Wow time sure flew last week for me. I can't believe I haven't had time to post blogs since Tuesday last week. Ugh. Well, I have been super busy and catching up on some sleep, despite the fact I'm up until around 3-6am lately. I've been reading a lot and doing other things instead of posting blogs on here. Sorry ya'll. It gives the appearance of me slacking, when in reality, I've just been super busy doing other stuff.
There's a cool article I'd like to post on here for anyone I didn't send my last updated email to...so it's available to view. In addition I have another one too that I only sent to a selected few friends and figured I'd post it on here as well. So expect three blogs posted tonight. (This should make up for the last week of not posting anything new and fresh til now- lol)
I was reading in a copy of Ladies' Home Journal (FEB 08) (page14) and I have to share a couple things with ya'll.
Ok so- Page 14 (INNER LIFE) there are a couple little tiny articles I want to share (see below) and I'm going to add a few comments beneath each one in BOLD so you'll be able to see which is the article and which are my personal comments. I'd love it if any of you would like to comment in return. This could be fun and very interesting.
QUIT COMPLAINING
Are you constantly telling your friends what an oaf your (spouse) is or how poorly paid you are at work--yet seldom sharing good news? Mike Robbins, author of Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation, says that such negativity has become pervasive in our culture, and that we are doing ourselves damage, feeling more flawed and less satisfied as a result. But, he claims, there is a solution: Go on a complaint fast.
To start, Robbins recommends making a commitment not to complain about anything to anybody for a specific amount of time--say a day or two. He also suggests going on the fast with a family member or friend for accountability and support. The idea is not to achieve perfection, but to become aware of how often you complain. In time, you'll train yourself to focus on your life's more positive aspects, which has been proven to create a deeper sense of gratitude and overall happiness.
--Courtney De Wet
My personal comment to QUIT COMPLAINING: I thought this was great advice! Even those of us whom are pretty good at looking at the positive of things, have our own moments we wish we were even better at not saying a comment here or there...and actually catch ourselves in the act. I know I have. So I'm going to post this on my personal blog as well and share this as a challenge to others as well as myself.
Anyway, I really like the idea of calling it A COMPLAINT FAST! We could all lean on each other for the accountability and support. So what are we going to do if we catch ourselves making a complaint? I say, hmmmm, ...I know here's a fun thought... we create a POT/JAR... and every time any one of us makes a complaint at all during the day then we make note and for each complaint, we write an I.O.U. 25 cents to the POT or if you have a quarter handy or 25 cents in change then toss it in. Hopefully it doesn't accumulate as that is not what we want... tee hee... we want to keep the pot small. Individually decide what you would like to do with your pot/jar when it accumulates to a significant amount to put towards anything. Perhaps reward yourself if the amount is pretty small (maybe a small treat to the vending machine -lol) - and if it grows quite a bit, well then it should be a sign that complaining is a weakness and maybe the money could be used for doing something good to offset the negative. Treat someone to something to make up for all the complaining - I don't know. It's a thought.
I don't know how much we need to work on complaining... we could test it for a day and see how we do. Lol. Any feedback would be appreciated and recommended.
Why Revenge Is Sweet
If you hate yourself for having happy fantasies about getting even with someone who has done you wrong, chalk it up to brain chemistry. The act of punishing someone you think deserves it activates pleasure centers in the brain, according to Swiss researchers. But that doesn't mean you have to act on the impulse. Indulge your flash of fury, in private, and then look for a rational resolution.
--Janice Kaplan
My Personal Comment to Why Revenge Is Sweet: I really liked the sentence I highlighted above. Now really...ya'll can't tell me that you have NOT ever felt the pleasure of having little sweet revenge fantasies in your own little brain of yours...am I wrong? We're all human and according to this article... we can chalk it up to brain chemistry- woohoo! It's normal... to have the little sweet secrets we keep to ourselves inside our minds. I'm a very self entertaining person within the secure walls of my own mind... sometimes I blurt out a little evil laugh out loud and roll my eyeballs to the left and then to the right and wonder, my golly, oopsie, did anyone hear that cackle I just shared out loud for all to hear? Lol. Yah... one of those...
