Mindfulness

PART 1: Quality Life "Quality is not an act it is a habit." - Aristotle There are many ways to take this quote. I took a whole course on Aristotle and so many people debate the intentions of this man all the time. Some even have given their lives to it. For me though, this quote can easily be applied to life. A quality life is not made of scattered isolated moments of greatness or happiness. No, a quality life is determined by having those moments become a pattern. Consistency is important and it is that consistency that allows you to start feeling content. PART 2: Finding Peace  Recently, I have been trying to let a couple things go that have been taking a lot of my time. I suppose it's time to get truthful. I have always felt like I had to prove myself since it seemed like growing up everything I did was doubted by teachers as well with a couple other people in my life as well. So much so that I distanced myself and made some stupid choices along the way. I wo...

PART 1: Listening  "The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind." - Marlee Matlin I was thinking about this earlier as I spoke to a student. In our society, speaking holds more weight than anything else. People want to be the loudest, the strongest, the most passionate, and most of all people just want to feel like they are right. Even when presented with facts that counter the opinions that someone holds they will continue to argue, because many people do not want to be seen as wrong. This phenomenon has been known in the political science realm for awhile now, and sadly, politicians exploit it. Get people passionate enough and then the facts do not matter. They will literally bend logic, ignore discrepancies, and interpret reality to fit their point instead of letting their point be dictated by the truth. So, in many ways, listening is the most powerful act you can do. You can make sure you understand, you can reflect, and you can take everything in ...

PART 1: Potential  "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Sharon Begley Unknowns are scary. I have been working on embracing unknowns. Some people see the unknown as instability or feeling like something is looming around the corner which might blindside them. Instead I am intentionally taking the mindset that there is always opportunity around the corner. Sometimes we might be tested, but instead of thinking of it as a challenge let us think about it as an opportunity to prove ourselves. Sometimes we might fall, but instead of thinking of it as a failure think about it as an opportunity to learn. Sometimes we might be presented with negativity, which could bring us down or we could become agents of change to remove it from ourselves. Life is about how you see it. Incredible things will happen and you will know it soon. PART 2: Making A Difference  In thinking about what to write about today, I remembered a post that I did awhile ago, and figure...

PART 1: Daily Gifts  "Each day provides it's own gifts." - Marcus Aurelius I feel like this is an idea that we (including myself) say, but we never fully appreciate this idea. Everyday has its elements of bad, but everyday also comes with a whole list of good things. We need to take the time to recognize those good things. So yesterday here were the gifts that I was given: - Student held the door open for me. - A former student came up to me and told me that he noticed that I had lost a lot of weight and said "good for you!" - I had a productive and really good meeting with a colleague. - Had many laughs in my classes. Creating that bond that makes for good learning. - Spent quality time with a couple friends. - Acted like a little kid for a moment as I sat in one of those coin operated cars. - Got up early and had some time to reflect. Look for those gifts. Everyday provides them. PART 2: Success Success to me is not measured by how much money...

PART 1: Self Love  "Whoever is happy will make others happy too." - Anne Frank Sometimes, as teachers, or any public servant job, or care job we put others ahead of ourselves most of the time. Mothers and fathers often put their children ahead of themselves as well. Not saying that caring for your kids or giving a 150% is wrong, because it really is noble, but you cannot be an effective 150% unless you have given yourself enough time to thrive. Just like on the airplane you must put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, because in the end you can save more people. It is important to take time for yourself, to listen to yourself, and to allow yourself to take off some of the load that you might be carrying. Take care of yourself. You will be a better friend, a better partner, a better colleague, a better teacher, and a better person because of it. It is from that optimal position that transformations happen both within and without. PART 2: Future   If I h...

One thing that I wish achieve one day is traveling to all the continents (though I could pass on Antarctica) and visiting all the states. If I could travel to different places every year that would be amazing. I keep a map in my bedroom that I pin every single time I visit a place. I would love to get a pin on every country though I know that is definitely a tall order. Traveling to me is the best opportunity to learn history, culture, and also to learn a little bit about myself as well. I feel like after every trip I feel more centered and more appreciative of the world. Our world is truly beautiful and we have so many gorgeous cultures that are worthy of exploring. The more I visit the more I understand. Education opens doors, but traveling opens the soul. I always want to keep my soul nourished. #LivingIntentionally

Sometimes we do not give enough time to really think about the ways in which we have grown. Humans are not static whether we are intentional or not we all change due to experiences as well as the people who come into our lives. So let's be intentional in looking at the new things in our life that we enjoy. The last year I have attempted things I never thought I would. For that, I feel like I have grown so much in the last year that I hardly recognize some aspects of myself. It is crazy how much you hang onto even when you are not consciously aware of it. The one new thing that I have tried and enjoyed would have to be weight lifting. I thought it was going to be a means to an end, but I actually feel like it is therapeutic. It allows me to focus on my breathing, stretch myself to the limits, and at the end of it I feel refreshed and awake. I promise to keep trying new things even things I said I wouldn't, because I seem to be surprised every time I do. Even if I suck at it f...

