A change of career

Gate to The Constructive Teaching Centre, London

One of my clients said said this morning that she'd had the idea of training as a teacher of the Alexander Technique. As she has experienced many profound changes herself over the last six months of regular sessions, the idea of working professionally with the technique had suddeny come to mind. It had even surprised her.

This type of decision cannot be taken lightly as it involves a complete change to one's life and probably giving up an existing career in order to study full-time for three years. Any training school for AT teachers would expect applicants to have had quite a lot of experience first of private one-to-one sessions over long period before applying. Only then can we be sure this is something that we want to do.

There are clearly issues to be addressed in regard to a career change, with relation to money, being able to afford the training fees as well as paying for accommodation and living expenses. it can be a serious amount of money, but when people have their heart in something, there is always a way. Everyone manages in the end, even though they can't necessarily see how they will cope in their second or third year of training. Eventually, of course, they qualify and will be able to practice teaching professionally. It's an enjoyable and vocational type of occupation that provides for a wonderful way of life....helping people make the most of themselves, with their posture, abilities and performance as well as the teacher helping himself at the same time.

My client asked if I could remember the first occasion that I thought of training to be an Alexander Technique teacher myself. And I do.....clearly. But I didn't do anything about it right away. But what eventually happened is an example, of whatever is in your heart comes to you in the end. What you think is what you get.

I had my first Alexander sessions in 1972 as a twenty year old. After a number sessions over a few months, I asked my teacher, a wonderful Danish man in his 70's who looked twenty years younger, how does one get to become an Alexander teacher like him. He said that I would have to go to London and train with a man called Walter Carrington who runs a training school in Holland Park called The Constructive Teaching Centre. Walter Carrington trained with F.M. Alexander in the 1930's and moved the original course to its present location after Alexander Died. (And it's still there thriving!)

Well, I was living in Glasgow, Scotland at the time, and had a new career in retail window display for which I had just finished a two year training course, I had a new job, a girlfriend who I wanted to marry (and eventually did) and London seemed a very long way away. A move to London was just too daunting a prospect for me at that time and I shelved the idea.

Over a period of around 15 years, I progressed through management to become a senior executive for marketing of a large retail menswear chain of 480 stores. I had now relocated to London as a career move and found that I was living only 30 minutes walk from the same AT training school that my Danish teacher had described all that time ago. I decided to have some more sessions as a form of top-up to my previous AT experience and found that my interest in becoming a teacher was still there. I was earning good money, and with agreement from my wife, I decided to quit my executive job, return the company car and relinquish the big salary to become a student again for three years. It was a complete change of life. Little did I realise then, that my wife and I would separate within six months of me starting training and I found myself living in digs for a long time before our property was sold. I hit rock bottom financially as all my savings were assigned to paying the course fees. I remember my total financial allowance, over and above my bedsit rental was £17.50 per week, to cover all food, papers, travel and everything. It was a good wake-up call and humbling experience. Only towards the end f my training was our flat eventually sold (the housing market had been in serious slump) and eventually got some capital.

But on thinking back to the days in 1972 when I first asked how do I become a teacher, like my own client asked me today, I could not have possibly have imagined what actually would eventually occur. However, I do remember a night-time dream I had at that time, of entering the Constructive Teaching Centre and Walter Carrington holding out his hand to welcome me. It didn't occur to me that fifteen years later I would have moved to London, live a mile away from the training school and eventually train with the same man who had been described to me as a young man.

Since then I have never looked back. The Alexander Technique is now my profession and I happily run a successful practice in London's west end where I get to meet many wonderful and interesting people from all walks of life and from all around the world. I also get to write blogs like this that go on far too long.

What I wanted to mention is the same message I've blogged about on many occasions. 'What you think is what you get.' It may come right away, or it may take 15 years as it did in my case. But when the time is right you will get what you dreamed of. It's the law.....as much as the law of gravity. Thoughts become things.

So dream on!

:-)

Doing what you love

Gina Gallo, doing what she loves

In an interview with Worthwhile Magazine, Gina Gallo, of Gallo of Sonoma – one of California’s premier wineries – says that wine does make itself. "Once I find the right block in the vineyard, there is very little you have to do from a viticulture standpoint. Because that block naturally manages itself. The dynamics of the terroir – the soil, the climate, the natural habitat around it – will just naturally make that block special. In that way, it will make itself. You just have to find it." She says that she loves making wine, feeling that she is contributing something to people's lives. A bottle on the table for a meal between friends helps to create the most enjoyable experience.

She says wine makes itself. From the growing of the vine to putting the right ingredients together, then it's down to nature to take its course. This is also true in many other aspects of life; put the right ingredients together and watch nature perform its miracles. It's the combination of people, being in the right place at the right time, sewing seeds and then going with the flow as your efforts are rewarded because........because you are on track with your life. When we are 'not on track', then that is when we experience life as tough.

Gina Gallo has found her path in life by following her grandfather's footsteps with their family owned business. With a string of awards to their name, she has learnt that you have to have a passion and a love for what you do. She's on a mission to find that. She loves being outside to be amongst the grapes and in the bail room. That’s the part that really draws her because she is always moving on. Se says " You are watching something really grow and evolve. I mean, it’s alive. Wine is alive."

All our situations are alive. Without being too philosophical about this, we are all ingredients in the biggest scheme of things. We contribute to each other's lives. As with wine making, we want the best combination of ingredients, and when it's all put together with love, we can experience the most amazing growth and development in our life.

If you do what you love, you will love what you do. And when there's love, your activities and efforts come from the heart. When you're living in your heart, then you're following your Purpose. When you are following your Purpose or heart-felt desire you are bringing your best to the world for you and everyone to enjoy or benefit from. This is when everything seems to fall into place and we are 'going with the flow'. Your instincts can tell you if you are on track. Ask yourself, are amazing things coming your way easily without effort? Does life feel like you're pushing water up a hill or are you experiencing life as an adventure that seems to unfold for you? Are you happy and fulfilled?

You can help yourself find that special place where things fall into place and you love what you do. You can manage this by doing what you love. To find this, you need to ask your heart......not your head. What is in your heart? Where are your passions?

Cheers to Gina for following her heart.

:-)

The Power of a Pause

Do you go around filling every moment, or feeling that you should fill every moment of your day by doing something? It certainly is one of my tendencies with so many hobbies and interests, and being an Alexander Technique teacher, where one of the main cornerstones of the technique is called 'Inhibition' the process of giving ourselves time to think of how we're doing things, I still feel that I could be a lot better! By pausing we give ourselves time to think, to make choices how and what we do, but if we blindly rush ahead without thought, we always do things according to our habitual pattern, so reinforcing the habits, making our tendencies stronger, and if they are unhealthy ones, then we're undermining our health and performance in the long term. Basically it's good to stop....to pause and give our self time.

Giving time to things is important in almost any aspect of life. We can choose how we do things and even whether to do so, or not. Giving time to create space between things is important. this gives space for choice and to also emphasise the actions. Is a piano keyboard white with black keys, or black keys with white? If we didn't have night following day, we wouldn't have day......it would just ......be.