Anyway, I like how the suggestion reads: Indulge your "flash of fury," in private, and then look for a rational resolution. Notice I underlined flash, private, and rational resolution. The key words in this suggestion. Too bad some people don't know how to perform this little act - eh? If more people would do this... there would be so much less ill feelings in the world we live. Anyway, even I can do 'better' at this too. And if I can do better at it, I'm presuming there would be others out there too who would agree they could too. DUH there's an article in a commonly read magazine about it... so it must be going on. Heh heh. Anyone have anything to add? I'm all ears (and eyes in this case).
INSULTS THAT INSPIRE
If you're ever on the receiving end of a sexist joke or told you're bad at math because you're a woman, don't let the harsh words hurt you--use them to your advantage. Researchers at Northeastern University have found that being negatively stereotyped can motivate people to carry out tasks better than they normally would. "The offense makes you try harder, which may help your performance," says study author and Ph.D. candidate Jeremy Jamieson. Before starting a task, reassure yourself of your ability to squelch any lingering doubts.
--Breanne Smith
My Personal Comment to INSULTS THAT INSPIRE: I love this quote at the end of the article in which I highlighted again. I like it so much, that I wrote it down on a sticky note at work and taped it to the side of my cube shelf where I can see it regularly. I don't really relate with the other part of the article, as I'm sure I could if I think hard enough, but anyway, I like the idea of before starting something... to reassure myself of my own abilities... in other words, tell myself beforehand "I CAN DO THIS" before it becomes something complex and too difficult and I become discouraged. Now I don't know about any of you, but I have had a few challenging files to process at work and I have quite a few/many co-workers that become very discouraged at work and I've been spreading cheer and motivation to these fellow workers as best I am able. Along with that, I inspire myself on the days that I struggle too.
Today was one of those days, and I just kept plowing through one file to the next - double checking my work and hoping to God, I don't get any errors. It is crucial my work is accurate and without any errors. So I have a bit of stress while at work even though I work in a non-stressful environment - being that I do not have a phone on my desk, and the fluorescent lights have been extremely dimmed due to a poll taken by the employees... Yay!
So I thought if this little one-liner sentence could be a good reminder for me... and I'm pretty positive on a daily basis... despite the fact I do have my moments like everyone... I thought it would be a tidbit helpful for someone else then too. So go-ahead and write it down... see if you don't find yourself glancing at it once a day yourself. :)
Socializing for Success
Will a category "has strong friendships in the office" be coming to a performance appraisal near you? Maybe so, if companies buy into research cited in Vital Friends, by Tom Rath, which claims that workplace friendships could make you seven times more satisfied with your job. Having a colleague as a pal may also mean you'll be more productive and creative at what you do. Big companies are starting to jump on the buddy trend by building their headquarters with central hubs that include cafes and other places where employees can congregate with fellow workers. But there are downsides. Jealousy might result if one friend gets a promotion over the other, or confidences are spread at the watercooler.
--Tricia Tisak
And lastly, My Personal Comment to Socializing for Success: I absolutely love this one!! I love it so much I shared it with another fellow co-worker/friend at work today in an email too. She had just written me an email relating to socializing at work etc. (how she always gets into trouble for talking too much etc) And I couldn't resist sharing it. I have always been labeled "a social butterfly" for as long as I can remember by all of my school teachers etc. I was always one of the names written on the board with multiple checkmarks after it (not just one checkmark, NO, multiple ones-lol). (You know for getting in trouble/ talking, you would get your name written on the board and you were in trouble... then if you continued to talk/get in trouble... you would get a check for each time the teacher would have to say your name and ask you to be quiet etc.)
I remember an incident in 5th and 6th grade... both teachers did this and both teachers remarked the same... it's quite funny, at least to me. Fun to share anyway... so I was always getting my desk moved because I would talk to the person sitting next to me. Until I had sat next to every classmate in the classroom. Then I'd eventually have to move to the desk right next to the teacher. And I smirk and chuckle even while I type this... until one day while in mid discussion with the teacher, he/and she both remarked (separate occasions) once, "I can't believe it! Now YOU'RE talking to ME!" and the teacher would not only sigh but laugh too. (with a good shake of the head out of surrender- LMAO!)
