Thursday, June 19, 2008
Change
Back as a student in the late 1970s, I completed my senior independent study project in the Department of Healthcare Administration. Under the guidance of Professor John Hershey, we were studying what factors support people to take their hypertensive medication. This area of study is more broadly referred to as Compliance or Adherence with Therapeutic Regimens. I even more broadly think of it as behavioral psychology-what factors need to be in place that will support people to make changes and form habits that they know are good for them.
It turns out that what was true in 1979 remains true today. Nearly thirty years of research continue to point to the same three factors as those that are statistically significant when it comes to successful change. They are: Intrinsic Motivation, Ease of Access and Social Support...
Intrinsic Motivation: You gotta wanna change. It has to come from within. You have to be able to answer the question "What's in it for me?" so that the reason you are doing/changing/forming a new habit is not because someone else told you to, but because you know it is what you want to do. Without this, change is harder.
Take for example, exercise. Jill knows she should be moving her body more. She hears it from her physician (who could use a little more exercise himself), she reads it in the news and hears it at the water cooler. But until she feels how much better she feels-how much more flexible and energized she is, how much better she sleeps, how her sex life improves-she may not be truly motivated to do anything about it.
Ease of Access: If Jill's new resolution is to do yoga everyday, and the class is 20 minutes from her house and not on the way to/from work, she has a predictable obstacle to success. If it is around the corner, or on a video that she watches at home... Think about this for any goal you set - health, work, meeting people - if it integrates with your natural rhythm and the logistical flow of your life, oh, how much easier will it be.
Social Support: Jill lucks out and finds a class that is offered at 5:30 at a studio on her way home from work. She signs up and plans to attend three days a week. She goes Monday, and again on Wednesday, but on Friday she is feeling too tired and skips it. Monday she completely forgets and drives home. Jill needs a buddy. She sends an email around at work to find out if anyone else wants to do yoga. Guess what?! Six people reply that they'd like to do yoga and one of them lives near her so they agree to carpool. Another has an instructor who says she could come to the office at lunch to lead the class.
Jill wanted to do yoga. She wanted to do it because she knew how much better she feels all over when she does. (Intrinsic motivation: check.) She found a class at the right rime on her way home from work. (Access: check.). She networked a little and got herself a buddy to stay on track. (Social Support: check.)
So, the next time you set a goal for yourself or your organization, you too can raise your probability of success by checking the factors of Intrinsic Motivation, Ease of Access and Social Support.
*Names and certain facts surrounding the experiences have been modified to protect the privacy of the individuals.
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Change
Back as a student in the late 1970s, I completed my senior independent study project in the Department of Healthcare Administration. Under the guidance of Professor John Hershey, we were studying what factors support people to take their hypertensive medication. This area of study is more broadly referred to as Compliance or Adherence with Therapeutic Regimens. I even more broadly think of it as behavioral psychology-what factors need to be in place that will support people to make changes and form habits that they know are good for them.
It turns out that what was true in 1979 remains true today. Nearly thirty years of research continue to point to the same three factors as those that are statistically significant when it comes to successful change. They are: Intrinsic Motivation, Ease of Access and Social Support...
Intrinsic Motivation: You gotta wanna change. It has to come from within. You have to be able to answer the question "What's in it for me?" so that the reason you are doing/changing/forming a new habit is not because someone else told you to, but because you know it is what you want to do. Without this, change is harder.
Take for example, exercise. Jill knows she should be moving her body more. She hears it from her physician (who could use a little more exercise himself), she reads it in the news and hears it at the water cooler. But until she feels how much better she feels-how much more flexible and energized she is, how much better she sleeps, how her sex life improves-she may not be truly motivated to do anything about it.
Ease of Access: If Jill's new resolution is to do yoga everyday, and the class is 20 minutes from her house and not on the way to/from work, she has a predictable obstacle to success. If it is around the corner, or on a video that she watches at home... Think about this for any goal you set - health, work, meeting people - if it integrates with your natural rhythm and the logistical flow of your life, oh, how much easier will it be.
Social Support: Jill lucks out and finds a class that is offered at 5:30 at a studio on her way home from work. She signs up and plans to attend three days a week. She goes Monday, and again on Wednesday, but on Friday she is feeling too tired and skips it. Monday she completely forgets and drives home. Jill needs a buddy. She sends an email around at work to find out if anyone else wants to do yoga. Guess what?! Six people reply that they'd like to do yoga and one of them lives near her so they agree to carpool. Another has an instructor who says she could come to the office at lunch to lead the class.
