The definitions are clear, the phrase Hair On Fire refers to a situation in which someone is impassioned, wild, crazy, filled with rage, frantic, and/or overwhelmed — but not necessarily out of control. You can probably remember one more realities in your life when you felt like your hair was on fire. You might have experienced it as a smoldering sense of steam tendrils floating out of your ears. Or, had a sensation akin to a volcanic eruption. Alas, neither is a good look. And both sensations are actually stress. But, I digress …

The phrase “hair on fire” may have started in Navy Aviation as a concept of those times when you have too many things going on. You keep everything in the air and eventually manage to complete the mission safely, as if you always knew exactly what you were doing. The image morphed from Navy slang to Top Gun (1986), when Flight Instructor Charlotte Blackwood observed to Lt. Peter “Maverick” Mitchel, “You’re not going to be happy unless you’re going Mach 2 with your hair on fire. . .” [I’m not sure how that worked out for him.]

Of course, when an aviator flies like her hair is on fire, it looks like everything is under control. And when earthbound mortals have the same sensation, it isn’t nearly so attractive. [And let me take this moment for a shout-out to Navy Lt. Amanda Lee, the first female F/A-18E/F demo pilot in the Blue Angels.]

Despite the fact that a stress level akin to flames, is bad for our physical and mental health, the concept of being able to accomplish a myriad of tasks while on a deadline continues to be culturally appealing. We feel like a superhero until the first bat falls, and our human frailty is once again obvious.

Can We Exchange Fiery Hair for Inner Tranquility?

Self-help books and inner chaos present a goal to convert the meltdown depicted on the left into a semblance of the tranquil relief shown on the right. Techniques for reducing stress and creating inner calm abound.

Sitting in a lotus position is not required. However, breathing slow, deep breaths is generally recommended as a way to disconnect your mind from your body so you can experience soothing sensations and slow down conscious thoughts. Sort of like a cosmic time-out.

There are many ways to douse our mental flames. A non-comprehensive list includes, focusing on gratitude over aspiration, journaling on whatever comes to mind {to-do lists don’t count}, exercise to release tense energy, a balanced diet not based on snack food, getting restful sleep, going to a ball game or a ballet. The choices of activities to break through our fiery obsessions and release our minds is lengthy.

If we free up mental and emotional space, we can consider our goals from a more healthful perspective. For example, I may want transform my entire house into a Marie Kondo paradise, but I don’t have to. I can start with a corner…or not. Maybe a Marie Kondo house isn’t my real goal. Perhaps what I really want is a sense that my environment is not beyond my control, and I have choices about how I spend my time.

There’s a truth underlying the naval slang of “hair on fire.” Our exterior cultural reality pushes us from one apparently required task to the next so quickly the activity becomes the flames that fuel our actions. But what happens when the flames consume us and smolder into ashes? I’m pretty sure it’s nothing good.

Instead of stoking the flames, we need to step back, take a few cleansing breaths, and let our minds float freely. Eventually, our true needs will become apparent, and we can choose which “flames” are to our benefit and worthy of our attention.

Otherwise, we’ll just keep “running.”

? ? ?

Illustrations

Icon to symbolize stress. Public Domain.

Woman Stressed at Work by CIPHR Connect.

Air Force Training Exercise. Public Domain.

Luca Pferdmenges Juggling by Ursula111133.

Person shows stress by pulling hair by stuartpilbrow at Flickr.

Raja yoga Meditation at Sri Lanka by Amila Tennakoon.

Tea Party by James Petts.

Toys to Tidy Up by Thibault fr.

Meditation by Victor Tongdee.

Cartoon woman running against the clock. Free Clip Art.

Rachel Nostrant. “Blue Angels Names First Female F/A-18 Pilot in Squadron’s History.” Navy Times. July 20, 2022.

John Woestendiek. “Engulfed by Lingo.” Baltimore Sun. March 26, 2004.

Julie Corliss. “Six Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress.” Harvard Healthy. Feb. 2, 2022.

The post Do We Want Our “Hair on Fire”? first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Long ago, before public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 sent workers home, about 50 per cent of Americans in the work force spent their days in an office, either in cramped open spaces or small cubicles spread out across a large room. During my early employment history, I worked in large desk-filled room. I had an adding machine, a electric typewriter, which was considered high-tech at the time, and a telephone that could not take a message. Cabinets filled with 3 x 5 cards lined one wall. The supervisor had a small, individual office. No wonder I decided to go back to graduate school.

Office workers have existed throughout history. Up until the 19th century they were predominantly male. The invention of the typewriter opened up the profession to women after men concluded they didn’t want to be tied to a clacking machine. Fair enough.

Over time, offices filled with women as Mad Men so eloquently illustrated. Naturally, women were supervised. But even men with individual office space required some level of supervision. Because, if no one watched the workers, it was assumed they wouldn’t work as hard. To be fair, remote work wasn’t a viable proposition, because there was no technology to support it.

So, every morning, office workers dressed professionally, commuted to the office building, piled into elevators, and made their way to work stations. Technology changed. Workers acquired personal Blackberries. Computers meant no one needed a secretary. Printers made typists obsolete. The office itself became an anachronism taking up expensive real estate. But both workers and clients considered it a necessary symbol of a company’s success.

Enter COVID-19

Office workers went home. They learned teleconferencing software and communicated via email and texts. They discovered how much more comfortable it was to work in leisure wear — in some cases, they stayed in pajamas all day, at least at the beginning. There was no one to see how they looked unless there was a Zoom meeting. After two years, data indicates that under these conditions, productivity, rather than declining, remained the same or slightly increased. Employees spent about half an hour more per day on the job, and in 2020, world productivity output increased 5 per cent.

Remote work offered employees an opportunity to change their personal situations without harming productivity. Many moved away from crowded city housing, because they were no longer subject to a daily commute. Extroverts found ways to connect socially outside the job. Introverts flourished.

Hi-ho, Hi-ho Is it back to the office we go?

The pandemic ebbed. People got vaccinated. Now managers want people back in the office. Elon Musk told his employees to return to the office for 40-hours a week, or quit. Apple executives came up with a hybrid plan to return employees to the office three days a week. Citigroup, Google, and American Express offered a similar office structure. Come in to the office three days a week; work from home the other two. Sound like a reasonable compromise?

Perhaps not. Seventy-six percent of Apple workers disliked the new schedule. Fifty-six percent began looking for other jobs. Even some executives resigned. Turns out, many workers now prefer working from home where they claim a greater degree of focus, lower stress levels, and a better work-life balance. Other objections include being available for a pandemic pet that joined the household, rejection of the daily commute, and health-related concerns.

Besides, it won’t be the same office. Mindful of social distancing, the space will be more spread out. And people may not select the same days to go to the office. If one person goes to the office, only to find no one else on the team is present, the employee will spend the day looking at a screen, just like working from home. Clearly, some organizational scheduling will have to take place.

Sometimes employees go into the office, but upper management is absent. Not a good message for building morale.

