I just saw a tweet by Cesar Millan that I like:
"Don't let the past hinder your progress. Let it go and stay true to the dream"
I like that. He knows what he's talking about when you're trying to improve your skills as a pack leader: dogs are not hung up about the past, they react to the energy you bring now.
The quotation transfers pretty well to everything else. Why remain stuck on something from the past that doesn't help you now but instead makes everything so much harder?
There are other quotes I like:
'I would rather get occasionally taken advantage of, than run through life with permanently bared teeth.'
'Don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today, cos if it was fun today, you can go for it again tomorrow!'
And Winston Churchill had a lot of brilliant things to say:
'Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.'
'We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us'
'The first quality that is needed is audacity.'
'We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.'
And one I'm often guilty of:
'The length of this document defends it well against the risk of its being read.'
Monday, 21 February 2011
Sunday, 20 February 2011
An exercise to boost your self-esteem
I'm really fed up with the negative rubbish that sometimes runs through my head (ker-klunk, ker-klunk, ker-klunk). Dark, dysmal, gloomy thoughts are such an obstacle to living life more positively, cheerful and brighter: when your sense of curiosity animates you, when hopefulness energises you and a positive frame of mind makes it possible to see things as do-able, instead of hanging back fearfully and letting the negativity restrict my outlook.
But when I keep telling myself the same old codswallop that I don't even want to think of let alone repeat here in this blog post, then trying to hit the off switch ain't all that easy*.
That's why I like the simple exercise as described in this article on the Gay UK News website. The specific bit starts a bit further down and is head-lined: Boost your confidence.
Making a list of things you feel good about, and re-reading it as often as you can! I really like the idea.
I do similar things, even though probably not often enough. I like to put up a big old sign with a short mantra or quotation. I place it next to a mirror or on a door that I use a lot. Anywhere where I will see it often.
I don't keep the same one forever. The shortest one said: Smile!
The corniest one was probably: I deserve it (I just about resisted the 'I am worth it' variation...).
I'm thinking of putting up a new mantra, it'll have to be something along fabulous lines. I could do with a bit of a spark in my life. (To be pondered...)
Other people do similar things with a photo, or a child's crayon drawing. The kinds of things that remind you - feeling more upbeat is better for you (yup, corny again).
Maybe it's the body's natural endorphins that lift our mood, maybe that's how it works. I don't really care, I just don't want the ker-klunk stuff running through my head.
*: I am not talking about depression. I do not believe that you can lift yourself out of depression by using will power. I am talking about the moods I get at times when negative thoughts do that carousel in my head thing. The kind of thing where changing what you think will change how you feel.
That's why I like the simple exercise as described in this article on the Gay UK News website. The specific bit starts a bit further down and is head-lined: Boost your confidence.
Making a list of things you feel good about, and re-reading it as often as you can! I really like the idea.
I do similar things, even though probably not often enough. I like to put up a big old sign with a short mantra or quotation. I place it next to a mirror or on a door that I use a lot. Anywhere where I will see it often.
I don't keep the same one forever. The shortest one said: Smile!
The corniest one was probably: I deserve it (I just about resisted the 'I am worth it' variation...).
I'm thinking of putting up a new mantra, it'll have to be something along fabulous lines. I could do with a bit of a spark in my life. (To be pondered...)
Other people do similar things with a photo, or a child's crayon drawing. The kinds of things that remind you - feeling more upbeat is better for you (yup, corny again).
Maybe it's the body's natural endorphins that lift our mood, maybe that's how it works. I don't really care, I just don't want the ker-klunk stuff running through my head.
*: I am not talking about depression. I do not believe that you can lift yourself out of depression by using will power. I am talking about the moods I get at times when negative thoughts do that carousel in my head thing. The kind of thing where changing what you think will change how you feel.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Little things that make me happy
I was thinking this again last week: there are some little things that make me very happy whenever I happen to do them.