Jill wanted to do yoga. She wanted to do it because she knew how much better she feels all over when she does. (Intrinsic motivation: check.) She found a class at the right rime on her way home from work. (Access: check.). She networked a little and got herself a buddy to stay on track. (Social Support: check.)
So, the next time you set a goal for yourself or your organization, you too can raise your probability of success by checking the factors of Intrinsic Motivation, Ease of Access and Social Support.
*Names and certain facts surrounding the experiences have been modified to protect the privacy of the individuals.
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
Walking a Tightrope
Jennifer (not her real name) used the Find Your Metaphor approach to diagnosing her frazzle. Jennifer has a high level job in city government where there is constant pressure to reduce budgets while still satisfying the bureaucratic system of paperwork and protocol. The politics are also intense. She has seen how one misspoken conversation (misstep) could mean a missed opportunity at best, and a long hard fall at worst. Jennifer relates her overwhelm to feeling like she's "walking on a tightrope." While her initial response was that she was "overwhelmed," on further analysis, she realized that she lives with a lot of fear and worry. With this information, she was able to strategize more effectively- concentrating on her mission and blocking out the distractions, and making sure she had a "safety net" below her. Your answer(s) can provide the insight to better understand your frazzle. They hold the key for your personal antidote.
Below are some metaphors that can help us understand Overwhelm more deeply. They are paired with one possible insight into which Sanity Buster might be the cause. When you find your metaphor, you may more easily identify an antidote. [caveat: the examples below represent only one possible progression]
If you are feeling like ~
Your Sanity Buster may be ~
and you may need to ~
~"The well has run dry"
~Exhaustion
~replenish or renew
~"Navigating without a compass"
~Isolation
~seek advice or direction
~"Beating your head against the wall,"
~Disconnection
~find new words or an alternative approach
~"Walking a tightrope,"
~Fear or Worry
~secure a safety net
~"Treading water,"
~Understimulation
~pick an activity or goal and get moving
~"King Midas"
~Consumption without satisfaction
~clarify values and reassess priorities
~"Juggling too many balls,"
~plain and simple, Overwhelm
~plain and simple, Simplify
*Names and certain facts surrounding the experiences have been modified to protect the privacy of the individuals.
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Walking a Tightrope
Jennifer (not her real name) used the Find Your Metaphor approach to diagnosing her frazzle. Jennifer has a high level job in city government where there is constant pressure to reduce budgets while still satisfying the bureaucratic system of paperwork and protocol. The politics are also intense. She has seen how one misspoken conversation (misstep) could mean a missed opportunity at best, and a long hard fall at worst. Jennifer relates her overwhelm to feeling like she's "walking on a tightrope." While her initial response was that she was "overwhelmed," on further analysis, she realized that she lives with a lot of fear and worry. With this information, she was able to strategize more effectively- concentrating on her mission and blocking out the distractions, and making sure she had a "safety net" below her. Your answer(s) can provide the insight to better understand your frazzle. They hold the key for your personal antidote.
Below are some metaphors that can help us understand Overwhelm more deeply. They are paired with one possible insight into which Sanity Buster might be the cause. When you find your metaphor, you may more easily identify an antidote. [caveat: the examples below represent only one possible progression]
If you are feeling like ~
Your Sanity Buster may be ~
and you may need to ~
~"The well has run dry"
~Exhaustion
~replenish or renew
~"Navigating without a compass"
~Isolation
~seek advice or direction
~"Beating your head against the wall,"
~Disconnection
~find new words or an alternative approach
~"Walking a tightrope,"
~Fear or Worry
~secure a safety net
~"Treading water,"
~Understimulation
~pick an activity or goal and get moving
~"King Midas"
~Consumption without satisfaction
~clarify values and reassess priorities
~"Juggling too many balls,"
~plain and simple, Overwhelm
~plain and simple, Simplify
*Names and certain facts surrounding the experiences have been modified to protect the privacy of the individuals.
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Thursday February 14
Finding Your Own Methaphor
In the last issue, we read about the "cognitive dysfunction," that results from feeling frazzled. Chronic stress has also been implicated in affects on our physical health. As early as the 1900s, Sir William Osler noted that stress in the form of frenetic living can make us sick. More recently, there have been hundreds of studies that have corroborated Osler's anecdotal observations. This is yet another reason to find ways to deal effectively with stress.