Soooo you can imagine my enthusiasm when I stumbled upon such an article! I'm going to search for that book Vital Friends... sounds very interesting to me and I'm intrigued already! And I think once I have the book in my possession, I will place it on my bookshelf at work to be seen and easily accessed. LOL. :)
There's a cool article I'd like to post on here for anyone I didn't send my last updated email to...so it's available to view. In addition I have another one too that I only sent to a selected few friends and figured I'd post it on here as well. So expect three blogs posted tonight. (This should make up for the last week of not posting anything new and fresh til now- lol)
I was reading in a copy of Ladies' Home Journal (FEB 08) (page14) and I have to share a couple things with ya'll.
Ok so- Page 14 (INNER LIFE) there are a couple little tiny articles I want to share (see below) and I'm going to add a few comments beneath each one in BOLD so you'll be able to see which is the article and which are my personal comments. I'd love it if any of you would like to comment in return. This could be fun and very interesting.
QUIT COMPLAINING
Are you constantly telling your friends what an oaf your (spouse) is or how poorly paid you are at work--yet seldom sharing good news? Mike Robbins, author of Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation, says that such negativity has become pervasive in our culture, and that we are doing ourselves damage, feeling more flawed and less satisfied as a result. But, he claims, there is a solution: Go on a complaint fast.
To start, Robbins recommends making a commitment not to complain about anything to anybody for a specific amount of time--say a day or two. He also suggests going on the fast with a family member or friend for accountability and support. The idea is not to achieve perfection, but to become aware of how often you complain. In time, you'll train yourself to focus on your life's more positive aspects, which has been proven to create a deeper sense of gratitude and overall happiness.
--Courtney De Wet
My personal comment to QUIT COMPLAINING: I thought this was great advice! Even those of us whom are pretty good at looking at the positive of things, have our own moments we wish we were even better at not saying a comment here or there...and actually catch ourselves in the act. I know I have. So I'm going to post this on my personal blog as well and share this as a challenge to others as well as myself.
Anyway, I really like the idea of calling it A COMPLAINT FAST! We could all lean on each other for the accountability and support. So what are we going to do if we catch ourselves making a complaint? I say, hmmmm, ...I know here's a fun thought... we create a POT/JAR... and every time any one of us makes a complaint at all during the day then we make note and for each complaint, we write an I.O.U. 25 cents to the POT or if you have a quarter handy or 25 cents in change then toss it in. Hopefully it doesn't accumulate as that is not what we want... tee hee... we want to keep the pot small. Individually decide what you would like to do with your pot/jar when it accumulates to a significant amount to put towards anything. Perhaps reward yourself if the amount is pretty small (maybe a small treat to the vending machine -lol) - and if it grows quite a bit, well then it should be a sign that complaining is a weakness and maybe the money could be used for doing something good to offset the negative. Treat someone to something to make up for all the complaining - I don't know. It's a thought.
I don't know how much we need to work on complaining... we could test it for a day and see how we do. Lol. Any feedback would be appreciated and recommended.
Why Revenge Is Sweet
If you hate yourself for having happy fantasies about getting even with someone who has done you wrong, chalk it up to brain chemistry. The act of punishing someone you think deserves it activates pleasure centers in the brain, according to Swiss researchers. But that doesn't mean you have to act on the impulse. Indulge your flash of fury, in private, and then look for a rational resolution.
--Janice Kaplan
My Personal Comment to Why Revenge Is Sweet: I really liked the sentence I highlighted above. Now really...ya'll can't tell me that you have NOT ever felt the pleasure of having little sweet revenge fantasies in your own little brain of yours...am I wrong? We're all human and according to this article... we can chalk it up to brain chemistry- woohoo! It's normal... to have the little sweet secrets we keep to ourselves inside our minds. I'm a very self entertaining person within the secure walls of my own mind... sometimes I blurt out a little evil laugh out loud and roll my eyeballs to the left and then to the right and wonder, my golly, oopsie, did anyone hear that cackle I just shared out loud for all to hear? Lol. Yah... one of those...
