One reason to smoke

Taking a cigarette break - while often frowned upon - is still an excuse to take 5-10 minutes away from one's work and stop and breathe awhile. No doubt there's some chemical effect to the additives in tobacco products, but I think smokers often just enjoy the time to slow down and breathe.

If only we could find some excuse to do so without actually smoking ... that really would be something...

Making the best even better

A recent Reuters article mentioned how Tiger Woods' constant pursuit is to get more power out of a natural golf swing*.

The problem he faces? "I tend to slip back into the same old faults."

The same is true of most people's approach to stress - we all have old faults that get in the way of our natural motion to release our stress easily. Our best strategy is to make adjustments to see what serves us better.

We each, like Tiger, have many opportunities to see the results of our adjustments. Unlike Tiger, however, it's harder to measure or track (In Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness he gives ample evidence why we're not so good at keeping track of our feelings). You may want to set up some measuring tools and get an objective coach to help you out.



* recognize the voice? ;)

Why I love improv

wonderful, exciting, stressful, scary, reckless, daring, focusing, uncanny

There are a many different ways to think about the experience of stepping on stage with no idea of what you're going to say, or what's going to happen.

The best performers have studied techniques that will strengthen their abilities, bringing them greater awareness, and flexibility. When they go on stage they always try their best, and realize that regardless of what happens, they'll be ok.

They'll review their performance and laugh about their brilliant (and not so brilliant) moves. The top performers will look for ways to improve for their next performance, often seeking outside, trusted opinions, to help them excel. In the end however, they never beat themselves up for missed opportunities - and there's always plenty).

Sounds a lot like life too, right?

Taking yourself and your life too seriously? Take some practice swings - improvise.

Thoughts on Labor Day traffic

Labor Day is the busiest day for car-travel in the U.S., and there's a good chance that if you're on the road you'll hit slow-moving traffic.

Here's a few ideas in case you're:

Running late - and having to alter one's carefully synchronized/choreographed day (much like when they miss their train)
thought: If you were creative enough to come up with one plan, you can just as easily create another scenario.

Feeling disrespected - after all, if they knew how important you were the other drivers would get out of your way.
thought: Who would you be willing to get out of the way from? Maybe that's them coming now.

Lack of forward motion - sometimes it just feels nice to be moving, and there is definitely something pleasant about the wind blowing in your hair, but if you haven't figured it out yet, you can't always get what you want.
thought: you never have to hit your brakes if you're moving the slowest.