And if everyone shows up, how will they make the transition from the home office to interacting with managers? Foil Arms and Hog offer a humorous scenario.

Illustrations

Exhausted Worker. Free Clip Art.

Patent Office Examiners at Work.

Seattle City Light Office Workers, 1973. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Trollback + Company Office by Trollbackco.

Home Office by Stubacca.

Zoom Work Meeting on Clubture@20 Project by Zblace.

Office Room by Jahnab91.

Maria Akhter. “5 Reasons Employees Don’t Want to Return to the Office.” Envoy. May 3, 2022.

Rani Molla. “Why the return to the office Isn’t Working.” Vox. June 10, 2022.

Joanna York. “The Double Standard of the Return-to-Office.” BBC. June 6, 2022.

The post Whither the Office Worker? first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

On December 31^st did you, perhaps in an altered state, solemnly resolve, affirm, or swear that you would make positive changes in 2022? Last year 43 percent of Americans vowed to change in 2021; this year only 29 percent expected to take the plunge. Of those making new year’s resolutions, 80 percent will either fail or give up by the beginning of February.

The Most Common Resolutions Are a list of “I shoulds“

Health and lifestyle industries enthusiastically support: I should exercise more and I should lose weight.

There’s also I should get organized, and buy bins and boxes at the local container or office outlet.

[Note: I should work more doesn’t appear on anyone’s list, yet that’s what most of us will probably try to do.]

I should travel somewhere, anywhere after such a long time in pandemic lockdown. I should read more or learn a new skill, or save money. I should spend more time with my family and friends.

My favorite unachievable new year resolution: I should live life to the fullest. Whatever that means. But it sounds good. And that’s the problem with most of our annual goals. They have no substance.

Resolutions of New Year’s Past

This annual struggle is at least 4,000 years old. Ancient Babylonians celebrated the new year in March as a sort of springtime festival. During the 12-day Akitu Festival, Babylonians promised the gods that they would repay their debts and return any borrowed items to their owner. They paraded their gods through the streets from Marduk’s Gate to Ishtar’s Gate and the Akitu Temple. The old chaotic world would be cleansed and the gods would create a new one for the new year.

As the Roman Empire declined, early Christians thought the first month of the new year was a time to reflect on past mistakes and/or sins, and resolve to make spiritual and personal improvements.

The Puritans refined this approach. They condemned all end of the year celebrations as pagan indulgence, and even went so far as to re-name January [named for the 2-headed god Janus] First Month. Puritans took self-reflection to a new level in the hope God would look kindly upon them. Popular resolutions were to treat neighbors with charity, avoid sins, work for peaceful relations, and to always speak clearly and simply. Of course, part of being a Puritan is that no matter how hard you try to be good, you still sin.

My favorite historical commitment is the Peacock Vow taken by medieval knights during the last feast of Christmas, presumably on 12^th Night. Servers brought in a roasted peacock re-dressed in its avian finery. One-by-One, each knight put his hand on the festive bird and recommitted himself to his chivalric vows.

This Year, Try SMART GOALS

If you made New Year’s goals but find yourself slacking already, perhaps you need to revisit them using the SMART method. SMART GOALS are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Notice the word should isn’t one of the items. Many resolutions fall by the wayside, because the person making them didn’t actually want the goal. 

So, let’s use an example: Weather permitting, this year I will walk for half an hour, 5 days a week.

• Walking half an hour, 5 days a week, is SPECIFIC.

• By making a note on my calendar each time I walk, the goal is MEASURABLE.

• In comparison to running a half-marathon, walking half an hour 5 days weekly is ACHIEVABLE.

• Given my schedule and general weather conditions, walking is REALISTIC.

• Walking is definitely TIMELY.

And if some weeks I don’t walk at all. That’s okay. Sometimes it rains.

You can set and re-set goals anytime, as long as you have the desire to achieve them. If not, even SMART GOALS won’t work.

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Illustrations

Happy New Year 2022 by Arghamalick5151

Crunch exercise by Pk0001

1930s Japan Travel Poster

Babylonian Lion Passant, about 7th century BCE

Janus

Puritans Drinking from Pewter Mugs. 19th century.

Roasted Peacock with Feathers. 15th century.

Goal Setting by Author

Person Walking

Winking Gnome Attribution: GNOME Project

Fred Backus. “Fewer Americans are making New Year’s resolutions This Year.” CBSNews. Dec. 31, 2021.

Tony Bryant. “New Year’s Resolutions.” Sur in English. Dec. 27, 2021.

Ashley Stahl. “This New Year’s Set Goals.” Forbes. Dec. 9, 2021.

The post Making Achievable New Year Resolutions first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

In 1999 writer Chris Baty, who specializes in helping writers, challenged his friends to write 50,000 words and produce a novel during the 30 days of November. That year, 21 aspiring writers accepted the challenge. Fast forward to 2017 when 306,230 participants from around the world officially accepted the National Novel Writing Month challenge.

The rules are simple. Start writing whenever midnight arrives in your timezone on November 1. Stop on November 30. In between, write 50,000 words, the minimum word-length of a basic novel. It should be noted that these words are not edited or polished. They are grist for a First Draft. The object is to move forward without losing momentum by reading over completed words. Fun Fact: To achieve 50,000 words in 30 days, you need to write 1667 words a day. This isn’t as daunting as it looks, because you only write one word at a time. ?

If you want to be official, you can sign up [no charge] at the NaNoWrMo website. The organzation supports your efforts by helping you set milestones, track your progress, and connect with other writers. You can do all of these things without actually signing up at NaNoWrMo. Full Disclosure: I’ve never participated, but I do set milestones, track my progress, and informally connect with other writers.

Plotters & Pantsters

You may be wondering how, exactly, one sets out to write a novel. There are many possible answers, but I’m going to focus for a minute on two types of writers.

Plotters plan everything. They’re the people with outlines. Confession: I’m a plotter. I want maps, notes, outlines . . . The whole padded box of writing.

Pantsters, as you might imagine, fly by the seat of their pants. They follow the story wherever it leads, even if it’s to a dead end. I admire their verve and fearless drive. However, at some point, even pantsters have to block out their story, usually as part of the editing process.

Pantsters don’t have to “prepare” for NaNoWrMo; plotters do. Either that or they’ll have to increase their daily word count to make 50,000 words in 30 days.

Not the Finished Product

NaNoWrMo is a great incentive for writing a first draft. Among the alumni who have gone on to create a popular finished product are:

None of these books looked like this at the end of NaNoWrMo. They looked like a double-spaced draft ready for editing. These are examples of what is possible, if this is the result you want.

But you don’t have to publish your novel to be a success. You only have to finish it, which is exactly what NaNoWrMo helps you do. You can meet your characters and build their world while building your writing life. You can write for your own satisfaction, for your family and friends, or for a larger audience. It’s your story —only you can tell it.