Is the Yin Yang simbol at the top, black shapes on white or vica versa? Without one, we don't have the other.

As a photographer in my spare time, I work with light, but in reality I can only do this because there is also darkness. It's the combination, or rather the contrast between light and dark that makes form, shape and shadow, without which we there would be blandness....an evenness of tone that would not distinguish one thing from another.

Arthur Rubenstein once said "The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes—ah, that is where the art resides."

When an orchestral conductor raises his baton to prepare the orchestra there is a silence. There is an anticipation in the air....it's electric. This pause and silence is almost deafening to the point we are aching for the music to begin.

Top comedians are renown for their timing. If they didn't have such an acute sense of rhythm, space before the punch line, anticipation of the audience reaction, then they wouldn't be half as funny. When a golfer makes his stroke, it's the timing that counts.....it's the avoidance of rushing, to give space, rhythm, smoothness and pace to the stroke. Slowness is the absence of speed. Or is it the other way round?

When I have a violin lesson, my teacher frequently reminds me not to rush or snatch at the next note. When I'm a little anxious about performing the next passage, I tend to rather rush into it. But as Vivien Mackie, one of my AT colleagues and master of the cello who trained with Cassals, says in her book 'Just Play Naturally', the next note does not arrive until the end of the existing or current note. Each note has its duration and should be allowed it's full life. Composers make notes a certain length for a reason.....as well as the rests or pauses.

Letters of the alphabet and words on a page don't exist without the space around. Space gives meaning. The space can have meaning itself. Does the picture opposite say Me or You?

If you are making a presentation at work or a speech at a wedding, do you tend to rush to quickly? Do you allow enough time between your messages to let them sink in, to let them have gravitas and weight?

So getting back to our daily lives.....are there enough spaces and gaps between our activities? You might say that there isn't enough time for gaps when there are already more than enough things to get done. But supposing the spaces are just as important as the actual tasks? They may be important for different reasons, but just as important to help us perform well, to think, consider, to choose not to do things, to reconsider, to decide definately to do something, to prioritise, to re-prioritise,to give emphasis to our actions, even to rest so we can perform well later.

Recently I have been espousing the benefits of a short nap during lunchtime to revive energy levels and productivity for the afternoon. To this end I set up the UK's first National Siesta Day. Our body's own 'biological clock' determines that we have rest at certain times to ensure health and well-being.

Do you ever sit down and choose to do nothing? I don't mean when you're idling and not got much to do, but during a normal busy day. Do you ever stop and give yourself one minute....or five? The pause gives time to see our situation from the outside, to reconsider, for the troops to regroup, for the dust to settle and see just where we are. The pause is as important as the action, for harmony in our life, for our actions to have meaning, for our words to have impact.

It takes courage and a great deal of self-will to sit down for a moment or two and choose to do absolutely nothing when there are twenty things pending and not enough time. Maybe we can re-prioritise what we do, chuck a few tasks in the bin.

It's good to stop and breathe, to pause and look beyond the desk. When walking outside, rather than looking at the pavement just in front, to raise our eye level to the horizon. Look at the end of the street, down a mile away....and the first floor windows and roofs. Lift your vision and see the scope for your life to make changes, to reinforce what you are already doing, to know that you are going along the right path or to choose to reconsider.

Giving space to our lives makes what we do more impactful. Pausing before action gives time for thought, re-thought, to galvanise our resources and make sure the next task is done just absolutely brilliantly, as well as we possibly can. As the saying goes, "If it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing...... " So pause and think about this a little....if you can just make this choice for yourself.

Stopping creates new beginnings....

:-)

What day is it today?

"What day is it today?"

"My favourite day" said Pooh.

Thanks BB

Giving is receiving

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882 American Essayist and philosopher

Muscle memory

Hilary Hahn

It's in your fingers, it's in your hands, it's in your legs, arms, back, neck and almost every muscle in your body. What's that I hear you ask? It's muscle memory. And we're not talking about your brain as that's in your head, but the ability for muscles to record patterns of tension in relation to one another and work together without specific conscious thought controlling them.

Let me give you an example. I enjoyed a fantastic evening of music last Friday at the Barbican Hall, London. Hilary Hahn the 26 year old virtuoso violinist was playing Mendelssohn's violin concerto No.1 in E Minor and 'The Lark Ascending' By Vaughan-Williams with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Roy Goodman. Here is a superb non-flashy serious musician who plays with the lyricism of Kreisler, with every resonant note well articulated and clear, sensitively performed with just the right nuance to let the music speak. It was wonderful.

I was so enthused by her performance that I visited Hilary Hahn's own website and read in her Journal that she'd just completed a Japanese tour which had been unthought of a month before. She had been asked to substitute for an unwell soloist. The repertoire was the Beethoven Violin Concerto that she had actually been performing just last month and she said the tour just fell into place with her own performing schedule. Also, with regards to playing the Beethoven, ...quote....."it was in my fingers." What she is referring to is the ability of her fingers to find the right notes and play with the necessary dexterity without her thinking of each note individually. Some of the passaages of music are so fast it is impossible to 'think' of every note. The patterns of muscle movement have become familiar through practice to be available to her, almost instinctively. So she may 'think' an entire passage of music and her fingers will find all the individual notes and phrasing. 'It's in her fingers.'

When we do something for the first time, we need to think clearly about every aspect of our actions, but with repetition we get the hang of it. When we're very young we are shown by our parents how to tie our shoe laces. At first it takes a lot of thought and practice. Eventually we can do this without thinking. As I type this blog, I'm thinking the words and phrases and not worrying about hitting the right keys....at least most of the time!

It's the same with almost anything involving our hands and for that matter, any group of muscles in our body. To hit a golf ball accurately over distance the whole body is involved in making this stroke. As a novice our shots will be wildly variable, but with practice we get better and more consistent. Muscle memory helps us refine our performance. For Hilary Hahn it's not just her fingers, but her whole body too is involved, from her stance and posture, to overall balance, support in her back, freedom of the wrists and arms yet with appropriate muscle tone to generate the energy and quality of sound required. She brings her whole body and mind to the performance. This 'co-ordination' gives her the ability to play the violin. The actual piece of music such as the Beethoven violin concerto is made possible by her whole co-ordination, and specifically her fingers to play those particular notes in the right order, phrasing and tempo. So there is the general set up of skill and co-ordination to play the instrument and the specific muscle memory within the fingers and arms to play any particular piece.

