Ricky Nelson Was Right

I was thinking today about the song by Ricky Nelson, " Garden Party." The line I like is "You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." This is so true. I talk to so many people who make themselves ill over trying to do what everyone else wants them to do. It isn't possible. It is OK to put yourself first and do what you want. This video explains it all. Go, Ricky!

It IS a wonderful world

I am sure many of you have heard about the Chilean miners who are trapped in a collapsed mine. They are all alive (33 of them) but may have to wait 4 months to get out. Guess what they were told to do to help them handle their situation? They were told to sing for their sanity. I read the following on web.orange.co.uk.

"Chile's health minister, Dr Jaime Manalich, said a daily and nightly routine is important and having fun is critical.

"We hope to define a secure area where they can establish various places - one for resting and sleeping, one for diversion, one for food, another for work," Dr Manalich said."

"That includes singing, games of movement, playing cards. We want them to record songs, to make videos, to create works of theatre for the family."

I am not surprised. Songs help you feel good, especially if they are upbeat songs. I have a few suggestions for them. How about "High Hopes?" Or maybe they could try "It's A Wonderful World?" I know that these songs are in English, but I imagine that there are similar songs in Spanish.

The Chilean minister also mentioned sending antidepressants to the miners. Maybe he should send an iPod with a lot of songs on it, too. (If they have a way to charge it).

What songs do you think would be helpful? Drop me a comment and let me know.

Here's Louis Armstrong and "It's A Wonderful World." He smiles through the whole song and I couldn't help but smile, too. Maybe we should all sing along.

Procrastination

This post is for my friend Linda. She mentioned that she procrastinates, like most of us do, I guess. I always think of Charlie Brown when I think about procrastination. Charlie Brown was supposed to right a book report and he put it off. He had all sorts of good reasons for doing so, but so do we all. Watch this video and see what you think.




Here are some tips to help overcome procrastination.

First, you can use the Swiss Cheese Method. This just means taking any part of the project you are putting off and doing it. Don't worry about where you start. You are just poking holes in the project.

You could also try timing yourself. Tell yourself you will only work on the project for a specified time, such as 10 minutes. You can do almost anything for 10 minutes. When the time is up you can stop. If, however, you feel like continuing, go ahead. Usually, once you start, doing more isn't too hard.

A list of the consequences that will occur if you put off the project can sometimes help motivate you. You might have to stay up late or you may get in trouble at work.

Sometimes you just have to change your mindset. Many people are afraid of failure so they won't do something they perceive as risky. Or maybe they are perfectionists and are afraid the project won't be just right. If this is the case, you can ask yourself, "What is the worst thing that can happen in this instance?" Usually the worst thing is not that bad.

Up, Up and Away

I saw about 8 hot air balloons flying high over the valley while I was out walking today. They made me smile. So that made me think about what other things make me smile. I like poppies, cats, watching my daughter play the harp, and beautiful music. It also reminded me of that song"Up, Up and Away, My Beautiful Balloon" sung by the 5th Dimension. These things all make me happy. If you don't feel happy right now, watch this video. It is from 1967 and the clothing alone is good for a laugh.



You might say that these are just small things. but that's what life is made of. You see, every day can't be what I call Disneyland Day. Disneyland Day is special and comes only once a year or so for me. I am always excited and happy about that day. But, if I am only happy on days that are extra special what happens the rest of the days? Life is made up mainly of regular days.

So if you want to feel better more often what should you do? I suggest that every day you think about 3 things that you were thankful for, or grateful for, or happy about, that happened the day
before. You could also think about things you are confident about or people who love you. All these thoughts put you in a good frame of mind and help forestall anxiety or a bad mood. Every day can't be Disneyland Day but every day can have enjoyable, pleasurable moments. Look for those moments and you will like life better.

Up, Up And Away (Digitally Remastered 1997)

How to Avoid Hysteria!

I found a great article about meditation in the September 2010 edition of the Oprah magazine. It says that meditation can help with depression, weight loss and marriage problems. Meditation helps quiet brooding thoughts, "can kill that mindless urge to eat," and help you feel more compassion for your spouse. What a wonderful outcome from such a simple and inexpensive practice! No nasty side effects, either.

I have found meditation to be personally helpful. My family also benefits when I meditate. Once when my daughter was about 6 or 7 she noticed that I was not in the best of moods. She said to me, "Mom, you need to go meditate." And she was right! When I meditate, I feel much less anxious and angry. I react more slowly, thereby giving myself time to think before saying or doing something I might regret.

