This new year comes without much expectation. Forecasts seem lower than expected, and lots of changes have been implemented financially and politically. What really seems to me the real lesson here is that people's mindset need to be adjusted to a more common-sense approach to living. What I am about to say is my own opinion based on my own observance as a citizen. Here are my recommendations for the coming year of 2011.
Live within your means. Living within your own means is a principle that has been deteriorated by the marketing of cheap credit. I've seen people get many credit cards and live within the means of their credit rather than their income. Eventually, this scheme falls apart, and creditor come knocking. This is an obvious oversight, but people get trapped in it wanting to desperately become more than what they are financially.
Reevaluate your value system. How do you value yourself? Do you buy into the creed of the more toys the better you are? Is your value in the hands of the opinions as your friends or relatives? What are their values? This can be hard and confusing. If your able to identify one of two areas that need change, however small that change is, you can reap some benefits.
Making time for stress release. Its easy to keep working when you've been working for a long time. I think it helps to get some stress release. Find a hobby, spend time with your loved ones, do exercise, enjoy nature, are some things that come to mind. Finding what works for you to release stress is important. It may seem that in these days of curtailed resources that taking free time is useless. The mind needs the free time and stress release to change gears. In the end happiness may result.
Living within your means, reevaluating your values, and getting stress release are just three of the many things you can do to prepare you for the coming year. This is just my opinion and I make no guarantees about anything. I do recommend to take charge of your life and make the changes you need to make.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Season's Spirit
Reflecting on Christmas. Its a time of year where we celebrate gift giving and faith, perhaps the former rather than the latter. But I think I like to strike a different note, kindness.
Its often said that "all we need is love". Unfortunately we may find it hard to express love to strangers. We have become a society of self-defense. Avoid people, lock doors, don't look at their eyes, be suspicious of people, these have become our mantra. While those things are not bad to do, what do we become when its the main way of how we respond to people? We become inhuman.
Kindness is defined as "the state or quality of being kind" according to Dictionary.com. Quality, I like that word. What qualities do you have? How qualified are you? What quality defines you? Kindness is a quality. Kindness is a quality of love.
Did you know you can defend against somebody and yet still show kindness? It requires a cool head. You keep your defenses up, but you also find ways to show kindness to the person.
In this era of hard times, I think kindness can go a long way.
Its often said that "all we need is love". Unfortunately we may find it hard to express love to strangers. We have become a society of self-defense. Avoid people, lock doors, don't look at their eyes, be suspicious of people, these have become our mantra. While those things are not bad to do, what do we become when its the main way of how we respond to people? We become inhuman.
Kindness is defined as "the state or quality of being kind" according to Dictionary.com. Quality, I like that word. What qualities do you have? How qualified are you? What quality defines you? Kindness is a quality. Kindness is a quality of love.
Did you know you can defend against somebody and yet still show kindness? It requires a cool head. You keep your defenses up, but you also find ways to show kindness to the person.
In this era of hard times, I think kindness can go a long way.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Comedy to change the world
When you think about comedy, you may think jokes that are from your own world setting. If your from the United States, you think of stuff that perhaps Bill Cosby or Jeff Foxworthy has said. If your from Europe you may think of your own stand-up comedians.
When a people don't have comedians or enough comedians, then they tend to make fun of their perceived enemies. Its human nature. Comedy brings a smile and I believe brings happiness in the form of some endorphin like chemicals in the body. It causes people to put down their defenses and ease their attacks. I also think it gives the brain a pause. This pause is a pause from serious business. Have you ever heard a stressed out person laugh? They overly laugh. They are laugh louder and longer, sometimes for a half hour or so. Laughter is a needed thing for the brain and the body.
Wondrously and in the mist of wars and attacks and fighting and stress, comes these stories here and there of comedians coming from the Muslim world. What?! Comedy from/for Muslims? Isn't that a faux pas? Or is it?
