The song, Everybody Wants To Rule the World makes more sense to me when I hear it in the point of view from a powerful person's subconscious justifying their actions. Just thinking about what all is going on in our world today, it made me think about things that we should all be doing in order for us all to be able to come together and unite so that we have a more peaceful world. The quote from RUMI, "Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself," is how we should all be thinking.
There are a multitude of things that we need to just quit doing. If we keep doing things the same way then we will continue to get the same results. However, in my mind this is a negative way to look at it and if you know me or of me, then you know that I am always looking for the positive spin on everything. So that is how I will be writing this blog. Instead of we need to stop doing this, let's focus on what it is that we do need to be doing.
Let's begin with doing what pleases you. You have heard the expression that you will never be able to please everyone and if you think that you can, good luck to you. If we work on doing what makes us happy by not putting ourselves down and overthinking events that have not even occurred as of yet, problems have more of a chance of coming to a solution. If your integrity is in place, then the right people will know you are trying your best, including yourself. And, just for the record, my definition of integrity is doing what it right, even when no one is looking. Your inner voice is usually not to be ignored.
If drama is your mode, then drama will follow you wherever you go. It means that you crave being in a crisis and will purposefully, even if subconsciously, set yourself up for this. Today I discovered a new vocabulary word that fits here perfectly: "shananigator" - noun - a person who instigates shananigans. I am wondering if this is the best way for us to all come together to solve problems. Probably, we want to skip the drama and leave it to the stage and screen.
Sometimes that famous "box" gets in our way. You need to not think in the box. You need to not even think outside the "box." Looking at this in a positive manner is to just throw the damn "box" away and start embracing change. We really do not need to wait for permission to try new things. Instead of worrying about it, do something. My grandmother used to say that worrying is like a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it won't take you anywhere.
One of the last things that we all need to work on is to start believing that taking care of ourselves is critical. You have to be well taken care of by yourself in order to even begin to help others. You are not being irresponsible in taking care of yourself, you are being practical.
Remember the commercial, "Try it. You'll like it?" If you don't try, nothing will ever happen. We all are not out there to rule the world. What is needed is a coming together that we can agree to disagree, and to continue to respectfully listen to one another so that the best solutions to our problems can become unlocked.
This blog will be a little different, in that I found a poster that had some good advice about falling in love. So many times falling in love just happens and sometimes it is for all of the wrong reasons and hearts get broken. It is not always easy to follow any rules or guidelines of falling in love, however, there are topics to think about and discuss with your significant other before it becomes the drama that everyone wishes to avoid.
Some of the statements below are from the poster that I saw in a store which had anonymous as the author, plus some are just my very own ideas, now that I am so very much in love with someone who fits every definition and more of true love.The traits have to be there from the very start, unlike the play that I have seen titled, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. That is NOT ever going to happen in real life. (And that is coming from an optimist, not a realist.)
If you fall in love:
fall in love with someone who wants to know your favorite color and how you like your coffee
fall in love with someone who loves the way you laugh and would do absolutely anything to hear it
fall in love with someone who puts their head on your chest just to hear your heart beat
fall in love with someone who kisses you in public and is proud to show you off to anyone they know
fall in love with someone who makes you question why you were afraid to fall in love in the first place
fall in love with someone who would never, ever want to hurt you
fall in love with someone who falls in love with your flaws and thinks you are perfect just the way you are
fall in love with someone who thinks you are the one they would like to wake up to every morning
fall in love with someone who believes an ordinary moment is quite magical
fall in love with someone who knows it is the little things that hold the biggest space in your heart
fall in love with someone who brings out the best in you, not the stress in you
fall in love with someone who believes in you!
There are many ways that we can make our environment a more creative and inspirational place to work. First of all, I am speaking as a writer and artist from my own home, where I am in control of everything that surrounds me. This is much easier to do than if you were in a company's office environment. It is something that I have been working on for a while and will continue to revise things that I feel are not conducive to my creativity.
The starting place is with your mindset. There needs to be an openness and acceptance so that creativity can flow freely. Always be appreciative of your daily gratitudes, which means writing them down and expressing them daily. Mindset is the key to the creative process. Flexibility and persistence are key factors to success before you even begin to work on the physical environment surrounding you. They help in your workflow.
Know when it is time to continue to roll with the flow, when an idea is coming on strong from your brain to your fingertips. You have no set time. Your biological clock will set your working hours. Each person is different. For some people it is not even the same day to day. Find your own routine that works for you. Then if you are flowing freely with your creativity, you can keep going, just the same as you need to do when you are having a mind block. Use distractions to help you move on in your work instead of forcing it. Take a walk, watch a movie, read a book, meditate, etc. Once your mind is away from your work block, it will let you know when the time is right to return.
Have a comfortable spot for your work environment. Comfort for me could be quite different from other writers or artists. At the start of my day and when I am finishing up, I like a clutter free environment. A comfortable desk and chair, plus a soft, cushy sofa to sink into so that I can read, edit or perhaps just close my eyes for a moment. Music, not TV, is a major player in my creative environment. The genre depends on what is going on with my writing, editing or painting. Soft jazz and easy listening, along with classical music works best for me. It is good to try different music so that you are aware how it affects your work. If you work better in the sounds of silence, then that is what works for you.
