This is one of the hardest things to do. Sometimes situations call for this. Once my mother and I were driving and when we were stopped at the red light, this man called out “Hey Japs, go back home, you don’t belong here.” We were both surprised as this was in LA in the 1990s. I was only 8 at the time, but I still remember it vividly because it was so painful. I remember asking my mom that I am home because indeed I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I wasn’t really aware of race, until this time, when it became apparent that I was different. I wanted to do something, but my mom told me that there are more powerful ways of fighting prejudice. By calling him names or being violent, the situation could be worse and we would live up to the prejudice.
Whether it be a board meeting or a student organization meeting, everyone has had some exposure to what meetings are all about. Sometimes meetings are great, but other times, they can be long, boring, and pointless. Here are some ideas that I’ve taken from great effective meetings that I have attended.
Shortest time possible
Sometimes the more time you have the more opportunity for people to not pay attention, not ask appropriate questions, or get bored. In shorter amounts of time, you can be more productive.
I myself have felt angry and frustrated from driving and being around angry drivers. Having been a big city driver all of my life, I realized that you have to find ways to not stress yourself out or get angry. Here are some ways that have worked for me so I don’t become immersed in the road rage circus.
Sense of touch can stimulate a positive response. I feel happy when I touch soft pets like dogs and animals. It also feels comforting.
Funny
Pets can keep you on your toes. They can tort their bodies funny, watch TV, etc. Laughing can help keep the wrinkles away.
Companionship
Just as human friendships can be rewarding, so can having pets. True, they cannot speak, but it is nice to see them wag their tails when you are home. You can also build a relationship with them through training and doing activities together.
First and foremost before I begin the list, I want to stress the importance of having personal space. In my own experience, the mere fact of not having physical and/or mental space (as in no psychological stress) can have a paralyzing affect. There are times when you feel stuck, unsure, stressed out, depressed, and it can be attributed to not having enough space. Here are some suggestions that have worked for me.
Meditation
This is an invaluable technique that I use not only for relaxation, but to free my mind, without the clutters and thoughts of everyday life. I can make more effective decisions and feel more confident.
Everyone practices self-talk, whether it be an skier preparing for the Olympics or a student taking a final or a mom walking a dog. Some of it might be unconscious as well, but it is a natural part of every day life. At first it may not appear to be much, but is actually a powerful tool and can drive what we do or decide to do. It can help us or destroy us. Here are 5 ways to turn “bad” self-talk into “positive” self-talk.
Time management is important not only as an adult, but also as a student. It can be overwhelming balancing school work with part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, clubs, social functions, family, etc. Here are five tips that have worked for my colleagues and I in getting through the challenge of school.
Understand and accept your personality
I’ve had friends that were procrastinators. They were the ones up all night finishing their papers, which were due the next day. While that may work for some, for me, I need more time and I cannot work effectively under that kind of pressure. I always like to work on bits and pieces and take it slow. I believe that finding your rhythm is important in making time work for you.
Whether it be school and work, work and leisure, raising the kids and leisure, or anything else, each and every one of us lives a life of constantly juggling activities. It can be difficult and overwhelming at times because life has surprises or we simply take on too much than we can handle at a certain time. Perhaps sometimes it may be good to take a brief break and think about how we balance our life. Is it balanced? Is it effective? Do we need changes? These are questions that I ask myself and these are 10 ways that I try to maintain that balance in my life.
Make sure you wake up at the appropriate time if it’s a morning meeting or you have to commute. Having a schedule keeps me on my toes. It doesn’t need to be set-in-stone nor do you need to be over-analyzing the schedule the night before. I simply review what I have to do the next day so I know what meetings I have in my head and plan accordingly.
With sugar and caffeine, I feel that I tend to have energy for a little while, but then I crash and there goes my energy. Water seems to do the trick. Hydrating myself makes me feel less groggy and I also lost calories that way too. When I feel like sugar I go to the next booster..
Robeks
Literally..Robeks with nutritional boosts. I replace a meal with Robeks and my body feels really good. When I’m tired I add a powerboost and feel much better.