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Illustrations

Medieval Writing Desk

Fountain Pen Writing Russian Cyrillic by Peter Milosevic

“Does Your Typewriter Match Your Pajamas?” 1928.

Writing Symbol by User: Chris-martin

National Novel Writing Month

NaNoWriMo: A Writer’s Guide. Reddsyblog. Oct. 5, 2020.

“What is NaNoWriMo?” MasterClass. Aug. 19, 2021.

Chris Baty.

The post The Challenge of National Novel Writing Month first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Do you sometimes feel like you’re trying to juggle too many objects in the air? Forget sometimes. Do you frequently and often feel like you multitask more than is even remotely healthy? We’ve all been there, and many of us still are.

It is a conundrum of our culture that we fill our mental and physical spaces, and then dream about escaping the stress we create. Sometimes the answer seems to be the perfect interior design a la Martha Stewart Living or Konmari. 

Other times, the answer is a seascape or forest bathing. We create beachfronts in our back yards with tiki torches, fairy lights, and fire pits. But, you know, after the weekend beach party of less than ten masked people, there’s still a clean up squad of … you?

Maybe we should try yoga. Full disclosure: I practice yoga most days because a.) it keeps me sane, b.) it keeps my body happy, and c.) I’m far too timid to surf.

But, Back to the Problem

How do we turn this

Into this?

If you’re ready to brainstorm on such matters, this is the week for you. The first week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week, a moniker I can’t help but think was created by someone in the business of organizing … almost anything. Closets. Files. Body Cleanses.

The essence of the activity schedule for this auspicious week is

Refocus – Declutter – Simplify

Refocus your attention onto what’s truly important to you.

Declutter your mind…schedule…life, so you can focus on what’s important to you.

Simplify everything you can, but not all at once. That, by definition, would be anything but simple.

Uh Huh. So how does that work?

The best advice I ran across is to “say no and let go” of things that complicate your life. I know for a fact that’s easier said than done, but the point is to quit doing things that make everything worse. Over-commitment complicates many lives. What if you reduced your commitments by five…three? Okay, one would help.

Next, take a breath, otherwise known as stop and breathe. There’s even an app for that.

Third, take a technology break — an hour a day without a screen might be a good time to do yoga, or walk, or enjoy a view. Heck, even five minutes enjoying a view and breathing calmly can make the day better.

National Simplify Your Life Week is yet another reminder in a schedule full of lists and reminders, that we all need to step back, rediscover what’s important to us, and find our zen.

Illustrations

“Picture taken of me juggling” by James Heilman, MD.

Cleaning up at Noon. Public Domain.

Surfing in Hawai`i. Public Domain.

Time Management Cartoon by Vectortoons.

Cartoon Woman in Lotus Position. Free Clip Art.

Photo of Downtown Hilo and Zen Garden by Author

The post Too Much To Do? Simplify first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Fifty years ago, with some notable exceptions like Eleanor Roosevelt, women were invisible in history. White males led corporate America while secretaries took notes and made coffee. And marriage was the goal of most college educated middle class young women.

Though many issues remain unsolved, Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate positive changes that have taken place for American women, as well as re-commit to the progress that still needs to be made.

Recognition for Women’s History

In 1978 the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women decided women’s history needed to be included in school curriculums, and chose March 8^th, already celebrated as International Women’s Day, as a focal point for a Women’s History Week.

The concept was a success, and other communities and school districts introduced similar activities. In 1980 President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8^th as National Women’s History Week. States expanded the event to Women’s History Month. Congress declared March as Women’s History Month in 1987.

This year’s theme is Valiant Women of the Vote celebrating the fight for the 19^th Amendment and the continuing effort to ensure voting rights fo all.

United Nations International Women’s Day

The United Nations began International Women’s Day events during the 1975 International Women’s Year.

So far, no country has achieved gender equality. Women and girls are still undervalued, work more while earning less, and remain subject to domestic and public violence.

The UN theme for 2020 International Women’s Day is I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights. The observance focus is to bring the next generation of leaders among women and girls and gender equality activists together with earlier women’s rights supporters who created the Beijing Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women.

American Women in the Board Room

One always wonders how much progress has occurred for women in all areas of American life. In September 2019 Fortune magazine published its annual list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. It’s an impressive list. I was particularly struck by women running companies like General Motors (Mary Barra) and Lockheed Martin (Marillyn Hewson). Women hold high positions in technology and finance. 

In fact, according to Fortune, women hold a record number of high positions at top companies. Sounds good, but when you break it down further, women comprise only 33 of all Fortune 500 CEOs. About 6.6 percent.

There are many reasons why this might be so, but one of them is the high price women (and men as well) pay in their personal lives. Sheryl Sandberg wrote about “leaning-in.” In October 2018 when Indra Nooyi stepped down as CEO of PepsiCo Inc., she wrote a letter encouraging her staff to “be mindful of your choices on the road ahead.”

The long and continuing struggle for women’s equality and opportunity is about real choices. Women shouldn’t be denied a choice, because it’s outcome seems to difficult. Every women has the right to make that choice for herself. That’s the point of women’s equality. Women’s History Month is the opportunity to discover and celebrate women who blaze trails. It’s also a moment in time for girls and women to be inspired.

One Woman

In 2013 singers and musicians came together to record One Woman, a song written for UN Women by Beth Blatt, Graham Lyle, and Fahan Hassan. The lyrics are moving. Listening to and watching the singers even more so.

In Kigali, she wakes up,
 She makes a choice,
 In Hanoi, Natal, Ramallah.
 In Tangier, she takes a breath,
 Lifts up her voice,
 In Lahore, La Paz, Kampala.
 Though she’s half a world away
 Something in me wants to say …
 

 We are One Woman,
 You cry and I hear you.
 We are One Woman,
 You hurt, and I hurt, too.
 We are One Woman,
 Your hopes are mine.
 We shall shine.
 

 In Juarez she speaks the truth,
 She reaches out,
 Then teaches others how to.
 In Jaipur, she gives her name,
 She lives without shame
 In Manila, Salta, Embu.
 Though we’re different as can be,
 We’re connected, she with me
 

 We are One Woman,
 Your courage keeps me strong.
 We are One Woman,
 You sing, I sing along.
 We are One Woman,
 Your dreams are mine.
 And we shall shine.
 We shall shine.
 

 And one man, he hears her voice.
 And one man, he fights her fight.
 Day by day, he lets go the old ways,
 One Woman at a time.
 Though she’s half a world away,
 Something in me wants to say.
 

 We are One Woman,
 Your victories lift us all.
 We are One Woman,
 You rise and I stand tall.
 We are One Woman,
 Your world is mine
 And we shall shine.
 Shine, shine, shine.
 We shall shine
 Shine, shine, shine.
 We shall shine.
 Shine, shine, shine.
 

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Women Suffragists Demonstrate 1913

Sheryl Sandberg. World Economic Forum 2011.

International Women’s Day 2020 Theme. UNWomen. Dec 11, 2019

National Women’s History Alliance

Kristen Bellstrom and Emma Hinchliffe. “Meet the 2019 Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business.” Fortune. Sept. 23, 2019.