Repetition of any activity brings familiarity and with it habitual muscle patterns to perform the task. This also includes the simple act of walking or sitting. We use hundreds of muscles in the process and as children we practice, we become able to walk, run and jump or write a letter. Muscle memory allows us to perform tasks without the same conscious thought that was required the first time we did it. It is also the case that we can pick up unhelpful habits too in any activity. There is no greater habit that is detrimental to our walking as stooping forwards, yet many of us have picked up this tendency, possibly from our parents or friends or others. James Dean the actor has a lot to answer for! But stooping or slouching severely interferes with the muscle co-ordination required to walk and run easily with minimum effort. It's not how we did it as children! These tendencies throw us off balance so we are constantly fighting the pull of gravity to stay upright while we walk. So we use far more effort and our body is under far more strain than necessary. These are the very habits amongst many others, that the Alexander Technique addresses and which I work on with clients. The unwanted habitual tensions are 'in our muscles', just as much as in a good way, the Beethoven concerto is in Hilary's fingers.

Any repetition or practice of an activity brings familiarity and habit. So it's really important that we get the best possible examples to learn from. We should choose experts who are free of harmful habits themselves. Because if our parents tie their shoe laces with stiff neck, hunched shoulders and tight fingers while holding their breath, that is absolutely the way we are going to learn to do it too! Like father, like son.

The good news is, with this awareness we can do something about it. We can give as good an example to our children as we possibly can. When we decide to learn something new, we can choose the best possible example or expert to observe, copy and emulate. Hilary Hahn does it for me. I'll be emulating her calm, well poised and integrated approach to her instrument every time I pick up my own violin. Thanks you Hilary, for a great evening last Friday and for inpiring this blog.

Alexander Technique and emotions

So where does your body stop and your emotions begin....or visa versa? If we were to discuss the mechanism of an arm, chest muscle or heart we could look at images, dissect and find the physical working components. If we were to discuss a fear or other emotion, there is nothing tangible to grasp or view, but the emotion can be just as real. Is it in the brain or a particular part of the body....or both?

In medical fields we have specialists in psychology, psychiatry, trauma, relationship counseling, and we have others who specialise in physiotherapy, fitness training, osteopathy, chiropractics. They tend to fall into the mental/emotional or physical categories. Having treatments in either form of approach however, can have an effect on the other. If we gain mental or emotional relief we can physically relax better, and also when we get physical release from tension, there can be an emotional release too. This is quite normal.

Indeed such knock-on effects can almost be expected, because the emotional and physical being is the same one. Emotional and the physical aspects of a person are inextricably linked up so it is most likely that treatment in one aspect cannot be done without an effect elsewhere.

So which comes first? Is it the emotional trauma that causes physical tension or is it the postural tensions that create emotional anxieties. Chicken or egg? The answer is probably, both. There are no rules with this and whatever the situation there are likely to be a number of factors playing a part, all combining to cause an overall condition. Within the 'overall' condition there may be one or two aspects that become more pronounced...like an iceberg where 7/8 is under the water, but which bits protrude above and make themselves visible? In people, it may be a physical pain, shallow breathing or headaches that draw attention or it may be general timidity, fear of social contact, anger or depression. But these are just tips of the iceberg. There is a whole lot more going on in our body that is related to the specific condition we notice.

We have fear reflexes that are stimiulated by our 'fight or flight' instincts. If we get startled or frightened there will be an accompanying physical reaction, such as stiffening our necks, shoulders and legs. If this happens frequently enough these reactions can become habitual and a personal characteristic of us.. Sadness and depression too will cause our posture to collapse and we slouch. Equally, if we pick up posture habits from parents or friends such as hunching, stooping or slouching, then these will affect our emotions. A tense neck, shoulders and a stoop will interfere with our breathing and also our level of confidence.

In Alexander Technique lessons, teachers work on the whole body to help eliminate harmful postural habits and revive natural poise. But when the client arrives for their session, it is usual that they have a specific ailment or reason for coming, be it neck tension, aching knees, general stiffness, or to reduce stress. If the client complains of aching knees, it is very unlikely that much of the session will be devoted to their knees, as this condition is only a small (albeit painful) symptom of an overall condition in their whole body. In almost every case we will work on their neck tension, head balance and overall posture as much as the specific area in question. This is because every part of us is actually not a separate bit, but an extension or part of the 'whole'. We are not a collection of parts. We only name them to help identification, but in reality the muscles, tendons and ligament of our posture all interconnect, overlay and are pretty much inseparable. And if we did manage to separate them.....and this is the main point......they would be completely useless without the support and integration with the whole.

Our body and mind works as a whole. Take any task you like and see if you can identify it as either entirely physical or mental. Is skiing a purely physical task, or horse riding, walking or writing a letter? Our musculature couldn't operate without the control and guidance of our brain which in turn fires the muscle spindles and circulates oxygenated blood. And is calculating an arithmetical problem a purely mental activity? We couldn't do that without sufficient blood pumped from our heart and loaded with fresh oxygen from our breathing lungs. All activities are both mental and physical; without either we die. Our emotions are just as inextricably connected to every cell in our body.

It is quite common during AT lessons when the client releases certain long-held tensions for them to feel an emotional release too. This may simply be a sensation of calmness, but can equally come out as laughter or tears. This can sometimes embarrass the client, and although understandable, when we think about it, a release of emotions as a consequence of our postural work, is really to be expected. Why not? We're all linked up.

It's understandable too for people to think that when I have my hands gently placed on their neck and I'm helping the release of tension, that this is all that's happening. Although I may be working on this area or another, we are also having an effect on their shoulders, back and even ankles. Not only that, we are also affecting their emotions and general state and well-being at the same time. Everything is linked up.

Emotions and feelings are very intangible and nebulous aspects of our beings. They are almost impossible to locate and it is possible to talk around them for years with specialists without necessarily getting to the root cause of the feelings. On a physical level too, it's possible that certain muscle tensions and held postural traits are very connected with a held attitude, demeanour or other emotional state. Sometimes physical release from tension won't come properly until the emotions release too. Psychiatrist may get their patient to talk around and about their issues and it may be a very long time for them to move on completely free of their condition without physical release to accompany and facilitate it. This is why the psychiatric sessions are usually conducted in comfy chairs or on a lounging sofa; it helps the patient relax.

But we have found in Alexander Technique, where we deal with the overall postural condition we have tangible aspects to do with body weight and balance in relation to gravity. We have more or less control over most muscular situations by means of our brain and we learn to release unwanted postural tensions in this way. It is a 'conscious' approach to improving posture. We all have an instinct for 'natural poise' from birth and this is what we tap into. The right thing will take care of itself if we remove the 'interference' of bad postural habits. It will all work beautifully well if we let it. By working on our posture, we have a practical means of tackling our situation, dealing with physical situations that are tangible. This we can do. As we release tensions, then emotions may surface and there are bound to be knock on effects to how we feel about ourselves and relate to others. In this way we can positively influence our confidence, calmness and general sense of well-being. I have heard on a number of occasions from the wife of a client saying that her husband is so much easier to live with since he started having Alexander Technique lessons!

Incompletions

I've just been waxing the mahogany furniture in my office. Having come in at 6.30am this morning, played my violin for 20 minutes and while doing so, I became increasingly aware of the rather dull and uncared for condition of the wood around and thought I should do something about it. The office cleaner gets the dusting and vacuuming done pretty well, but these extra things get missed.,.... that is unless I do it. And I don't mind. It feels good to get them done to my liking and out of the way.

