Brainstorming

Brainstorming. 

Brainstorming was a technique I used often in my classroom. It is a way to generate an abundance of ideas quickly. While brainstorming, the rule is to not pass judgement at the time. Even wild ideas are allowed. 

As I was reading Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, I couldn't help, but remember a brainstorming episode that took place during a faculty meeting many years ago.  Our principal was eliciting ideas for ways we could improve learning at our school. Although, I can't remember the ideas of the other teachers, I do remember both my idea, and hers. 

At the time I remember thinking that my principle's idea was too unrealistic, and mine extremely practical. At the time I took great pleasure in thinking that I had the better idea. Today I'm thinking differently. 

My idea had been done before, and my principal's was almost crazy, except it wasn't. What she was doing was pushing us out of our comfort zones, out of the familiar and known. If you keep doing things the same way chances are you are going to end up with the same results. 

Her training in gifted education gave her the edge when it came to brainstorming. I just wasn't far enough in my teaching career to know any different. As I think about it today, I wish we had followed through on her idea. I think it would have led to a more engaged group of students which is half the battle when it comes to learning. 

When faced with a problem, don't rule out an idea that might sound a little "crazy" at first. It might actually be a catalyst to the solution you are seeking. 

Lessons Learned

Lessons learned. 

I was reading a posting yesterday written by another blogger whom I befriended when we both took on the 31 Day Writing Challenge a few years ago. I appreciate her wisdom and her insight, as well as her writing ability as she has just completed her first novel, and is beginning a second. 

She wrote about the theory of change as a cycle. It made perfect sense as I viewed a visual of the cycle, and couldn't help but be drawn into the stages of maintenance and relapse. This so perfectly described my journey with weight loss. It has been over a year since I lost twenty pounds, and have maintained that loss, however, I'm now finding myself falling back into the predictable relapse phase. 

What I found heartening, though, was the idea that because this pattern is a cycle, and not linear, I can continue right back into the next stage of pre-contemplation ( to be honest I think I have already bypassed this, and am in contemplation), and begin my way toward action before I gain back all the weight I worked so hard to lose. 

The beauty of this approach is that you don't have to waste your time berating yourself for failure. If a relapse is not uncommon in the change of habits then quickly accept where you are along the continuum, and move on to the next stage. Instead of wondering why you have the tendency to return back to old habits, take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone. 

If you are interested in learning more I'm including the following link:

http://socialworktech.com/2012/01/09/stages-of-change-prochaska-diclemente/

Point of View

Point of view. 

I think having a clear point of view results in living a more authentic life. I find myself sometimes straddling the fence not wanting to commit to one side or the other. I only share the point of view that I know will be accepted by those whose company I keep. 

 "Self-doubt crumbles in the face of clear understanding of yourself, " was something I read in Road Trip Nation. Knowing your point of view, and "the philosophy" behind it helps you to have a better understanding of yourself, and to stand up for those beliefs. 

As I'm moving along in life I find myself questioning what I want to do next?  Having a clearer point of view will allow me to sort through what really is important, and meaningful. Letting go of past identities that no longer apply can be helpful as well.  

As I explore this time of my life I'm looking to refine my point of view, and forge ahead more confidently. How about you?

Unstuck

Unstuck. 

Have you ever felt stuck? My natural inclination toward routine inevitably ends up feeling like a rut. It's as if your brain begins to run on a loop, and you can't seem to disengage. 

In reading Designing Your Life, I've found that the authors, Burnett and Evans continually refer to what they call dysfunctional beliefs and reframing. I learned several years ago about the concept of false choices. Often times we have the tendency to think we only have one choice or another. 

Except, nothing could be further from the truth. When we limit ourselves to that one right idea, we cheat ourselves out of so many other possibilities.  By reframing this dysfunctional belief, we can accept the idea that, "...by having a lot of ideas...I can explore any number of possibilities for my future."

Sometimes the best way to generate ideas is to begin to brainstorm a list without judging any idea as not being plausible. Later you can go back over that list, and weed out the weaker ideas. Sometimes when I'm stuck I'll search Pinterest for ideas. Allowing others to help jumpstart your ideas is not a bad idea in itself. Writers often keep swipe files to refer back to when inspiration is needed. Jotting down ideas in a pocket sized notebook or on your phone are all ways to keep track of ideas. 

