Just Live it
Table of contents for The Practice of Having an Open Mind
Summers can be for resting, especially if you are a teacher. They can also be times to test yourself and learn lessons that benefit you all Winter long. Going along with the teacher thought, I want to raise the idea of “training.” In all businesses there is an element of training. This training is usually meant to stretch the worker to a place where she/he will be more productive.
Along the way to increased productivity unfortunately we meet Mr. discomfort and sometimes … Mr. pain. Do you know him?
Training is about opening your mind. Many of us have minds that are so closed they must be pried open. That has been my mind this summer. I’ve been teaching 8th graders that cuss and insult adults and consider themselves adults on top of it all. I realize now, with only 2 days remaining in the session, that this has been training. Like ankle weights for when I return to my 4th grade class. I don’t like to dwell too much on my own occupation in these posts. It is meant to be a parallel to your job, your “training.”
As you probably know from reading my blog, I am always analyzing and seeking new cognitive strategies to battle life’s troubles. Sometimes I even see it as a sport. I am a student of psychology and a fan of all human things that inspire.
But sometimes you have to just live it.
I have 900+ posts and counting here. Each post has some sort of cognitive mechanism conveyed. In a simpler word: ADVICE FOR YOU. And, maybe myself? Well, this post is here to stop the advice. I hope you can transfer that to your life whether you are a Type A personality or not, you give yourself advice I know. It is occasionally time to stop training and just live your stuff out. The yellow pad is a great tool but you can’t walk through life with it at your side. You are creative, you are responsible. Why not lay down the cognitive stuff and simply trust yourself for a while. I think you will be proud of yourself in a while when you stop and look back on what you’ve lived. You will also find your mind was more open because you let go. To close, remember this: you can shop for treadmills all day, but until you get on one, you aren’t exercising.
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Tags: cognitive strategies, productivity, Psychology, Teaching, therapy, type a personality, work, yellow pad
I'm Damien Riley, author and teacher. Here you'll find "think outside the box" posts on psychology and inspiration. 
A summer spent teaching 8th graders? Bless you, Damien!
I love the ankle weights analogy. So true! It’s a shame, though, that we all get so stuck in our ways that sometimes it’s virtually impossible to pry open our minds to new ideas and concepts. I like to think of myself as open minded, but I admit, I’ve needed a crowbar now and then :)
Jessica The Rock Chis last blog post..I Won’t Crap Out
Thanks Jessica. I think you are very open-minded. I also appreciate the fact that you are honest about saying you aren’t that way all the time. Good mental state!
Damiens last blog post..Just Live it
This one has been my favorite in the series. I think that sometimes I overthink - tomorrow when I wake up I am going to let go of the “yellow pad”. Being in the moment makes life more interesting - and is one of the best ways to make sure you don’t miss anything. I guess it’s like they say “stop and smell the roses” sometimes I just see them as I walk past at a brisk pace.
Bobbie Dawns last blog post..Why scientists should spend more time trying to co...
Bobbie: Great minds think alike and you and I have great minds!