August 26, 2010 · 10:19 pm
For some reason, there is nothing as wonderful in late August, as freshly decorated bulletin boards in a classroom. For me, once the fresh paper and border are up, the possibilities loom large in the classroom. Slowly materials make their way to their places and the room takes form. The reading materials nestle together in a knee-high cubby in my “u” shaped table. The handwriting blocks, pencils, magnetic boards and letter trays gather. The bright primary colors of the carpet squares scream out, “Where are the children?” The toys long to be held, played with and loved. The computers hum and the rest mats lay in wait.
There is something about the beginning of school that brings with it hope, anticipation, and high expectations. Everything is possible and nothing has happened. Every child is eager, well-behaved and angelic. Parents are hopeful and tearful at the same time and teachers are excited for the newness to wrap around them and comfort the nightly dreams of unpreparedness, late arrival and the unknown.
In August anything is possible, even under the blistering sun. The cool rooms welcome learning and provide a respite from the summer heat. In August there is so much to look forward to.
April 11, 2010 · 10:19 am
Change can be empowering, frightening, enlightening, depressing, difficult or exciting. Often change is all of these emotions at the same time, which is possibly why so many of us are hesitant to voluntarily take change on. Usually change happens “to” us, or we are forced to change against our will.
I have always been emotional during life-stage changes such as children growing up and entering new phases of their lives, weddings, births, deaths, and moving on, either to a new home, new job, new place in my life. Change does not come easily because it places us in an uncomfortable unknown place and we crave the familiar.
At some point though, we begin to crave change. We look in the mirror and say “enough!” Or we see an opportunity to grow intellectually, spiritually or to improve our health or our surroundings and we say “yes.” We initiate the change, and that is a huge step to insuring its success. Change embraced is change most likely to be effective.
I am embracing change. I have three areas that I will focus on: health, spirituality, and responsibility. I will change my health habits to protect my body and to assure my health by exercising daily walking, with yoga, strength training, pilates and Qigong (my new-found exercise area of interest.
I will focus on spirituality through meditation (One Moment Meditation), connecting with people I care about, and those I want to help and self-reflection.
I will focus on responsibility by taking responsibility to educate myself about the things I need to take care of myself and live the life I want to live. Those include financial responsibility, staying connected to those I care about, performing my best at my job, challenging my intellect and being there, emotionally and physically, for my friends and family.
Change is not something that comes easily to me, it is an area that I chose to work on. My life is not stagnant and my self-initiated changes are more likely to have a positive impact on my life.
Filed under change, Family, Life thoughts, Power Words, Walking
Tagged as change, happiness, hope, meditation, responsibility, transformation, Walking, writing, yoga
March 31, 2010 · 8:47 pm
There are so many ways to say “believe.” Thoughts Become Things, picture what you want, visualize, pray, to name a few. The real truth is that to believe is to create, and that creation exists because of the energy you put into it through your thoughts. This brings up the constant dilemma of channeling our thoughts towards the end result we want and learning to focus on the positive changes we want to make. I think about this a lot.
How can we learn to train our mind to go down the positive path? Is it so easy that we overlook it? Is it simply a matter of directing all of our energy in a single, positive direction? I like to imagine the belief as the pebble dropped in a still pond and the ripples expanding out as all of the parts of my life that will be affected. The pebble, however, must be composed of molecules of hope, energy, faith, knowledge, and love.
The ingredients for this pebble are gathered from special places along the path. Places that influence who we are and what we believe. For me those places are yoga, meditation, prayer, walking, friendship, family, gardens, books, blogs, and shared conversations. With these ingredients I become the catalyst for the ripples.