Meera Jagannathan. “Do You Want to be CEO?” Market Watch. July 21, 2019.

Vandana Sinha. “Viewpoint: Women Business Leaders Can Confront a Precarious Balance.” Biz Journals. Oct. 4, 2019.

The post Women’s History Month: An Unfinished Revolution first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Last week I suggested everyone should ignore the annual guilt-ridden exercise of making resolutions. But it’s a hard custom to shake, which makes worth spending a little time analyzing the process.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Puritans spent their birthdays and January 1 in an exercise of intense introspection. During the process, they looked for their shortcomings, invariably impressed by the many ways they sinned and failed God. For the Puritans, self-reflection was part of their goal of reaching heaven. Perfection was impossible, so all fell short.

This may be why, no matter how sincere our “resolution,” we never expect to accomplish the task we set out. We don’t really expect to lose 50 pounds, or completely declutter, or achieve any other self-improvement goal. The task we set ourselves is so general and large, it overwhelms us before we begin.

The entire process of making a resolution begins with the assumption that something is wrong and needs immediate correction. Have you ever seriously resolved to have more fun? The goal is too frivolous, and who knows what fun is anyway.

The entire process of making resolutions is so self-defeating, we no longer make resolutions; we set goals instead.

Goal Setting Should Be SMART

Goal setting is not a bad thing. Working in the flow, for example, doesn’t mean we won’t accomplish anything. But goals have to be SMART.

A goal should be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time Sensitive

I have 2 broad goals for 2020. Let’s see if they’re SMART.

PRIMARY GOAL: Complete the first draft of my current novel by the end of 2020.

• The goal is specific, even though I don’t know how the story will end.
• It’s easy to measure, because when I finish the last chapter, it’s done.
• I think it’s achievable, because I’ve written books before.
• One year to complete a draft is realistic. (One year to complete an edited manuscript, not so much.)
• A year is a year, so I’ll check that off.

SECONDARY GOAL: Complete family history and photo books.

This one is tough. It’s been on the list for 3 years, and remains undone, though progress has been made. Hmmm. Let’s see if I can pare it down.

LET’S TRY: Complete photo book for maternal family history. That works better.

• It’s specific. I already scanned the photos and traced the genealogy.
• It’s easy to measure. So far, I’m 0 and 3. But,
• It’s achievable, and
• Realistic to create one photo book, compared to the entire family history.
• And, once again, I’ll check off time sensitive.

I know I’ll complete the draft of my novel, and I should be able to complete the photo book for my maternal family history, unless I get sidetracked by something like gardening.

HOW DID I DO LAST YEAR?

In 2019, my goals were:

• Complete the audiobook format for Two Coins: A Biographical Novel
• Complete my website update
• Complete the research for my current novel
• Complete the family history and photo books

I succeeded in three out of four goals, so not too bad. Research on my current novel even got me into the flow state.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Did find your flow last year? Will you look for it in 2020? Leave a comment.

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New Year Resolution Post Card, 1915

Tinset cat wearing glasses by Cardiffchestnut

The post RESOLUTIONS: No. GOALS: Probably. first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Welcome to the first week of 2020. Will you be setting goals? Or have you decided the annual ritual of introspection is an exercise in futility? This first year of a new decade, why not try something new, like catching a brass ring or being fully present in a state of flow?

THE BRASS RING

The phrase catching the brass ring refers to an unlikely and wonderful accomplishment. The brass ring might be a promotion, or it might be a life of complete satisfaction. One thing is sure, catching the brass ring was an unusual occurrence at the carousel rides.

Carousels were most popular from 1880 to 1921, and their most amazing feature, besides sound and speed, were horses and various fanciful creatures that rose and fell as the carousel whirled around. Before the ride began, children and teens rushed to mount these moveable creatures, leaving the outside ring with its fixed horses for the slowpokes.

Entrepreneurs in the carousel trade developed a game to make the ride interesting for those on the outside. They added a ring dispenser. Outside riders reached to grab a ring as they went past, but it was harder than it looked. Most of the rings were iron, but a few were brass. It was hard to grab any ring, but to grab a brass ring was exciting. It also entitled the winner to a free ride.

Reaching for the brass ring required luck, timing, and total concentration. Carousel horses were slippery, and a reach too far could result in a nasty accident if the player didn’t keep a firm grip on the pole. Today we call that state of intense concentration FLOW, and achieving a state of flow is a quest of increasing popularity.

THE QUEST FOR FLOW

The surfer in this picture is in a state of flow more intense than the carousel rider reaching for the brass ring. The surfer is one with the wave and his board, without any sense of external factors. Flow isn’t a state of intense concentration so much as existing in a state beyond it. There’s no thought. Only the sensation of the board on the water.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management at Claremont Graduate University, encountered the state of flow as he researched what makes people happy. Almost anyone you ask will say she or he wants to be happy. The trick is figuring out how. Csikszentmihalyi concludes the way to happiness is finding your passion, developing the skills required to develop your passion, and allowing yourself to move into a state where only the passion exists.

Playing chess is an example of becoming fully engrossed in an activity. In 2007 David Howell became the youngest person in the UK to achieve the rank of Grandmaster. The suggestion is that when Howell and other chess masters play, they doesn’t consciously think about their moves. They simply enact them.

Csikszentmihalyi says that the ability to achieve flow provides a happier life.

“I developed a theory of optimal experience based on the concept of flow—the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” *

Flow comes when a person is so engrossed in an activity, all else fades away. Writers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and people from all walks of life have the ability to reach a state of flow.

Flow is not about being productive, though that’s often a side benefit. It’s a state beyond productivity, a state where external distractions have no place. People in a state of flow have no awareness outside of their project.

ENTERING A STATE OF FLOW

Csikszentmihalyi and his team interviewed successful people about their experiences with flow, and found several commonalities.

1. The individual is completely involved in the task. She’s not thinking about the dryer cycle or whether she remembered to close the car windows in case of rain, as I often do.
2. Being in a state of flow is outside of normal reality. There’s no sense of outside or even inner stimuli. I read once that Albert Einstein routinely was so engrossed in his work, he forgot to eat lunch.
3. People who experience flow have a sharp focus. They know what needs to be done and how well the task is going.
4. They know their task is doable.
5. They experience a sense of serenity while engaged in their project.
6. They enter a state of timelessness. I equate this with a good writing day, when the darkness of twilight is my first clue of how long I’ve been working.
7. People who experience a state of flow follow their passion into the task for its own sake. Writing is my passion, but not a lucrative career.

If you want to hear Csikszentmihalyi talk about his work, here’s a TED talk he gave in 2008.

2020 New Year Celebration in Paris by DDupard

Holyoke Merry Go Round Carousel 05 by Joe Mabel

Black Magic View by Nosha (catching the brass ring)

2010 Mavericks Surfing Competition by Shalom Jacobovitz

David Howell – London Chess Classic 2010 by Pawel Grochowalski

Lady at Writing Desk

Rachel Novak. “History of Brass Rings.” Henassgen Hardware. Nov. 21, 2014.

