March 22, 2005 Issue #15

IN THIS ISSUE...

1) Welcome!
2) My Playground
3) Check it Out
4) Giggles & Guffaws
5) Ways to Play Today!
6) Random Musings
7) Something to ponder
8) Shameless Promotional Plug

A playful welcome to my new subscribers!
This *free* monthly newsletter is written with the intention to help you live life with more fun and joy and less stress and worry. With informative articles, humorous insights and great resources, "Lighten Up!" is guaranteed to provide you a motivational kick in the butt while giving you a giggle or two along the way.

" Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try." ~Dr. Suess

When I was in high school, one of my favorite bands was "Talking Heads". Although I didn't listen to them as voraciously as I did Depeche Mode or New Order, any time one of their songs played on the radio I would immediately be taken in by the rhythms of David Byrne. This month's newsletter isn't going to discuss the good and bad music of the Eighties (although that might be a fun topic to consider for a future issue). The inspiration for this month's article is from one of Byrne's best-known albums which was entitled "Stop Making Sense". I liked what those three words implied and decided it would be an interesting topic to explore.

This issue is going to take on something bigger than the colorful clothes and hilarious hairdos the Eighties were known for. It's going to make you question yourself. It might make others question you. Hopefully, it'll also make you laugh while understanding the importance of living an unreasonable and nonsensical life. You'll need to put your left-brain, logical self aside for the time being and consider being irrational for a few minutes while you read the newsletter. Even if you're already the type of person who goes with their gut, listens to their intuition and engages in nonsensical ways of being, I promise there will be something in this newsletter for you too. However, you might need to read this a few times for it to "make sense". Read on if you're intrigued by the idea of becoming more real by making less sense.

My Playground
The article, the message, the thing to make you go hmmm...

~Stop Making Sense~
Dr. Seuss was a master storyteller despite his misuse of the English language. Even though he wove words in weird and wacky ways, you always understood the meaning of his stories. Many of us are a lot like Dr. Seuss. We may not speak nonsensical words in rhyming fashion, but we're usually understood because our actions are both recognizable and predictable to others. The truth is...we're creatures of habit and most often than not, once others have seen us make a few choices, it's not difficult for them to figure us out. Although I hate to admit it, for the most part we're rational human beings trying to look good while living as reasonably as we can. That's not a bad thing. I just think it's inauthentic.

Consider there are a lot of us that choose jobs we don't like, stay in relationships that no longer fulfill us and buy things we have no need for. Consider that each and every one of us has a big dream that we hope and wish and pray will come true someday, but a majority will never take any action to help it manifest in their lives. Consider a time when you really wanted to speak what was in your heart, but what came out of your mouth instead was the monkey-mind chatter in your head that probably made more sense to someone else than to you. Engaging in these behaviors might appear to be a rational way to live because oftentimes they're a safe choice, a sure bet. However, how much sense does it make if we're living a life that's less than what we want because we don't want to appear irrational to others? Are you still following my train of thought here? I'm not advocating for making poor choices and being reckless. I'm encouraging you to be honest with yourself and with others and get real. Here are a few suggestions on how to do that:

5 Ways to Be More Sensible by Making Less Sense

1) Tell the truth -Even if your truth-telling causes hurt to others, it's much more reasonable and honorable to let others know what's really going on than continuing to lie to them and to yourself.

2) Take a risk-You might never know how glorious an idea of yours will turn out unless you try it. Why not go big and take a big leap rather than taking small jumps first?

3) Make a different choice -If you usually wear blue, wear pink for a day. If you normally choose chocolate, choose vanilla or another flavor instead. Surprise yourself and baffle others with the new changes you make.

4) Make an unreasonable request -Go out of your comfort zone and ask someone to consider doing something he or she might not normally do for you. Whether your request is accepted or denied, you get to pat yourself on the back for making the attempt to stop making sense.

5) Tap into something greater -When making decisions, consult with something else other than your head. Whether you use your intuition, your higher power, your spiritual self, your faith, or something else I haven't named, start listening more to what "they" say rather than relying on outside sources.

Using rational thought and reasoning to arrive at an answer might be most easily understood and accepted by others, but it makes no sense not to acknowledge how much our intuition and innate nature play a part in our decision-making process. To stop making sense might mean we'd have to dig in a little deeper and ask ourselves what we really want and how we really feel. It might mean giving up our ideas of how we're supposed to act and be with others and start being more honest with ourselves.

There's a good chance this article reminded you of the kind of pondering one does in a college philosophy class. I think it's good to have conversations that challenge your thinking and leave you hungry to explore more of an idea or question. There's also a good chance I've confused the hell out of you and you're now left wondering whether any of your decisions make any sense at all. I can definitely tell you that some decisions I've made in my life have confused the hell out of me. If there's one thing I want you to take away from having read this somewhat tricky dialogue, it's this...the most important person you have to make sense out of is you. You don't have to become a wild and random sociopath in order to stop making sense to others. The only thing you have to do is to begin making choices that not only allow you to be real and genuine, but that let you live a life that is as authentic as you are. Now that makes sense.

Check it Out
Personal Recommendations for books, music, websites and all resources fun!

