Category: Self Improvement

The Rhythm of back to school

8/27/2014

It's that time--back to school. A time that incites a multitude of reactions depending on who you poll. Parents are relieved, teachers are frantic and many kids are bemoaning the end of summer fun. As someone who's been a student even longer than I've been a teacher and a parent, I can honestly say that I enjoy the energy of "back to school." I like to think that it really doesn't matter if you'll be attending classes or not, one can still approach this time of year with the mentality of a student. What I mean is that this is the chance for a fresh start, a new endeavor or a changed outlook. The beginning of a new school year, even for those not attending, presents the opportunity for re-evaluation and change. Why not embrace it?

I'm actually a little surprised that I get so excited about the new school year given an early trauma in the first grade. Let me share my sob story. As so many students do, I had gone shopping with my mother to buy my school supplies for the new year. I was especially proud of two big fat pencils, one in shimmery emerald green, the other sparkly hot pink. What was cool about these pencils, to my mind, was that each had a matching eraser on the end. Between that and the shimmer, I thought they were pretty special. As it turned out, my first grade teacher was a bit of a battle-axe. With an iron grey bouffant and a stern voice, she made it clear from the onset that she brooked no nonsense. One of her first admonishments was to behave or she'd choose a ruler from her rather large pack of rulers (held together by a big rubberband) and smack the back of your hand with it. Then she proceeded to explain other rules in her classroom. You were to have a writing utensil every day and as she said this, she moved over to my desk and picked up my pretty green pencil with the green eraser. She showed it to the class (I'm thinking, of course, "YES--my pencil is awesome"). She then produced a large set of scissors and said, "see this eraser, I'd better not see you using any erasers or I'll cut them off." And with that she guillotined my lovely new pencil. I was both heartbroken and terrified. Her reasoning was YOU'LL LEARN TO DO THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. Now, I can appreciate her inclination to stress that sloppy work isn't productive or helpful, but really--first-graders can't erase their mistakes? We all spent the year trying to wipe away errors on worksheets with spit on our fingers. Is it any wonder that I still mentally beat myself up any time I make an error? I have since used that experience to emphasize to my students that taking risks is part of learning. We have to stretch ourselves or we don't grow, and that means making mistakes.

It is a wonder to me that given this experience I still love when the school supplies appear in the stores. I like organizing my planner and thinking about tools I'll use throughout the year to be better organized than ever. I enjoy thinking about something new I might try in the classroom. I like re-organizing my closets and clothes. I like the feeling that here, two-thirds of the way through the year, I have the chance for a "reset". It feels like a shot at redemption. Combine this with the great weather of early fall and the energy is electric.

So, some ideas to bring a "new school year" mentality to your life:

Get yourself some fresh "school" supplies. Are you always hunting for a pen, or a pad of paper, or a stapler? Now's the time to get what you need with more choices in the stores than usual.
Add something new to your exercise routine--like a daily walk (while the weather is nice). Perhaps get a pedometer.
Take inventory of how you are eating. Summer tends to be a time when perhaps we overindulge in cool treats or county fair fare. Get back to simple flavors favoring lots of greens, squashes, tomatoes and fresh stone fruits.
Take up a new hobby or area of study. You don't have to be an official student to take up a new course of study. My suggestion would be our Art of Living September Mini-Course (of course) http://www.yourartofliving.com/store/p12/Month_Mini-Course%3A_September.html
Clean out your closet. Make a bag for charity and keep a list of things you need to buy or replace to put together good outfits everyday.

Get in that "back-to-school" mode and enjoy the fresh energy and approach to life that can accompany it. As always, smile, study hard, and play nice with others!

Artfully yours, Lisabeth

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the power of playing

8/8/2014

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Cubs face off, by john storr

I'm thinking today about the power of play. School has not yet started, and so my daughter and I had the afternoon to spend together doing whatever we wanted. Her continual plea: "Play with me!" Why is it that as adults we forget the importance, the POWER, of play, for ourselves and our children? Play serves important psychological and physiological functions, and yet it tends to be ignored in the daily busy-ness of our lives. Animal research shows that not only do lots of different types of mammals play, but that not to do so can have a detrimental impact on their health. We know from artifact collections that mankind has always invented games with which to occupy their time, entertain themselves, and develop certain skill sets.