Maike Oppland. “8 Ways to Create Flow According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.” Positive Psychology. Nov. 20, 2019.

Ransom Patterson. “The Flow State.” CollegeInfoGeek. April 27, 2018.

The post BEING IN THE FLOW IS LIKE CATCHING THE BRASS RING first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

It’s December, and almost everywhere you look there are Christmas trees, evergreen boughs, and other symbols of this end-of-the-year “Season.” Long before Santa ever came on the scene, people in the Northern Hemisphere worried about the winter darkness.

Some thought winter came because the Sun God was ill, and celebrated the Solstice because at long last the Sun God would regain his health. In Europe, evergreen plants were a reminder that green plants would grow again. In Ancient Egypt, people filled their homes with green palm rushes.

Many people saw evergreen foliage as a symbol of everlasting life. The association of evergreen trees with Christians began in the 8^th century with a Benedictine monk named Boniface who became so angry at the pagan rituals practiced around a sacred tree, he chopped it  down to prove it had no supernatural power. The pagans subsequently paid better attention to his sermons.

As for the evergreen tree, it’s triangular shape made it a symbol of the Christian Trinity. Eight hundred years later, Germans brought trees into their homes and wired the branches with lit candles.

Though some immigrants brought the German custom to America, the Christmas tree didn’t catch on until 1848 when the Illustrated London News published a picture of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children around a tree. Fashionable Americans adopted the practice, and made it their own. Whereas Europeans placed small trees on tables, Americans preferred trees that reached from floor to ceiling.

The National Christmas Tree 

The concept of public Christmas trees took off in the early 20^th century. On Dec. 24, 1923, President Calvin Cooledge flipped a switch to electrically light the first National Christmas Tree, a 60 foot balsam fir from Vermont. The glittering spectacle was less about the evergreen than the strand of 2500 red, white, and green electric lights.

The Society for Electrical Development sponsored the tree to encourage people to have outdoor Christmas trees using electric lights. The cost came to $5,000 [about $70,680 today].

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree

Our second “national” Christmas tree first appeared in 1931 when construction workers building Rockefeller Center collected funds to erect a 20 foot balsam fir tree, decorated by their families with homemade garlands of cranberries, paper, and a few tin cans.

Two years later, the Rockefeller Center was complete, and a second tree appeared. It was 50 feet tall, and had lights.

Today the tree is usually a Norwegian Spruce between 60 and 100 feet tall with 5 miles of multi-colored LED lights. In 2018 a star made of 3 million Swarovski Crystals topped the tree.

Do you prefer a “real” Christmas Tree?

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans prefer real trees. Between 25 and 30 million trees are sold annually, with another 350 million trees in various stages of growth on Christmas tree farms. It takes about 10 years before a tree is ready to sell.

In 2018 Americans bought 32.8 million real trees, and 23.6 million artificial trees.

The first artificual trees appeared in Germany in the 19^th century. They were made of goose feathers that were dyed green and attached to wire branches. The branches extended from a central dowel that acted as the trunk. The trees became popular, but were flammable.

In 1930, the Addis Houseware Company made a tree from brush bristles that were dyed green. These were less flammable.

Neither of these experiements took hold. Then, in the late 1950s, the aluminum tree appeared, and became enormously popular. The trees made no attempt to look like a real tree as they projected a silvery metallic glow. The trees were at the height of their popularity in 1965 when A Charlie Brown Christmas used the aluminum tree as a symbol of Chirstmas excess and commercialization. Aluminum trees went out of fashion.

Modern artificial trees look like real trees without trying to impersonate them and are very popular for practical reasons. Over time, they are less expensive. An artificial tree is used ten or more years. 

Artificial trees are more convenient. You don’t have to crawl under the tree to pour water into the resevoir. It doesn’t drop needles. Most come with lighting attached.

People leave their decorations up longer. Artificial trees don’t turn brown or become a fire hazard.

Many people are allergic to real trees, making an artificial tree a healthier alternative.

And, some say cats are less interested in artificial trees. Hmm…I don’t think Koa Kat got the memo.

On the other hand, going into the mountains, or the local Christmas tree lot, still has its allure.

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Marcel Rieder, 1898

Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, & their children. London Illustrated News. 1848.

1923 National Christmas Tree

1987 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree by James G. Howes

Artificial Christmas Tree. Patent Office. 1911

Aluminum Christmas Tree by Michaelleration

It’s a Charlie Brown Christmas.

Koa Kat Under Artificial Tree. Photo by Author

Christmas Trees Sold in the United States. Statista.

Michael Lore. “A Brief History of the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.” Culture Trip. Dec. 12, 2018.

Courtney Vinopal. “Why are More and More Americans Buying Fake Christmas Trees?” PBS. Dec. 24, 2018.

Olivia B. Waxman.”The Electricity Lobby was behind the First National Christmas Tree Lighting” Time. Dec. 1, 2016.

The post Christmas Trees — Symbols of Hope first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

If I turn a bit to my left, I see my water feature, framed covers from my two books, a picture of myself on the Great Wall of China, and a small bookcase filled with souvenirs and dolls.

If I turn a bit to my right, I have a container of wooden tulips, a clock, a lamp, and a figure of Snoopy advising me to “do what makes [me] happy.” And, oddly enough, there’s a meat thermometer. I brought it up about a week ago, because I want to look up how to check its accuracy. One day, probably when I’m trying to declutter, I’ll look up the directions.

ASSESSING MY WRITING SPACE

A work space is a space for work, but if the occupant is unhappy, the work is not only drudgery, but inefficient. I’ve checked several sites, and whether they purport to take a zen approach or advise an efficient structure, the advice is similar. So I thought I’d compile a list, and see how I measure up.

1. Every site I visited advised the elimination of clutter. Clutter slows our creativity and makes it hard to find what we’re looking for. Clutter makes us late for appointments. Next to stress, clutter appears to be the bane of modern existence.
On the charge of clutter, I plea that my desk top is clearly visible. Therefore, I am presently innocent.

2. Light. In the category of light, fluorescent light is the enemy. So, if artificial light is needed, it should be soft and without glare. Natural light gives us contact with the outside world and a place to look when we raise our eyes from the computer screen, which we should do every 15 minutes. In the category of light, I pass. In the category of looking up every 15 minutes, not so much.

3. Plants, especially green plants provide oxygen and visual refreshment. Succulants qualify. Cut flowers can lift a room. My writing space has no plants. Instead, I have wooden tulips. In the category of plants, I plead better a wooden tulip than a dead plant.

4. Meaningful pictures. Pictures that inspire. Pictures of family friends and special places.
My pictures fill the bill.

5. A site specifically concerned with bringing “zen” into the office recommends a water feature or sand garden. I’ve got a water feature. When my ideas stagnate, I watch the water flow until my brain unclogs.

