habits

No News is Good News

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I’ve avoided watching/listening to news for two weeks now. I didn’t realize how frequently I was checking it and how awful it made me feel.

Since I’ve stopped checking in with CNN, NPR, Fox News, etc., I have:

  • read a book (my cousin’s (!) – Beloved Sa Mi)
  • made major headway with my second children’s book
  • voted early in the general election for Mesa, AZ
  • completed the pre-candidacy phase of the National Board Certification for Teaching program

Most importantly, I’ve felt clearer and more centered. 

If the news is getting you down, why not cut it out of your life?

Connect to Something Big*

 

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Daily painting challenge: August Wren Creativebug.com class

 

*From Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog:  Find a Way To Connect To Something Big— Marcus Aurelius would look up at the stars and imagine himself running alongside them, he’d see them for their timelessness and infiniteness. Try that tonight or early in the morning and try to make it a daily practice. A glance at the beautiful expanse of the sky is an antidote to the nagging pettiness of earthly concerns, of our dreams of immortality or fame. But you can find this connection from many sources: A poem. A view from the top floor. A barefoot walk across the grass. A few minutes in a church pew. Just find something bigger than yourself and get in touch with it every single day.

Put the Day Up for Review*

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“30 Things to Paint with August Wren”

From Ryan Holiday’s blog “13 Habits to Try to do Every Day”

#11:  [*] Put The Day Up For Review — We prepared in the morning, now we reflect in the evening. The best way to improve is to review. So, each evening you should, like Seneca did, examine your day and your actions.

The question should be: Did I follow my plans for the day? Was I prepared enough? What could I do better? What have I learned that will help me tomorrow?

 

I write make a list of tasks (aligned with my goal(s)) on an index card daily. A quick way to review is to check my list. Did I get them all done? And then reflect on how I spent my time. I’ve definitely been checking news too much. Red4Ed affects me directly, so I check to see Ducey’s reaction. But then I fall down the rabbit hole and read irrelevant “news.” Reflecting this way helps me get back on track the next day.

 

 

 

Seize the Alive Time*

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Ryan Holiday recommends seizing the “alive time.” You know, the moment in front of you – the only one that counts. Look into the eyes of the person speaking to you, don’t check your phone when at lunch with others.

Alive time.

“Face fears. Reach out and connect with someone. Do something you’ve been putting off. Expose ourselves to sunlight and nature. Be still and empty. Prepare for what lies ahead. Or just live because who knows how much time we have left.”

Ryan Holiday

Today, educators from all over Arizona are marching from Chase Field to the Capitol. We are working to create change. Change is uncomfortable. It’s not easy. But it’s necessary and unavoidable.

 

I march for Lily, who wants to be a teacher someday.

I march for my students, who deserve resources to learn and become critical thinkers and productive adults in our society.

I march for myself and my peers who deserve to have resources to get our jobs done and to feed our families.

I march for education which is the only antidote to discrimination, violence and inhumanity.

 

 

*9th Habit from From Ryan Holiday’s blog “13 Habits You Should Adopt Every Single Day” (Thought Catalog)

13 Habits* (#7 = Strenuous Exercise)

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First “Journaling” art entry

Make Time for Strenuous Exercise

“Scientists consider it the single thing closest to a magic bullet….and Richard Branson gives it as his #1 piece of advice for entrepreneurs” – do strenuous exercise!

Ryan Holiday recommends having a goal with your exercise (e.g., “I will do at least 10 pushups today.”)

Although I have never been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, I know for a fact that if I start my day out with strenuous exercise, my anxiety levels are greatly decreased all day.

 

*From Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog

The 13 Daily Habits (#6)*

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Leaf doodle

Find True Quiet

Disconnect.

Unplug.

Be unreachable.

Find calmness and peace.

Build this into your daily schedule.

Ryan Holiday likes to swim. (What a great way to combine Habits #6 and #7 (strenuous exercise))! I love to go running in the desert. Or go to a coffee shop and write. How do you like to create quiet for yourself?

 

 

*From Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog blog

13 Habits to Cultivate Every Day* (#5)

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Read. Read. Read!

I still oscillate from watching Hulu/Netflix to reading a good book. Reading ALWAYS provides me with more value to share and enriches my work and life in general. I’ve learned that being observant and having a good partner improves chances of success (Elementary). But going down the path of writing from one’s imagination (obsessively) to producing shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” with Shonda Rimes (Year of Yes) is priceless.

 

*from Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog

13 Life-Changing Habits to do Each Day (1/13)

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Watch Doodle

I enjoy reading Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog blog. He just published an article on “13 Life-Changing Habits to do every single day.” These habits will definitely lead to good things for you!

I’ll share them with you. Here’s #1:

Prepare for the Hours Ahead

Holiday refers to the stoics often. Here, he informs us that Marcus Aurelius used to keep a morning journal, where he connected with his intentions for the day and planned how he might react to people and events that were less than desirable. This helps us to prepare for potential setbacks.