It turns out that due to genetics, life experience and other environmental factors, each of us really has our own personal brand of frazzle. Just as we might say, "I have a headache" as a response to not feeling well, we start with the general "I'm overwhelmed." Just as having a headache is not enough information to diagnose a condition and suggest a remedy, the general feeling of overwhelm does not get to the root of the problem.
A valuable response to "I have a headache" is to get more specific. Do you have a fever? Are you drinking enough water? Did you recently injure yourself? With this information, you and/or your health care provider can begin diagnose the problem and figure out what will help you feel better.
In this same way, a valuable response to "I'm overwhelmed" is to get more specific. One simple way is to find your metaphor. A metaphor is a way of thinking symbolically. The value in finding our metaphor is that it helps to better diagnose the root cause. "The Story" to the right provides some insights.
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Finding Your Own Methaphor
In the last issue, we read about the "cognitive dysfunction," that results from feeling frazzled. Chronic stress has also been implicated in affects on our physical health. As early as the 1900s, Sir William Osler noted that stress in the form of frenetic living can make us sick. More recently, there have been hundreds of studies that have corroborated Osler's anecdotal observations. This is yet another reason to find ways to deal effectively with stress.
It turns out that due to genetics, life experience and other environmental factors, each of us really has our own personal brand of frazzle. Just as we might say, "I have a headache" as a response to not feeling well, we start with the general "I'm overwhelmed." Just as having a headache is not enough information to diagnose a condition and suggest a remedy, the general feeling of overwhelm does not get to the root of the problem.
A valuable response to "I have a headache" is to get more specific. Do you have a fever? Are you drinking enough water? Did you recently injure yourself? With this information, you and/or your health care provider can begin diagnose the problem and figure out what will help you feel better.
In this same way, a valuable response to "I'm overwhelmed" is to get more specific. One simple way is to find your metaphor. A metaphor is a way of thinking symbolically. The value in finding our metaphor is that it helps to better diagnose the root cause. "The Story" to the right provides some insights.
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Frazzle
Many people feel overwhelmed, especially this time of year. Dr. Amy Arnsten, a Professor of Neurobiology at Yale University, adds a whole new level of insight to "being frazzled." In her article, "The Biology of Being Frazzled," Arnsten describes what happens when we find ourselves in this worn-out state*. Frazzle is defined as a "neural state in which emotional upsurges hamper the workings of the executive center." Arnsten goes on to report that frazzle handicaps our abilities for learning, for holding information in working memory, for reacting flexibly and creatively, for focusing attention at will, and for planning and organizing effectively. We can sum it up in two words: Cognitive Dysfunction.
What can we do about it? The first step to finding an antidote is to zone in on the root cause of your own personal brand of frazzle. On the right is a list - albeit abridged - of the Seven Sanity Busters we work with in the Personal Sanity Policy Seminars, along with with their antidotes. But beware! Sanity Busters often masquerade as Overwhelm and Exhaustion when their roots lie elsewhere.
* For further reading on this subject, see Social Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.
Frazzle
Many people feel overwhelmed, especially this time of year. Dr. Amy Arnsten, a Professor of Neurobiology at Yale University, adds a whole new level of insight to "being frazzled." In her article, "The Biology of Being Frazzled," Arnsten describes what happens when we find ourselves in this worn-out state*. Frazzle is defined as a "neural state in which emotional upsurges hamper the workings of the executive center." Arnsten goes on to report that frazzle handicaps our abilities for learning, for holding information in working memory, for reacting flexibly and creatively, for focusing attention at will, and for planning and organizing effectively. We can sum it up in two words: Cognitive Dysfunction.
What can we do about it? The first step to finding an antidote is to zone in on the root cause of your own personal brand of frazzle. On the right is a list - albeit abridged - of the Seven Sanity Busters we work with in the Personal Sanity Policy Seminars, along with with their antidotes. But beware! Sanity Busters often masquerade as Overwhelm and Exhaustion when their roots lie elsewhere.
* For further reading on this subject, see Social Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Is_It_Overwhelm?