But before waxing, I had to clear the surfaces, then realised there were corners that hadn't been cleaned for ages and got going on them too. This is not what I intended to do this morning, but as I had time, why not? So now the room is all spick and span, smelling nicely of bees wax polish and leather soap on the desk top.....and it feels goooooood!

I've had it in the back of my mind to do this for a while. Indeed it has been subtly and surreptitiously hanging over me as a job waiting to be done, but not yet tackled. Same with the pile of papers on my desk that I reduced last week, but is mounting again. So having cleaned and waxed the desk, I selected only the items I needed , leaving a pile of 'stuff' that I didn't want back on my desk, but now waits to be dealt with. And that's what I'll do in a minute. I'll either file it, send it or bin it. Job done.

When jobs are queuing up to be done and we know they're waiting, they have a draining effect on our energy levels. The tasks that 'hang over us' not yet finished or dealt with are sometimes called 'Incompletions'. And that is just what they are....jobs and tasks not yet completed. This doesn't mean only tasks started a while ago but not yet finished, but ALL tasks that are waiting to be done.....the ones that are nagging away at the back of our mind. They are the ones that when we think of them, we sigh, moan, blow air up at our nose-tip, look to heaven, sink a little in stature and occasionally swear.

It's great to get these cleared up, filed, cleaned and generally sorted and FINISHED in some way or other. When dealt with, they will no longer nag away at us. I know one person who looks at the mounting pile of papers and articles that people have sent him and he'll select out just a few 'essentials' then put the rest straight in the bin. If he no longer has them, he can't read them, so they are no longer 'waiting'. Job done.

It can be helpful sometimes to make a list of every little thing that's not dealt with. Call it a list of Incompletions. And against each item, to put a realistic date for when you are going to deal with it, or have it finished. Then you can tick them off as you go. If one job requires several stages of tasks to be done in the process, then each stage can be on the list with a date that allows for completion by the final date you have in mind. It's important to choose dates that are reasonable and achievable, because there is another form of energy drainer that is far more wicked, tormenting and ultimately soul destroying, and that is to MISS your own deadlines. To do so, lowers your self-esteem and energy quicker than a burst party balloon. Choose dates that are achievable, then enjoy the feeling of satisfaction when you've done them. Yes! Job done!

Getting tasks done opens spaces in your life for new exciting things to happen. When we're cluttered up, either with junk or incompletions, our life is 'full'. Make space for the new by clearing out, tidying, fixing, and getting rid of all those Incompletions that are hanging over you. If you can't fix it, or deal with it, bin it. And enjoy that feeling of being free when you've finished.

Yes!

:-)

Natural poise

‘Why stand when you can sit, and why sit when you can lie down’, I once heard said. And pretty sensible this is, as there’s nothing like standing for long periods as to cause us to wilt with aches and stiffness. Just being slightly off balance causes stiffness, tired legs, sore feet, back ache, sciatica, neck pain and even poor breathing. Yet there was a time in our lives when we were able to stand with perfect poise. As toddlers, we may have wobbled a bit, but up we came on our feet, unaware of the precariousness of our situation as we struggled to find our balance, as gravity would quickly have us on our bottoms should we wobble too far. At that age we managed to stand with ease and comfort; we were light, buoyant and springy. So why can’t we do it now?

The answer is that we don’t use our muscles in the same way as we did then; we have acquired bad habits in the intervening years. The unhealthy stoop and James Dean slouch that afflicts so many of us has taken its toll. We’ve got postural habits that we didn’t have as a child, interfering with our muscle co-ordination. But it’s our birthright to have good poise and we have the inbuilt mechanism to balance well without strain. After all, it’s taken millions of years for our species to evolve into the 21st century biped that can send men to the moon but ironically seems to find it increasingly difficult to stand comfortably on earth! Maybe we should all go to the moon where gravity is a bit kinder!

Gravity has its benefits; it keeps your tea in your cup for starters and ensures that kicked balls come back to earth. We do however, need to pay attention to how we walk and stand. If we were to take a builder’s plumb line, we’d see that when standing, our body weight should ideally fall vertically down through our ankles. Next time you pass a shop window, take a look at your posture and see if you’re tilting forwards. Most of us have the tendency to lean, consequently we have to stiffen and brace ourselves, which causes discomfort, tiredness and strain.

We can help ourselves now to overcome our bad postural habits by becoming more aware and just thinking the right thoughts. Firstly ensure that you’re upright. Secondly make yourself loose. If we tell ourselves to be loose, we will become freer. Thirdly if we think tall, we will come upwards to our full height, but it’s important that we do not make effort as this will cause stiffening. Think loose and tall no matter where you are, be it walking down the street or standing in a gallery.

As children we will instinctively learn to stand, but it takes a thinking adult to stand like a child! We can learn from observing them. Children don’t lean, at least not continuously, proving that it’s possible to stand tall and loose all at the same time. This quality is not unique to them. This is the way nature intends us all to be, even in adulthood. To stand and move comfortably really should be child’s play.

(And if you hadn't guessed, the picture is of me aged 3. Nothing special....if we're healthy, we've ALL got good natural poise at that age.)
:-)

Thoughts become Things

You may have heard me say on many occasions 'What you think is what you get' so be careful of what you think of as you will attract it towards you. This applies to good things, and also what we worry about. Keeping your thoughts positive is the most wonderful and sure-fire way of making sure you get what you want in life.

Well, I've recently discovered www.tut.com the site of Mike Dooley, who has believed in this amazing principle all his adult life. On his site, he has a short 7 minute film clip of him delivering a public speech about it. In fact, he's at a Toast Master's Competition, and he has chosen 'Thoughts become Things' as his topic for the competition. This is really well worth viewing and listening to. It's very polished presentation, and the message is loud and clear. Indeed by listening to it, I've found my own energy levels going up. Check it out.

Click here to watch Mike Dooley talking Totally Unique Thoughts
Click on the link for Free 7 Minute Version.

You can also sign up for free to receive a daily Note from the Universe. These are fun and helpful.

When I came across his site and this film clip abouit three weeks ago, I decided to do a test to see if it works. I believe it does anyway, but the idea to trial it seemed like fun.

I thought of a client who had quite a number of sessions from me over the years, but left London permanently 12 months ago and moved to Amsterdam, Holland, with his wife and children to start a new life and a powerful new job as Finance Director for a large international company. I haven't seen or heard from him since.

I thought of this client on a few occasions during the last few weeks, imagining him walking in through my door, having a session from me and a chat. I visualised this for about half a minute on a few occasions, but nothing happened. I thought of him again for some reason this morning, and brought the same image to mind, of him entering my room. Then I decided to watch Mike Dooley's film clip again at lunch time, while I was eating my salad. I had just finished and about to have my nap, and the phone rang. It was my client's secretary phoning from Amsterdam to say that he would be in London this coming Monday and could he have an appointment. I had space in my diary and he's coming to see me on Monday 17th at 9.45am. How cool is that? Does this technique work? Oh Yeah!! So dream on. Think of what you want. Visualise what you want. Keep your thoughts positive without worrying about the outcome, and watch your dreams come true.

