Future

Future. 

It's not often in a day's time you notice the same thing three times. Yesterday was one of those days. 

First at the doctor's office, then at the post office, and finally at a local restaurant.  All three times involved a woman in her seventies struggling to walk. It pained me to see how limited they were in their ability to get around. Something I just take for granted. 

If I needed a nudge to stay physically active this was it. It also confirmed that I needed to be more proactive in doing so. I've done some walking in the evening with Chuck and Cooper, but I need to get more into a routine. 

I don't want to become complacent, and find myself struggling to get around in my seventies. If I can do something today to help craft a better future then I'm all in. 

I'm hoping to remain as physically active as I can for as long as I can. You know what they say about a body in motion staying in motion. So each step today hopefully leads to future steps. 

Downloading a Different Browser

Downloading a different browser. 

Adam Grant, author of Originals, writes about a group of customer service employees all working for the same company. Their employment status was followed over a period of time trying to determine who was most successful and fulfilled in their job. 

As it turned out their success had to do with the internet browser they used. You see most people just stuck with the default browser that was already programmed into their computer. They never once questioned changing it. They basically just went along with what they had been given. 

On the other hand, a small percentage changed their browser. In doing so they showed initiative, and a level of resourcefulness that the others had not. These people by taking control over one small aspect of their job went on to find more satisfaction than their co-workers. 

Grant states, " We live in an Internet Explorer world." " ...many of us accept the defaults in our own lives." The less freedom and control that we are allowed in our job can set the tone for a disconnect, and a lack of initiative.

Add to this the tendency toward false choices, and we can limit our options down to only two. You know one or the other.  My natural inclination, my default, is not to think outside the box very often. I am guilty of thinking only in one way. 

However, the paradox here is that in many ways I do consider myself a creative person. It's just that as I've written before the status quo keeps calling my name. It's not my default to look at things in a different way.  However, I'm thinking that it may be time to check my browser. 

"The hallmark of originality is rejecting the default and exploring whether better options exists."

Adam Grant

Mixed Messages

Mixed messages. 

Cooper, my poodle, turned five yesterday, and along with a bag full of treats, and a new backyard tennis ball, he got a new bowl. His old bowl was a gift from my daughter, and he had used it for the last five years. Unfortunately, I dropped it on the ceramic tile at our last house, and chipped it on both sides. 

When I was washing the new bowl for the first time I peeled off the label, and read that it should not be used in the microwave. When I looked at the back of the actual bowl it clearly stated that the bowl was microwave safe. 

Hmmm... I wonder which one I should believe? I guess the good thing is that Cooper eats dry kibbles that have no need of being heated. Except, that when you are given mixed messages you really don't know what to believe. 

This happens a lot on the news. You watch one channel and they're telling you one thing and insisting that it is the truth. Then you change the channel, and you are getting a whole different story. Can they both be right? I highly doubt it. 

Opinions are one thing, but facts should be constant. I've written before about this need for truth that I seem to have. It's hard to base decisions on what you think or hope to be true only to find out that it was wrong all along. 

Cheese Moving

Cheese moving. 

I remember the first time I had that uncomfortable feeling about my school district beginning to grow. It was in the late nineties, and I was at a district-wide meeting. Since we had opened a new elementary school I no longer knew everyone. 

Someone asked a question about why we did something a certain way, and I spoke out to offer an explanation. It was then that I realized that many in attendance at the meeting had no idea who I was. They had never taught with me, or had met me before, and I could tell my explanation was met with some resistance. 

It was at that moment that I felt a shift in what had been known and comfortable. My once little district was showing its first signs of growing pains. I left that meeting feeling a sadness over what had been, and what would never be the same again. 

Today nine years into retirement my once little school district is unrecognizable. Even attending a retired teachers meeting finds fewer and fewer familiar faces. I like many find change uncomfortable, but it is inevitable.

When I left that meeting years ago I came across the book, Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson.  It was an analogy about mice and cheese, and how those who don't move along with the times get left behind. After reading it, I realized that resisting the change would do me no good in the long run. 

It took a while for me to adjust, but I learned a valuable lesson that day. In life things will not remain the same, but how I deal with that change is really up to me, and can make all the difference in my happiness. 

Indoor Generation

The Indoor Generation. 

I was shocked the other day after reading that most people in the United States spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. In fact, the term Indoor Generation has been coined to describe this phenomena.

In an article by Stephanie Wilson she writes about our "detachment from the natural world-and natural sunlight, specifically." This lack of outdoor time can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder, poor air quality, and a disruption of the natural sleep cycle. Who knew that sleep was actually tied to natural light exposure?