I am looking out my window at 6 inches of freshly fallen snow. It's a good day to be inside, reflecting on the growth and learning of 2007 and anticipating what gifts and challenges 2008 will bring. A big challenge for many people is how to cultivate a sane life in the face of our fast-forward, crazy-busy world.
Take the example of Stuart.* Stuart told me he was feeling "overwhelmed" because one of his subordinates gave notice and he is worried that he won't easily find a replacement, especially this time of year. When someone uses a word from the list of Sanity Busters, I suggest they look at the Sanity Builder that is paired with that Buster, If the Builder wouldn't help, then it's likely that they need to reassess the situation at a deeper level. In Stuart's case, "Simplify and Get Support" seemed that it would help, but only a little. Upon further examination, Stuart realized it was Fear: He was in a place of scarcity and didn't trust that he would find the right person to fill the job. And he felt Isolated: He didn't feel that anyone else in the office understood the position he was in.
With this deeper understanding of what was going on for Stuart, he was able to strategize more effectively. He activated his social network to spread the word about the job opportunity and was able to catch and dispute his fearful thoughts as they arose.
I invite you to take a look at the list below and see if you can identify one Sanity Buster that's effecting the quality of your life and then come up with a strategy to deal with it.
Sanity Busters Sanity Builders
Overwhelm Simplify and Get Support
Exhaustion Body Mindfulness
Isolation Cultivate Social Capital
Disconnection Make Eye Contact
Fear Build Trust
Under-Stimulation Activate and Act On Interests
Consumption Explore Meaningful Engagement
w/o Satisfaction
*Names and certain facts surrounding the experiences have been modified to protect the privacy of the individuals.
Is_It_Overwhelm?
I am looking out my window at 6 inches of freshly fallen snow. It's a good day to be inside, reflecting on the growth and learning of 2007 and anticipating what gifts and challenges 2008 will bring. A big challenge for many people is how to cultivate a sane life in the face of our fast-forward, crazy-busy world.
Take the example of Stuart.* Stuart told me he was feeling "overwhelmed" because one of his subordinates gave notice and he is worried that he won't easily find a replacement, especially this time of year. When someone uses a word from the list of Sanity Busters, I suggest they look at the Sanity Builder that is paired with that Buster, If the Builder wouldn't help, then it's likely that they need to reassess the situation at a deeper level. In Stuart's case, "Simplify and Get Support" seemed that it would help, but only a little. Upon further examination, Stuart realized it was Fear: He was in a place of scarcity and didn't trust that he would find the right person to fill the job. And he felt Isolated: He didn't feel that anyone else in the office understood the position he was in.
With this deeper understanding of what was going on for Stuart, he was able to strategize more effectively. He activated his social network to spread the word about the job opportunity and was able to catch and dispute his fearful thoughts as they arose.
I invite you to take a look at the list below and see if you can identify one Sanity Buster that's effecting the quality of your life and then come up with a strategy to deal with it.
Sanity Busters Sanity Builders
Overwhelm Simplify and Get Support
Exhaustion Body Mindfulness
Isolation Cultivate Social Capital
Disconnection Make Eye Contact
Fear Build Trust
Under-Stimulation Activate and Act On Interests
Consumption Explore Meaningful Engagement
w/o Satisfaction
*Names and certain facts surrounding the experiences have been modified to protect the privacy of the individuals.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Being_Happy
In 1932, as they took their vows, 180 nuns became subjects in what Martin Seligman calls "the most remarkable study of happiness and longevity ever done."
Because the lives of these 180 women progressed in a controlled environment - they all eat basically the same food and have the same access to health care, their reproductive and marital histories are similar, and they are in the same socio-economic class - many of the common factors that can cloud research results were accounted for.
Brief autobiographical statements written by each woman in 1932 were analyzed, quantifying the levels of positive feeling indicated by the use of words such as "very happy" and "eager joy." Do you know what they found? 90% of the most cheerful quarter was alive at age eighty-five versus only 34% of the least cheerful quarter. 54% of the most cheerful quarter made it to ninety-four, as opposed to 11% of the least cheerful quarter.
This is good news for those who are naturally happy, and a wake-up call for those who are not. Seligman, who is one of the founders of Positive Psychology and author of Authentic Happiness, hypothesizes that happiness is a function of your natural inclination, life circumstances and factors under your voluntary control. These voluntary factors are where the opportunities lie. They include emotions and actions such as gratitude, trust, forgiveness, optimism, hope and mindfulness. They apply to how we think and feel about the past, present and future.
