Category: Inspirational

How Positivity Works

How positivity works is the theme today. Do you even believe that.. a little? I’m going to give you a real life example.

The Area of Health

This is a big one for me right now. Although I’ve needed knee replacement surgery for decades, I wasn’t ready until late last year. Here I am in a new state, didn’t know anyone before I moved here and I’m having major surgery.

Positivity Helps Make Difficult Decisions

When I made the discovery appointment with Dr. Benjamin Parker, I knew the time was now. Everyone from the intern to reception commented on my positive attitude.

Thirty one days later, my neighbor dropped me off at the ER entrance at 5:30 am. I’m positively giddy with excitement. I banter with everyone; the person doing the COVID checks, the admission lady, and the nurse in the surgery prep waiting room.

A Positive Attitude is Catching

Since I had my cell phone, I took a before picture of my legs in pre-op. Everyone is in a good mood. Why is that? Part of it is my good mood. Energy is like that. Good vibes spread out in ripples and anyone who is open to my energy gets a little boost.

I noticed the clock… 6:45 am just before the nurse anesthetist administers my anesthesia. Next thing I know, it’s 10:37 am. I’m in exactly the same location only now I have a new knee. And I am still in a marvelous dream state. The smile on my face is just as broad as it was at 6:45 am. The surgery went well, everyone’s happy.

Requests are Met With Joy

Soon I’m in my room, various medical personnel filtering in and out, asking if I need anything. Coffee… that would be nice. Poof! A warm cup of Joe with creamer is in my hand. Even lunch was tasty. Wouldn’t another cup of coffee be nice?

‘Could I have a cup of coffee?’

‘Here you go.’

After lunch Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy arrive.

‘How about a little walk?’

‘Sure!’

The plan is a quick education on using a walker. Then a short walk to the door of my room. In contrast, I’m ready for more.

‘How about we go to the hand sanitizer next to the room across the hall?’

The experience of walking on an new knee was other-worldly. It was like a big cloud sponge under my right foot.

I gently sit down in the chair next to my bed. It’s 2:22 pm.

‘How far do you think I walked?’

‘About 40 feet.’

I celebrate with a fist pump!

Obstacles Disappear

My doctor decided I should stay over in the hospital one night for observation because the only person at home is my 93-year-old mother.

There’s one more little reason… I need to learn how to navigate stairs.

The stairwell is right next to my room. Up with the good foot. Down with the surgery foot. It was a piece of cake. Of course, the PT and OT girls have this big belt around my chest for safety and I was so thankful I’ve been exercising with a trainer for over 3 years prior. My arm strength came in real handy.

Positivity is Easy to Maintain

Here it is almost 3 weeks since surgery and I’m just as excited with each new challenge. My range of motion exercises progressed quickly, achieving my 4-week goal at 2 weeks. Now I’ve graduated to strengthening exercises because I’ve passed the knee flexibility test.

Some Parting Wisdom

All this positivity didn’t come overnight. It helps that I’m naturally a positive person. Even so, I practice mindful meditation daily with Ten Percent Happier. Furthermore, I include a Loving Kindness meditation each night before sleep.

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Remembering a Very Special Teacher

Remembering a very special teacher emerged as I started thinking about my scholastic experience. There were ups and downs, but a few teachers really stand out. Today I’m going to tell you about my English teacher from high school, Miss Barbara Clark.

Remembering a Very Special Teacher

First Impressions Aren’t Everything

She certainly looked different than my previous teachers. Her dress was more sophisticated and her size couldn’t be ignored that first day of school over 50 years ago. Yet soon, her words and her smile were all I noticed. As a serious student, I appreciated her innovation. Rather than face the prospect of boring Beowulf in senior English literature, she convinced the curriculum coordinator to offer specialized classes. I quickly signed up for Creative Writing, Humanities, and Contemporary Authors.

Innovation Offered Me a Keen Interest

Remembering a very special teacherAlthough prior to AP classes, these college prep class choices were probably more fun. Can you imagine receiving a grade for reading your favorite author and writing an essay? I chose Ray Bradbury. Although there was a requirement for the number of books or short stories to read, I easily exceeded it as I read all I could find in the school library and the city library within the time period prior to composing my report.

And Miss Clark took us on field trips in Humanities. Architecture as art was the subject of a trip to Tampa, Florida. She opened our minds and hearts to the hidden significance of a rose window in an historic Episcopal church, pointing out other stained glass art as a method to teach scripture to parishioners during the Middle Ages. The knowledge I acquired in her classes enabled me to ace tests for college credit at Polk Community College (Polk State College now) in both Humanities and English.