One of the ways in which I meditate is to say the same phrase over and over. It could be something like, "Be calm" or "Peace come into my heart." Say whatever short phrase works for you. I also like to use guided meditations. I have some sample ones you can try at the store on my web site.

In "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The forum, Hysterium is running around hysterically, (as the name implies), while singing, "I'm calm, I'm calm, I'm perfectly calm, I'm utterly under control." This is a good example of how not to meditate.



For your amusement, I have included the words as well as a video of the song. Hysterium has good suggestions for coping with stress, such as taking deep breaths or thinking about relaxing images. He just isn't using them.

HYSTERIUM]


I'm calm,
I'm calm,
I'm perfectly calm,
I'm utterly under control.
I haven't a worry:
Where others would hurry I stroll.

I'm calm,
I'm cool,
A gibbering fool
Is something I never become.
When thunder is rumbling
And others are crumbling,
I hum.

Hm--hmmm--hmmmmm!!!!!
HMMMMM!!!!
H-M-M-M!!!!

I must think calm comforting things,
Butterfly wings,
Emerald rings,
Or a murmuring brook,
Murmuring, murmuring, murmuring...look,

I'm calm,
I'm calm,
I haven't a qualm,
I'm utterly under control.
Let nothing confuse me
Or faze me-- [yawn] --
Excuse me.
I'm calm.


Oh so calm.
Oh so--
[PSEUDOLUS (offstage):]
Hysterium!
[HYSTERIUM]

I'm calm,
I'm calm,
I'm perfectly calm,
Indifferent to tensions and shocks.
Unruffled and ready,
My nerves are as steady
As rocks.

I'm calm, controlled,
So cool that I'm cold,
Aloofer than any giraffe.
When something's the matter,
Where others would shatter
I laugh. [Laughs hysterically]

I must breathe deep, ever so deep,
Think about sheep
Going to sleep,
Stop and count up to ten, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9...when


You need aplomb
And want to be calm
'Cause life is a horrible dream,
Just count up to ten
Very slowly, and then--

[PSEUDOLUS (offstage):]
Hysterium!
[HYSTERIUM]
[screams]

To Change or Not To Change?

I have a wicker desk organizer in which I keep a whole bunch of papers I don't know what to do with. I don't want to throw them out but I don't have a good place for them either. So they pile up in this organizer until I decide to throw them out. The problem is that this wicker organizer has been falling apart for years. Seriously, years! Pieces of it keep coming off and I just keep using it. I was looking at it the other day and it hit me. I can get a new organizer!

Now this may sound like an obvious idea to you but it never occurred to me to get rid of it. I think I follow this pattern in other aspects of my life as well. Perhaps you do, too. I tolerate things that I should not tolerate. I put up with second best or work in inefficient ways. Why do I do this? I guess because it never occurs to me that change is possible. I can do something different. I guess change isn't possible until I believe that it is. That's pretty important to remember.

If you want to hear an interesting song about change listen to Fagin in the musical Oliver! He sings a song called, "I'm Reviewing the Situation." He is deciding whether or not to give up a life of crime. It's pretty funny.

By the way, I am planning on buying a new organizer for my papers.

The Snoopy Song

I love musicals! One of my favorites is "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." There are many wonderful songs in this musical that can be used to teach us about how to live well. The Snoopy song is one of the great ones. Snoopy starts out by talking about how wonderful his life is. Pleasant day, pretty sky, life goes on, here I lie, not bad, not bad at all. Cozy home, board and bed, sturdy roof, beneath my head. Not bad, not bad at all."


So Snoopy is feeling well, having a nice time. Then what happens next? He starts to think about unpleasant things, such as birds sitting on him and scratching him with their claws. The next thing you know, he says he is a jungle animal looking for someone to bite!

What happened? Simpy put, he started to think about something in his life that he didn't like. He focused on it for awhile and guess what? He became angry! This is something we do all the time without recognizing it. It is a great example of unheathy thinking. If you want to be emotionally healthy, pay attention to what you think about. If you focus frequently on the parts of your life that you don't like, you will experience unpleaseant emotions such as anger, sadness or depression. The good news is that you are in charge of how you feel. You can change your feelings depending on what you choose to think about. Practice this for awhile and see what happens.


I included the video below so you can see exactly how Snoopy reacts. If you have any comments I would be happy to hear them!

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1967 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown: A Peanuts Musical [VHS]