Throwback Thursday: Remember when…

minnow-hands


Source: jaimejustelaphoto

Working, working, working and honing, honing, honing

13473651-male-hands-close-up-black-and-white
“I recently interviewed David Burns, author of “Feeling Good”… In his more than 35,000 therapy sessions he has learned that the pursuit of perfection is arguably the surest way to undermine happiness and productivity…

Have you ever obsessed over a report when your boss said it was already plenty good enough? Have you ever lost an object of little importance but just had to keep looking for it? Do colleagues often tell you, “Just let it go”?…

This left me wondering: what if trying to be average could actually accelerate your success?…

Overachievers have such high expectations of themselves that their “average” might be another person’s “really good.” So instead of pushing yourself to give 100% (or 110%, whatever that means) you can go for giving 75% or 50% of what you usually might offer. This idea is captured succinctly by the mantra, “Done is better than perfect”…

The word “perfect” has a Latin root; literally, it means “made well” or “done thoroughly.” Another translation would be “complete.” And yet today, we use it to mean flawless…

To understand why, we need to understand the role of fear in perfectionism: “If I don’t perfectly [fill in the blank] something terrible will happen.” Often perfectionists are so used to this anxiety that they no longer even consciously recognize it; it’s just the fuel that keeps them working, working, working and honing, honing, honing… Continue reading “Working, working, working and honing, honing, honing”

Hands


“…People used to tell me that I had beautiful hands…there were far too many stuffed animals to hold, too many homework assignments to write, too many boys to wave at, too many years to grow. We used to have a game, my dad and I, about holding hands. Cos we held hands everywhere. And every time either he or I would whisper a great big number to the other, pretending that we were keeping track of how many times we had held hands…Hands learn to hold other hands. How to grip pencils and mould poetry. How to tickle piano keys, dribble basketballs and grip the handles of a bicycle. How to hold old people and touch babies. I love hands like I love people…You need a firm handshake, but don’t hold on too tight, but don’t let go too soon, but don’t hold on for too long…


Sarah Kay Bio:  Sarah Kay, 24, began performing her spoken-word poetry when she was only 14 years old—quickly becoming a fixture at the famous Bowery Poetry Club in New York City, and from there went on to become a featured speaker at the 2011 TED Conference, where the poem she presented on “The Rediscovery of Wonder” garnered two standing ovations and has now been seen by over two million people online. Sarah is the founder and co-director of Project V.O.I.C.E., a education organization that celebrates and inspires self-expression in youth through spoken-word poetry. Through her involvement with the organization, Sarah has taught spoken-word poetry to students of all ages, in classrooms and workshops all over the world. She is also a documentary filmmaker, playwright, singer, songwriter, photographer, and editor for Write Bloody Publishing, and holds a Master’s Degree in The Art of Teaching from Brown University.  She is the author of the book B, which was ranked the number one poetry title on Amazon.com.  (Source: speakers.ca)


My 1%

Alex Van Gelder %22Armed Force%22 - Louise Bourgeois Hands

Rush jobs. Corners cut. One constant in 30 years, disappointment.

A handful of notables come to mind. So few, I can picture the craftsman. I can picture the chair. Here the tired and the scuffed are healed to a high gloss sheen.

It’s rare. 1%.

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
Kloten Airport in Zurich.
Allen Edmonds, Port Washington, Wisconsin.
And, Grand Central.

Her country of origin? My best guess. Guatemala. Age? Impossible to gauge. Hunched over. Plump. Hands tough, cracked. Brown skin is smooth, free of pock marks. Hair pulled back. Green smock. I’ll say mid-50’s. But a hard 50.

I wait for her to be done with another customer. The other shoe shiners, all men, smirk.  I turn away, anger surges.  Clench my fist. Continue reading “My 1%”

Healing Hands…

Here’s Marc Cohn singing “Healing Hands.”  Cohn, born in Cleveland, was the Grammy award winner in 1991 for Best New Artist.  Cohn is married to ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas…(a tabloid factoid).  Love his music…

↓ click for audio (Healing Hands: Mark Cohn)


Image Source: opticalperception via abirdeyeview

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