A sand garden isn’t such a good idea for me, because my writing lair also includes Koa Kat. Mostly she impersonates pillows and naps all day. But she knows to the minute when it’s time to go downstairs and eat, and she makes sure I know it too.

Virginia Woolf wrote that a writer must have a room of her own if she is to write fiction. I add, it should be a happy, comfortable room, because I spend a lot of time here.

It’s good to occasionally assess the space where I spend the most time. And if my space not only pleases me, but complies with “best practices,” then I can take a few minutes to congratulate myself before getting back to work on my next novel.

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Photos by Author.

“13 Easy Ways to Create a Zen Office Space on a Budget.” Snacknation.

Jacquelyn Smith. “How to Create A Stress-Free Work Environment.” Forbes. Nov. 18, 2013.

Sivana Spirit. “5 Simple Ways to Add Zen to Your Office.” Siolvana East.

The post My Writer’s Lair first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Poor White Rabbit. He was under such stress, always looking at his watch and fretting.

And we do exactly the same. Over-scheduling. Multi-Tasking. Running from here to there and back again. Texting while walking. Listening to podcasts while jogging. Fidgeting while waiting in the spa Quiet Room.

We are the White Rabbit.

The holidays are over. The temperature is cold. The mornings are dark. Seems like we should hunker down with a good book and a cup of tea instead of telecommuting with a mug of cold coffee beside us. No wonder we dream of escape — the Travel + Leisure magazine on my coffee table recommends I flee to “Island Escapes” in warm locations, among them Hawai`i, The Seychelles, and the British Virgin Islands. Sound good? Of course, except …

There are escapes closer to home.

Have you noticed the growing popularity of Forest Bathing?

In Japan the practice is called shinrin-yoku, and is credited with reducing stress, anxiety, depression and anger. Forest Bathing occurs in a device-free zone. No multi-tasking allowed. Just find a spot in the forest, or park, or any open space. Be fully present. Breathe the fresh air. Listen for sounds like bird song or children playing. Feel a tree trunk. Let your mind wander. And slow down.

Is it too cold to sit outside? Try taking a slow morning. Sounds like an oxymoron. The trick is to rise before the day begins, without any specific task in mind. This seems counterproductive. All I want to do on a cold, dark morning is pull the blankets over my head. But if you decide to try it, you can put off starting the morning until the sun rises. The idea is to take time in the morning to set up a day that is balanced, not stressed by rushing and multi-tasking.

According to the World Institute of Slowness, taking time to forget time feeds creativity which could make you more focused and efficient when you start your “official” day.

As is often the case, arguments in favor of slowing time by single-tasking are not new. For example, tea ceremonies in China and Japan have ancient properties for meditation and relaxation. And even today, relaxing with a cup of tea several time a day has been shown to reduce stress levels.

As Confucius pointed out, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

We’ll all get where we’re going eventually.

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Illustrations.

White Rabbit by John Tenniel. Public Domain.

Forest in Osaka, Japan. by Laitche. Public Domain.

Photo of Tea Ceremony by Author.

Quotation given to the White Rabbit from Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol.

Ellen Byron. “What’s the Rush? The Power of a Slow Morning.” Wall Street Journal. Jan. 8, 2019.

Marcelo Gleiser. “Suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder? Try Forest Bathing.” NPR. April 4, 2018.

The post The White Rabbit Needs a Cup of Tea first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

As we settle into the new year, it’s as good a time as any to reflect on old and new wisdom. [The new wisdom is like the old, but with more directions.]

This wooden depiction of the Three Monkeys sat on the bookshelf in my parents’ house. Presently, it’s on my fireplace mantle. It reminds us of an ancient story said to originate with Confucius’ Analects.

Once upon a time, the gods sent three creatures in the form of monkeys to testify about humanity’s ability to perform deeds which were good or evil. Here are two versions of the story.

In this simpler version, Kikazaru covers his ears and watches everyone. If Kikazaru sees someone committing bad deeds, he uses his voice to report the incident to Mizaru, the monkey who covers his eyes.

Mizaru transmits the messages to the Iwazaru, the monkey who covers his mouth.

Iwazru decides which punishment should happen to the wrongdoer.

Of course, there is more to the story. Kikazaru advises us to cover our ears before hearing information that disrupts our inner harmony. In particular, we shouldn’t listen to anything that could cause us to behave badly.

Mizaru advises that we close our eyes to things that aren’t useful or good, and that we punish what is wrong in order to support things that are good.

Iwazaru covers his mouth, because we don’t need to transmit anything that isn’t true, good, or useful.

Or, as Confucius suggested: “Look not at what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.” Propriety is generally taken to mean conformity to accepted behavioral standards within a community.

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS

A Popular Alternative

We, of course, live in an individualistic society where we each seek self-fulfillment, and self-help philosophies. One of these is the Four Agreements based on a book by Don Miguel Ruiz. The book is short and purports to share ancient Toltec wisdom.The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom is part of a series which has sold over 10 million copies in the United States and been translated into 40 languages.

Ruiz suggests that we each have an internalized script we learned as children in order to please our parents and other authority figures. Many of these unconscious thoughts are irrational and limit our abilities. To be free, we must replace the irrational thoughts with healthy ones. We do this by making four new agreements with ourselves. So far, so logical.

Nice slogan, what does it mean?

First, when you speak, say only what you mean and avoid saying anything negative about yourself or others.

Second, don’t take anything personally. If you don’t care what others think of you or say about you, their opinions don’t matter. Their actions reflect on themselves, not you. Don’t become angry.

Next, don’t make assumptions. You could be wrong. Ask questions instead. Communicate clearly, and see points one and two.

Finally, always do your best. No more. No less. This allows you to live in the moment and be patient with yourself.

But wait. Are the Four Agreements the solution?

Not according to Gabriel Gonsalves, a HeartMath [sic] Coach. [No, I didn’t know about the field either.] Gonsalves practiced the Four Agreements until he realized that what liberates us one day, can limit us the next. That our “best” changes from day to day. And that if we don’t take anything personally, we may miss important feedback from people who care about us.

Gonsalves’ Improved Four Agreements

1. Some things should be taken personally.

If someone who cares about you says something, talk about it.

2. Don’t just be responsible for your words.

Be responsible for your thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions.

3. Challenge your assumptions.

4. Don’t do your best. Do what you said you would do.

This carving of the Three Wise Monkeys by the 17^th century sculptor Hidar Jingoro is one of eight panels at the Tōshōgū Shrine, in Nikkō, Japan. The message is simple and easy to practice.

Do not listen to what will lead you to do wrong.

Do not see bad behavior as natural.

Do not speak badly without reason.

If we could all achieve these life-goals, perhaps everyone could live in greater harmony.

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Photo of the Three Monkeys by Author.

Emojis from the Noto Project, released under Apache license.

Confucius, Ming Dynasty. Public Domain.