So if I had to design a perfect day it would start simply. I would wake up make coffee and some scrambled eggs then sit on my balcony reading a good book. Afterwards, I would walk to my gym to do a work out, because it does make me feel better which I never thought I would say. Usually working out is a means to an end rather than someone that I look forward to. I suppose I have converted to the dark side.  Then I would meet my friends at a pub or some place that allows us to talk. Order a good beer or a good cider or if I am in a mood for more then whiskey ginger. Spend a couple hours being silly. Then maybe take a walk along the beach or around town with my friends.  At the end of the day I would come home sit on my sofa and put on a good show or a movie. Just have a relaxing downtime before sleep. Or Skype call one of my friends who do not live near me anymore.  The reason I think that this day is perfect is because it has a great balance. I'm social, but I als...

I think I have mentioned this before that when it comes to heroes or people I learn from the list is long. There is not a single person in my life that I turn to for strength, because I have been blessed with many generous souls or people who taught me not to be like them. Inspiration can be both what you aspire to be and what you aspire not to be both teaches you what you value the most. The attributes that my heroes tend to have are intelligence, kindness, persistence, non-traditional, and believe in serving in a way that helps our world. Eleanor Roosevelt, George Orwell, Jane Austen, Socrates, and others that I talk about quite a bit. Were rebels who used their brains to stand up for what they felt was right or used their talents to showcase the wrongs of the current world. I suppose that's what I look for in people I look forward to. Most of the time though I'm just in awe when people love people and honestly show it through their actions every single day.

I think some people think that mindfulness is a practice in which you suppress negative emotion and embrace only the positive. But truth is, it is okay not to be okay, and sometimes you need that moment to vent or to be weak. Mindfulness is being aware of yourself, your needs, and then eventually coming up with an action plan to reach acceptance or to seek positive change. But do not think that you need to bite your tongue, suppress negative thoughts, or say that you are unhappy. To be mindful is to be aware. Once you are aware you must do something which should always be to seek positive change.

As of late, I have felt that life is about finding balance. You need to find that sweet spot between too alone and too social, too much work and too much play, or too much in your head or too much dealing with the external world. Balance is key. Balance is also hard to maintain, because as life throws us obstacles we tend to cling onto certain habits which might turn the tide in one direction over the other. This is why mindfulness is such a powerful practice, because it forces yourself to be more present minded which can reset imbalances in your life. As for me, the current imbalance is probably too much work versus too much play. I have been thinking about this lately. I might be a little too generous with my time with work and may need to scale down on the things that I do. I should stick to a couple of things that bring me joy and bring me challenges instead of unnecessary stress. Being lead to my PLC brings me joy, because I get to defend a subject that I am passionate about a...

Often times I think we put too much stock in answers and not enough in questions. Transformation does not happen due to having all the answers, but instead of daring yourself to ask questions. Intelligence is not a byproduct of knowing answers, but instead the byproduct of pondering deep questions that require you to reflect or to research. Questions can truly change your life. Simple questions like "How are you?" or "Would like to do something this weekend?" keep you connected and build relationships. Reflective questions that encourage self exploration or a self check in can keep you grounded. Milestone questions like "Will you marry me?" or "Do you want to go to Europe?" can lead you to new phases in your life that require you to get out of your comfort zone. Questions of curiosity like "Do ghosts exist?" or "Can people spontaneously combust?" encourages your brain to seek information and stay inform. Change never comes...

Sometimes it is fun to envision what the world would be like if you were in charge of it. Truth is, or at least I believe it to be truth, nothing would ever be truly perfect even if I had the reigns of this nation. Too many people who want too many things and what is best for one group might not necessarily be the best for another. Diversity comes with difficulties, but it also comes with far many benefits. So to answer this question, I best describe how I wish the world to be. Personally, I'm a dreamer. I want so bad for the visions of John Lennon in his song Imagine  to be the reality. I want to live in a world with no war, no hunger, no prejudice, and just the human race working together to solve problems. I suppose I would encourage service if I was in charge. Promote the idea that education should be more important than creating weapons. I wish my world to be like that. Yet, I know as a political scientist the world will never be like that. Though we can continue to grow a...

We all have negative baggage that we walk around with. Either from past relationships, failed friendships, hurtful words, or feeling like you have a success deficit and a failure surplus. This baggage impacts your health, current relationships, and can even alter the choices that you make.   I definitely have baggage. I’ve been disappointed and someone I expected to care for me berated me in the worst way. I’ve been carrying it around with me for a very long time. A friend told me that whether you live your life listening to someone or doing the opposite of what someone tells you then you are still letting them control you. Since then, I have been looking at my situation differently. The negative feelings were getting in the way of a lot of progress. That is what the last year has been about. Accepting what I can’t change and learning to do what I want not to prove someone wrong, but because I genuinely wanted to do it.   Our brains are wired to remember the negative ...

My childhood dream was to become a radio personality. I loved the idea of sharing my passions with others. Connecting with diverse people who have diverse viewpoints. Having a sense of community that I am tied to. This all stemmed from meeting various radio personalities when I was younger in Marin County. From there the dream kind of took hold. I started to do podcasts, write blogs about politics, and eventually became an on air personality for Artists On Demand. Even thoug h the dream changed over the years to a non-profit worker and then eventually to a teacher. The things I desired never changed. Everyday I get to connect with diverse students who teach me just as much as I teach them. I get to share my passions with them and in return I get to see theirs. I have a built in community with my school and the surrounding area. The thing about childhood dreams is that they might not come out exactly how you thought they would, but if you listen to the true intentions of what you ...