“What my healing demanded was that I learn to live my life from the inside out, instead of from the outside in. I kept myself captured by feverishly pursuing external objectives. Round and round I went on the little wheel, accomplishing one thing after another. Being inside of it enabled me to forget that I had an inside. It kept me from being wild. And it kept me from being free.”
Dawna Markova
(From No Enemies Within)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Getting Through the Grunge
We all have tasks that are (for whatever reason) an important part of our job or life, yet are grungy, monotonous, and not fun. For me, grading is such a task. I find it tedious, repetitive, and sometimes frustrating, yet it's an integral part of my work as a teacher. It's imperative that I give students feedback on their thought processes and methods. This is hopefully one of the ways they learn.
What is your grunge? Lab reports? Paying bills? Writing thank-you cards? Email? Statistics homework problems? Errands? Creating a bibliography? Meetings? (I could go on and on. We all have different things that get us excited, different things that bore us to tears, and different things that really bug us.)
If the grunge is not a very important part of your life, then think long and hard about whether it's necessary (why put yourself through the grunge if you don't need to?). I'm all for simplifying life. (In fact, this is a vital process in all our self-reflection: what is really essential? Sometimes we continue patterns simply out of habit, not because they feed us or are even necessary. It's good for us all to take a look at the grunge--and everything else--regularly to see if changes can be made.)
Sometimes, though, the grunge is necessary (e.g., my grading). So what should I do? Slug through the grading until I get cranky and tired? No, that's not good for me, and it's certainly not fair to my students. Still, this is something I struggle with. How do I work compassionately with a task I don't enjoy? Clearly (I think), it's all in the attitude. It's all in the mental junk or mental open space that I bring to the grading. For example, if I view the grading as an important feedback mechanism for both me and my students, if I take frequent breaks so I don't burn out, and if I continue to breath deeply and stay present with the task at hand (rather than letting my mind wander to all the other things I'd rather be doing), then I can get the grading done and stay happy (and I'll probably be more efficient in the process and give better feedback to my students).
Now think about your grunge (whatever it might be). Could you try (perhaps in small ways at first) to embrace the grunge? Do short bursts of the grunge where you stay mindful and not let the mind wander into "hating this" mode? Give it a try. And please let me know how it goes.
Ah, and one other thing. I tend to put off the grading, because I dislike it (I know we all do this kind of thing; in fact, I know some of my statistics students put off studying because they dislike the material). So this is another struggle. What if we all experiment with doing the grunge in a timely manner and staying present with it (and not hating it quite so much--in fact, embracing it in some small way)? This might be crazy talk, but let's give it a try. I think we'll all be happier (and if not happier, at least less cranky). I'm all for a less cranky world!
What is your grunge? Lab reports? Paying bills? Writing thank-you cards? Email? Statistics homework problems? Errands? Creating a bibliography? Meetings? (I could go on and on. We all have different things that get us excited, different things that bore us to tears, and different things that really bug us.)
If the grunge is not a very important part of your life, then think long and hard about whether it's necessary (why put yourself through the grunge if you don't need to?). I'm all for simplifying life. (In fact, this is a vital process in all our self-reflection: what is really essential? Sometimes we continue patterns simply out of habit, not because they feed us or are even necessary. It's good for us all to take a look at the grunge--and everything else--regularly to see if changes can be made.)
Sometimes, though, the grunge is necessary (e.g., my grading). So what should I do? Slug through the grading until I get cranky and tired? No, that's not good for me, and it's certainly not fair to my students. Still, this is something I struggle with. How do I work compassionately with a task I don't enjoy? Clearly (I think), it's all in the attitude. It's all in the mental junk or mental open space that I bring to the grading. For example, if I view the grading as an important feedback mechanism for both me and my students, if I take frequent breaks so I don't burn out, and if I continue to breath deeply and stay present with the task at hand (rather than letting my mind wander to all the other things I'd rather be doing), then I can get the grading done and stay happy (and I'll probably be more efficient in the process and give better feedback to my students).
Now think about your grunge (whatever it might be). Could you try (perhaps in small ways at first) to embrace the grunge? Do short bursts of the grunge where you stay mindful and not let the mind wander into "hating this" mode? Give it a try. And please let me know how it goes.