Just like Burnett and Evans state, making something actionable really is the key to getting unstuck. They remind us, "If you can't change your life you can just change your thinking." Getting unstuck many times begins with a change of thinking. Providing yourself with a list of possible alternatives can help you take that first step toward action. 

Curiosity as a Design Element

Curiosity as a design element. 

I remember my sophomore year of college taking a design class. I absolutely loved it, and found myself pretty good at it. I enjoyed it so much that I considered changing my major to interior design. 

Until one day in class when we viewed a movie (it was the seventies) about interior design as a career, and I realized that being able to draw was a requirement. My drawing skills had not improved much since my early elementary days, so I ruled out changing my major that day, and continued down the path of elementary education. 

I wish I hadn't been so quick to rule out interior design as a career possibility. At the time I didn't realize that drawing was a skill that could be taught, and improved upon with practice. I wish I had taken the time to explore that career more. I maybe even could have visited a local furniture store, and spoken with their designer. 

One of the traits of thinking like a designer is to start with a beginner's mind. Ruling things out too quickly can result in missing out. Asking the right questions, being curious, and actually taking action can help determine if you are on the right path. 

Being curious is the starting point in thinking like a designer. Following your curiosities can lead to learning new things, trying out new ideas, and even ruling out possibilities.

I can't say that my career in elementary education was the wrong one for me, but I sometimes wonder if I shut the door too quickly?

Designing Your Life

Designing your life. 

I've begun reading a new book that I'd like to write about over the next few days.  Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life is written by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans who actually teach this course at Stanford University.  Their approach to how you live your life is based on what they call "design thinking."

"A well-designed life is a life that is generative-it is constantly creative, productive, changing, evolving, and there is always the possibility of surprise."

In other words it's not a "lather, rinse, repeat" kind of life. 

One of the first tenets of design thinking is the idea of reframing. They state that, "The biggest reframe is that your life can't be perfectly planned, that there isn't just one solution to your life, and that's a good thing."

The benefits of reframing have to do with getting unstuck. It also allows us to work on the right problem. Often times we put way too much time and energy trying to solve the wrong one. They use the term "gravity problems" to define the things that really can't be changed. Time spent dwelling on the things that can't be changed is not productive, and can become actionable by reframing the problem. 

As a retiree I find myself constantly asking, "What should I be doing?" and always coming up short. By simply reframing the question to, "What do I want to be doing?" it suddenly takes on a whole new twist. 

If you have been struggling with a problem see if you can reframe it to give you a new point of view. If you cannot take action on your problem then you are not going to be able to find a resolution. 

Stay tuned for more about design thinking as we explore curiosity, and the role it plays in designing your life. 

A Good Night's Sleep

A good night's sleep. 

I've been struggling to get a good night's sleep lately. I don't have too much trouble actually falling asleep, but I can guarantee that come around two in the morning I'll be wide awake unable to fall back asleep. 

I was finding myself dragging throughout the day, and my spirits were low. I knew it was time to take action. I did a little research, and put my plan in place. I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up after more than eight hours of restful sleep. I felt so much better the next day. 

The first thing I did differently was to stay away from caffeine. I had usually had my last glass of tea with dinner, but I thought I would stick with water for a few days to see if it made any difference. Luckily, I've never depended on coffee to start my day, although it would probably be okay to have caffeine that early in the morning. 

Around 9:00 I stopped watching TV and put my phone and i pad away. I fixed myself a cup of herbal tea that promotes relaxation, and spent a little time journaling. I had read that putting your thoughts on paper before bed helped clear your mind for sleep. 

Instead of catching up on Facebook, I started a new novel The Atomic  City Girls, another historical fiction which seems to be my favorite these days. I set the temperature cooler than usual, diffused some lavender, and when I turned out the lights listened to my D-wave CD. 

I'm happy to report that my efforts resulted in over eight hours of restful sleep. I felt much better in the morning, and had an enjoyable day. I wish, though, I could say that completely solved the problem. 

I replicated the routine to some degree the next night, and although I slept a similar amount according to my Fitbit, it did show more times awake. However, overall I feel much better, and I'm going to continue winding down each night before I actually hit the sack. Hopefully, I will get better sleep over time.