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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Tuesday's Tip - Bonjour!

source: qwrrty (flickr.com)
More and more frequently, I've had the chance to practice French which I studied back in my scholarly days.  Likewise, more and more I've realized that my French has gotten rusty.  About 6 months or so ago, I made an effort to keep up my French by reading an article for 10 minutes or by listening to something.  Having not kept up even that minor practice has, of course, resulted in my current rustification of French.

So for today, I just want to ask you, if there's something that you used to enjoy that you no longer do?  What caused you to give up the activity that you enjoyed?

Can you somehow fit that activity back into your current routine?

Can you refresh your interest in the activity?

What can you do to update or advance your skill level in this activity?

As for myself, I listened to a French audio cassette while washing dishes yesterday.  It was a small but helpful start in making my French a little less rusty and a li'l more polished.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Tuesday's Tip - Not As Planned

This post will offer some brief advice on what to do when things don't go as planned.  This could be something such as a traffic jam making you late for work or finding out that you didn't get the position that you interviewed for.

1.  Accept it.  Reflect on the situation and learn from it.  (Please note that I said "reflect" and not "dwell" which can  get you bogged down in dredging and re-living a past experience.)  What could you do better next time? 

2.  Tweak it.  You're aware that things haven't gone as planned and you now wish to somehow make your current situation more agreeable for you.  You could do this by taking a shorter break if you're late for or by applying for another position with a company/organization that you want to work for.

3. Have a backup plan.  Do you have a Plan B in case your original choice is unavailable?  Are there 5 other businesses that are vying to interview you?  With this option, you could combine options 2 and 3, but also you could have an idea in advance of what you wish to do in case, your first plan is unfulfilled.

There are times, of course, when things will not go as planned:  you can't find a needed report, you damaged a borrowed CD, you get a lousy haircut.  What's useful when things don't go as planned is to be open to change.  This doesn't mean that you if you didn't ace an audition it means that you're not destined to be a great actress.  Instead, it means that there could be some adjustment that you may need to make in your approach, whether it's learning more about acting or finding a different play to audition for.  A person who's open to change is more adept at coping when events do not turn out as planned.  Such a person has a definite advantage over someone else who's stewing and brewing over what once was.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Before Valentine's

Did you know that there's another holiday before Valentine's?  It's called Madly in Love With Me Day and it was created by Christine Arylo.  As her web website describes it, the aim of the day is "to make a commitment to self love.." So whether you're singular or plural, here are some suggestions on enjoying the day

1.  Have some quiet time for yourself.

2.  Read a book that you enjoy.

3.  Go for a walk.  Not so much to burn calories but simply to enjoy the day.  (This applies if the weather is comfortable enough for walking!)

4.  Take a class or do something fun that you might not have gotten around to doing (getting a facial, scalp massage, sitting in a park).

5.  Write in your journal on a theme of your own or as a response to one or more of the following:
a.  What's great about you?  List your strengths, your uniqueness, your winning moments.  Recall compliments that people have given you on anything related to you--your point of view, hairstyle, clothes, laugh, facial expressions, business sense, sensitivity, etc.  Or maybe you've never been complimented on this skill/quality but you appreciate it nonetheless.
b.  What's great about your life?  What do you enjoy about your life as it is right now?  In spite of whatever current challenges your facing, focus your attention on the positive in your life.  Have you created meaningful friendships?  Have you taken the leap into becoming an entrepreneur?
c.  What are some of your dream goals?  What would you one day like to do?  What do you imagine yourself doing even though it seems far away from your current circumstances?
d.  Who are the people that have most influenced you?
e.  Who are the people that you've influenced or in some way inspired and how?

Hope everyone enjoys Madly In Love With Me Day and spreads the word about this day to their friends and family members!  Also, you can visit the site for your own free self-love kit.

(My Disclaimer:  Am not an affiliate.)

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tuesday's Tip: A Refresher

This is an über-quick tip for dealing with overwhelm.  When there's too much to do and your thinking is getting fuzzier by the second, go for a walk to refresh your mind and energy.  Or if it's too chilly for that, detach yourself from your activities and simply look out the window.

Hope this brief tip works!