Psyops I found this odd website when I Google-searched under "random thoughts". My recommendation comes with a disclaimer: I am not responsible for whatever thoughts appear on the screen. Every ten seconds or so, a random thought will pop up in the larger of the two boxes. For faster viewing, you can click on the Add button and the thoughts will appear more quickly. I can guarantee there will be some you'll scratch your head and wonder what someone else was thinking and then there will be others you'll find yourself giggling over and wondering why a few random words are so damn funny. While you're checking out other people's random thoughts, don't forget to include your own. If you're inspired to add something to the collection, there's a smaller box for you to do so. Here's one of the random thoughts I read that made me giggle: "60 midgets broke into my house demanding toast. I gave them hardboiled eggs and toothbrushes." This might make you wonder just what kind of woman writes this newsletter. Consider yourself forewarned.

Tori Amos - "The Bee Keeper"
More than any musical artist I know of, Tori is THE queen when it comes to random lyrics. I first saw her perform while I was in college and even though I thought her a bit odd, (instead of sitting forward on the piano bench, she straddled it) she played the piano beautifully. Fifteen years and several albums later, I still can't make sense of what she's singing about, but I think that's one of the reasons why I like her so much. I would describe a lot of her music as hauntingly pleasing. Whether you check out her latest c.d., "The Bee Keeper" or her very first, which is "Little Earthquakes", you're apt to discover and appreciate a singer and songwriter who makes pondering a delightful pastime.

Giggles & Guffaws
An amusing story, joke, anecdote or picture to tickle your funnybone

A recent 80's party brought out bad clothes and big hair for James and I.

Ways to Play Today!

Why not...plant a mini-garden to celebrate the arrival of spring?Maybe you don't own an acre of land where you could create the next Garden of Eden. Maybe you live in a high-rise apartment where the closet thing to nature is what's growing in your fridge. Even if you've never had a green thumb and you'd like to keep it that way, I encourage you to give gardening a whirl. One of the best ways to defeat the winter doldrums is to dig your hands in some dirt and create new life. Even if your adventure into gardening begins with only a puny potted plant, you're bound to build a bigger garden if you see some kind of growth for your efforts. If you're like me and seem to have an affinity for killing plants instead of cultivating them, go spend some time in someone else's garden and get some tips before starting one of your own. One element you might discover about gardening is sometimes the most satisfying thing about getting started is pulling the weeds first.

Why not...take a different route to work?
Even if you've mastered driving the quickest way to your office, plan on leaving a little earlier and take a few side streets today. Take notice of the things you might not normally pay attention to; the color of the morning sky, the ridiculous lawn ornaments in someone's front yard, the amount of dust on your dashboard. Instead of honking at what annoys you, honk at what delights you. Instead of speeding to catch the traffic lights before they turn red, slow down when they turn yellow and stop. Buy your wake-up beverage someplace you've never been before. Of course it's important to keep focused on your driving and not get lost in the sweet journey of your morning commute, but take pleasure in the new sights you see. When you arrive at the office, there's a good chance you'll not only feel different, but you'll notice you're on time as well.

Random Musings
Miscellaneous thoughts of mine with hints of truth and wisdom

The next time you think someone is rambling on, consider them random musings instead and listen more closely. There’s a good chance you’ll hear some wisdom.

Share your randomness with others and enjoy their confusion for a moment. Then try to help them understand the sense you’re not making.

Coffee in the morning is definitely NOT random. It’s a sure thing.

Something to Ponder
Questions designed to stimulate your thinking AND encourage you to take action towards what you want.

What area of your life would you like to stop making sense of?
How will you become more real today?

Care to share what these questions stir up in you? Need some support around being making less sense to others and more sense to yourself? Send me an e-mail. I welcome your thoughts and will respond to all e-mails received.

Shameless Promotional Plug

The Playful Spirit is headed to Europe this week to see the sights of London and Paris. I've been practicing my English and French accents and wondering if I'll be gutsy enough to try them out while visiting those two countries. I suspect that might cause a lot of mischief so perhaps it's best if I just stick with my boring, somewhat-nasal American dialect. One of the things I've been considering is offering a free monthly tele-class where not only participants could listen to that nasally voice of mine, but they could also hear how others lighten up around certain issues and share their own ideas. I'd mention the issue we'd be discussing that month, provide the call-in number and if the topic of conversation interested you, you'd just pick up the phone and join in. I'm curious to hear whether or not that would be something you would consider partaking in. And just in case you're wondering if it would cost you anything...it wouldn't. I said a few issues back that I would be giving away a lot more to my subscribers this year and I want to make good on that promise. I just need to know if there would be anyone else showing up to the calls other than myself. Let me know what you think.

If you want to find out more about the work I do as a coach, facilitator and writer check out Playful Spirit Make sure you come back and visit again as more resources and fun stuff will be added to the website every month.

Thanks for reading this issue of Lighten Up! If you enjoyed it, please pass it along to your friends, your family, your co-workers...You get the idea. See you April 18th! Until that time, be well, be happy and play more.

May you engage in non-sensical ways of being and may that make you more real every day.
Lisa

Rolo may have a passport, but he's not going with me to Europe.