Friday, February 5, 2010

Learning to Play

12:42 PM

Our society has forced us to become so incredibly serious all the time. Once we're in school, we have to get the good grades and be on the honor roll. Then in high school, we must work to get the good grades to go to college. In college, we have to work to get ahead, because only those who get ahead get the good jobs, right? Once out of college and into the workforce, we have to work really hard to get a higher salary and the promotion. Then we have succeeded. Does anybody else see something wrong with this picture? It doesn't seem like that isn't what life should be like.

I'm not trying to say that working is wrong. "Work" is necessary for society to run. However, what I'm trying to say there seems to be something missing amongst all of this. We as a society has forgotten how to play.

One of the most valuable lessons we could ever (re)learn is how to play. It is were creativity can be nurtured. When you play there is no wrong and there is no right. One is doing whatever they are doing for the sake of doing it. It provides a sense of enjoyment. The beautiful thing about it is this, when one can truly learn to play is when one can progress. For instance, Children love to run. They run everywhere. They use it a way to play and as they continue to play. They become faster, stronger, and better than they were before. Learning to play is a skill that is practically essentially, but it will never work if the heart is at its core.

In order to really learn how to play, one has to find what they love to do. Then, playing will come naturally. You will never want to stop. I recently fell in love with Photoshop and I cannot stop creating different designs. I've gotten so much better in the past year. However, I would not be continually designing if I didn't love it.

Find something you love, and play.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Confidence

8:20 PM

This is from youareremarkable.wordpress.com. I honestly suggest that everyone check out this site. It is amazing!

what if you could buy self confidence in a jar. take twice a day, with a full glass of tea; do not take on an empty stomach. now this would not be self confidence in the form of mood elevating drugs or weight loss supplements. more of a jar, you could open up & it whispers beautiful things to you. confidence is such an alluring quality in creatures & really, everyone should feel confident. you’re alive, that makes you beautiful. everyone is beautiful. slight things make you beautiful. that speck of gold on your otherwise green eyes, that freckle the shape of maine, the gap in your teeth, the fullness of your body. everyone is beautiful. if this is true, why is it so impossible to feel sometimes? we sink our skin into bathtubs of luke warm water searching for our flaws. the superficial reason he/she might not fall in love with you. we don’t look within towards the passion in our blood- the things people will actually fall in love with. looks fade & anyone can fall in lust with a look. it’s trite but true that in the long run that is not what you want in a mate. you want someone who intrigues you, makes you a better person, someone who compliments your very existence. if self confidence could be purchased in a jar it might say your heart beats like a rabbit & you glow when you smile. it might say the way your brain works is extraordinary, you notice things everyone else is too busy to see. it might just whisper you’re breathing, you…are…alive.

Getting Experimental?

7:33 PM

I'm going to start this experiment with my health. Whenever I think that I need a nap, I will do some yoga instead in order to try to increase my energy.

The idea for this experiment generated around the concept of people actually being more energetic after they exercise. My personal belief is that the energy they receive is from higher intake of oxygen and increased blood flow. I've actually experienced this happening before in my life. When I used to go workout in the gym every morning, I would have more energy throughout the day and would also sleep better in the afternoon.

I chose yoga because of its convenience as well as its effectiveness. I can do yoga whenever I want to. I don't have to wait for special gym hours or have any special equipment. It's a very flexible activity. On top of that yoga helps to strengthen and stretch your body while raising you heartbeat. While performing yoga, it is required to breathe deeply and thus increase oxygen intake. This all leads to a greater amount of energy with a less dependancy on naps.

I don't have a set routine, but I do know some specific exercises that I will pull from. I will definitely be doing sun salutations. They are one of the best ways to get a full body warm-up/workout in yoga. It uses all of the major muscles in the body, so every part is worked out. Also, I will most likely use the breath of fire. Its main function is to increase oxygen levels. The fire breath is the easiest thing to do and it can be done anywhere.

Wish me luck! I will keep posting updates on here on how well the outcome is turning out.