Anyway, I like how the suggestion reads: Indulge your "flash of fury," in private, and then look for a rational resolution. Notice I underlined flash, private, and rational resolution. The key words in this suggestion. Too bad some people don't know how to perform this little act - eh? If more people would do this... there would be so much less ill feelings in the world we live. Anyway, even I can do 'better' at this too. And if I can do better at it, I'm presuming there would be others out there too who would agree they could too. DUH there's an article in a commonly read magazine about it... so it must be going on. Heh heh. Anyone have anything to add? I'm all ears (and eyes in this case).
INSULTS THAT INSPIRE
If you're ever on the receiving end of a sexist joke or told you're bad at math because you're a woman, don't let the harsh words hurt you--use them to your advantage. Researchers at Northeastern University have found that being negatively stereotyped can motivate people to carry out tasks better than they normally would. "The offense makes you try harder, which may help your performance," says study author and Ph.D. candidate Jeremy Jamieson. Before starting a task, reassure yourself of your ability to squelch any lingering doubts.
--Breanne Smith
My Personal Comment to INSULTS THAT INSPIRE: I love this quote at the end of the article in which I highlighted again. I like it so much, that I wrote it down on a sticky note at work and taped it to the side of my cube shelf where I can see it regularly. I don't really relate with the other part of the article, as I'm sure I could if I think hard enough, but anyway, I like the idea of before starting something... to reassure myself of my own abilities... in other words, tell myself beforehand "I CAN DO THIS" before it becomes something complex and too difficult and I become discouraged. Now I don't know about any of you, but I have had a few challenging files to process at work and I have quite a few/many co-workers that become very discouraged at work and I've been spreading cheer and motivation to these fellow workers as best I am able. Along with that, I inspire myself on the days that I struggle too.
Today was one of those days, and I just kept plowing through one file to the next - double checking my work and hoping to God, I don't get any errors. It is crucial my work is accurate and without any errors. So I have a bit of stress while at work even though I work in a non-stressful environment - being that I do not have a phone on my desk, and the fluorescent lights have been extremely dimmed due to a poll taken by the employees... Yay!
So I thought if this little one-liner sentence could be a good reminder for me... and I'm pretty positive on a daily basis... despite the fact I do have my moments like everyone... I thought it would be a tidbit helpful for someone else then too. So go-ahead and write it down... see if you don't find yourself glancing at it once a day yourself. :)
Socializing for Success
Will a category "has strong friendships in the office" be coming to a performance appraisal near you? Maybe so, if companies buy into research cited in Vital Friends, by Tom Rath, which claims that workplace friendships could make you seven times more satisfied with your job. Having a colleague as a pal may also mean you'll be more productive and creative at what you do. Big companies are starting to jump on the buddy trend by building their headquarters with central hubs that include cafes and other places where employees can congregate with fellow workers. But there are downsides. Jealousy might result if one friend gets a promotion over the other, or confidences are spread at the watercooler.
--Tricia Tisak
And lastly, My Personal Comment to Socializing for Success: I absolutely love this one!! I love it so much I shared it with another fellow co-worker/friend at work today in an email too. She had just written me an email relating to socializing at work etc. (how she always gets into trouble for talking too much etc) And I couldn't resist sharing it. I have always been labeled "a social butterfly" for as long as I can remember by all of my school teachers etc. I was always one of the names written on the board with multiple checkmarks after it (not just one checkmark, NO, multiple ones-lol). (You know for getting in trouble/ talking, you would get your name written on the board and you were in trouble... then if you continued to talk/get in trouble... you would get a check for each time the teacher would have to say your name and ask you to be quiet etc.)
I remember an incident in 5th and 6th grade... both teachers did this and both teachers remarked the same... it's quite funny, at least to me. Fun to share anyway... so I was always getting my desk moved because I would talk to the person sitting next to me. Until I had sat next to every classmate in the classroom. Then I'd eventually have to move to the desk right next to the teacher. And I smirk and chuckle even while I type this... until one day while in mid discussion with the teacher, he/and she both remarked (separate occasions) once, "I can't believe it! Now YOU'RE talking to ME!" and the teacher would not only sigh but laugh too. (with a good shake of the head out of surrender- LMAO!)
Soooo you can imagine my enthusiasm when I stumbled upon such an article! I'm going to search for that book Vital Friends... sounds very interesting to me and I'm intrigued already! And I think once I have the book in my possession, I will place it on my bookshelf at work to be seen and easily accessed. LOL. :)
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