One of them is how my white everyday china sparkles when I've done the dishes.
Another one is how cosy it feels to slip into a freshly made bed.
And when I finally got round to continuing with a crafts project I've been putting off for ages! It's just sheer and utter bliss!
Why does it take so long and so much effort to do things whose outcome I know I'll enjoy enormously? Just how contrary as people are we that we struggle with stuff that we don't enjoy, and then we don't do the things we actually enjoy either?? What is that all about?
How very odd.
It doesn't take long to wash up a couple of dishes in order to bask in how sparkling and fresh they look. And feel satisfaction from an achievement. I suspect that the 'china question' has something to do with whether the sun is out or not. On a gloomy, miserable day you can't exactly see that sparkle, can you? Also: everything seems to take so much more effort to get going with if it's a grey and unwelcoming day outside.
There is another little thing that I really enjoy: I wanted to buy a chain of fairy lights just before Christmas last year to put up. Couldn't find any. But I found some branches (painted white) with fairy lights on. I stuck those in a nice glass vase, a generously big cylinder with a nice rim, - and placed them on a window sill. I love seeing them twinkle after it gets dark, it just gives my heart a warm glow - if that doesn't sound too soppy. Yes, it does, but who cares. Right?
I think I'd like to do things like that more often. It'll be fun.
-
Another one is how cosy it feels to slip into a freshly made bed.
And when I finally got round to continuing with a crafts project I've been putting off for ages! It's just sheer and utter bliss!
Why does it take so long and so much effort to do things whose outcome I know I'll enjoy enormously? Just how contrary as people are we that we struggle with stuff that we don't enjoy, and then we don't do the things we actually enjoy either?? What is that all about?
How very odd.
It doesn't take long to wash up a couple of dishes in order to bask in how sparkling and fresh they look. And feel satisfaction from an achievement. I suspect that the 'china question' has something to do with whether the sun is out or not. On a gloomy, miserable day you can't exactly see that sparkle, can you? Also: everything seems to take so much more effort to get going with if it's a grey and unwelcoming day outside.
There is another little thing that I really enjoy: I wanted to buy a chain of fairy lights just before Christmas last year to put up. Couldn't find any. But I found some branches (painted white) with fairy lights on. I stuck those in a nice glass vase, a generously big cylinder with a nice rim, - and placed them on a window sill. I love seeing them twinkle after it gets dark, it just gives my heart a warm glow - if that doesn't sound too soppy. Yes, it does, but who cares. Right?
I think I'd like to do things like that more often. It'll be fun.
-
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Civility
Much heard online right now. A pretty important concept. Do onto others as you wish to be treated.
Which made me feel rather red-facedly ashamed when I stood in front of the opening tube door this morning and didn't realise for a moment that I was standing in the way of someone trying to get off.
Because that's precisely the behaviour that I utterly and completely detest!
You're on a tube train, it pulls into your station. You fought your way to, or nearer to, the door (or actually: you're just announcing your intention to get off at the next stop by standing up taller and looking very determined), the train stops, you see the people on the platform outside shifting around. And just as you're congratulating yourself on having a clear path not just off the train but to zip along towards the exit too: someone shifts around some more and ends up right in your way: smack bang exactly in front of the opening door. Usually with a really bovine expression on their faces: 'why aren't you getting off already so I can get on?' When you say 'excuse me' the facial expression then changes to something like: 'Well, you can contort yourself and move around me, can't you!?' - I can't even begin to say how much that gets to me!
And this morning, I'm stood there like an absolute idiot waiting to get on the train, and I just couldn't understand why that wasn't possible straight away. Not until that passenger said, rather annoyed (read: seriously pissed off): " 'scuse me!" I completely understand the annoyance, believe me, only too well!
I hope that my "I am so sorry!" and jumping smartly out of the way was really as quick as I hope. But, honestly, how daft of me!