For myself, it is important that I dress comfortably. There is a difference in dressing comfortably and just throwing on a sloppy sweatshirt and sweatpants. Dressing well has always been a big part of my working life. It boosts my self confidence of who I am. Nothing stiff and formal is required, just a happy medium. Because you are at home, you have control over the temperature that you are working with and your clothes may reflect how you dress based on how warm or cool you like to keep your home.
Pick a day or two that you work from another location for a while. Coffee shops are filled with writers and their laptops. It is also a good place for networking. It can optimize your creativity and inspiration just by the very fact that you are with others who have taken that step out of a day to day work environment. Many times this requires one to leave their comfort zone. It is very important to not become a recluse. Make lunch dates or brunch dates or just meet for a cup of coffee with friends.
Above all, keep flexibility in mind. You do need to understand your rhythms function and do what works best for you. Listen to your head and your body. If you need to be alone and in quiet solitude for a day here and there, then that is for you. Mix it up some and find what happens to your creative side when your environment changes. According to Peter F. Drucker, "If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old."
We all have a lot of junk in the trunk, or the attic, or the basement, or the garage. It just accumulates. When it comes time for moving or giving yourself more space, it then hits you upside the head. The question then is why in the world did I hang on to this stuff? What purpose does it have?
Now, I am not talking about valuable type collectibles such as Barbie dolls, vinyl records, comic books, etc. I am simply talking about old dishes, silverware, clothes that are no longer worn due to out of style and not fitting, pictures, pillows and other houseware items. Over the years these boxes pile up and we all have the tendency to say to ourselves that one day we will get to it.
Usually, that day is called moving day. The time that you know you are downsizing or a job has taken you to another location is when you discover just how much junk you have managed to accumulate. Truly, most of it would have been welcomed by the Salvation Army or Goodwill. They still will have open arms for most of your junk, it is just now you will have many more trips to make. Or perhaps you think that you may have a yard sale and come up with a few extra bucks. Unless you have usable children items or some possible antique things, you will be lucky to come out with fifty to seventy five dollars and a lot of work pricing and staging the whole process.
At this point, I would like to add that there is another place where junk can build up. Think about it for a moment. It is not material things; it is thoughts, ideas, facts, judgmental positions and even untruths that may have come your way through gossip and hearsay.
Some things, yes, you may want to hang on to for future references. (This is what I use Google for.) My husband and I have this discussion often. He can rattle off so many trivia facts that I often ask him why does he hold on to this information? Make room for new and important stuff, like which store is having a shoe sale the next weekend.
Let go of some of those preconceived ideas so that you can go into new relationships with an open and fresh mind set. Spring cleaning can come in many forms.
If you have not connected the dots yet, please allow me to shed some light on the subject matter to help you. Traumatic events in the news causes spikes of stress in all of us. There is a significant influence on our mental health with repetitive showings of traumatic and violent clips and images that cause even further extreme reactions from some individuals.
Media is blamed, however, consumers are equally responsible. We have the power to turn the knob switch to the off position. It has been proven that there is a biological instinct to pay close attention to potential threats however. obsessively researching traumatic events can eat away at our mental health to the point of not rationally thinking. The media can warp your world view if you allow it.
To achieve a more holistic way of thinking is to focus on the good news such as medical advancements, peace in some parts of the world, good samaritan deeds, random acts of kindness, etc. This helps our brains to balance out all perspectives of our world.
Look around you and you will see that the world is not falling apart and we are not going to hell in a handbasket, but the media would have us believe this to be true. The news can be and is violent, depressing and hateful as well as emotionally charged. All of this can mess with our heads. It is out there and we must acknowledge it in order to help stop it. Acknowledging it is not watching and listening to the same stories over and over. There is a difference.
Negative news can significantly change our moods and our own personal concerns. It may affect how you interact and interpret the world around you. Definitely a more positive form of journalism would benefit us all. It helps us to become problem solvers and not another problem in the world.
Sometimes it helps to turn off the TV and listen to the healing powers of music. When I put on my Pandora while working the other day, I found it interesting that a Simon and Garfunkel song came up called "The Only Living Boy in New York." As I listened to the lyrics closely I heard a line that said, "I get the news I need on the weather report." Hmmm! I thought to myself that is one way to handle the problem.
Let's not oversimplify, however, we need to balance our media intake. Yes, find out what is going on in the world, by all means. No need to replay the events over and over and over again. Move on to a positive position, shake it off, as best that you can and learn how not to add and be a part of the drama.
Social media such as Face Book, Twitter or others can do a person's head in if you allow it. There is such a thing as scrolling on down the page and humming to yourself, "Silence is Golden." Yes, your eyes will still see, yet if you focus on all negatives or events and ideas that bring your stress levels up then you are playing right into the drama. As an example, I did see in our news about how a positive idea was suggested and had many others jumping on that bandwagon. I thought to myself, there you go...work together to try to help unite communities. Only to later on see a well known journalist write about what kind of foolishness this was and she would not be a part of it. My words to that is that thank goodness we live where all can voice our opinions and have choices. Just as it is our choice to not take part in the negative impacts thrown our way every day.