Along these same lines, I also read more about something called grounding or earthing. Remarkably our immune system is strengthened through walking barefoot on soil or grass. 

In an article written by a Dr. Mercola he explains how making contact with the earth allows for 

the release of electrons which provide the body with antioxidants to help prevent inflammation. 

This got me to thinking about how little time I actually spend outdoors. At the apartment it was easy to get outside daily because of the convenience of the lake. As they finish up the construction in my neighborhood I don't find myself outside walking much, and add to that the heat of summer, getting out regularly has become more of a challenge. 

Already our unseasonably warm spring has kept my windows closed, and my air conditioning running. The other day my daughter and I had plans to take the boys to the park when we were alerted by a highway sign that it was an orange ozone alert day. We questioned whether we should be getting out?

Walking barefoot is something I rarely do except at the beach. My feet, or even my hands don't make contact often enough with dirt, as my green thumb pales in comparison to many of my friends. However, after learning more about the indoor generation I wasn't sure I wanted to be a member. 

I've always responded well to the outdoors, and find my spirits lifted by the smell of fresh air. I enjoy sitting out in the morning, and patio dining whenever possible. Opening a window or two usually results in a more motivated me. 

Along with the commonly recommended habits of good health, like diet, exercise and sleep, maybe finding a way to connect more with the outside world can have health benefits as well. 

Outgrown

Outgrown. 

When I think about outgrowing something my high school drill team uniform and prom dress come to mind. Something that once fit, but no longer does.  

However, this idea of outgrowing doesn't just have to revolve around your wardrobe. Are their old beliefs you have about yourself that no longer ring true?  Perhaps you have outgrown your past insecurities, and should not allow them to hang around like an old stretched out sweater. 

Sometimes you can't see past these limiting beliefs because they once played such an important role in how you defined yourself. Allowing something you have outgrown to linger prevents you from moving on to something else. 

Elizabeth Berg in her novel Tapestry of Fortune reminds us of this when she writes, "Otherwise, you'll stay in the place you've outgrown." Now this place can be a physical place, but more importantly it might be a state of mind. We may remain too long in either just because of familiarity.

For years each time I entered a bookstore or library I would head to the self-help section looking for that "perfect" book that would change my life. I must have read hundreds of books over the years, and to be honest, I can't tell you that any one of them really made that big of a difference. 

What I've found today is that I've outgrown the self-help section. Experience and self-reflection have allowed me to feel comfortable with the person I am. Clinging to the old patterns of always looking for self-help is no longer something I need to do. 

Perhaps you have been guilty of staying too long in a job or in a home, even though you knew it was time to move on. This may be due to the fact that you have outgrown them, and would benefit from the challenge of the next new experience. Except, often times we refuse to make this change out of fear of the unknown. 

It's probably not a bad idea to periodically assess what you have been holding onto, and allowing yourself to shed the things you've outgrown. Just like cleaning out your closet can result in a wardrobe of clothes that fit and flatter, a life filled with beliefs and actions that fit can make for a more fulfilling life. 

Stress Alternative

Stress alternative. 

I'm subscribing to the old fashioned paper again,  and have found myself enjoying reading it in the morning. Maybe, not so much the hard news, but more the human interest stories. I began reading an article by Leslie Barker entitled, 10 Ways to Stress Less, assuming it would be more of the same about how to handle stress. 

You know, things like exercise, healthy eating, meditation or even massage, but I came across something I had never considered before. We know that life can be stressful, but for some of us living in a perpetual state of low grade stress may be the result of trying to control every facet of life. 

She suggested "Questioning the validity," of your stress. She writes, "Will this matter in six months or even one month? Probably not. Life is sooo short."

Wow!  How incredibly simple is this advice?  Rather than try to add the stress of healthy eating, daily exercise, and time for peaceful "me" time, why not just ask one simple question?

Very FEW things are so important that they warrant the effects that stress plays on your body and immune system. When I think back to three years ago when I was sick for five months due to my compromised immune system, it made me realize that I was never getting that time back. 

I had worked so hard to be the "perfect daughter" trying to meet the needs of both my father and step-mother, and it was killing me. My mental health was balancing precariously, and my physical health had taken a nose dive. 

If I could have stopped to question the validity of all my worry, and incessant need for control, I could have answered a resounding NO!  I wish I had backed away enough to get a clearer perspective.

When you find yourself in a stressful situation, there's nothing wrong with the tried and true remedies, but don't forget to reassess whether in the long run will it make that big of a difference? If it won't then let it go.