Illustration of Four Agreements by Author.

Three Wise Monkeys at Tōshōgū Shrine, Nikkō, Japan by David Monniaux.

“The Lesson of the Three Wise Monkeys at the Tōshōgū Sanctuary.” exploringyourmind.com Feb. 1, 2018.

Ivana Andonovska. “The Three Wise Monkeys: Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru.” thevintagenews.com. Jan. 4, 2018.

Gabriel Gondsalves. “The Four Agreements and Why You Should Take Things Personally.” heartintelligencecoach.com. Oct. 11, 2016.

John A. Johnson. “Agreeing with the Four Agreements.” Psychology Today. Dec. 29, 2010.

The post Three Monkeys & Four Agreements first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

ROUTINE:
Definition: a sequence of actions regularly followed.
Example: Awaking after a lengthy sleep.

RUT:
Definition: Habit of behavior that has become dull and unproductive, but is hard to change.
Example: “You’re in a rut.” No one ever says: “You’re in a routine.”

In fact, the word rut is almost never said with a positive connotation unless we’re talking about standardizing ruts on dirt roads.

The word routine, on the other hand, is often given a positive spin. Mike Murdock’s phrase, “The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine,” makes a daily routine sound almost mystical.

It’s hard to find an illustration for routine, but this caricature of a woman with a clip board comes close if you imagine that every morning she sets out her task list before tackling the day.

ROUTINE CAN BE A POSITIVE FORCE

The positive reasons to have a routine are similar to the reasons we should practice time management and keep schedules. We establish a routine so we can plan ahead whether it be for five minutes, five days, or five years.

Routines establish good habits that can override bad ones, such as procrastination or rewarding yourself with a cookie after you eat fresh fruits and vegetables. If you make it routine to get up and wash the dishes instead of eating the cookie, you might forget about the cookie. I never do, but you might.

Routine activities don’t require thinking. My morning routine is to get up, drink coffee, read email and on-line newspapers, and give the cat his insulin injection. Experts say this sequence of habits saves me bags of time I might have spent thinking about what I need to do.

RICHARD BRANSON’S MORNING ROUTINE

Routines start in the morning. Branson’s routine is simple. He starts his day at 5:00 a.m. With that time he exercises to clear his mind, enjoy the endorphins, and keep himself fit. Then spends time with his family and dog. This puts him in a good mood and grounds him for the day ahead.

Branson once said, “The spirit of adventure motivates us to set goals, push ourselves, thrive in the face of hardship, and achieve epic feats.”

Routines are essentially about setting goals and pushing ourselves to achieve them. Brianna Wiest, author of The Truth About Everything, observes that routine gives us purpose, the happiness of accomplishment, and a state of mental flow.

We can set as many goals as we like,

but without a routine to support them, they’ll remain out of reach.

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Illustrations from Wikimedia Commons with Creative Commons Attribution.

Busy Cartoon Businesswoman by Victor Toons.

Richard Branson by Land Rover MENA.

Anne Cain. “A day in the Life of Billionaire Richard Branson.” Business Insider. Feb. 5, 2018.

Brianna Wiest. “The Psychology of Daily Routine.” Thought Catalog. Oct. 27, 2015.

Chris Winfield. “What Everyone Can Learn from Richard Branson’s Morning Routine. Business Insider. Oct. 2, 2015.

The post The Positive Benefits of Routine first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Business people had those Day-At-A-Time flip-desk calendars. Lots of room to write things in.

And there were wall calendars. Some had monthly photos — not always PG.

That was pretty much it…until The Planner. These were calendars that were color coded. They came in various sizes, and some became so large it was like having an extra bag to carry. Within these calendars some people began color-coding tasks. Red for work. Green for personal. And so forth.

There were also “At a Glance Planners” for days, weeks, and months. These could also be color-coded.

That changed in 1997 with the Palm Pilot. A digital calendar and note taker. Blackberries, released three years later, served the same purpose plus email.

Within about ten years, smart phones took over. Not just a phone, calendar, or email device. Smart phones text and have internet connections. The operator holds a computer in her hand.

The trendy thing now is Bullet Point Journaling – a throwback to blank journals and At a Glance Planners. The Bullet Point Journal starts with any sort blank journal and a pen and becomes whatever you want it to be. I discovered Bullet Point Journaling while looking for tips on making resolutions. Susie Lindau blogged that the system is far more useful than resolutions as a means for setting goals. She started making short term goals and planned their execution 7-10 days ahead, with the extra fun of filling in the empty blank for each completed task.

The first thing to know is that people who like bullet journaling, like it a lot. They like having everything in one portable place. They like using pen and paper. They like to Doodle…errr… Decorate. They like to write notes to themselves and make task lists. They like creating pages that may look like this.

The Lazy Genius Collective compares a bullet journal to a potato. It may seem boring and bland, but what makes the potato special is all the things it can become. Couscous, for example, can never become a French Fry.

Likewise, the bullet journal begins with a blank journal you can easily take everywhere, and a pen. The retro analog system engages the brain more than tapping a keyboard. For example, it takes longer to write things than to type them, so you only jot down what is truly important.

If the bullet journal is like a potato, its first page (called the Index Page) is like butter on the potato. Butter gives the potato flavor; the index gives the journal magic, because it tells you where everything is. You might start “summer vacation” on page 10, move on to other things, and return to “summer vacation” on page 25. You record the pages for “summer vacation” in the index.

INDEX

Summer Vacation 10, 25

And so it goes. You set things up however you like. The Index is usually followed by Future Log for planning, Year at a Glance, and Monthly pages which may include the calendar on the left and the appointments and tasks on the right. You can do the same with a daily log, which the Lazy Genius Collective calls the knife and fork of the potato.

Signifiers – Symbols of Accomplishment
☐ A task has an empty box beside it. When you complete the task, fill in the box.
△ An appointment has an empty triangle beside it. When you fulfill the appointment, fill in the triangle.
◦ Dots go next to items you want to remember.
A  Heart goes next to memories you don’t want to forget.

I’m a linear person. I keep my calendar in my smartphone and my tasks embedded in the calendar. When I finish a task, I gleefully delete it. When I finish the day, I make the next day’s list. Most people are not linear.

Bullet Journals are popular, because the writer feels productive for doing just about anything. If you complete one the task list, you get to fill in the box. And you can start a fresh page any time you want a life restart.

Bullet Point Journaling isn’t for everyone. In particular, it isn’t for me. But it’s not too late for you to start your own journal. Unlike calendars which dictatorially start on January 1, a Bullet Point Journal can be started on any day you like. As an old commercial for Anderson’s soup says, you can do it today, tonight, or a week from Tuesday.

If you want to try things out, Carrie Crista’s Beginners Guide to Bullet Journaling is a good place to start. If you want to see how elaborate these journals can become, scroll down to AmandaRachLee’s My Bullet Journal Set-Up 2018.

I’m going to catch up with my iCal.