We have not only the right, but an obligation to move on down the road to help establish a more loving and caring, positive world. So, where will you get your news from?
Today I read a statement that said a comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there. I shared this as my daily personal mantra with others and received many statements about how true this really is. I even looked up some quotes on the comfort zone and was amazed to find many statements very similar to this one.
Our comfort zones are beautiful places. We are happy and content being there, for the most part. For a moment, please think about exactly what that means. The most scientific definition of what a comfort zone is related to anxiety levels. Comfort zones will keep our anxiety levels relatively low. We are doing things that we know. Familiar activities such as watching TV, cooking the same recipe that we always have, or doing a job at work the same way that it always has been done.
If traffic is in a frenzy and you must go a different route, this will probably take you out of your comfort zone and add anxiety to your day. A little anxiety is not always a bad thing, in fact, it can be very beneficial. Sometimes we need a little push to take us away from our comfort zone. What we need to watch out for is the panic zone. Step away from your comfort zone to your learning zone where everything is not familiar and you must learn some new skills and try to do things differently. If you go too far, the anxiety level will be too high and nothing new will get accomplished.
Things in life don't always go our way so we must find peace in the learning zone in order to move ahead. Things are not always going to be in our little comfort zone space and if they were we would be quite boring. Just think of the people that you know. People naturally gravitate to those who have stepped out of their comfort zone because they are fun to be around.
Uncertainty is what brings on anxiety and takes us out of our comfort zone. New things make us put up our guard and take more energy, therefore making it easier to remain in status quo. Whenever you mix some anxiety and self-doubt with personal feelings or success is when personal growth can take place and your confidence level grows. You will have a more exciting life because you are enjoying more things that life has to offer.
Trying new things whether in your personal life or work life will expand your horizons and motivate you to do more and learn more. How far you want to push, in most instances, is your choice. In your work environment - not always the case. Changes can be dictated down to you and you then have the choice to embrace it or step out of the comfort zone to try something new or to be miserable and whiny. Go ahead and take a chance, just watch out - you may learn something new and like it.
Liberating means inbound thoughts or behaviors are set free. In order to have the independence of thought it is a necessity in order to express creativity. Life can bring us down and there are times that we need help to lift us up again. Or, you could choose to be more pro-active and use music before you must have it to help bring your spirits alive again. Music can lift your spirits, encourage movement and alleviate stress and anxiety in so many ways. We can listen. create, sing or play music to enhance our moods. It is a positive for our minds, bodies and souls. This is why we have it in every room of our home. Music is almost always playing.
It has been researched and shown that there are even times that music provides a more powerful impact on health than medication. Scientists are working on studies to find out the whys and hows of patients with dementia improve their memory as well as what impact music has on pain relief and stress. New studies are underway to prove if music may have an impact to augment immune response systems. In my words, music seems to be magical. Much more powerful than many realize and we should never underestimate the healing power of music.
This is all very exciting, however, I am bringing this to your attention so that educators and workshop presenters can use music to help their students and audiences become more creative and even help to make the brain more receptive to deeper critical thinking. All you have to do is become aware of the music that is out there, download it and go with what you are trying to accomplish. Many songs are actually on the Internet matched up to what it is you want the music to accomplish. (example: Music for Teaching Math, Literacy, History, etc. or even Motivational, Transitional, and Introductory Music).
Music creates a common experience whether in the classroom or a workshop, with Early Childhood children or with adult learners. It can make us smile, laugh, or cry. It manages the energy level of the room and can be used as a signal to transition from one activity to another.
Some practical things to pay attention to as you plan your music are to be sure to expose your classes and audiences to all types of genres. It should not be a constant filler, as they need to hear their productive chatter, as well as the music which was playing for a specific reason. Notice and be aware of how the different types of music show many different types of behavior, depending on what you need them to be doing.
The group can be listening quietly, singing along, humming the tune, playing the music with instruments if available and don't forget the kinesthetic learners who need movement when it is appropriate. If you are playing the whole song, it is a very good idea to have the words up and showing somewhere in the room.
Just to give you a few ideas that are entertaining, depending on what you are teaching and what you desire from your audience think about beginning with The Rolling Stones song, "Start Me Up." That will get a group motivated! Also, to help the group know that they are doing just awesome, the song from The Lego Movie called "Everything is Awesome" would be a great energizer. Don't forget to introduce calming music that stirs creative minds, such as Vivaldi, Bach or Mozart. Music that many may not be familiar with such as acapella groups like Pentatonix and even a Scottish group known for playing popular rock songs with a few familiar instruments, but the mostly unfamiliar added touch would be the bagpipes. This group is called The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. It would be a great idea to show this group and music on YouTube if your room or stage is set up for that.
The point is to just have a good time. Learning is fun and should never be boring. Music is most definitely liberating!
