A Teachable Moment

This morning, I got my hair cut.   Like many people, this is something I do, at least every couple of months.  What is unusual about today, though, is that I have been thinking about the appointment ever since. 

Most of my posts on this blog will not be about my appearance -- but today that is what is on my mind. Why should reading about my head of hair be of any interest to you? Bear with me - this anecdote is actually about more than just my tresses.

My hair style has been one long length, for most of my life - with rare phases of perms, bangs, and varying lengths.  I've been told I'm blessed with "good" hair, but I've always been sadly lacking in patience or skill to do much with it. 

Today I explained to my new stylist, Christy, my desire for a change. I cautioned her that the only required maintenance had to be "wash and wear."  She listened carefully, then cut some layers (chin length) in the front, and kept most of the length.  I can do as little to it as I like, but for optimal volume and shape she recommended that I keep trying to learn to use a round brush when I style it. 

I have heard this advice before.  I have tried to apply this advice before - with a total lack of success.  Today though, Christy informed me of the best brush to use (a large round brush with boar bristles), and suggested using a funnel-like "cone" on the end of my blow-dryer.  Like other stylists in my past, she demonstrated the technique as she finished drying my hair.

I was trying to watch closely in the mirror, when suddenly the blow-dryer disappeared from view.  I looked towards her, and realized she was holding it and the brush out for me to take.  She wanted me to try for myself! 

Wow!  This was a first.  Sympathetic stylists over the years have provided instructions, but never has anyone understood that I really needed to be shown what I've been doing wrong! I was immediately self-conscious, and my efforts were indeed laughable, but at the same time I was so grateful.  I probably won't ever be able to make my hair look as good as it did this morning, and I  may still not have the patience to perfect the styling technique, but I certainly understand it better now.

My hairstyle before this morning

There is an expression "the teachable moment." I believe it involves recognizing when a situation presents an opportunity for learning, a good assessment of the learner, and then a creative attempt to teach something.   Christy, in a flash of inspiration, recognized such a moment when she saw it, and handed me the styling tools.  It doesn't really matter if I ever learn to style my hair (although that would be nice!) - but when someone like a teacher, a nurse or a coach makes use of a teachable moment, the payoffs can be huge.

My new layered look

I don't think "selfie photos" are very flattering, do you?!  My eyes seem to be looking in the wrong direction  - and here I even took a photo of my thumb!

Even if you have never used a round brush, I hope reading this has inspired you to seek out and make use of teachable moments, whenever you have the opportunity to be either the teacher or the learner.

~Susan 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Some of my ancestors were Irish, so I have always made sure to wear green on St. Paddy's Day.  When my children were small, we thought about of leprechauns and pots of gold.  I miss those days.

Perhaps instead of spending time on this blog, I should be spending more time trying to simplify my life. It is probably time to part with some accumulated possessions.  Although not a pack rat or a hoarder, I do tend to hold on to anything of sentimental value.  All of my children's past art projects, notes, stories and favorite stuffed animals fall within that category.  

Perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to part with things though.  When I wrote an article, Five Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I needed to submit an appropriate photo with it to Yahoo Contributor Network.  The box of my kid's past school projects provided just the prop I needed. It only took me about 5 minutes to locate it.  Maybe as long as stuff is organized and not taking up too much room, it might be wise to keep it after all!

Perhaps I should ask another question though.

Is it okay that I deceived my children when they were small?

I told them a small elf must have snuck into our house on March 17th, for several years in a row, and turned our milk green.

What do you think??  

10/4/14. NOTE: I have removed the link to my article, Five Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day,  and to Yahoo Contributor Network. YCN is no longer in existence, so my article is no longer published and both of those links no longer worked.  Should it be available again, I will provide the link. My apologies for this inconvenience!

Why Am I Always Getting Lost?

Sometimes, if we take a minute - or maybe five or ten - to read an article, it can really have an impact.

I was searching the web for something, which led to something else, then on to another topic, and then … there is was.  Reading through this thread has totally changed the way I feel about myself, and explains a lot.

http://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-58770,00.html

Many people believe they have a poor sense of direction.  Mine is, and has always been, nonexistent.  It is a disability.  I am often embarrassed by my lack of navigational skills. Friends and family sometimes become impatient with me, perceiving me as timid or inattentive.  I am really neither, and my life has been full of adventures. A fear of becoming lost, though, has often resulted in anxiety and has limited some of the choices I have made.

I cannot visualize the next steps of any route.  I routinely turn the wrong way when I come out of a store.  I often get lost coming back from the bathroom in a restaurant - or someone's house.  Driving unfamiliar routes (going anywhere I haven't been numerous times already) causes me to be anxious.

After reading the information linked above, I now know about numerous other people whose lives are similarly challenged. It is reassuring to find out that, as I have always suspected, this is not my fault, a sign of a lack of intelligence or even something I have just failed to learn!

Geographical or directional dyslexia.  Now I can give it a name.  Sometimes a diagnosis can be comforting.  Maybe we can start an on-line support group!  At least we won't get lost trying to find it!

Click on the link above, take a minute to read it, then let me know what you think!

Happy New Year - of Blogging!

In January I wrote a New Year's article about health and happiness called Why Do We Say: "Happy New Year"?  Do We Wish Happiness - or Health? During the process of writing it, the idea for this blog began to percolate in my mind.

This year is well underway, but this blog is just beginning, so wishing you all a Healthy New Year seems appropriate.  What better way to make the most of every moment than by striving for happiness and health!  

If you read my article (just click on the link above)*, let me know if you agree with my thoughts on how happiness and health are intertwined.

I'm looking forward to the year - and every moment - ahead.

~Susan

*10/4/14 NOTE: The link to the article mentioned does not currently work, as the site it was published on is no longer in existence.  I apologize for this inconvenience, and if it is republished I will update the link.  I republished it in a later blog post, and you can view it by clicking here.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog, the most -- of every moment.  Writing this post is my first step towards building this blog, and I am savoring the moment!  

Make the most -- of every moment.  

I chose this well worn cliché as the focus of my blog because of the many different ways it is possible to make moments matter - and how happy we are when we do so.  

Moments are just that, and even in a cluster of years, they often go by so quickly we are left wondering where they went.  Perhaps this is why we:

•  tell young children to enjoy the time they have to just play
•  envy teenagers for their youthful minds, strength and bodies
•  remind college kids they are living the best years of their lives
•  inform young parents that their babies will grow up in a blink
•  encourage elderly people to enjoy the years they have left.

We can make the most of a moment in many different ways, such as:

• gathering the courage to ask for a raise
• putting an extra bow on a package to make the recipient feel special
• reading an article that broadens our way of thinking
• mastering a new skill such as a baking technique
• choosing something healthy off a menu
• planting a seed that will one day create a huge shade tree
• making sure we spend enough of our moments in restful sleep.

The possibilities are endless, and as this blog evolves, so will they.  In some posts the intent will be more clear than others, but every opportunity for enrichment in some way helps us make the best use of our time.

Providing ways to "make the most -- of every moment" is the mission statement, the motto, the goal, the purpose and the challenge presented by this blog. In a variety of ways, I hope each post, picture, comment, project, thought and concept will inspire, instruct, encourage, and motivate us all in some way. 

I'm looking forward to the moments ahead!
~ Susan