Where to begin? I always recommend starting from a simple place - like smiles. Just for today, see how many things you can find to smile about.
Being_Happy
In 1932, as they took their vows, 180 nuns became subjects in what Martin Seligman calls "the most remarkable study of happiness and longevity ever done."
Because the lives of these 180 women progressed in a controlled environment - they all eat basically the same food and have the same access to health care, their reproductive and marital histories are similar, and they are in the same socio-economic class - many of the common factors that can cloud research results were accounted for.
Brief autobiographical statements written by each woman in 1932 were analyzed, quantifying the levels of positive feeling indicated by the use of words such as "very happy" and "eager joy." Do you know what they found? 90% of the most cheerful quarter was alive at age eighty-five versus only 34% of the least cheerful quarter. 54% of the most cheerful quarter made it to ninety-four, as opposed to 11% of the least cheerful quarter.
This is good news for those who are naturally happy, and a wake-up call for those who are not. Seligman, who is one of the founders of Positive Psychology and author of Authentic Happiness, hypothesizes that happiness is a function of your natural inclination, life circumstances and factors under your voluntary control. These voluntary factors are where the opportunities lie. They include emotions and actions such as gratitude, trust, forgiveness, optimism, hope and mindfulness. They apply to how we think and feel about the past, present and future.
Where to begin? I always recommend starting from a simple place - like smiles. Just for today, see how many things you can find to smile about.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
If_You_Can’t_Measure_It...
A year ago, my dear friend Juliet gave me a pedometer. The goal, she told me, was to take 10,000 steps a day. The gift and the goal has improved my quality of life in ways I can only imagine. "I'm convinced from the research that a sedentary lifestyle kills you, and moderate activity like walking can be a lifesaver." says JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
10,000 steps a day was promoted in Japan more than forty years ago where it became a national movement. It wasn’t based on any scientific research. It was more likely a intuitive judgment call by someone with lots of smarts about health and society. Western medicine has tried to play scientific catch-up to determine if 10,000 is really the number. What we have found it a little less is still beneficial for general health while a little more supports health and weight loss.
In my early days as a management consultant, I learned a strong lesson about life from management guru Peter Drucker (1909– 2005). He said, simply, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
So everyday, I put on my pedometer right after I brush my teeth. I don’t know if it’s human nature to want to do my personal best, or if in some way the pedometer holds me accountable, but it’s working. Everyday I am conscious of how much I have moved my body. I find myself thinking of ways to increase my steps: Walking around while talking on the phone, parking further from the entrance at the grocery store, going to check if the mail has arrived even though I know it hasn’t.
I’ve found that on days when I take my normal ‘round the neighborhood walk, I clock about 7000 steps. If I take a longer walk, or a second walk, I get beyond the 10,000. Then there are those days when I’m sitting all day at my computer - it might be a rainy day or maybe I was seduced by my workaholic tendencies - and I barely reach 3000. On these days, I try not to get too discouraged. Instead, I leave a gentle a note on the pedometer for the next day. It simply asks, “When are you going to walk today?”
What’s one sane thing you are doing where a little measuring might help?
(find pedometer and other walking incentives at www.creativewalking.com)
If_You_Can’t_Measure_It...
A year ago, my dear friend Juliet gave me a pedometer. The goal, she told me, was to take 10,000 steps a day. The gift and the goal has improved my quality of life in ways I can only imagine. "I'm convinced from the research that a sedentary lifestyle kills you, and moderate activity like walking can be a lifesaver." says JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
10,000 steps a day was promoted in Japan more than forty years ago where it became a national movement. It wasn’t based on any scientific research. It was more likely a intuitive judgment call by someone with lots of smarts about health and society. Western medicine has tried to play scientific catch-up to determine if 10,000 is really the number. What we have found it a little less is still beneficial for general health while a little more supports health and weight loss.
In my early days as a management consultant, I learned a strong lesson about life from management guru Peter Drucker (1909– 2005). He said, simply, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
So everyday, I put on my pedometer right after I brush my teeth. I don’t know if it’s human nature to want to do my personal best, or if in some way the pedometer holds me accountable, but it’s working. Everyday I am conscious of how much I have moved my body. I find myself thinking of ways to increase my steps: Walking around while talking on the phone, parking further from the entrance at the grocery store, going to check if the mail has arrived even though I know it hasn’t.