Ah, and one other thing. I tend to put off the grading, because I dislike it (I know we all do this kind of thing; in fact, I know some of my statistics students put off studying because they dislike the material). So this is another struggle. What if we all experiment with doing the grunge in a timely manner and staying present with it (and not hating it quite so much--in fact, embracing it in some small way)? This might be crazy talk, but let's give it a try. I think we'll all be happier (and if not happier, at least less cranky). I'm all for a less cranky world!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Reading Period: A Time for Reflection
It's now officially Reading Period here at Lawrence. Students and faculty have Thursday and Friday off from classes. This provides a welcome (and needed) ease in the schedule, so we can all catch-up, rejuvenate, and take care of our bodies (I noticed a lot of coughing in my class today).
Reading Period also gives a time for reflection. Wow--actual time for reflection! During these next four days, we should all be able to find some quiet time and space (no interruptions, no iPod, no cell phone, etc.) to sit with ourselves and ask important questions. For example...
Reading Period also gives a time for reflection. Wow--actual time for reflection! During these next four days, we should all be able to find some quiet time and space (no interruptions, no iPod, no cell phone, etc.) to sit with ourselves and ask important questions. For example...
- Am I making decisions based on what is most important to me?
- Do I feel balanced (in mind, body, and spirit)?
- If I feel unbalanced, what thing feels most out-of-whack (and how might I make a small step to change this in a positive way)?
- What are the big concepts I've learned in each of my classes and how do these concepts tie together?
- What courses, topics, assignments, etc. have I struggled with and why?
- What courses, topics, assignments, etc. have come easily to me and have I enjoyed the most (and why)?
- What small changes could I make in my personal and academic lives that would give me the balance needed to "successfully" (broad vision of "successful" here) make it through this term?
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Thoughts on Intolerance
Last weekend, Mark and I went to see the movie "Milk" (based on the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay man elected to public office in California). The movie is excellent, particularly the acting by Sean Penn.
I came away from the movie feeling very sad. Sad that people can be so intolerant of and so terribly mean to each other. The movie depicts events that happened in the 1970s, yet it's quite relevant today. While watching the movie and the undeserved mistreatment of homosexuals, I was reminded of the gay marriage bans that have recently passed in so many states (including Wisconsin). I find these bans incredibly disheartening (and mean-spirited), as if we're moving backward rather than forward.
Why are we (the human race) so capable of being mean to each other? I think because we don't always understand each other. Because we're sometimes fearful of things different from us, different from our view of the world, different from what we've been told is right (by someone at sometime). But acting from fear generally leads to negative consequences (both for ourselves and for others).
Think about how judgment affects you (physically, emotionally, and spiritually). For me, judgment seems to suck the air out of the room, creates a pit in my stomach, and makes me wonder whether I'll be judged next (or, if I'm already being judged, what I'll be judged about next).
Yet we all do it -- we all judge. We all have some intolerance lurking in us. So I challenge myself and all of you to examine that judgment. Closely examine where it comes from (in what situations does it come up, when is it better or worse, is it reasonable, is it really about the person being judged or is it really about me, the judger?). I think if we all more often recognize our intolerance (even small intolerance) and thoroughly examine the intolerance, then the world can be a much more empathetic and compassionate place.
Here's to lots and lots of tolerance!
I came away from the movie feeling very sad. Sad that people can be so intolerant of and so terribly mean to each other. The movie depicts events that happened in the 1970s, yet it's quite relevant today. While watching the movie and the undeserved mistreatment of homosexuals, I was reminded of the gay marriage bans that have recently passed in so many states (including Wisconsin). I find these bans incredibly disheartening (and mean-spirited), as if we're moving backward rather than forward.
Why are we (the human race) so capable of being mean to each other? I think because we don't always understand each other. Because we're sometimes fearful of things different from us, different from our view of the world, different from what we've been told is right (by someone at sometime). But acting from fear generally leads to negative consequences (both for ourselves and for others).
Think about how judgment affects you (physically, emotionally, and spiritually). For me, judgment seems to suck the air out of the room, creates a pit in my stomach, and makes me wonder whether I'll be judged next (or, if I'm already being judged, what I'll be judged about next).
Yet we all do it -- we all judge. We all have some intolerance lurking in us. So I challenge myself and all of you to examine that judgment. Closely examine where it comes from (in what situations does it come up, when is it better or worse, is it reasonable, is it really about the person being judged or is it really about me, the judger?). I think if we all more often recognize our intolerance (even small intolerance) and thoroughly examine the intolerance, then the world can be a much more empathetic and compassionate place.
Here's to lots and lots of tolerance!
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