Have a great weekend,

:-)

Shady Woodland

Wimbledon Common, London

In such hot sunny weather, it's sometimes nice to get a bit of shade. This photo was taken during spring in the early morning, when the light comes through the trees at an obliique angle.

Hassleblad 503CW, 80mm lens, yellow filter, Delta 100ASA tripod mounted for slow shutter speed and depth of field.

Clearing clutter and having a good day

So will today be a fun day? You tell me. It can come down to how we perceive it. Perception is the thing. I could consider sorting out the paperwork on my desk as a chore, but it would be great just to clear the surface and give me room to work....and think. How's your clutter these days?

Clutter is the debris of yesterday's activities left uncompleted. Completion could be seen as simply finishing the job or task, but leaving the remnants of the activity still lying around doesn't help us move forward. In Feng Shui , clutter is both a cause and a symptom of stale, stuck energy. It blocks the smooth flow of chi through your space, weighs you down energetically, and keeps you stuck in the past. Clutter makes it very difficult to make changes, take advantage of new opportunities, or welcome new friends and experiences into your life. So as this is Friday (it could be any day) I shall clear the clutter and make room for moving forward and make space in my life for new things.

However, I can't say that my life feels stuck as there's plenty going on. There will be a number of clients coming for their Alexander Technique lessons today. But I break off at 10.30am to go to BBC Broadcasting House in London to do a 30 minute live radio interview. That should be fun, covering topics such as Alexander Technique and the benefits to posture and well-being. We'll also discuss the recent National Siesta Day and my reasons for setting it up. The walk over there will be pleasant as it's a beautiful sunny day and I'll be glad to get the fresh air. I'm usually in my practice from 6.30am till around 7.00pm, so it's good to get out. I'm also planning National Siesta Day for 2007, getting a sponsor to fund the PR as it's a non-profit making campaign and I'm also planning my next book. Plenty to think about and do. But I start the day, the way I like to finish it. I play my violin around 6.30 for a while, and I'll play the other one later this evening at home. Doing something creative and also demanding is a great way of relaxing as it uses different parts of your brain.

And tomorrow is the weekend. The weather is supposed to be really good so it will be perfect for walks and picnics which are what we'll be doing. What are you up to this weekend? Whatever you do, look on the bright side. Anything can be a joy if we just choose to see it that way. And if it's truly exciting, enjoy every minute!

OK, enough. I've got some clutter to clear off my desk and it's my intention to get this done before my first client arrives. There's nothing like a self imposed deadline to help shift stuff that's hanging around. Then we can move on and be free to make the most of the day. See you later. :-)

The right attitude

I meet so many people through my work, who do not feel that there is anything that they can do for themselves, and it is down to the specialist to sort them out. It is also such a commonly made mistake to believe that the head and the body are somewhat separated whereas in reality they are inextricably linked up. The fact that we have psychologists and physiotherapists who specialise in their own specific fields does nothing to help change this view, although a specialist approach is so often needed in order to provide the expert help required. The Alexander Technique is a method that helps improve our posture and we learn to use it for ourselves by having lessons. It involved thinking in such a way that we have more control over our own muscles, balance and co-ordination, ....mind and body working together. We learn to get rid of postural habits that affect the efficient working of our body. It is something that we can use to help ourselves.

We don’t need a degree in anatomy and physiology to realise that it is our brains that control our bodies. Whatever we decide to do, whether it’s making a cup of coffee or drive the car, it is our brains that are sending messages throughout our bodies to instruct our muscles to perform the desired activity. The same approach can be used to encourage tense muscles to release, and for a stooped posture to come upright. Realising that we are all capable of making a difference is the first major step in changing our lives. However, there is an essential ingredient required in order for this to work.

Now I understand fully when people tell me that they’re not prepared to believe in something until they get some proof that it actually works. Fine, some things are difficult to comprehend until we’ve had the experience of it happening. This can apply to anything. With regards to the Alexander Technique it's a good idea to have a few one-to-one sessions where the practitioner can have the opportunity of showing us how different we can be. But in order for us to also get the experience of helping ourselves, we really have to enter into the thing with an open mind and maybe a certain amount of enthusiasm to just go for it. We need to give it a go. With clear guidance and instruction from a specialist who is able to assess our needs, we’ll be able to learn a whole new way of moving and looking after ourselves. We can then rest assured that we are applying the principles in the most appropriate manner for our particular situation. If we follow the guidelines, then we’ll not go far wrong.

Belief in ourselves
If we’re able to find within us even a faint glimmer of a thought that we may be able to do something for ourselves, then we are tapping into some of the potential we’ve inherited from our ancient ancestry. We are all highly integrated human beings with the capability for a great deal of control over ourselves and our environment. It is this belief, albeit small at first that can have a dramatic effect on how we are. The belief is the trigger. Once we start to believe that we can make a difference within ourselves, even just by thinking, we’re opening up all sorts of possibilities. This principle can be applied to so many other things in life, and when people say “I can’t do that.” they are setting up a thought pattern that may well prevent them from achieving it. They tell themselves that they can’t do it even before they give it a go. Instead, let’s say to ourselves something like, “Hey, I may not have done this before, but there’s no proof that I can’t do it, and I won’t know until I’ve tried, so let’s go for it….” then we are giving ourselves the best opportunity for success. This helps with learning the Alexander Technique, but also applies to almost anything else in life. if we can just 'give it a go', whatever it is, we may go on to really achieve some wonderful things in life.

Life changing inspiration

Snow clouds over Shetland

Don't you just love exciting adventures? And isn't it great to see people following their heart?

I've just been reading about a woman business executive who has uprooted and changed her whole life for a dream.

Caroline Whitfield of London worked as a consultant to huge international companies. Being four months pregnant with her third child she decided to escape from London to the Shetland Islands for a week's break with her two daughters and barrister husband.

They had gone there with the half hearted idea of buying a holiday home. While visiting potential houses with a surveyor she asked where the local whisky distillery was, thinking it might be an interesting place to visit. She was astonished to hear that there wasn't one. Having done work for a drinks company she knew that the pure spring waters and peaty bogs of the Shetlands made it the ideal location for malting whisky. She almost instantly had the idea that she could open a distillery of her own here in Shetland. And so Blackwood Distillers was born four years ago.

They have already won international awards for their own-label gin and vodka and plan to start producing whisky in the next three years. She has gathered around her a number of highly experienced people in specialised fields including quality and master tasting, the world leading distillery designer, a financial expert on fast growing businesses and the man who built the first modern distillery in Wales in 1999.

