Is This MyStory

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Choose to Be The Author of Your Life

Reading Stimulates the Mind and Soothes the inner Self

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Reading is an important activity which stimulates the mind and soothes the inner self. It has the power to transport us to hidden worlds, fascinating spaces and mysterious realms. Reading offers insights into the minds and hearts of others, proving fresh perspectives, inspiring ideas and soothing relief. This is why we read. We read to learn, to experience, to grow, to break free and simply to rest within the pages.

Is what we read important? Yes of course it is. Just as overindulging in junk food plays havoc with our digestive system, overindulging in ‘junk’ reading material plays havoc with our mind. Now here I do need to be a little more specific. When I say ‘junk’, I am not necessarily referring to poorly written pieces or trashy novels; rather I am referring to texts which wallow in hopelessness, tragedy and misfortune. The front page of a newspaper is often a good example. Again I need to qualify my ideas. Certainly I am not talking about all news papers, all the time. In fact I believe reading the paper is a great way to keep in touch with the local community and the wider world. Personally I love the tangible quality of newspapers. They are part of my weekend morning ritual. I eat breakfast, read the paper and contemplate life. The key is to read the articles critically and balance them with other material that offers ‘more’.  So to return to the ‘junk food’ analogy, it is simply a matter of balancing your diet to promote health habits.

This is why I often suggest to my students to read the weekend paper. Specifically I ask them to read the ‘News Review’ section of the Sydney Morning Herald. Many of the articles in this section of the paper have the potential to act as stimulus material for the mind – particularly when you don’t agree with the stand the journalist has taken! Importantly the articles in this section generally offer examples of critical analysis or reflective writing. Therefore they offer a style of writing which can be useful for students struggling to produce written responses that demonstrate their own opinion, rather than simply regurgitating information gleaned from google.  

I guess this is probably also a good time to remind you how important breakfast is. Eating breakfast provides ‘fuel’ for your body and offers the energy you need to start the day from a position of strength. Similarly, committing to a morning ritual which involves reading stimulating material has the potential to establish a powerful framework for the rest of your day. Therefore, throughout the working week, I like to read development style texts (be they personal or professional) or books about inspirational people and events. I find reading material that is positive, instructional and inspiring establishes a constructive mindset which energises my day and encourages creativity.  

What will you read tomorrow morning?

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How People Think

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Have you ever contemplated how people think? Can we ever really know how  people think? I finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, jumped into the shower and while the water relaxed and cleansed, my mind drifted. I enjoyed the book, although not as much as the reviews had me believe I should. Larsson has been described as offering an “original heroine”, and a “gripping plot”. I confess, crime fiction is not my usual choice so my credentials when it comes to judging the literary merit of the novel are somewhat dubious. However I was interested in why the Millennium series was so popular – and yes I do intend to read the other two books before forming an opinion. Nevertheless, initial musings suggested to me that readers are either drawn to the investigative or problem solving aspects of the prose, or they are compelled by a desire to understand the characters and their relationships.

Personally, I was not really intrigued by the mystery that is Lisbeth Salander or the search for the missing Harriet Vanger. Or, perhaps what I should say is that I did not recognise a thrilling plot, nor an overly unique heroine. Yet since that is what reviews led me to expect, I wondered what it was that I was missing? But then as I considered the character of Lisbeth Salander an interesting thought formed from the swirling mass of electronic impulses – can we ever really know how another person thinks or how they actually process the information presented to them to form an opinion?

Of course we can study the brain and its functions and we can interview, counsel and examine people’s reactions to various stimuli. We can listen to or read their opinions, beliefs and hear their explanation of their thought process. We can watch or have described to us, their emotional responses. However at all times, we are processing the information through our own set of filters, through our own understandings and, we are probably taking the internal workings of our brain for granted. After all, it is all we have every really known.

Yes we can be empathetic and ‘imagine’ how another person may be feeling or what they may be thinking and we can even hypothesise why they feel or think that way. Yet, we will still be computing the information using our own operating systems and we have no way (at least to my knowledge) of really knowing how truly compatible our systems are. Yes of course we can gauge similarities and determine harmonious or discordant patterns. In most cases we use this information to determine friend or foe. But, do we ever really, truly share the exact same thinking methodology? I think not, and, while that explains why personal relationships suffer from miss-communication it is also what adds flavour and excitement to them.

I believe the key is to accept that we each use our own unique operating systems that while comparable with others of our species, are not truly compatible (much like a PC and a Mac). When we acknowledge that our thought processes are unique we are more likely to understand that others naturally have their own unique thoughts and as such are as entitled to their ideas as we are. As a result we can begin to appreciate the voice of the philosopher Rumi who offered the idea, “out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing is a field, I will meet you there”.

