Exercise caution when dispensing advice; remember the words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge: "Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind."
And have a nice day.
(But only if you feel like it.)
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
5/25/07
Indulge yourself a little. You more than deserve it. Go ahead. If you want to do it -- as long as it's legal and won't hurt anybody, including yourself -- do it.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
5/24/07
Just one today:
Hugs are good for you, both physiologically and emotionally. Hug more. That's it.
Hugs are good for you, both physiologically and emotionally. Hug more. That's it.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
5/23/07
1. Draw or paint a self-portrait. Do one today, and do another one every week for as long as you can. It will be fun and educational. Watch how they change from week to week!
2. Choose a short poem you love and commit it to memory.
3. At the very least, find a home in your mind for this old Japanese proverb about perseverance: "Fall seven times, stand up eight."
2. Choose a short poem you love and commit it to memory.
3. At the very least, find a home in your mind for this old Japanese proverb about perseverance: "Fall seven times, stand up eight."
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
5/22/07
1. Do something good for somebody else. It's important to take care of ourselves. It's just as important to help other people who truly need our support. Look around your community; you're certain to find someone who would benefit from your assistance. Act on it.
2. "Try on" a different viewpoint. If you lean to the left, try understanding where those "heartless" right-wingers are coming from. If you're against abortion, try looking at the same issue from the "godless" pro-choice point of view. I'm not suggesting you alter your core beliefs; I'm just hoping you'll see that there are almost always several valid perspectives on any topic.
3. Invent a "secret origin" for yourself -- like the kind comic book superheroes have. From what distant realm did you come? What special powers do you have, and how did you get them? And most importantly...what does your costume look like?
2. "Try on" a different viewpoint. If you lean to the left, try understanding where those "heartless" right-wingers are coming from. If you're against abortion, try looking at the same issue from the "godless" pro-choice point of view. I'm not suggesting you alter your core beliefs; I'm just hoping you'll see that there are almost always several valid perspectives on any topic.
3. Invent a "secret origin" for yourself -- like the kind comic book superheroes have. From what distant realm did you come? What special powers do you have, and how did you get them? And most importantly...what does your costume look like?
Monday, May 21, 2007
5/21/07
Learn to say, “Yes, and…”
The basis of all good improvisational acting is a simple game called “Yes, and…” The idea is simple: One actor says or does something, and a second actor builds on it. She does this by acknowledging the first actor’s “offer,” then adding a little something of her own. The exchange then continues: The first actor accepts the second’s offer and adds an idea of his own, and on it goes.
During this seemingly simple process, an amazing thing happens: As if out of thin air, a story is born. It thrives as long as the actors continue to accept each other’s offers. The moment “Yes, and…” becomes “No,” or even “Yes, but…,” the story begins to die.
We are all in the process of writing our own life stories. If yours seems derailed, perhaps it’s because you’ve been saying “No” or “Yes, but…” when you should be saying “Yes, and…”
(If you want to learn more about improv, there’s one book you must read: Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre by Keith Johnstone.)
The basis of all good improvisational acting is a simple game called “Yes, and…” The idea is simple: One actor says or does something, and a second actor builds on it. She does this by acknowledging the first actor’s “offer,” then adding a little something of her own. The exchange then continues: The first actor accepts the second’s offer and adds an idea of his own, and on it goes.
During this seemingly simple process, an amazing thing happens: As if out of thin air, a story is born. It thrives as long as the actors continue to accept each other’s offers. The moment “Yes, and…” becomes “No,” or even “Yes, but…,” the story begins to die.
We are all in the process of writing our own life stories. If yours seems derailed, perhaps it’s because you’ve been saying “No” or “Yes, but…” when you should be saying “Yes, and…”
(If you want to learn more about improv, there’s one book you must read: Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre by Keith Johnstone.)
Friday, May 18, 2007
5/18/07
Again today, just one suggestion:
I had a dream last night, in which one of the characters did something I believe is worth sharing: Every evening before going to bed, he spent a few minutes summarizing what he had experienced that day. He spoke this nightly review into a digital recorder, but I suppose it could just as effectively be done on paper, or aloud, or in one's mind.
I am aware that lots of people already do something similar, often in the form of a journal. If you're one of them, great. If not, give the "nightly review" a try. I will, too.
Two dangers come to mind. One is that while doing this mental recap, one is not quite fully in the moment. My suggested solution: Keep it short. The other hazard -- a far greater one, in my estimation -- is the potential for judgment and blame and shame. To avoid this, try sticking to a dispassionate recall of the day's events -- not a laundry list of "how I screwed up," but a simple, straightforward accounting of what went on.
I had a dream last night, in which one of the characters did something I believe is worth sharing: Every evening before going to bed, he spent a few minutes summarizing what he had experienced that day. He spoke this nightly review into a digital recorder, but I suppose it could just as effectively be done on paper, or aloud, or in one's mind.
I am aware that lots of people already do something similar, often in the form of a journal. If you're one of them, great. If not, give the "nightly review" a try. I will, too.
Two dangers come to mind. One is that while doing this mental recap, one is not quite fully in the moment. My suggested solution: Keep it short. The other hazard -- a far greater one, in my estimation -- is the potential for judgment and blame and shame. To avoid this, try sticking to a dispassionate recall of the day's events -- not a laundry list of "how I screwed up," but a simple, straightforward accounting of what went on.
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