Architectural Digest

New Schedule, The Adreniline is … I cannot stand it. The Thrill of …

So excited your heart is racing, you cannot focus, the anticipation of it all is driving you up the …   When you have hopes, dreams, ideas, plans, projects, need I say more.  You cannot focus on what your loved ones are talking about, your thinking about it while doing other things, even television cannot take it off your mind.

This is how the Architectural mind works.  The mind of a designer, or a creative person is picturing all the details in their mind.  Do not interrupt my thoughts.  The mind of an engineer or mechanic plotting, analyzing, figuring, assessing, estimating, resolving, all takes mental energy, drive, and enthusiasm.

Applying these traits in our personal life to resolve our stagnation or problems can give us hope while turning our situation upside down like newly tilled soil.  Just as soil needs a good turnover, so doesn’t our life.  While minding our morality and principles we can consider great changes.

How can we assess our life?  Are we lonely?  Are we frustrated?  Are we bored?  Are we fat? Are we tired?  Is the routine predictable?  Is there stagnation with the old hum drum routine?

Some things take time to change, whether it is our financial situation, relationships, esteem, domestic situation, and the list goes on.

Example:  A person that is fat, out of shape, lonely, not treated as respectfully as one would like, that feels opportunities are not offered to them as they are others. This guy can feel quite trapped.  The routine of eating, computer games, and hours of television leaves them frustrated and unfulfilled.  One day this person sees the blog fatfitanfab.com and is inspired to make a couple adjustments.  Replacing unhealthy drinks with more water his skin is clearing up and he is not feeling so sluggish, seems less bloated.  Because he is shutting off the television after the evening news he is getting a few things done in the evening and he is getting to bed earlier.  He has started a thirty minute walk in the early a.m. daily before work.  With the habit of a healthy breakfast each day he has more energy and less cravings.  Just being alert and energetic in the morning it seems he is getting so much more done at work.   He cannot believe how he now has to wear a belt because he really needs to buy a size smaller in pants.  Others notice the change in him and seem to enjoy conversation with him because he seems more happy.  The boss is responding as if he has greater confidence in him now.

You see what I am getting at, just a few little changes in habits and routines can enrich our lives.  It is very thrilling to contemplate.

My goal is to go to bed earlier, to get up earlier, and to spend the time in the morning doing what I usually view as a treat to do, do that until noon before I need to get my daily responsibilities done.  I realize I have been doing it wrong, like dangling a treat, that I never will get, only to be disappointed day after day.  As if that would be my reward just if I …you know how it goes, we do it to ourselves, to our kids, to our loved ones.  The promised incentive that never comes.

Doing an abrupt face is exciting, addressing the problem completely differently.  Thinking of our children, when we practice the method of  going to the park after you finish your homework it causes frustration, anger, and sadness.  The homework session drags out hopelessly until it is too late to go to the park.  Real punishment.  Instead, ask the child how long it will take to do the homework, then go to the park with that in mind.  Have a great time.  As soon as you get home and the child washes their face and hands, drinks some water, then right away get to the homework.  Set the timer with that much time and add a buffer of fifteen minutes for the encouragement.  A few days of the park first may prove to be stimulating for the child.  Whom wants to go to school all day and sit in front of the homework for an hour or two.  Instead of resentment, it will be refreshment, accomplishment and joy.

What my sons have done to enrich their life is they have a bowling league now on Wednesdays, and they have a great time.  One evening a week going to a bible meeting is rewarding.  An evening at the Library or local book store.  Whom is lonely now.  We can be alone enjoying any of these activities and not feel lonely.  We have an activity to look forward to.  My husband took me to the bookstore tonight.  After days of being sick and unable to go anywhere I was thrilled when he suggested going to my favorite store.  I love the “how to” section, how to cook, sew, or knit, etc.  I know how to do all these things but I just love projects and I feel like an crazy nut about all I want to do.  In reality it is not possible to do all I want to do, but I will think about that tomorrow…

Your whole family will benefit from a few adjustments in your life.  The whole family and loved ones may not at first cooperate with the hoped for changes.  It may be us alone making the adjustments while not forcing change on others.  Include your family in these changes invitingly an see joy restored.   Just as an Architect, Engineer or Mechanic address a problem.  We can assess our life an redesign it with optimism.  Is your Adrenaline pumping and is your heart racing?

In control in an out of control world

Many have suffered because we live in a world where bad happens.   So many are plagued with Depression for a variety of reasons.  Post traumatic stress is a very real condition. There is the medically induced depression because of health problems or a recent surgery.  There is depression as a side effect of medication.  There is mental illness. The post-pardem depression that affects a woman after having a baby which can involve hormones and thought process.  There is a situational or circumstantial type of depression brought on by the loss of a job or relationship.  All the different types of depression and so many more types exist than I am able to mention.

The one thing many depressions have in common is the feeling of loss of control or the inability to control.  It is difficult to view the future with optimism.

A few things can help Develop a positive outlook.

1.  Positive affirmations:  Saying a positive statement a few times a day for about forty days, even praying about it.  Example:  There is good in my life.  Say this a few times a day.  Ask Jehovah to help you to see and acknowledge good in our life.  Before you know it, you will be thanking Jehovah for the good in your life.

2.  Start a small project and imagine the finished product.  Putting a puzzle together, or learning a new craft, or picking up an undone project and finishing it, or going to the senior citizens center and ask if you can join their group. (They have many groups and classes, playing pool, crochet, day trips to museums etc., painting groups).  When my sons were small I would ask to be in the senior citizen painting class and bring my sons.  Although I am not and was not a senior they allowed us to come.  In many cities and states I have done this.  One group had men playing pool while we were painting and they invited my sons whom were teenagers homeschooling to come out and play pool with them, and the boys learned a lot from them and had a great time.

3.  Plant a seed and watch it grow.  It gives you something to look forward to.  Our friend Paul whom is home bound due to chronic illness put in some special lights and he has trays he starts tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce plants in.  He grows these, and he shares them with others.  Having a garden is great for a positive outlook.  Last year I read an article in Architectural Digest about Bette Midler and how she instituted a roof top garden program for people living in the high rises where direct sunlight cannot get into their homes.  I no longer have the article, but if you can find it you will be very encouraged by her efforts and the benefits so many have been enjoying.  I felt very proud of Bette for doing this.

4.  Daily Exercise:  If a person is able to get some exercise daily, it releases endorphins and helps both your body and mind.  Taking a walk on your lunch hour, or going up and down some stairs a few times, or joining a class, or doing the 6:30 a.m. PBS exercise show in the mornings is a great way to invest in yourself.  Most libraries have a video rental section and you can rent an exercise video.  Otherwise, just doing a few stretches and isometric exercises can get your blood flowing.  Oxygen to the brain lifts the spirits.

There is so much not in our control, and there are some things in our control.  By learning a few beneficial things we can do, our outlook may become more optimistic.  Practicing a few things in our daily life will bring on a living attitude.  It can contribute to a better view of ourselves and even change how others view us.  Our conversations can be more interesting to others, because we are more engaging.  With our interests being cultivated, we have more to talk about.  When we isolate ourselves and get so depressed, it is difficult to have conversation that is positive.  Because we are creating a broader field of interests we may meet more people, make some friends, and have much to share.