WHAT is it about children that just brightens up our day? Is it their innocence? Is it their unbridled joy, their looking at the world with wide-eyed wonder?
Sure, there are times when you want to tear your hair out -- tantrums in the toy store, screams of "NO!" -- but overall, kids just brighten up our spirits. When I hang out with my kid cousins, I always feel more relaxed. Gone are the conversations on current events, the stress of work, how money's so tight. Instead, talks center around what colors to use for Pooh (yup, I think I've seen Winnie in purple), how high you can kick a ball, how milk chocolate tastes better with strawberries than dark chocolate.
There was one time I was really stressed out at work. My officemate's 5-year-old daughter was at her Mom's desk, doodling. We'd talk sometimes and joke around, but during that day, I was super grouchy. While I was in the middle of a mental block, the little girl suddenly made an appearance by my side. She smiled at me and gave me a drawing of two fishes. The big one, she said, was Tita Toni. The little fish was her. And then she called me her best friend. My bad mood disappeared on the spot.
This made me think: What if the world leaders surrounded themselves with children? Our everydays would be so much brighter. Maybe if more of us got doodles from kids -- works of art, works of heart, then maybe, just maybe, the world would be a happier place.
November 2008 Archives
WHAT is it about children that just brightens up our day? Is it their innocence? Is it their unbridled joy, their looking at the world with wide-eyed wonder?
Sure, there are times when you want to tear your hair out -- tantrums in the toy store, screams of "NO!" -- but overall, kids just brighten up our spirits. When I hang out with my kid cousins, I always feel more relaxed. Gone are the conversations on current events, the stress of work, how money's so tight. Instead, talks center around what colors to use for Pooh (yup, I think I've seen Winnie in purple), how high you can kick a ball, how milk chocolate tastes better with strawberries than dark chocolate.
There was one time I was really stressed out at work. My officemate's 5-year-old daughter was at her Mom's desk, doodling. We'd talk sometimes and joke around, but during that day, I was super grouchy. While I was in the middle of a mental block, the little girl suddenly made an appearance by my side. She smiled at me and gave me a drawing of two fishes. The big one, she said, was Tita Toni. The little fish was her. And then she called me her best friend. My bad mood disappeared on the spot.
This made me think: What if the world leaders surrounded themselves with children? Our everydays would be so much brighter. Maybe if more of us got doodles from kids -- works of art, works of heart, then maybe, just maybe, the world would be a happier place.
I AM _______. Simple and to the point, this fill-in-the-blank exercise helps me focus on what I need to be or do, what I have to be or do. It's an exercise of affirmation, one that encourages me to push myself more and be happy with myself.
How does this go? Fill the blank with a positive trait or characteristic you want to possess. For example, when in a situation that requires you to relax (think panic moments before an exam), try saying the line "I am calm" over and over in your head. The more you say it, the calmer you will be. It's all about claiming the feeling and owning it.
The "I am ___" line also works when you need to finish a task. Try it when you're feeling lazy to clean your home. Repeat "I am decluttering the living room" in your head or out loud, and this can help bring you to action.
The "I am ___" lines I use most often are "I am calm" and "I am focused." The first line helps me a lot before a presentation, a time when the butterflies in my stomach are flying wildly around. The second line helps me when I'm getting overwhelmed with work.
Try the exercise for yourself. I hope it helps you get centered and accomplish what you're set out to do.