Burn of Lunklet

The location sounds like a dream. The Shetlands are a group of 110 islands far north of Scotland and only 180 miles from Bergen, Norway. As the latitude is almost exactly 60 degrees North it gets 15 hours of sunshine in summer and only 5 in winter. The air is clear and moist so whisky evaporation normally 2% will be greatly reduced. The purest water flows straight from sandstone springs into a burn (stream) that meanders over peat and then flows down to the cove, unaffected by man from source to sea. The slowest forming peat on earth grows on Shetland and has been forming here since at least the Bronze Age, some 4000 years ago. Due to the extreme northern latitude and cool weather, Shetland peat grows incredibly slowly and includes local flora unique to the area. This leads to a rich aromatic peat ideally suited to help create a truly outstanding malt, in full or lightly peated styles. The prospects for the first whisky distillery on Shetland are fantastic.

They have had first indications of a truly great malt. Samples have been made using local peat, water and Scottish barley, replicating the climactic conditions. The results suggest the whisky, both peated and unpeated, will have its own unique character distinctive to Shetland itself. Closest references are lightly peated Islay whisky or other outstanding Northern Malts such as Highland Park on Orkney. A local resident on tasting the peated sample exclaimed "I don 't know how you have done this but this IS the smell of Shetland - it is exactly as I remember my grandfather's croft with the burning peat in the fire and sweet mutton drying nearby - wonderful." They expect different wood finishes will bring out various flavour profiles in both the peated and unpeated malts and indeed show the potential to be accessible in taste as outstanding, easy-drinking whiskies.

Caroline is a true adventurer. She says herself, if she hadn't visited the Shetlands in 2002, who knows where she would be now. In a moment of true inspiration, she discovered a new direction that has changed her life completely. Good for her! And Good luck to her team.

I don't drink whisky very often although I love the taste. I certainly will be tasting her new malt when it eventually produced.

I just so love success and adventure stories. If you've got one you'd like to share with me, please get in touch!

;-)

Sources: Daily Express & Blackwood Distillery

Defensive Pessimist or Realistic Optimist?

In a new book The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, Dr Julie Norem, clinical psychologist argues that being an optimist can be harmful. Being happy, upbeat and staying positive is the modern philosophy of life, but it can lead to problems if negative emotions such as anger, resentment, jealousy and hate are suppressed. And I couldn't agree more. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that suppressed emotions can lead to sickness, heart disease and cancer. Studies show that men who express anger in a moderate fashion have a lower-than-average risk of stroke and coronary problems. It's good to let the emotions out and not suppress them.

Dr Norem, in her crusade against relentless positivity, suggests that we should foster a strategy called 'defensive pessimism'. She says this is not depressive pessimism, but the ability to use depressive thinking productively. People who adopt this strategy can use the 'fruits of their anxieties' by mentally rehearsing and preparing for all that can go wrong. By doing so they can make excellent troubleshooters as they are prepared for any eventuality and have fall back plans B and C. ...Hmmn, sounds a little like me, but not completely.

If you've read any of my blogs, you would be excused for thinking that I'm an eternal optimist without a negative thought, and certainly I do believe in the power of positive thinking. How often have you heard me say, 'what you think is what you get'? By thinking positively we can help avoid the things in life we do not want. But I am not a compulsive positive thinker and it may surprise you to know that I often consider what may need to be done in order to avoid problems. My partner will tell you, when we go on holiday, the first thing I do is pull out a 'holiday list' of things we may need. She sighs and thinks I'm mad, but I'm happiy content to check we have everything. The list includes all possible needs from swimwear to snow boots, but naturally we only select essentials. It's an easy, quick and efficient way of not forgetting something obvious and help bring peace of mind. I don't take the all-weather gear on a summer holiday to the Riviera, just in case there are thunderstorms! If we go for a long car drive, I'll ask my partner to take a spare car key, so if I happen to lose mine we're not stuck. Simple, but effective planning for possible problems. Considering such eventualities does not stop me from being an optimist and having a positive frame of mind. Neurotic? Maybe, but happy? Yes. Depressive Pessimist? No.

Dr Norem suggests that optimism and positivity make a recipe for denial of reality and what really is going on in life, so will bring on sickness. Certainly if we deny emotions then this may be the case, but not in all situations. It is possible to both, face reality and accept our circumstances that may be far from ideal, and also be positive about how we move forward. Susan Harrison, 30, lost a leg in the terrible bomb attack at Kings Cross station a year ago and had to have it amputated above the knee. Despite this, Ms Harrison will walk 66 miles later this month to raise money for Oxfam. Gill Hicks was a survivor of the Russell Square blast who lost both legs below the knee. Ms Hicks got married to Joe Kerr last December after walking down the aisle on her new prosthetic legs. Both women show extraordinary fortitude in the face of tragedy. They didn't manage this by living in denial.

Physical hurt can also cause emotional devastation and It is necessary to release any held emotions. Razz whose story I told in 'Perfect Poise, Perfect Life' lost an arm in a water skiing accident as a young man. Although his loss of arm was a real thing that he had to deal with on a practical level by learning to do everything with the other hand including writing, he had not accepted the situation emotionally and held a lot of pain, anger and resentment. It wasn't until twelve years later when he was on a personal development workshop that he was encouraged to let out his anger. He did so with such vigour and power by screaming for a full fifteen minutes that he passed out three times. Afterwards he described his experience after pain, as being one of extreme joy and happiness, of freedom, release and transformation. He is one of the most level-headed optimists I know and now runs personal development seminars around the world.

A positive attitude helps with so much. No professional footballer ever scored a goal by thinking that the ball will not go in the net. Sports people are completely positive. They have to be. Naturally, to help ensure they have the best chance of succeeding, or avoiding failure, they do enormous amounts of practice and work on their weaknesses. Call it troubleshooting if you like.

If we have negative emotions we may find that we can become more emotionally centred by means of PSC (Positive Self Care) including improvements to posture, drinking adequate water, getting sufficient sleep, healing etc. As we become more emotionally centred we may not experience such aggressive or extremely negative emotions.

Both positivity and a realistic attitude can exist at the same time. Call it Realistic Optimism.

If we can achieve acceptance of 'what is' and see exactly where we are right now, then we have more peace of mind, contentment and a real place from where we can move forward from. Then a positive attitude can work wonders.

Pessimism of any sort invites the very things we do not want to happen, to actually come about. 'What you think is what you get'. OK, if you're pessimistic, then it may be advantageous to plan for any eventuality and ensure all possible disasters (that we may invite) have been planned for....Defensive pessimism.

But for me, I'd rather invite what I do want to happen by thinking positively. As long as we are clear headed and real about where we are at this moment, accepting our situation 100 percent, not harbouring any negative emotions then we are not in denial. We have a solid foundation from where to move forward from. If you are thinking positively and optomistic, there is no accounting for what wonderful things might happen. And if you are unrealistically optimistic, then that's when miracles can happen.
:-)

Source - The Times.

Pursuing happiness

With the plethora of books on happiness in the popular psychology section of every book store, and more being published every day, it seems we have gone mad in search of this most elusive yet ultimately fulfilling quality to life. But on discovering that a great Islamic philosopher and reformer Abu Hamid al-Ghazal wrote a popular book called The Alchemy of Happiness during his 52 years, 1058-1111AD, I realise it's nothing new.