I’ve found that on days when I take my normal ‘round the neighborhood walk, I clock about 7000 steps. If I take a longer walk, or a second walk, I get beyond the 10,000. Then there are those days when I’m sitting all day at my computer - it might be a rainy day or maybe I was seduced by my workaholic tendencies - and I barely reach 3000. On these days, I try not to get too discouraged. Instead, I leave a gentle a note on the pedometer for the next day. It simply asks, “When are you going to walk today?”
What’s one sane thing you are doing where a little measuring might help?
(find pedometer and other walking incentives at www.creativewalking.com)
Sustainable Wellness
for the 21st Century
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Summer_Vacation
I had to read this twice to believe it. Last year, The Conference Board, a private research group, found that at the start of the summer, 60 percent of consumers had no plans to take a vacation over the next six months - the lowest percentage recorded by the group in 28 years.
Further research indicates that some of the main reasons people aren't taking vacations are fears about work - they're afraid of email overwhelm upon their return and that being away might threaten job security.
On the other hand, we also have research that strongly indicates that working without a break is not good for business.
One company's response to this destructive cultural trend has been strikingly successful. PricewaterhouseCoopers has instituted a company wide shut down twice a year with HR folks calling upon employees who are behind on their break time. I called them the other day to see how it's going and by all counts it is a success.
As for me... I'm going to Philadelphia at the end of the month, have planned a couple of short camping trips for the summer, and a trip to Toronto in the Fall.
Have you made your plans yet?
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Sustainable Wellness
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Monday, April 30, 2007
ESL
I spent many years traveling around the world and often found myself teaching English to non-native speakers. It used to be known as ESL - English as a Second Language. Over time, I actually learned to speak English as a Second Language - quite different from English as a First Language. I’ve even found it useful in my everyday life here in America.
For example, I was in the grocery store and there was a recently arrived non English speaker in front of me. He was buying a couple of small items and was trying to pay with a $100 bill. The cashier looked at the bill and then said to him, rather quickly "We're not allowed to accept a $100 bill. I can't make change for that. You'll need to go to the customer service desk." I took one look at this visitor's face and saw that he did not understand one word that she said. I've been there. Try finding underarm deodorant when everyone only speaks Finnish...
So I went into ESL... I tapped him on the shoulder, pointed to the bill and said "Too big..." and then pointing to the customer service desk, I finished with "Go there."
I decided that this might be a good starting place for our new Language. Since they're not using "ESL" anymore (it's now EFL or ELA) I going to cop the acronym for "English as a Sane Language."
Here's how it works: I need to buy a new pillow for my child's bed and I go into Bed, Bath and Beyond. As I slowly walk through the store, I start to hear items calling out to me "Look at me! Look at me!!" I start to consider - yes, I could use that new pot holder, my feet would love that massager... Then I switch to ESL and say simply to myself "No need, move on." After finding the pillow I came in for and the new pillow cases call out "Buy me! 20% coupon!" I say "No need, pay there." And finally at the register, loaded with impulse buy items calling out "You need me!" I respond "No need. All done. Drive Home."
The benefits I've noticed? Lower credit card bills, less trash and less clutter.
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Sustainable Wellness
for the 21st Century
Friday, April 20, 2007
The_Hammock
Last summer, we were getting ready to move. To prepare myself for house hunting I made up a list of what was important to us in a house. At the top of the list was “Where will we hang the hammock?”
I’ve had the hammock now in four homes and in each one I’ve hung it so that I can see the trees outside on at at least two sides of the room. That way I get to see the changing of the seasons.
As a baby, my son David, took naps in the hammock. He would go to sleep, as I sang lullabies and gently swung the hammock. As he has grown, the hammock (always near the kitchen) has been a place that he can both keep moving his body - as many boys need to do - and still talk with me as I putter in the kitchen.
Now, at 10, David and his friends push each other in and out of the hammock and when they exhaust themselves with that game, they just get in it and sway gently and talk. David says that the hammock is relaxing and it makes him forget about the bad stuff that has happened in the day. Often he gets in it in the evening to read. Occasionally I get in with him for a cuddle.
Come to think of it, I haven’t been in the hammock for a while. And I might just get off the computer and put on that new cd I just burned and head there right now...
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