The Farmer's Market group met tonight to start planning our 2011 market. I love these folks! They are all so supportive and helpful. There isn't any of that petty stuff you see in some groups. Rather, everyone is eager to do well and see others do well. What a blessing!
Isn't it interesting how organizations take on personalities? Have you noticed that?
I see it in classes all the time. One person can poison an entire group with their negativity. Why is it that one can poison, but six can't make a group positive? It is an interesting phenomenon... and one that I struggle to understand. Think of groups that you work with. Are there some that are a joy and others that make you want to stick sharp pencils in your ears??
Today in my literature class we discussed the Imagist poets. This group issued a "manifesto" of what they believed good poetry required: common language, exact words, compressed thoughts, and freedom from standard poetic conventions such as meter and rhyme. The poets we read today used a lot of colour and so we did an in-class activity where we took white paper and then selected colours we believed best represented our personality and created a self-portrait without figures -- everything had to be images. And then, we wrote a poem about ourselves using either haiku or acrostic poetry. The one thing I noticed was NO ONE used black or grey. The colours were bright, vivid, and bold. The images were as well. It got me to thinking that this class is a positive class -- engaged, learning, fun loving! Yet, another class might have the same lesson, but their work would be dark and gloomy. Odd that. How does it happen?
Have you noticed this in your world? Are there 'groups' that seem to attract each other? Do we attract what we put out into the world?
Showing posts with label positive thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label positive thoughts. Show all posts
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 7, 2010
First Day Musings
"If you realized the power of your thoughts, you would never have a negative one." Peace Pilgrim
I have to confess. I am experiementing on my classes. Now, make no mistake. They are a wonderful, bright, talented bunch of young men and women. I adore them and consider it an honor to work with them for 16 weeks. The experiement is: I am telling them just that -- it is my honor to work with them. And, would you believe, they are working harder, coming more prepared, and excelling in their work? I fear, when the semester ends, that I will have a "come-to-the-President" meeting to explain why there are so many A grades in my classes.
But, think about it for a minute.
How many times in an educational environment, okay, any environment, have these young folks been told they are bright, capable, talented, and a pleasure to be with? I'm a Mom; I know how it goes. Pick up your shoes, do your homework, get off the phone, you're late... it goes on and on. But, what if we took the time to tell our children (or our husbands) how wonderful they are or how lucky we are to be with them? How would they react?
Interesting concept, isn't it?
Proverbs 18:21 says: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. "
In other words, what you say, your attitude, inform not only your perception of the world, but other's perceptions of themselves and you as well. If you feed a child junk food, they will be unhealthy. Growth is stunted, well-being compromised, intellect is damaged. Praise, positive thoughts, are like eating from a health food store. It feeds the soul, mind, and heart. It grows a strong, well-adjusted person.
There have been classes that were toxic. One was just a few years ago. One student had a nasty attitude and was negative. In two weeks time, the entire class was mimicking this person. It was a miserable semester. Fortunately, the student did not return to my class the next semester while the others did. The difference was noticable even to them. So we discussed what had happened and I told them to always be mindful of how one person can change an entire group, if the group will allow it. However, it was their choice. Hopefully, it is a lesson they will carry with them.
What are your thoughts this week? Are you positive or negative? Do you praise or criticize? Do you encourage others?
I have to confess. I am experiementing on my classes. Now, make no mistake. They are a wonderful, bright, talented bunch of young men and women. I adore them and consider it an honor to work with them for 16 weeks. The experiement is: I am telling them just that -- it is my honor to work with them. And, would you believe, they are working harder, coming more prepared, and excelling in their work? I fear, when the semester ends, that I will have a "come-to-the-President" meeting to explain why there are so many A grades in my classes.
But, think about it for a minute.
How many times in an educational environment, okay, any environment, have these young folks been told they are bright, capable, talented, and a pleasure to be with? I'm a Mom; I know how it goes. Pick up your shoes, do your homework, get off the phone, you're late... it goes on and on. But, what if we took the time to tell our children (or our husbands) how wonderful they are or how lucky we are to be with them? How would they react?
Interesting concept, isn't it?
Proverbs 18:21 says: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. "
In other words, what you say, your attitude, inform not only your perception of the world, but other's perceptions of themselves and you as well. If you feed a child junk food, they will be unhealthy. Growth is stunted, well-being compromised, intellect is damaged. Praise, positive thoughts, are like eating from a health food store. It feeds the soul, mind, and heart. It grows a strong, well-adjusted person.
There have been classes that were toxic. One was just a few years ago. One student had a nasty attitude and was negative. In two weeks time, the entire class was mimicking this person. It was a miserable semester. Fortunately, the student did not return to my class the next semester while the others did. The difference was noticable even to them. So we discussed what had happened and I told them to always be mindful of how one person can change an entire group, if the group will allow it. However, it was their choice. Hopefully, it is a lesson they will carry with them.
What are your thoughts this week? Are you positive or negative? Do you praise or criticize? Do you encourage others?
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