Now, let me emphasize that by "play" I don't mean playing organized sports, or taking part in a scout troop, or going to summer language camp, or rocket camp, or a Suzuki violin intensive. I mean spontaneous, creative, unstructured, unencumbered-by-expectations play. I was reminded of the difference after my daughter's plea to play. See I had bought her a couple of "ballerina Barbies." They were inexpensive, yet I felt the need to justify the purchases by saying to her (and myself) "you aren't going to be interested in Barbie dolls for too much longer, so sure, let's get them." When she asked me to play with her, what she wanted was for me to watch her perform a ballet with her various ballerina Barbies, including the new ones. I am ashamed to admit, the prospect didn't thrill me, but I also realized that I was being unreasonable if I said no to her request.

After I acquiesed, my daughter proceeded to "build" a stage on the dining room table. Cleverly using my centerpiece and various odds and ends from her play room, she created costumes for her dolls and three set changes. With the "classical ballet" station on Pandora playing in the background, she spontaneously performed "The Rose Princess" ballet. I was surprised and delighted by her enterprising instincts. She managed to convey a storyline through various scenes, was extremely dexterous in having her dolls "dance" and even managed to hold her audience's interest (the impatient ME). Most engaging was watching the look of rapt concentration and exultation on her face. In a world where young people are too often exposed to overtly sexual messages, are inundated with social media, and saddled with the need to use their time for activities to "get ahead" (too many camps and enrichment opportunities), casual play--interest in things like dollies at age twelve--can fall away or be perceived as ridiculous. Yet through watching her play, I saw my daughter's best qualities of innocence, resourcefulness and creativity come out. She had me thinking about how I would play similar sorts of games with my dolls (but I never ever had an audience). She reminded me of how much fun it is to invent, make do, re-purpose toys and items from the house and to use your imagination. So many toys today are crafted to be all-inclusive and prescriptive (think Lego building sets). So much of our adult lives is designed to be prescriptive and pre-fabricated: our meals, our outfits, our desires and goals, our personal and professional benchmarks.

So how do we loosen up, lighten up, become more playful? Some suggestions:

Turn off the television and go outside to throw a frisbee, play catch, play informal badminton or volleyball. No scores, no "working on improving the accuracy of your throwing"--just enjoy the leisurely pace, the movement, the laughter and the talk that will ensue.
Invite others to play. Instead of scheduled playdates, how about an informal game of foursquare in the driveway with whoever happens to be around/available?
Bring back board games and card games!
Do a jigsaw puzzle, put on some fun music in the background, make some tea or hot chocolate and go to it!
Charades. No equipment required.
For adults: Trivia nights at pubs.
Also for adults: Don't forget bedroom play. Doesn't have to be elaborate, but bring back some lightheartedness. Laugh at yourselves and have fun.

For those interested in learning more about the research and history of play, I'd recommend Diane Ackerman's Deep Play and David Elkind's The Power of Play. I'm also including a link to an article/exhibit devoted to deep play:
http://www.missoulaartmuseum.org/files/documents/exhibits/Deep_Play_essay.pdf

Most importantly, just do it. Make play--the removal of objectives and the sheer freedom to exult in whatever you are doing--an essential part of your life.

Playfully and artfully yours, --Lisabeth

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Feeling a little italian

7/15/2014

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Me ordering a cappuccino from our favorite barista

Since returning from my trip to Rome and Tuscany, I've been feeling "a little Italian." More pointedly, I've been trying to incorporate some of the best elements of what I experienced in Italy into my daily life without spending a ton of money our being unrealistic. To my mind, this is what makes travel transforming and expanding. I've read lots of travel memoirs, including Frances Mayes' many works on Tuscany. I adore her facility with language and appreciate her insights into adopting another culture, but let's get real: I won't be purchasing a villa in Italy or shipping back expensive antiques or opening my own winery. Her work deals with the art of transformation, but on a grandiose, high-budget scale. Most of us cannot fathom or manage such life-changing projects and I would argue that we don't have to. My "coffee quest" illustrates the point.