NPR did a story on a Arab-American comedian. You can check out the story here. His name is Dean Obeidallah and he is in the middle of a Comedy movement that is being embraced by the Middle Eastern world. Apparently there are some young Muslim comedians coming out of the woodwork as well.
Comedy is a great medium. You can share almost anything with it. People tend to empathize in a comedy context. You can also share social issues from stupidity to abuses. Laughing at oneself is a very powerful empathizing technique form of communication. If you can laugh at yourself you can get the ear of the most hard hearted person.
Can comedy change the world? I think it can. I think it will also take time. A generation has to grow up with it and embrace it as their own.
Incidentally one of my favorite types of books to read are books written by stand-ups,oh, and also Dave Berry.
When a people don't have comedians or enough comedians, then they tend to make fun of their perceived enemies. Its human nature. Comedy brings a smile and I believe brings happiness in the form of some endorphin like chemicals in the body. It causes people to put down their defenses and ease their attacks. I also think it gives the brain a pause. This pause is a pause from serious business. Have you ever heard a stressed out person laugh? They overly laugh. They are laugh louder and longer, sometimes for a half hour or so. Laughter is a needed thing for the brain and the body.
Wondrously and in the mist of wars and attacks and fighting and stress, comes these stories here and there of comedians coming from the Muslim world. What?! Comedy from/for Muslims? Isn't that a faux pas? Or is it?
NPR did a story on a Arab-American comedian. You can check out the story here. His name is Dean Obeidallah and he is in the middle of a Comedy movement that is being embraced by the Middle Eastern world. Apparently there are some young Muslim comedians coming out of the woodwork as well.
Comedy is a great medium. You can share almost anything with it. People tend to empathize in a comedy context. You can also share social issues from stupidity to abuses. Laughing at oneself is a very powerful empathizing technique form of communication. If you can laugh at yourself you can get the ear of the most hard hearted person.
Can comedy change the world? I think it can. I think it will also take time. A generation has to grow up with it and embrace it as their own.
Incidentally one of my favorite types of books to read are books written by stand-ups,oh, and also Dave Berry.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Artist Writer, Soul Bleeder
As an artist writer I'm very much aware of the cost to me. Artists put their soul into their work. It really doesn't matter what the medium is, pencil & paper, ink & pen, clay, artifacts, chalk, buildings...etc...etc, its all a soul expression. This leaves the artist vulnerable. They react with emotion at the smallest complement or critique. It would seem wise to figure out a way to protect oneself from this vulnerability being treaded upon.
I have a friend who has been a writer since childhood. She was a prodigy in her time. Yet over the years it has cost her. It has cost her to the point where she does not want to write. She shouldn't write if she sees it as a form of past abuse.
Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr., to name a couple, have paid the price of their soul being abused. Celebrities have long turned to alcohol, drugs, sex addiction and a myriad of other things because their souls were being trampled on. Schedules, demands, and other pressures kill off the artist a little bit at a time.
Balance is the key. A soul needs balance. Balance with rest and balance with work is a must. When under pressure, the artist often feels frustrated, depressed, etc. Recreation can help and also meditation. Getting grounded, feeling renewed is the goal. Some artists best work is done when they were alone. Their thoughts come together and they can concentrate.
Everyone learns and think differently. Find what works for you. And be aware that it may change over time.
I have a friend who has been a writer since childhood. She was a prodigy in her time. Yet over the years it has cost her. It has cost her to the point where she does not want to write. She shouldn't write if she sees it as a form of past abuse.
Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr., to name a couple, have paid the price of their soul being abused. Celebrities have long turned to alcohol, drugs, sex addiction and a myriad of other things because their souls were being trampled on. Schedules, demands, and other pressures kill off the artist a little bit at a time.
Balance is the key. A soul needs balance. Balance with rest and balance with work is a must. When under pressure, the artist often feels frustrated, depressed, etc. Recreation can help and also meditation. Getting grounded, feeling renewed is the goal. Some artists best work is done when they were alone. Their thoughts come together and they can concentrate.
Everyone learns and think differently. Find what works for you. And be aware that it may change over time.
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