 However, in light of some of the disturbing thought process exhibited by the certain characters in Larsson’s story I do feel compelled to point out that just because we can acknowledge the right of the individual to think their own thoughts, this does not necessarily mean we can draw a direct parallel to the actions of individuals. This is where the waters become murky as some are tempted to use the ‘rights of the individual’ theories as justification for dubious or even downright heinous activities. It is here that the notion of ‘values’ or ‘ethics’ becomes essential downloadable ‘shareware’. In other words, in order for individuals to live within a system (or society) there must exist a series of shared, acceptable, behavioural patterns that recognise an individual’s accountability for their actions and the responsibility to not impinge upon the emotional, intellectual or physical safety of others.

Stories such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo offer readers insight into the thought processes and motivations of individuals on the fringes of society, outside it, at the top and bottom of it, while also sharing the actions and thoughts of the psychopath. Perhaps this is where its popularity lies. The intriguing aspect for me, is the recognition of just how differently we think. In fact, I wonder, as you read this, what you will focus on and what message you will take away?  How close will it be to the ideas I intended to convey?

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Making the Most of Ritual

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A ‘ritual’ allows us to connect abstract feelings or thoughts (from our inner world) to tangible actions that can be physically experienced (in our outer world). This is as simple as linking an action to a belief or emotion. In creating a bond between something that was intangible to another tangible ‘thing’ it is possible to make the insubstantial seem substantial. The benefit is that once the thought or idea can be physically seen, heard or felt, it becomes ‘real’ and thus able to be directed. Thus, the advantage of these bonds is that they cement habits into routines that allow for the synchronistic achievements of goals. This occurs because ritual provides a way to link a concept to a reality in the same way that a metaphor allows us to understand an abstract idea. Talking or looking at a concept does not always make it real – yet linking it to a ritual allows us to experience a physical occurrence that enhances a learning experience. An example will make this clearer.

Imagine preparing to study by following a series of steps which focuses the mind and alerts the unconscious that learning is about to take place. How much more do you think you will remember when your study is personally relevant and enjoyable? This is achievable when you link the intangible emotions of happiness and significance to the reading and writing that is about to take place. So, how can you make emotions a physical entity? One obvious method is through music. Think about it – how often do you hear a song that instantly transports you back to a specific time you heard that song. Typically this happens because you heard the song during an important or meaningful experience and you bond the song to the feelings and thoughts surrounding the event. We can use this to our advantage by deliberately and repetitively listening to a specific song whilst engaged in an activity that is motivational, enjoyable and relevant. Soon, the song will be linked to those feelings of happiness and enthusiasm. Thus, whenever the song is played, those emotions will be experienced. Now, imagine always playing that song before you prepare for exams. Can you see yourself associating the feelings elicited by the song to study? As a result, you will begin  to perceive study as fun and relevant.

Another way to use the concept of ‘ritual’ in a practical habit forming manner is to link a desirable activity to a less desirable one, for example you may choose to write a 150 word education related blog post before you log on to facebook in the evening. Of course, the key is to perform the ritual each time without exception. In order to ensure your success you should keep the individual sections of a ritual achievable and meaningful.

Finally, ritual provides the opportunity to develop a sense that there is a force beyond ourselves. Without believing in a force beyond what we physically see it is difficult to link with our unconscious or to that which replenishes and gives us a sense of worth. For example we can begin to recognise and appreciate what we have by initiating a morning ritual which involves identifying three things we feel grateful for. This simple, positive exercise can transform the way you approach your day and encourage constructive, optimistic relationships.

 What rituals can you begin today?

Just a Teacher?

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Ok, here’s a truth you probably recognise, we need educational reform.  I have suspected for some time now that those most able to offer tangible, practical solutions to the problems besieging our classrooms are the ones who are cheerfully ignored. Perhaps this is because those most qualified to provide answers are busy in the classroom doing what needs to be done; the ones ‘in the know’, the ‘good teachers’, are doing what they do best. Teaching.

In a recent Sydney Morning Herald article (18-19/12/10) Adele Horne, proposed the idea that the top ATAR achievers of 2010 were unlikely to choose teaching as their preferred course of study. Rather, she proposed, these intelligent, dedicated students are likely to select courses which promise higher prestige and potential earning capacity. In support of this observation, Horne referred to the tendency of teachers to refer to themselves as, “just a teacher” and suggested that societal perception of teachers meant that teachers often felt inferior to those in higher paid professions. Of course the irony here is that a ‘good teacher’ probably inspired or enabled those in prestigious professions to achieve their success in the first place.