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Illustrations from Wikimedia Commons

Oxygen 4.8.0 from “Apps” group. Free Software Foundation.

Old School 3Com Palm Pilot. Free Software Foundation.

Bullett Journal by Nea.salo. Creative Commons Attribution.

Paper Notebooks by Mattes. Public Domain.

Bullet Journal

Jane Thomas. “Why Is Bullet Point Journaling Popular?” Slate. Jan. 13, 2017.

Rachel Wiolkerson Miller and Ellie Sunakawa. “WTF is a Bullet Journal and Why Should I Start One?” BuzzFeed. May 31, 2016.

The post Daily Planners, Digital PDA’s, and Bullet Journals first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

If you didn’t make any resolutions, you’re not alone. According to the Marist College poll, 44 percent of Americans have no plans to make any resolutions. The remaining 56 percent may not set achievable goals.

Goals are tricky.

The first thing to remember is that a goal can be made any time, any day, and if the goal turns out to be ineffective, it’s okay to revise and begin again. Even more important, a goal or resolution needs to be positive, and doable.

Many people vow to exercise more, which is why gym memberships spike in January. By March, attendance is down to it’s usual numbers, and the gym has your money.

There are other ways to exercise. For example, stand up paddling is a rigorous workout by anyone’s standards. Do it two or three times a week, for the joy of it.

Many people make resolutions that require a total lifestyle change. Over time, this can be a positive process. But committing to everything at once dooms us to failure. Researchers say that the reasons resolutions fail is because we focus on things that, for various reasons, we haven’t been able to do before. “I resolve to exercise.” Okay, what’s stopping you?

Often the resolution gives us instant gratifications that we’re doing the right thing, but when we go to the gym, we don’t enjoy it. Muscle tone doesn’t appear after two weeks, and the gang wants to go for a beer after work. Or you need to stop by the store. Before you know it, automatic responses sabotage the resolution to exercise. But wait, maybe the guy meditating has the right idea. We need to focus on a specific task. Put it in the calendar. “I’m not just going to exercise. I’m going to go to the gym Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and stand-up paddle on Saturday.” May as well be ambitious. As you keep your appointments with yourself, they become a habit. And six months later, you’ll have a habit and toned muscles.

Resolutions are about setting goals.

Let’s use switching to a Mediterranean Diet as an example of goal-setting.

Successful Goal Setting requires five attributes. The goal must be:
1. Specific — I will eat better by following a Mediterranean Diet.
2. Measurable — I will measure how well I’m doing by keeping a food diary.
3. Achievable — I will purchase fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis, and learn how to prepare them.
4. Realistic — We have local Farmers’ Markets and a good health food store that sells local produce.
5. Timely — I start my new Mediterranean Diet today.

If you want to achieve your goal, be S.M.A.R.T. about it.

And do it because it’s what you want to do, not what you should do.

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ILLUSTRATIONS:

Cartoon of meditating man by Vectortoons. Creative Commons Attribution.

The Acrian C. “Ace” Israel Fitness Center at Yale University. Public Domain.

Woman Stand up Paddle surfing by Bill Ebbesen. Creative Commons Attribution.

Mediterranean Diet Foods by g.steph.rocket. Creative Commons Attribution.

S.M.A.R.T. illustration by Author.

Goal Setting Basics.

Georgene Huang. “4 Ways to Make Your Career Resolutions Stick in 2018.” Forbes. Jan 6, 2018.

Melissa Matthews. “New Year’s Resolutions 2018.” Newsweek. Dec. 28, 2017.

Claire Maldarelli. “Why Your Brain makes New Year’s Resolutions Impossible to Keep.” Popular Science. Dec 16, 2016.

Katie Uniacke. “8 Things to Remember Before Setting 2018 New Year’s Resolutions.” A Conscious Rethink. Dec 6, 2017.

The post Be S.M.A.R.T This Year first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Writers are solitary people who play with imaginary friends. We function best in spaces where we can shut the door. If that isn’t possible, we’re known to wear noise-cancelling headphones.

Ernest Hemingway famously said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” He failed to mention that afterwards, the writer has to tidy up the blood before it stains.

On a good day, words flow onto the page. On many days, a paragraph is a victory. And on all days, writers look for someone who understands what they’re trying to accomplish. Out of this question, Chris Baty and his writerly colleagues came up with the concept of National Novel Writing Month — a month of dedication enabling participants to produce a 50,000 word novel, which if you ask me is a bit on the short side. But never mind. NaNoWriMo provides a production deadline. The point is to get words on paper, sort of like speed writing.

The event occurs every November. I can’t imagine why the founders picked the month when the real world gears up for the feasting season to encourage creative folks to lock themselves away for a couple hours a day. But then again, what month doesn’t have its distractions?

This year’s participants began their writing journey last month when they planned their book — laid out a plot, or direction, or idea and populated it with enough characters to tell the story. Many participants never register with the official website, but all start writing on November 1.

Fifty thousand words sounds like a lot. It works out to 250 double spaced manuscript pages, which sounds even longer. But the writer is telling a story. She doesn’t think, “Oh, look, I’ve written 250 words today, more if I count the number of times my characters say, ‘ummm.’” She writes about the plucky heroine’s first encounter with the dragon. How ‘Rosamund’ encounters the creature by the roadside and feels sorry for him so she stops to chat. Pretty soon, chapter one will be done.

The key is to write the chapter without looking back. Don’t change the punctuation. Don’t worry about phrasing. If the writer stops to fix things, she won’t make the deadline.

According to the official website: National Novel Writing Month believes in the transformational power of creativity. We provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds—on and off the page.

After eighteen years, National Novel Writing Month is a phenomenon. The Young Writers Program promotes writing in K-12 classrooms with writing workbooks, Common Core Curriculum, and virtual class management tools. Website sponsors support writers with on-line coaches, word count trackers, and structures for local community events. Participants challenge each other to word sprints and share tips. Writing is solitary. NaNoWriMo creates a writing community experience.

At 11:59 p.m. On November 30, participants take their last keystroke. The frenzy is over. At midnight participants are entitled to congratulate themselves. They did it. The novel is there.

On December 1, the real work begins. The anguish of reading one’s work. The slog through editing.

Over the years, 449 traditional published novels began as NaNoWriMo projects. One of these is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, published in 2006 and made into a movie in 2011. That sort of success is every writer’s dream. NaNoWriMo set Sara Gruen on the path to make her dream come true.

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Illustrations in the Public Domain from Wikimedia Commons.

Gerrit Dou, artist. Scholar sharpening his quill. 17th Century.

Girl Holding Pen While Writing.

Underwood Typewriter Keyboard.

Water for Elephants logo.

NaNoWriMo.org

Jaxon Boog. “NaNoWriMo Is Big for Writers.” Publishers Weekly. Oct. 27, 2017.

Charlotte Runcie. “NaNoWriMo: How to Write a Novel in a Month. The Telegraph. Nov. 1, 2013.

The post NANOWRIMO aka National Novel Writing Month first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.