take lots of naps
• Give money away
• Do it now – the money will follow
• Believe in magic
• Laugh a lot
• Celebrate every gorgeous moment
• Take moon baths
• Have a wild imagination
• Dream of perfect calm
• Draw on walls
• Read everyday
• Imagine your are magic and can fly
• Giggle with children
• Listen to old people
• Open up and dive in
• BE FREE
• Drive away fear
• Play with everything
• Entertain your inner child
• YOU ARE INNOCENT
• Build a house with blankets
• Get wet in the rain
• Hug trees
• Write love letters

Make sure you enjoy some SASTR time everyday!