Joe: “When I was young I could play piano by ear.”
Pete: “Do you still play piano?”
Joe: “Yah, but now I play it by hands.”
Month: December 2023
Thinking Out Loud: It’s Time to Look on the Bright Side
Learning to Appreciate. A look at appreciative inquiry. Excerpts are taken from, Appreciative Inquiry Handbook (2003) by David Cooperrider, Diana Whitney, and Jacqueline Stravros.
Powerful placebo: the placebo effect is a fascinating process in which projected images, as reflected in positive belief, ignite a healing response that can be as powerful as conventional therapy. . . . The placebo effect is accepted by most medical professions as genuine between 1/3 and 2/3 of all patients show marked physiological and emotional improvement in symptoms simply by believing they are given an effective treatment even when that treatment is just the sugar pill are some inert substance. p. 10.
Note: I have always been a big believer on looking on the bright side. It’s the title of my blog. I’ve found, in my experience, that believing that something was possible was significantly more helpful than believing the opposite. When we believe that something is possible and commit ourselves to working toward that possibility our mind shuts the doors to negative thinking and begins to work overtime to create a road map for that possibility. Last year, I had both hips replaced within 90 days. I was told by many people that my surgeon was the best in the city. I bought into that. I did everything I needed to do pre operation and post operation. Within three days after each operation, I was walking without a cane. Was the placebo effect at work in my belief in the surgeon? I think it all worked together. Why let your mind walk down a road that provides no benefit. This appreciative inquiry principle tells us that all things are possible within our relationships at work or at home when we choose to believe in possibilities and commit ourselves to that belief.
It’s Time to Exercise Your Brain – Take the Anagram Challenge
Today’s mind sharpening anagram is a two or three word phrase. Can you unscramble the anagram to discover the two or three word phrase? It’s time to exercise your brain!
Today’s Anagram:
Today’s Inspiring Quote: A Good Friend is Always Beautiful
To me, fair friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I ey’d, Such seems your beauty still.
William Shakespeare
Poppies – A Poem by Mary Oliver
Poppies
Mary Oliver
The poppies send up their
orange flares; swaying
in the wind, their congregations
are a levitation
of bright dust, of thin
and lacy leaves.
There isn’t a place
in this world that doesn’t
sooner or later drown
in the indigos of darkness,
but now, for a while,
the roughage
shines like a miracle
as it floats above everything
with its yellow hair.
Of course nothing stops the cold,
black, curved blade
from hooking forward—
of course
loss is the great lesson.
But I also say this: that light
is an invitation
to happiness,
and that happiness,
when it’s done right,
is a kind of holiness,
palpable and redemptive.
Inside the bright fields,
touched by their rough and spongy gold,
I am washed and washed
in the river
of earthly delight—
and what are you going to do—
what can you do
about it—
deep, blue night?
5 Ways to Shake the Blues
We all get the blues now and then. I asked ChatGPT to list 5 ways to shake the blues.
Shaking off the blues, especially during challenging times, involves activities that boost your mood and mental well-being. Here are five things you can do:
- Connect with Nature: Spending time outdoors, whether it’s a walk in a park, gardening, or simply sitting in a natural setting, can have a calming effect on your mind. Natural scenery and fresh air can help to refresh your perspective and improve your mood.
- Engage in Creative Activities: Creative expression, such as writing, painting, crafting, or cooking, can be therapeutic. It allows you to channel your emotions into something positive and can be a great source of satisfaction and accomplishment.
- Listen to Music or Podcasts: Music has a powerful impact on mood. Listening to uplifting or calming music can provide an emotional boost. Similarly, engaging podcasts, like the “Daughter and Dad Podcast” you’re involved in, can be both entertaining and comforting.
- Practice Self-Care: This could include activities like taking a long bath, reading a book, practicing yoga or meditation, or any other activity that helps you relax and feel good. Self-care is about doing things that nurture your well-being.
- Laugh and Find Humor: Laughter is a natural mood lifter. Watching a funny movie, reading a humorous book, or sharing jokes with friends can provide a welcome distraction from the blues and help lighten your mood.
Remember, these activities are not one-size-fits-all solutions. It’s important to find what works best for you and fits into your lifestyle.
Today’s Joke: Joe is Writing a Book
Joe: “I’m writing a book and I’m making great progress.”
Pete: “How far along are you?”
Joe: “I’ve got the page numbers done.”
Eternity ~ A Poem by William Blake
Eternity
William Blake
He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity’s sun rise.
