Archive for April, 2009

One of my favorite words, and a theme in my life.

From Wikipedia: Elegance is the attribute of being unusually effective and simple. It is frequently used as a standard of tastefulness, particularly in the areas of visual design and decoration. Elegant things exhibit refined grace and dignified propriety.

Some definitions of the elegant, and many of it’s common uses, imply oppulence or luxuriousness. Consider these from dictionary.reference.com:
1. tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.: elegant furnishings.
2. gracefully refined and dignified, as in tastes, habits, or literary style: an elegant young gentleman; an elegant prosodist.
3. graceful in form or movement: an elegant wave of the hand.
4. appropriate to refined taste: a man devoted to elegant pursuits.
5. excellent; fine; superior: an absolutely elegant wine.
6. (of scientific, technical, or mathematical theories, solutions, etc.) gracefully concise and simple; admirably succinct.

I use it as a substitute for “less is more”, focusing on the mathematical/scientific meaning - and I think that’s a theme many of us are working on. Less stuff, less time spent earning a living, less effort, less struggle, less mind clutter - and more meaning and beauty and simplicity. Getting the most impact from the least effort. Streamlining everything to it’s real core, and finding the beauty within the clutter.

It’s easy to explain something in a paragraph, or spend a week painting a scene. Real elegance is being able to convey that thought in a word or a phrase - or just a few brush strokes.

Let’s see, what else can I make elegant today?

What are you passionate about? Your children, beautiful art, wine, being with great friends, good food, staying organized, your spouse, teaching what you know, learning new things, reading, writing, badminton, cars. . .

My definition of a passion is anything I can lose “myself” in. And I have lots of them.

One of my life lessons is that the more time I spend being passionate, and giving myself to the things and people that are my passion, the happier I am.

So, one of my biggest motivators is to spend as much of my time as possible in that place. I am in the process of building my life around doing the things that give me that feeling.

I’m doing my best each day to be happy. All else just follows.

Just Imagine That!

Is your head swimming with all kinds of thoughts when you wake? Like that conversation yesterday that didn’t go as you planned - and the meeting you’re not prepared for - and the client who won’t call you back - and that new restaurant you really want to get to - and the list goes on and on and on and on…..

Mind chatter - it slows us down. And some of it seems to replay over and over.

Here’s an idea that works really well for me: Just Dump It!

As soon as you’re awake, and before you start “doing” - - take 5-15 minutes and sit quietly with a notebook or journal. And write. Anything that’s in your head…questions, thoughts, ideas, replays, worries, issues. Just follow your stream of consciousness - wherever it goes. No editing. Voice your anger, or your frustration, or your joy, whatever your feeling and thinking. Just keep writing until you run out of steam.

When you finish, I can almost guarantee that your head will be clearer, you will feel lighter, your thoughts will have slowed, and you may have even come up with a brilliant idea or solution in the process.

I’m not sure why it works so well, but it does - for me and lots of people I know. My personal theory is that your (mind/ego/whatever you call it) is carrying around all this stuff that it wants you to hear, and by writing it down, you show that you’ve heard it. It’s been expressed, and now it can be let go.

The bonus, that I never expected when I began doing this little ritual, is that when I am worrying over some problem, big or little, in writing down my frustration, and simply stating the question, why is this? or what do I do? - - more times than not, as I continue putting my rant on paper — at some point, I write the answer, or the solution.

Yes, it’s weird, but it’s true.

Give it a try - a real try - and see if it doesn’t make the start of your day feel a bit better.