I have different methods when I'm feeling blue. It could be that I pamper myself with a spa day or foodie day(which however has results that make me less happy), have an intensive workout or I try to motivate myself. This time I tried the latter.
Like what I said earlier in one of my posts and based on the lessons of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming): " If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got". And according to these studies, even sadness and blues has a starting point. If you'd like to go back to a time when you were happier, think about what you did different. What changed?
Recently I've been reading 'How to think like Leonardo da Vinci- Summary'. It's a summary about the principles on which the great genius based his ideas. Those are:
1. Curiosity - the quest for continuous learning
2. Demonstration - Test knowledge through practical experience
3. Sensation- Constantly sharpen the senses
4. Sfumato - be comfortable with ambiguity
5. Art/Science- balance science and art, logic and imagination
6. Corporality develop Poise - the balance of body and mind
7. Connection- maintain a big picture perspective
I have to admit I'm not such a quick reader or at least, I'd like to let all the words sink in, so I'm still at just principle #2, but it's so enlightening that I feel I had to share with you guys.
The first principle is curiosity and I felt so touched by it, since I'm the same way. I'm constantly looking for things I don't know and especially with the existence of Google, which is making searching information that much easier.
People does say 'Curiosity killed the cat', but on the other hand ' satisfaction brought it back'. With curiosity I don't mean nosing in other people's business, but the longing for knowledge. Like seeing a balloon deflate for the first time and wonder what happened. Or how certain liquids mixed together create a different color.
But in this summary, I've learned a new meaning to the question: 'What if...'. And I believe somehow I've always used principle #2: demonstration. I couldn't wait to test it out, so I asked my colleagues some simple questions like:
- 'What if you could have all the money in the world, what would you do?'
- 'What if you could do anything you want, what is it that you'd most likely do?'
These questions seem very easy, but the results were shocking!! Most people actually don't know what they'd do if they got the freedom to do anything and if they'd have all the money in the world, they wouldn't know what to do and where to start.
To make it more interesting, I'd like to share a test with you:
1. Choose a subject/topic. It can be a pencil, a word like love or anything that comes in mind at that moment.
2. In 10 minutes ( can be longer or shorter), write down every thing that comes to mind about this subject/topic. Even things that doesn't seem to link with the word; it does for you.
3. Screen what you've written. What belief or perception do you see behind all that you've written.
4. After you know what your belief or perception is, understand why you have this kind of belief or perception.
I did this exercise with my colleague and her belief is that she had to find meaning in life. And let me first say this " No belief is wrong". It is based on your experiences and your environment. My mom always told us that if you don't work, you don't eat. So I grew up holding on to that idea.
And what I did after this exercise was using the 'what if ' - questions; What if you don't need to work to get rich?', 'What if you could get paid for doing something that you love to do'. For most ladies, these might be the questions:
'What if I could eat whatever I want and whenever I want and not gain any weight?'
'What if I could have a perfect skin without using any products'
'What if I could have any guy I want, who would it be?
'What if....'
Some might see it as daydreaming and ' too good to be true', but WHAT IF...these are the things that keep you from achieving just that?
What if......
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