Everyday in Rome, my husband and I went to this little coffee bar around the corner and had a cappuccino and a pastry to start our morning. (I'm not continuing the pastry habit, since that wouldn't be good for me, and to be honest, I only like pastry when traveling). However, I noticed that having a good cappuccino in the morning was a truly nice way to start the day and seemed to have a better effect on me physically and mentally than the cups of drip coffee with no sugar--but way too much cream--that I have been normally slugging down each day. Part of this has to do with the quality of the coffee (hotter, fresher, stronger) and the fact that heating the milk makes it far more digestible. (Look into a pan in which you've heated milk and you'll see the solids left behind--clean right away if you know what is good for you!) Part of the joy I experienced with my Italian coffee was the ritual and part was the product. Now I had to figure out, how do I replicate this at home?

Being an academic, my first line of attack is always to dive into research. I went on Amazon and started investigating espresso makers. Whoa--even I was not prepared for the deluge of information. What distressed me most was the variety of opinions out there and the amount of specific, negative feedback on nearly every machine regardless of price. I came to the conclusion that I could spend a lot of money on a piece of equipment that produced a lukewarm, weak cup of coffee.

And here's the thing: I'm cheap and not looking to spend a fortune, especially without guaranteed results. With my research, I kept coming back to simplicity. Why not try the traditional Bialetti espresso pot? These little beauties, made of aluminum with a bakelite handle have been gracing European kitchens since 1933. They've become so iconic that you'll see them displayed in houseware exhibits at Museums like the Victoria & Albert in London or the Cooper-Hewitt in New York. Best of all, they can be had easily for under $50 and operate right on your stove burner. Now my problem was how to get that frothy milk that makes the drink special? Again, I hit the sites. The expensive machines come with a steaming frother function, but if I wasn't going that route then how was I going to emulate the results? There were independent frothers that looked like French presses, but I thought--how many pots and pans do I want to dirty for a cup of cappuccino? IKEA came to the rescue. They sell a tiny, efficient hand-held frother that could be shipped to me for under $7. As luck would have it, my father had a large Bialetti pot that he'd bought years ago that he was willing to let go since he also has a Starbucks espresso maker.

Away I went with my experiment! I found the frother delightfully easy and light. The Bialetti pot makes coffee quickly and piping hot. Cleanup is easy and I don't have devote a bunch of counter space to a machine. I top our cappuccinos with some ground cinnamon (naturally sweet and good for balancing blood sugar). Now, we wake up eager to go make and enjoy our morning coffee. Each cup takes us back to our awesome vacation. What's the "take-away" from this? Two things: little changes in daily routine can have a big impact in terms of quality of life AND there is nearly always a cheap and easy solution to getting what you want if you put thought and energy into engineering your final results.

As always, I'll leave you with some exercises to play with:

Think back upon your favorite vacations, make a list. What are the small things about each trip/place/culture that made you happy? (Examples: the peace and quiet, the hustle and bustle, good artisan bread, the sound of waves, the way people dressed, the music, the nightlife, the museums, a regional dish--you get the idea).
Now get specific. For example, if your answer was "the music I heard"--what kind of music? (Cajun, country, improvisational jazz, grunge). If the answer was "the food I ate"--what dishes, seasonings, atmosphere?
Now figure out how to incorporate it into your life. This could mean buying a cd/mp3 recording, finding local venues with live music, looking for a recipe, baking bread weekly, buying an alarm clock that wakes you up with the sound of waves, or changing your morning coffee ritual. :) Think small, inexpensive, and easy. Have fun with the quest.
Now DO IT. You may not be able to afford a lakefront vacation cabin, but how about re-making your family room to resemble a lodge? How about nature sound cd's that take you to that place? How about a screensaver with a lake scene? How about a couple of freshwater fish recipes that remind you of that time--like a simple pan-friend trout? You get the idea.