Sometimes it Takes Time to Bear Fruit

Creative Writing was my first experience with the concept of the power of words. It sparked a hidden talent that smoldered until I found my voice in Julie Colvin’s May 2015 Wellness and Writing Retreat in Sedona, AZ forty-four years later. An exploration of my published works will give you more insight into my life journey between these writing experiences.

While augmenting my memory with research for today’s article, I found another student who admired Miss Clark, Wendi Wooddell. Wendi graduated nearly a decade later than I. She also went on to college where she chose journalism as a way to feed her love of literature. However, when Wendi graduated, the State of Florida was begging for teachers. Although teaching was not her expectation, Wendi applied for an English teacher vacancy at Winter Haven High School. Since she didn’t have any teaching classes during college, she went through her stash of handouts from Miss Clark to plan that first year as a teacher. As her knowledge of teaching increased, Wendi continued to use her stash of gold from Miss Clark, further validated through professional education and district in-service classes.

Excellence Fosters More Excellence

Wendi went on to excel during her 33-yr career at WHHS. Like Miss Clark had in 1991, Wendi also was awarded the English Teacher of the Year by the Florida Council of Teachers of English in 2010. That led to her receiving the Polk County Teacher of the Year, also in 2010. Finally, in 2011, she received a National Teacher of Excellence Award from the National Council on Teachers of English. In contrast, Wendi felt her highest honor came during her retirement party in 2016 when Winter Haven High School named a building after her.

And Your Favorite Teacher?

These are just two stories of the positive impact Miss Barbara Clark had on her students. How many more examples are out there? I’d love to hear about your remembering a very special teacher in the comments below.

Love from a life-long learner,
Dawn

Three Tips on Finding Your Values

There are many, but today I’m sharing three tips on finding your values. This step is crucial to living a fulfilled life. For me, I had vague ideas on what was most important to me.

The Three Tips

  1. Understand the concept of values
  2. Explore your personal values
  3. Hone in on your top three to five values

What Are Values Exactly?

I want to be clear, I’m talking about personal values that serve as the basis for our goals toward achieving fulfillment and ultimately our life purpose. This article on Physiopedia.com is an in-depth explanation of personal values and beliefs.

Furthermore, values are what you feel is important to you.

How Do Values Affect Me?

If your thoughts and actions are in synch with your values, you are happier, that is, you are calm, centered, content.

Conversely, if your thoughts and actions are based on the values of others, you may be anxious, unsettled, jittery. Empaths are often unduly influenced by the values of others. My blog about empaths will help you discover if this is your reality.

How Do I Discover My Values?

Here is a list of values with further hints on using it. Now, let’s get to it!

  • Gather a notepad and pen or pencil
  • Find a quiet place and sit upright
  • Close or soften your gaze
  • Take three slow cleansing breaths
  • Relax your neck and shoulders
  • Sink into your hips and feet
  • Notice how your body feels
  • Slowly open your eyes and start reading each value aloud
  • When a word resonates somewhere in your body, write it down

My Three Values as Example

Here are my values; Honesty, Tranquility, and Purpose

If I follow these values in my thoughts and actions, I’m extremely happy and carefree. It’s fairly easy if I’m alone and in complete control of my environment. Rather, since I don’t live a monastic life alone, I often struggle to live these values.

Let’s see examples where I’m successful:

  • Honesty: I use my love of creative cooking to create a healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free salad for lunch.
  • Tranquility: While caught in Interstate-4 traffic, I tune into the Spa channel on Sirius XM, smile, and calmly allow merging traffic to, well.. merge.
  • Purpose: Quiet morning time is spent meditating and writing my blog.

Now for the opposite:

  • Honesty: Feeling stressed, I open my overhead kitchen cabinet where ‘fun foods’ like wasabi peas and dark chocolate are stored and grab something, stuffing it in my mouth before anyone sees my loss of control.
  • Tranquility: While caught in Interstate-4 traffic, I tune into the 70’s on 7 channel on Sirius XM, pound my palms on my steering column, and switch lanes over and over to ‘get ahead’.
  • Purpose: Quiet morning time is spent checking email, all my social media channels, reading newspaper headlines and getting sucked into someone else’s drama.

Is There a Theme Here?

Absolutely. The theme is self-care. Once I discovered my values, all I needed to do was practice self-care by respecting myself and these values. And yes, I fall off my self-care regimen all the time, forgetting to honor my values. Above all, I start again.

May you explore my three tips on finding your values and use the list of values to discover a calmer way to live with ease.

With honesty, tranquility, and purpose,
Dawn