We often talk of the 'pursuit of happiness' as though it's something that we need to chase after, and don't many of us do just that? From retail therapy and just ten more handbags, to globe trotting and continental holiday homes, haven't we got more now in the western world than ever before? Yet each day, it seems, a new study shows we are unhappier than ever and more people reach for the Prosac. In our search, some may turn to religion, we can meditate, breathe deeply from our 'stomach' and for moments we can forget everything. We can give of our time and experience charitably for the good of others, and feel uplifted and happy. The list of advice seems endless.

Richard Schoch comments in his book The Secrets of Happiness that we can better understand happiness by looking at the philosophical and religious traditions of happiness, including those of other cultures, and believes that we have lost contact with the old and rich traditions of happiness and their essentially moral nature. He also comments that it seems the case that many will sadly describe happiness as mere avoidance of pain and suffering.

I will certainly go along with the idea that if we can develop the capacity to understand where we go wrong and forestall it, we can help ourselves enormously. Indeed this is similar to the principle of 'Inhibition' in the Alexander Technique to help maintain natural poise. F.M. Alexander used to say, "If we can prevent the wrong [postural] thing from happening, the right thing will look after itself." We are self healing and we have a propensity towards health, hence the continuation of our species. But can it be said of happiness?

I have long believed (and written in previous blogs) that we may discover we have been happy after the event, when we have been fully occupied with an activity that is challenging, requires some creativity but is not so demanding so allowing us some success. In Hinduism it is said that 'Any worthwhile activity however ordinary- but done in the right spirit - takes us one step closer to happiness'.

Edward do Bono's new book called H=: A new Religion? sounds interesting and in line with my own thinking, and I must get a copy. Apparently according to the Times, he advises 'how to live your life positively through Happiness, Humour, Help, Hope and Health'. He also suggests that inner happiness (harmony in the soul) and 'outer happiness' (Health and well-being) are mutually dependent and have little to do with the pursuit of pleasure. I'd go with that.

But, to bring up briefly something that I shall refer to in my next blog, contentment is most likely to exist when we are not pursuing anything, including happiness. And contentment is probably what we are more able to experience most of the time, rather than happiness.

When do we say we are happy? I would suggest that it is when we are experiencing a level of emotion that is more heightened than our norm. So if we were to experience high emotions all the time, they cease to be 'heightened' emotions and become the norm. We get used to feeling good very quickly. We get used to anything good, quickly. How long does the new higher salary feel good for.... 3-4 weeks or a couple of months at best? Then we're looking for another raise. People often ask me what it feels like to be wonderfully postured and in great shape. I wish I knew, and I'll ask them to let me know how it feels when they discover it. I'm still working on it and always will. We get used to how we feel.

It is my belief that to pursue happiness is like chasing a rainbow. It's there in front of you, but to pursue and chase will not help you get there. Particularly if the object of your desires is a new car or watch, as this new happy sensation will wear off as quickly as it came. However, it's no bad thing to be content with where we are at any precise moment. It may not be ideally how we'd like to be, but the present moment is all we've got as the past has been and the future has yet to come. So acceptance with our situation at the moment can be relieving. For me, happiness is not something to be pursued, but to be discovered within. It is there to be had. You have happiness by allowing or choosing to experience it. Accept where you are at any given time and then just decide to be happy. Happy with life as it is. We can also make plans for tomorrow, to change this and that. And when we're living tomorrow, we can be content and accepting of where we are, not fighting ourselves and just choose to be happy.

Happiness can be right there inside all of us, right now. It's a sensation that comes from the release of chemicals by means of thought patterns. If you think negative thoughts, such as anger, hate, disappointment, resentment, revenge, impatience, frustration then you'll create emotions that are certainly not happy. If we think thoughts that are positive, loving, content, giving, uplifting, hopeful and optimistic as well as being content, then we release endorphins and can experience happiness.

Nothing outside of ourselves makes us emotionally feel one way or another, unless we are physically hurt. We create our emotions for ourselves, by how we interpret and respond to situations around us. We can choose (if we like) to respond any way we wish. Even if someone verbally assaults us and shows anger, we can choose not to reflect this back to them, but respond with love and feeling for them in their situation and mood. However, this can be difficult as we do tend to pick up on negativity because of our mirror neurons as I blogged in Mirroring Emotions, but we can still work on distancing ourselves at such times.

We don't need to go searching for happiness outside of ourselves, or even searching inside of ourselves either. We can experience contentment and happiness by just simply choosing to experience it right now. I believe it comes down to our attitude and how we think. It's yours right now. So just enjoy!
:-)

Effective practice

Paganini

I've just bought a music stand for my office, and it's the best thing I've done for a while. I play my violin in the morning at work from around 6.45am before anyone gets in, so there's no chance of anyone being bothered by the noise. Good job really. It's a routine that I've got into,....I arrive, open all the windows to get some fresh air circulating, switch the computer on and let the emails arrive, I make a cup of tea and get my violin out.

Up to now I have just either lain my music on the desk with a good desk light over it, or sometimes I would get a writing slope out and place that on top of my desk so the music is tilted towards me. Either way, it necessitated me either sitting down to play, which is fine, or standing then peering down at the music occasionally. This hasn't been good because this tends to draw me forwards and down which does not help my posture and will affect my playing. Naturally I take care of my posture given my profession as an Alexander Technique teacher, but why make the situation more difficult than I need?

Although I've been playing the violin at work in the early morning for a year or more, there has been a reluctance to acknowledge it properly. It's almost that I feel guilty about it. Hence, I've not bought a music stand, partly because it takes up space, I didn't want the bother of folding it away and it was making the violin playing seem too big a part of my day. It's a distraction, although it's wonderful to do. Usually I play for around 20 minutes, do a few scales and exercises and a little play at something from memory then leave it at that....nothing too serious. I leave my main practice for the evening when I do have a music stand and I play my lovely 18th century violin.

But the difference in having a proper music stand is extraordinary. It not only supports the music well at the proper height so I'm maintaining better posture while playing, but it has affected me in other ways too. Rather than considering this early morning session as very informal and just a bit of a tootle to keep my hand in, it's shifted the importance of it. Now when I stand in front of the music stand I play properly, with care and more attention to my posture and use, as well as with more appropriate intent. I therefore make better use of the time, I'm more effective, more focused, I work harder at the difficult parts, I play the instrument better and ultimately play better music. I don't need to spend any more time doing it than I have done previously, but it has shifted my emotional state so that ultimately I benefit.

In other words, If I'm going to do any violin playing at all at this time of day, then I'm better off doing it properly. It's the same with any darned thing in life. If it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing properly. How many things do we attempt half-heartedly then when it doesn't work too well, we quit for the time being and move on to something else?

Today, I forgot the time and discovered that I'd been playing for an hour. Fortunately there was a cancellation in my diary so the first client session that I give won't be until later, so I had the time. I made great progress. But I reckon my playing need not take any more time than I've devoted to it previously, but because my attitude is different, I shall make better use of the time.