I guess it's down to the fact that 'normally' at this time in the morning, no-one gets off the tube at this stop. I must have been half asleep still. But that's no excuse - I really should have been more with it and moved without having to be prompted. Common courtesy. It makes other peole feel better and it doesn't cost you anything.
I really must pay more attention, even when half-asleep and in my own little world. It's not a new year's resolution (I don't do those), but I'd like to be a bit more conscious of the world around me, and something like this is definitely a part of it. A big part.
I think I would like to think some more on the whole subject of good manners. Wouldn't it be so lovely if I could raise my game a bit in that area, sort of generally, across the board? That would really make me feel good about myself, I must say.
Here's to civility!
Are good manners important? What do they mean to you?
Which made me feel rather red-facedly ashamed when I stood in front of the opening tube door this morning and didn't realise for a moment that I was standing in the way of someone trying to get off.
Because that's precisely the behaviour that I utterly and completely detest!
You're on a tube train, it pulls into your station. You fought your way to, or nearer to, the door (or actually: you're just announcing your intention to get off at the next stop by standing up taller and looking very determined), the train stops, you see the people on the platform outside shifting around. And just as you're congratulating yourself on having a clear path not just off the train but to zip along towards the exit too: someone shifts around some more and ends up right in your way: smack bang exactly in front of the opening door. Usually with a really bovine expression on their faces: 'why aren't you getting off already so I can get on?' When you say 'excuse me' the facial expression then changes to something like: 'Well, you can contort yourself and move around me, can't you!?' - I can't even begin to say how much that gets to me!
And this morning, I'm stood there like an absolute idiot waiting to get on the train, and I just couldn't understand why that wasn't possible straight away. Not until that passenger said, rather annoyed (read: seriously pissed off): " 'scuse me!" I completely understand the annoyance, believe me, only too well!
I hope that my "I am so sorry!" and jumping smartly out of the way was really as quick as I hope. But, honestly, how daft of me!
I guess it's down to the fact that 'normally' at this time in the morning, no-one gets off the tube at this stop. I must have been half asleep still. But that's no excuse - I really should have been more with it and moved without having to be prompted. Common courtesy. It makes other peole feel better and it doesn't cost you anything.
I really must pay more attention, even when half-asleep and in my own little world. It's not a new year's resolution (I don't do those), but I'd like to be a bit more conscious of the world around me, and something like this is definitely a part of it. A big part.
I think I would like to think some more on the whole subject of good manners. Wouldn't it be so lovely if I could raise my game a bit in that area, sort of generally, across the board? That would really make me feel good about myself, I must say.
Here's to civility!
Are good manners important? What do they mean to you?
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Happy New Year!
I am looking forward to the new year:
+ I would like to enjoy the sunshine more when it is around (I can knit outside just as easily as I can inside)
+ I would very much like to call my loved ones more often on the phone: family and particularly friends. Keeping in touch is so important and it can be a bit challenging, time just flies.
+ I have my heart set on a few crafts projects - the next pair of socks will be easy to start, the next sewing project needs a bit more follow-through after the previous three projects failed.
+ I would like to investigate a few more cafes that might be open later in the day so I can pop in after work. Again to knit or just to sit typing up an email, we'll see.
+ More of the same for the point above: check out some of the public spaces like the Royal Festival Hall - I'd like to find out what other ones there are.
+ I am thinking about taking on more responsibility at work.
+ I am definitely going to post more to this blog, there are some subjects I'd like to remind myself about. Think them through as I write them.
+ I have other less well defined ideas that I want to be open to (what's to stop me from freshening up the French I once knew?)
+ And above all I want to live a bit more 'aware' if that makes sense. Not just slog along each day and resurface from the trance-like lull all too rarely, - but instead enjoy things more, think a bit more deeply and be more determined in going after the stuff I want. No Sleeping Beauty coma for mother's daughter! Let's kick that into touch.
* Most importantly: let's thoroughly enjoy things & kick ass...
Have fun and a fabulous first day of the year!
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