Indeed, as Horne pointed out, research has estimated that a ‘good’ teacher can actually provide double the opportunities for students to learn. In other words, a good teacher facilitates learning by providing the opportunity for students to develop the skills, strategies, and understandings which become the foundation for future success.  In defining what constitutes a ‘good teacher’, she suggested that good teachers “love their subject area and are masters of it … plan exhaustively … constantly re-evaluate their practice, do not spend their time complaining [and] are not necessarily dynamic personalities”.

Wherein lays one of the determinants for the current state of Education in Australia. The ‘best’ teachers who are arguably those most qualified to propose meaningful change, are the individuals who quietly go about their business of helping students achieve their best. They are the ones who choose to remain in front of the desks – not the ones behind an administrative table or policy directives. As a result, they are the least likely to have the opportunity (and perhaps the inclination) to engage in the frustrating and time consuming business of bureaucracy, politics and public policy. Yet, perhaps they should.

At this point it is interesting to remember the acclaim assigned to Bards,’ Wise Women’ and ‘Wise Men’ since historically, they were the storytellers and keepers of the knowledge. Today knowledge is kept in cyber space and accessible by anyone with a modem. Perhaps this is why teaching has low status. As a result of technology, the role of schools and thus teachers, has changed. Educational policy needs to address this issue and I want to put my hand up to be part of it. Teachers need the time to teach and they need to be recognised as professionals.

So, my question is, how does a politically inexperienced, experienced teacher from the Northern Beaches of Sydney become an activist for change? Care to join me in my quest to make school relevant to the needs to today’s teenagers?

Happiness is more than a State of Mind

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Are you happy? If you are happy, how happy and, how do you know you are happy?

Is happiness simply an emotion or is it a ‘real’, ‘tangible’ state of being? These are some of the ideas discussed recently in a year 10 class. This discussion was prompted by the essay question, ‘Happiness is more that a state of mind’. To what extent is this true of modern society?

 As we discussed the concept of happiness some interesting thoughts began to emerge. We explored the genesis of happiness and tended to agree that love, both giving and receiving, made us happy. We noted however, that while the search for love, particularly when it involved settling for ‘like’ or a synthetic derivatives, may lead to ‘pleasure’, pleasure did not necessarily provide ‘happiness’. We realised, a greater understanding of what happiness meant to us as individuals, was necessary.

 As we searched for definitions of happiness, we observed how overtly happy people are often viewed with apprehension or scorn. It seemed that some people find a state of ‘happiness’ confronting and become defensive when in the company of ‘happy’ people. Perhaps, we hypothesised, some individuals are fearful, suspicious or even jealous because they suspect ‘happy’ people have more than their ‘fair share’. Maybe they are also wary of experiencing happiness themselves because they feel guilty, suspecting that their happiness ‘steals’ happiness from others. Perhaps this fear is the result of a belief that happiness is a finite, even scarce resource that must be allocated sparingly. Or possibly, some view happiness with derision because they link feelings of happiness to a ‘cult’ of happiness (or to commercialised, mass-produced hype). However we decided that these attitudes, born of fear, are limiting beliefs. As a result we noted that choosing an abundance mindset (and viewing happiness as an infinite force) was an inspiring choice since it allowed for positive relationships and minimised feelings of jealousy and resentment.

Our next step was to refer to the research being conducted into the value of happiness. Research such as that recorded on the Authentic Happiness website (  Authentic Happiness :: Using the new Positive Psychology ) offers suggestions as to how feelings of ‘well being’ may have a positive effect on not only the individual, but society. It is to this research we turned and happily noted that happiness is more than a state of mind. It is a choice and importantly, there are daily tangible actions which may be undertaken to increase our sense of happiness.

Tal Ben-Shahad, a positive psychology lecturer at Harvard University recommends 52 of these in his book Even Happier. These are simple strategies (such as exercising regularly) which promote an overall sense of wellbeing. For example Ben-Shahad explained the benefits of identifying 5 things each day that you are grateful for and recording them in a ‘gratitude journal’.  He also suggested reflecting on attitudes toward work or school, identifying the enjoyable aspects and then focusing on them. As a teacher, I was interested in his suggestion to choose to become a lifelong learner. However it was perhaps his advice to “enjoy the journey” which most resonated a chord within me. I remembered how often we rush through experiences with ‘our eyes on the prize’ rather than taking the time to absorb (and enjoy) the process of achievement. So I resolved to become more actively aware of my surroundings and consciously see, feel and hear the beauty around me.

Now, I return to my earlier questions, Are you happy, how happy?

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