Let your travel transform you in small but meaningful ways. This is the best part of the experience and makes it worth the money, time and energy. Why spend hundreds, even thousands, of dollars without long-term benefit? Capitalize on your investment and alter your life for the better!

Artfully Yours--Lisabeth

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The Changing Seasons

6/13/2014

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You that prefer, as crows do,
winter's chill and the empty limbs,
notice now this that fills
with new leaves and roses opening
and the nightbird's song,

Let your love dissolve also
into this season's moment,
or when it's over you will buy
lamp after lamp to find it. --Rumi

Written hundreds of years ago, Rumi manages to capture a life lesson, really a strategy, that I think is fundamentally important: living happily and with awareness throughout the seasons. People often ask me what my favorite season is and I answer, with honesty, all of them! Living in the Great Lakes region, I experience four very distinct seasons. Fall comes with Indian summer temperatures, spectacular leaf color, and crisp blue skies. Winters can be bitter cold and snowy (as was this past one) though many more in recent years have been relatively mild. Springs are wet and filled with blossom and scent. And summers can reach equatorial temperatures and humidity. Life is always interesting, weather-wise, if you choose to view it that way. I do.

With summer solstice and the "official" start of a new season upon us, it is a good exercise to ponder how we react to seasonal change. As Rumi suggests, do you "let your love dissolve" into the moment? Or, do you grumble and resist? Do you not even notice the seasons changing? Are you guilty of leaving your holiday lights up until mid-June and never getting around to changing your wardrobe? No judgment here--such behaviors are perhaps to be expected considering that we've eradicated seasonal change from most of our lives with climate control (heating and air conditioning), artificial light, and the availability of all foods at all times. However, is this best for us as a species? I'm not suggesting we go back to whale oil lamps, living in caves, or wearing fur. However, I am suggesting that we can enjoy the seasons, and life, more when we notice change and adjust accordingly.

So my suggestion for this solstice is to do a little self-exploration. Ask yourself these questions (don't be afraid to commit them to paper):

1. What is your favorite season?

2. Why? (Try drawing a doodle of what you like about that time of year).

3. What do you do to reflect the change from spring to summer?

4. What will you miss about spring?

5. What do you look forward to with summer?

6. How can you adopt a "summer attitude" of ease and relaxation, even if you're working and life seems hectic as always?

For the last question, I'm going to make some suggestions!

Walk in the evenings after dinner and look at the night sky, listen to the frogs and crickets and cicadas chirping and calling
Fix up a place for just sitting (porch, adirondack chair, hammock). You can always make a space for this.
Pick up some fun reading. For you that may mean a romance, a non-fiction book that just sounds like something you'd like to learn about (like Susan Orleans "Orchid Fever" or Adam Gollerns "The Fruit Hunters" both of which have inspired films). Or it might mean a classic--today my daughter picked up Jane Austen's "Emma" which she is reading to her grandmother.
Get a jar for making flavored waters. Particularly good combos: strawberries and kiwi, orange and mint, and cucumber. Much better than soda or lemonade or alcohol.
Get a fun shade of nail polish, the more outlandish the better!
Get a big straw hat--your face will thank you.

And, of course, think about signing up for my Living Seasonally course. This is a brand new course for which I did a mini-pilot last fall and it went over so well that I spent the rest of the fall and winter developing it. The course leads us through the months, seasons and holidays combining art, literature, music, healing traditions and self-exploration. Check out a sample summary sheet, earlier blogs, and sample exercises on the resource page to see the types of things we will be doing. There is a month by month explanation of the curriculum on the "Courses" page as well that goes into greater detail. Because this is new, I'm offering a reduced introductory price at both an early bird option and an installment plan option. The early bird is the most economical and will be honored until August 15th. You get lots of material and instruction for this course--it is self-improvement with substance. By allowing yourself to "dissolve with love" into the moment of the season, you won't spend your life buying lamp after lamp (self-improvement after self-improvement book, course, dvd's, etc.). Please think about joining us--we'd love to move through the seasons with you.

--Lisabeth

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The Rhythm of back to school

the power of playing

Cubs face off, by john storr

Feeling a little italian

The Changing Seasons

Lisabeth Robinson

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