Posts by Pat:
Aargh!
My latest technical problem just seemed to reinforce my self-doubts and negative self-talk about me and technology.
Putting my “deep technological know-how” to work, I mumble, stumble and fumble with the various buttons, keys, and cords.
Closing all the applications and rebooting still didn’t work. Turning the computer and the printer on and off several times didn’t do anything either. Trying to find the error “printer is busy” message anywhere in the printer manual information was a waste as well.
One thing I learned from this (and myriad previous experiences) was to just unplug everything and wait for a minute or two. Not that the situation changes, but that my perspective does!
It turns out that when I unplug my equipment and sit waiting for a minute or more, I unplug myself at the same time as well.
I’m thinking this “unplug and stop everything for a few minutes” might be a pretty good solution for whenever things aren’t working in life.
It’s easy to try. Whether it’s a difficult conversation, a bit of anger, or a block in our work project, giving ourselves time to breathe and get some perspective is a useful activity.
It’s an unexpected strategy because it appears passive. We’re not actively developing new strategies, arguments or viewpoints. In fact, we’re not actively doing anything.
That time restores us to our factory default settings…which for most of us folks tend to be open-hearted, creative, and hopeful. And that makes us more likely to be effective when we plug back in.
In a meeting that’s going nowhere? Take a break.
Making no headway on that project? Stand up and take a walk.
Arguing with the kids? Give ourselves a time-out.
Unplug for a minute and breathe.
This is not a strategy that requires practice and skill building.
All it takes is remembering to do it.
I love thinking that my “factory default setting” is positive, loving and creative!
Sometimes life requires our active, willful engagement. But sometimes…the smartest move is disengagement.
Have you ever used this?
How did it work for you?
When do we finally learn?
Remember the fun little poem by Portia Nelson titled Autobiography in Five Short Chapters? It’s a delight and even has a message for us! Chapter 1 I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It’s isn’t my fault. It takes forever […]
Some fun “truths” to ponder!
Truths that little kids have learned: If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person. No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats. You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. The best place to be when you’re feeling sad is Grandma’s lap. […]
How much does a snowflake weigh?
Enjoy this winter parable! “Tell me the weight of a snowflake,” a sparrow asked a wild dove. “Nothing more than nothing,” was the answer. “In that case I must tell a marvelous story,” the sparrow said. “I sat on a branch of a fir tree, close to its trunk, when it began to snow, not […]
That list thing…
Rather than stressing over our 2024 “To-Do” lists, let’s use this time of the year to create our “Ta-Da” list! (It’s much more fun) When it seems like we are too busy, on overload, scattered and ineffective, we can take this opportunity to change our feelings by changing our perspective. We can look back at […]
Let’s lighten up in 2024!
Let’s enjoy the combination of common sense and the sense of humor from the pictures below! We know that a good laugh, a wry smile, a knowing eye-rolling, an exasperating head shake are all signs of a light heart. (something we can all use as we start 2024!) I have found the following thoughts both […]
Christmas and books!
I think Iceland is on to something with their Christmas Book Flood idea. A 2013 study showed that 50% of Icelandics read more than 8 books in a year and 93% read at least one in a year. And…when you add chocolate to the mix like they do, well, count me in! Growing up in […]
The darkness goes, even if slowly
We celebrate this coming Thursday as Winter Solstice, the turning point in our calendar as the daylight begins to increase each day. December 21 has the shortest period of daylight and also the longest night of the year. Yes, the light begins, ever so slowly, to return. The light and the dark move to equalize, […]
“Why” is the wrong question!
Our brain loves to solve problems. It functions beautifully to figure out how to make a pumpkin pie, sail across oceans, or build a house. It’s a wonderful tool for creativity. But if we are trying to understand ourselves, to find a way out of suffering, it can derail us because our minds get caught […]
a family story plus!
The holiday season often brings family back together…and here’s a familiar story about family, told in a way that only an ex-English teacher would tell it! Can you wrap your head/tongue around this tongue twister version? See if you can read/say it without stumbling! Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow forced his fond father […]