The There There Letter: Nudges, Nurture, and Nonsense
Three things from DAH.
DAH is me, David Anthony Hance. I pen, promote, and make change (not the coin kind).
First up this week, Nudges …
I spoke by telephone yesterday with a clever person. Sadly, I don't do that often enough. When we spoke I was quickly disregarding recent accomplishments because, well, I'd already accomplished them. "Celebrate the new habit you've established," she said. "Making those little changes are important to acknowledge as you work towards bigger objectives." Whenever I do converse with someone thoughtful and clever, they inevitably give me a nudge, a gentle push or reminder. Those nudges make me think. I pause to remember and appreciate the little steps of my greater journey. Today, I'm saying "thank you" to my nudgers: past, present, and future.
'Tiny Habits' Are The Key To Behavioral Change
Second up this week, Nurture …
I don't hold a particular brief in the Nature vs Nurture debate, although I accept that it's tough to escape genetics. On the other hand, I do know that nurture, as in "to further the development of" (Merriam-Webster) is an essential driver in my life. There's great satisfaction in nurturing something or someone to a better state. And, yes, before you object loudly, I do understand that "better" is a value judgment. Still, in my own life, I like to nurture as I can, using my own standards for good, better, and best. With others and other things, not with me. I'm skilled in self-indulgence but less skilled in self-nurture. My morning pages journaling helps me think about this, and occasionally I accept (occasionally graciously) a gentle nudge to take better care of myself. I've found a gentle nudge that makes me laugh (at myself or my situation) is most likely to work.
Practicing Self-Care Is Important: 10 Easy Habits To Get You Started
Third up this week, Nonsense …
Back when I was active in the sort of theater where we warmed up with theater-games (mostly Spolin) I really enjoyed our gibberish exercises. We had to communicate with a scene partner without using real words. I found working within my character to achieve scene objectives using only gibberish (and expressions, movements, voice intonation, etc.) to be rather freeing. I was more focused in the moment of communication, expressing myself and receiving my scene partner's messages. I still find a good dose of nonsense inspiring, whether read or spoken. As the piece linked below concludes: "disorientation begets creative thinking".
How Nonsense Sharpens the Intellect
And a bit more. Mervyn Peake wrote the Gormenghast books. He also wrote poetry, and here's a bit of it (not of Gormenghast)…
THE TROUBLE WITH GERANIUMS
The trouble with geraniums
is that they’re much too red!
The trouble with my toast is that
it's far too full of bread.
The trouble with a diamond
is that it's much too bright.
The same applies to fish and stars
and the electric light.
The troubles with the stars I see
lies in the way they fly.
The trouble with myself is all
self-centred in the eye.
The trouble with my looking-glass
is that it shows me, me;
there's trouble in all sorts of things
where it should never be.
And that's all for this week.
From Mary Oliver’s poem "Sometimes" …
DAH is me, David Anthony Hance. I pen, promote, and make change (not the coin kind).
First up this week, Nudges …
I spoke by telephone yesterday with a clever person. Sadly, I don't do that often enough. When we spoke I was quickly disregarding recent accomplishments because, well, I'd already accomplished them. "Celebrate the new habit you've established," she said. "Making those little changes are important to acknowledge as you work towards bigger objectives." Whenever I do converse with someone thoughtful and clever, they inevitably give me a nudge, a gentle push or reminder. Those nudges make me think. I pause to remember and appreciate the little steps of my greater journey. Today, I'm saying "thank you" to my nudgers: past, present, and future.
'Tiny Habits' Are The Key To Behavioral Change
Second up this week, Nurture …
I don't hold a particular brief in the Nature vs Nurture debate, although I accept that it's tough to escape genetics. On the other hand, I do know that nurture, as in "to further the development of" (Merriam-Webster) is an essential driver in my life. There's great satisfaction in nurturing something or someone to a better state. And, yes, before you object loudly, I do understand that "better" is a value judgment. Still, in my own life, I like to nurture as I can, using my own standards for good, better, and best. With others and other things, not with me. I'm skilled in self-indulgence but less skilled in self-nurture. My morning pages journaling helps me think about this, and occasionally I accept (occasionally graciously) a gentle nudge to take better care of myself. I've found a gentle nudge that makes me laugh (at myself or my situation) is most likely to work.
Practicing Self-Care Is Important: 10 Easy Habits To Get You Started
Third up this week, Nonsense …
Back when I was active in the sort of theater where we warmed up with theater-games (mostly Spolin) I really enjoyed our gibberish exercises. We had to communicate with a scene partner without using real words. I found working within my character to achieve scene objectives using only gibberish (and expressions, movements, voice intonation, etc.) to be rather freeing. I was more focused in the moment of communication, expressing myself and receiving my scene partner's messages. I still find a good dose of nonsense inspiring, whether read or spoken. As the piece linked below concludes: "disorientation begets creative thinking".
How Nonsense Sharpens the Intellect
And a bit more. Mervyn Peake wrote the Gormenghast books. He also wrote poetry, and here's a bit of it (not of Gormenghast)…
THE TROUBLE WITH GERANIUMS
The trouble with geraniums
is that they’re much too red!
The trouble with my toast is that
it's far too full of bread.
The trouble with a diamond
is that it's much too bright.
The same applies to fish and stars
and the electric light.
The troubles with the stars I see
lies in the way they fly.
The trouble with myself is all
self-centred in the eye.
The trouble with my looking-glass
is that it shows me, me;
there's trouble in all sorts of things
where it should never be.
And that's all for this week.
From Mary Oliver’s poem "Sometimes" …
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
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