If we're going to do anything, it's worth doing it as well as possible. Because, however we do it, the manner and attitude we apply will become the norm, as repetition forms habit. So now, I've given the early morning violin practice the stature and importance it deserves. I've acknowledged and accepted it better, and I can sense that my abilities will progress more quickly.

If you're going to do something, give your whole heart to it. Multitasking is for those who are not bothered about the quality of what they're producing. Do one thing at a time. Set yourself up well to give it your full attention and not be restricted by physical limitations. Sort out your equipment, tools and space to work. Give yourself the best chance of doing as well as you can. I know that if I practice sloppily, I will become a sloppy player and this will affect my whole ability. Setting yourself up well and giving your whole attention to the activity probably won't take any longer and you'll get far more out of it. Do this with everything and watch how you progress. Great.

:-)

Multitasking

It is sometimes considered that multitasking is an efficient, if not clever way of going about our work. "Let's get lots done, all at once!" But if you really want to get things done quickly, the answer is do not multitask. And if you want to do things well, efficiently and without mistakes, then do one thing at a time.

Yet, how often do you see people trying to do several things at once? Reading a report or writing emails while on the phone. If you're on the other end of the line, all you can hear in the background is tap tap, 'Uh-uh, Maybe, fine'. When this is happening, you don't feel that the other person is engaging with you, and you're right.

Research shows that although we think we are doing several things at the same time, we are not. At least we are not giving our attention to more than one thing at a time. It just is not possible for the brain to do this. However, it is possible for certain actions to be performed 'unthinkingly' and automatically, while the brain attends to something else. But this process will not give good quality results, it can lead to mistakes, and in some cases death. Let me explain.

Within our brain we have a central control or 'executive Control' that is associated with prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex. These interrelated cognitive processes establish priorities among tasks and allocate the mind's resources to them. Everything we do, from thinking, calculating to any physical action involves specific mental resources that are monitored and controlled by the 'Executive Control'. Research suggests that this executive control involves two distinct, complementary stages: goal shifting, where we choose to do one thing instead of another. So one controlling part of the brain is switched off and another is switched on. Both stages help people unconsciously switch between tasks. We get the impression that we are doing two or more things at once, but we are actually only 'thinking' about one. Some movements may be so automatic that they can be performed 'habitually', but are likely to be of poor quality and mistakes can easily happen.

When our brain switches from one activity, thought pattern or calculation to another, the actual switching process takes time...several tenths of a second. The more complex the tasks, the longer the time involved in switching. If tasks are unfamiliar, the switching takes longer, and as we become more familiar with the task, the switching becomes quicker.

As all of the thousands of switching back and forth between brain functions for tasks take time, they add up significantly. And although we may feel that we are getting 'two jobs done at once and more quickly' we are not and indeed they may take longer.

Such multitasking can be hazardous in certain situations requiring the use of equipment or while driving and using a mobile phone. The time it takes for our brain to switch from thinking about the telephone conversation back to the road situation while driving can lead to accidents. If my calcalculations are right, 3/10 second at 60mph equates to about 30 feet travelled without conscious awareness.

If we want to get jobs done well, to avoid mistakes and accidents, it makes sense to do one thing at a time and give it our whole attention. We are likely to get them done quicker too. Paying attention to what we are doing properly, also gives us a chance to ensure that we are 'using ourselves' well in terms of avoiding unhealthy tensions and postural problems. If we are more aware of what we are doing we can keep our neck free, our posture more upright and maintain better health. Mindlessness always brings about 'habitual' methods of doing things that are most likely riddled with unhelpful tensions and patterns of use. Unthinking use will reinforce the poor 'manner of use' just as well as good awareness and practice can bring about improvements.

If we think of one thing at a time, do one task at a time, we will still get the jobs done, probably less frenetically, probably more quickly, accurately with fewer mistakes, and probably at less cost to our own health and well-being int the process.

Red card? Rooney can let it go

Since Wayne Rooney was red carded and sent off during the England v Portugal match in the World Cup, there has been a lot of press regarding the incident, from many different views. It is believed that he was fouled just before his foot stamped on Ricardo Carvalho and there should have been a free kick. It is also thought the red card was unfair, that Cristiano Ronaldo played a part in getting him sent off. Some press are giving several pages to Rooney's anger towards his fellow Manchester United team mate, Ronaldo and how he would like to 'split him in two'. How he has been urged to 'bury the hatchet' but the Sun reports, the only place he'll do that is 'in Ronaldo'. And so it goes on.

Today, it is reported in the BBC News that Rooney holds no animosity towards Ronaldo who said, "He [Rooney] wished me the best of luck in the World Cup. He told me we had a great team and that if we continued to play like this, we would go far.

"At the end we texted each other and between us every-thing's been cleared," he said. "He wasn't angry with me and, moreover, he told me to completely ignore what the English press has said, that all they wanted was to create confusion, but we are already used to that." Ronaldo insisted he was not to blame for Rooney's dismissal, despite appearing to wink at the Portuguese bench once the red card had been shown.

However, the situation happened, it is unfortunate, and maybe England should still be in the tournament and even preparing to play the Semi-final. However, this is not the case, and what actually happened, is now history and consigned and recorded as memories.

Rooney has been reported in different media with conflicting emotions. Naturally he will be bitterly disappointed in being sent off and for England dropping out.

The point I want to make, is that memories of what happened are there, registered in his conscious mind and also his subconscious. but this memory is an objective one. What Rooney does with that memory is his choice. He may feel resentment, bitterness, anger and frustration, or he can actually choose to let it go and move on. He can choose to be forgiving, to himself for his actions, his stamping on Ricardo Carvalho and to let go of any resentment towards Ronaldo. He can choose either the lower ground, or the higher. It's common to consider emotions as something that are beyond our control, but this is far from the case. Our reactions to situations are governed to a high degree by our past experiences, hurts, disappointments, upbringing etc. But we can also override these initial feelings and choose something different. It's how we think of it that's the important. It's what we focus on. Do we focus on hurt, pride and resentment, or focus on letting go and moving on. Where you look is where you go. You may have heard me say this on a number occasions.

Terry Tillman, Resource Consultant of 227 Company describes this type of situation well . "The memory as recorded doesn’t affect everything we think, feel say or do. It’s an objective record. What we decide about the experience, how we interpret the experience, the feelings we overlay on the experience is what has an effect. We can change those decisions, interpretations, feelings, in many ways and methods and techniques. One way to change the effect of the decision is to change the present focus. This is the most efficacious way I’ve found to make that change. You create your reality, and experience, by where you place your focus. So, it makes sense to me to focus on what I want more of, rather than the “problem” or “wrong” or upset or disturbance or negative past history. "

Let's hope Rooney can select the focus that will be most helpful, so he and the team can move on.

Didn't England play well with only ten men, despite the penalties? I was really impressed. It was great stuff.

Have a good day!
:-)
Wayne Rooney in action

Staying power

"Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before."
Herodotus

I needed to hear this today. So thank you Mike Barker