December 27, 2009 · 7:07 pm
I have been thinking a lot about happiness lately and plan on doing my own Happiness Project starting on January 1st. I have come to a few realizations about happiness. H.A.L.T. is an acronym used by those fighting addiction to remind them to take care of their physical and emotional needs before seeking outside remedies. They are told to ask, “Am I hungry, angry, lonely or tired?” because these are causes for seeking a cure for the negative feeling which is often detrimental to recovery. I think this acronym is useful for those of us seeking a life with more happiness developed by the creation of habits and a life designed to support what we want and need to feel happiness. Happiness is a feeling individual and specific to each of us, and must be cultivated. Often in the retrospective age of 50+ we begin to reflect on life’s real importance, but I believe that bits of this insight can be achieved by those young adults willing to slow down and unplug long enough to allow themselves to get to know themselves and their feelings and desires. Doing so could possibly provide a more satisfying life and certainly could lead to more happiness.
Happiness is not dependent on food, although it is easier to be happy when you are not hungry. The amount, or category of food is not the key to happiness, though I have read research related to chocolate having certain qualities that release the “happiness” hormone serotonin. Eating with friends and family is the experience that creates the feeling of happiness through the sharing of conversation, appreciating the food and slowing down to enjoy quality time with those we love. Eating alone can also bring happiness allowing for a calm respite during a chaotic day, the appreciation of the qualities of the food (taste, texture, color) and time to rest from external conversation.
Happiness is not dependent on the external actions of others, it is the way we process and handle the actions, that allow us to maintain our feelings of happiness, and to avoid being sucked into feelings of anger. It is possible to be disappointed, sad and angry and then to transform the energy of those feelings, through determination, and use the energy to fuel happiness. We have to make choices in our lives and if we are harboring people in our lives that continually provide us with actions that disappoint, it is up to us to release these people from our lives, or to accept them with these qualities known. Ultimately though, it is our choice to be happy.
Happiness is not dependent on external forces, in other words, it’s not the “stuff” that creates happiness, although the process of acquiring “stuff” might be a fun and happy experience, i.e. shopping. It is more likely the combination of spending time surrounded by people, either friends, or those also spending some happy time at the mall. How often have I arrived at home with my purchases and had buyer’s remorse, second thoughts and then returned the items? Malls were created to provide the sense of community that has been lost in the expansion of our society and the isolation we often feel in our busy lives and the mall is the new town center complete with options for all of the senses. The experience of shopping, or even just going to the mall, is the instigator for happiness, not the actual purchase.
Happiness is not dependent on relaxation and pampering ourselves because it is an internal feeling. I think a day at the spa is wonderful and one of my favorite experiences of relaxation and pampering, but it does not equate with long-term happiness. It is a temporary, “feel good” happiness. Short-term happiness derived from haircuts, manicures and massages are valuable and there is a lot of research about the value of touch therapy. I have utilized it myself during particularly trying times and still indulge occasionally, but happiness is not dependent on it. Happiness is dependent on the body’s physical state to a certain extent and that is why it is important to be physically rested. When we operate on sleep-depravation, it is challenging to be upbeat and happy. We are most likely craving the ability to just lie down and go to sleep.
The acronym H.A.L.T., though originated for those fighting addiction, can be useful for those of us seeking happiness as well, for while we can fairly easily point out what happiness is not dependent on, and how to avoid the pitfalls of false happiness, in doing so, the mystery to happiness is revealed. Happiness is self-dependent and within and the key to it is held by each of us, the choice to use it is ours. Unlocking our own happiness is a life choice that can lead to the creation of more happiness and the realization of what we want in our lives.
November 25, 2009 · 9:34 pm
Today I am thankful for many elements of my life: family, Topanga family, friends, health and the ability to continually learn. I am home with one daughter and two more on the way. Tomorrow will be spent with extended family and Friday we will honor my mom, making our favorite family Thanksgiving foods and remembering those no longer with us at our Thanksgiving table and welcoming those new to our table.
In a world filled with so much good (books, blogs, art, film, plants, flowers, sunny days and gentle breezes) it still shocks and saddens me that some in this world resort to violence, hatred, bullying and unnecessary cruelty whether it is for a fractured belief or greed. To these, I am thankful for a chance to change, to learn, to heal, to grow and become something better and more honorable.
http://www.businessinsider.com/judge-slams-indymac-cancels-defendants-mortgage-2009-11
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