Good morning all!Today is the day for Speedy Gonzales.....lots going on,some simultaneously,so no time today to give in to writing.I'm overflowing with ideas but they'll have to wait until tomorrow.On the days when I'm really full,I need loads of energy,so breakfast is usually a green juice,blessed with the nutrients and goodness of Mother Nature.I'd really love to share this with you.It's just too good not to! So, very quickly,here goes.In the juicer,if you have one or the blender,throw in the following and you're good to go. 2 oranges 1 lemon 1 apple 1 pear 1 peach 1 cucumber a handful of spinach a dash of cinammon 1 teaspoon of ginger 1 spoonful of honey It's fresh,cool and extremely enegising!Who needs coffee? Anyway,gotta dash.Have yourself an awesome day and don't foget:get in the flow and enjoy the headrush it gives you! And just because I needed the extra boost,some music is always welcome.It is beautiful.Enjoy! As always with love and light,
Lia
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Yesterday's article on creativity received fantastic comments...I have to really acknowledge this and extend my sincerest thanks to all of you who took the time to read it and contribute your comments and constructive criticism.Some of your comments got me thinking and provided the inspiration for today's article. Understandably,the subject of creativity is quite extensive and requires in-depth analysis.Today,let's mingle playfulness,innocence,experimentation, personal awareness and the concept of creativity...see where it takes us. Whenever I look back on my childhood,a time where technology wasvirtually non-existent,I vividly remember playing with my dolls.I used to stage whole theatrical plays,the most unlikely scenarios.I would pretend I was a mother,a teacher.I would fight for the ones I loved,nurture,take risks.I would be a famous singer,a doctor,a superhero saving the world.....anything my childhood imagination could conjure.Nothing was impossible.Absolutely nothing.The same is happening with my daughter and her friends.Though their time is a more technologically-oriented one,they still manage to conjure up worlds of their own,as quite unconsciously their creative streak takes charge and they are in the flow.I must assume then that creativity is a quality we are born with.We are meant to create.So,one must wonder,how and when do we lose this? Once,scientists believed that by the time we reached adulthood,our brains stopped forming neural connections.A fact that has been disproved,as numerous studies have given solid proof as to the plasticity of the brain and its ability to form neural connections well into old age. Neural plasticity is what allows us to continue learning and creating until all life force is removed from our bodies.So,since the reasons for our lack of creativity cannot be found in our genetic make-up nor on our unwillingness to create,we must assume that at some point,this God-given quality was suppressed as we were told that it was not necessary,nor desirable to succeed.Rational thinking,studying and memorising dull material passively was enforced upon us,until even the thought of creativity itself was lost.The sad thing is that school is just the beginning.In the workplace are required to perform their duties according to rules,laws and their employers'wishes.No room for individual expression is left and all divergent thought is discouraged or downright forbidden.Even in the rare cases whare creativity is allowed,it is forced to work within limits,obey rules.That does not allow for pure,unadulterated expression,that brings forth perfection. So, I suppose that should we want to awaken the beauty and perfection within,it would be best to do it daily,consciously,boldly and unafraid of what might surface.Who knows,maybe we'll discover we never wanted to be secretaries,teachers,shop assistants,but free spirits creating art or travelling the world in search of novel experiences.Let's dive right in. 1. First of all,it is necessary to rid oneself of all the externally imposed blocks.Stop saying you can't.Omit it from your vocabulary.Change your perception of how you think things are meant to be done.Try to ignore your parents' or your teacher's voice inside your head that says that you CAN'T or SHOULDN'T do or want other things than the standard norm.Avoid negative thoughts.Focus more on the positive aspects of your creativity. 2.Give yourself permission to be a freer spirit,a more creative person who dares to do things differently.The unspoken societal rules of how we are supposed to think and act,have become so firmly ingrained in our system,that we need to consciously and fearlessly ignore them-and even better uproot them altogether- and allow ourselves to be different, to finally be ourselves. 3.Believe you have the capability to be creative.Then listen to your intuition and go do it.Don't question it,don't fear it.Intuition is what has led the gretest creators of all times. 4.The most solid advice I've heard on awakening creativity, is to actually hang out with creative people.It has been said that you are the average of the people you hang out with.If you want to be creative,find people who already have cultivated this quality and learn from them.Then apply what you have learnt. 5.Hang out in places where creativity is practiced and encouraged.Art galleries,museums,exhibitions.Music concerts,dance festivals.Actively pursue an activity that speaks to your heart.Attend painting classes,photography workshops,dancing lessons,acting lessons.....you get the point.Do anything to stimulate your creative muscle.Get in the flow. Below are some practical ideas on how to ignite the fire of passion and creativity in our every day lives. 1.AT HOME a.Redecorate your home to your heart's content.Don't hold back,give your imagination free reign.The possiblities are endless!http://justsomething.co/33-amazing-ideas-that-will-make-your-house-awesome/ b.Unleash the artist in you and sing and dance like there's no tomorrow when doing the household chores.From my experience,it is really liberating!Knock yourself out! c.Play with your children.They will be pleasantly surprised and it will most definitely stengthen your bond.Another advantage to consider is that it will loosen you up enough to feel like a child,to feel free.Nothing better to get the creative juices flowing!
AT SCHOOL a.A fantastic idea to encourage student creativity is to include extracurricular activities or if that is not feasible incorporate inspiring and thought-provoking activities.For example,free writing is a fantastic activity,one that gets students to think and eventually create a story of their own making. b.The teacher could organise the class into book clubs,movie clubs that will encourage student discussion,critical thinking and could lead to the full unleashing and discovery of their own creative skills. c.A theatrical group or a music group are also very challenging but rewarding activities that could instill group mentality and collaboration but also cultivation of potential talents. d.School visits to museums, art galleries,music concerts or cinemas/theatres.Amazing stimulus for the mind and soul. AT WORK a.By far the best way for an employer to amp up his employees' creativity is to actually encourage and reward it.That will be definite motivation for the rest to follow suit. b.Create a working environment where positivity is of major importance.A stress- free working place is more likely to allow creativity to flow and most definitely a bit of fun only added to a positive working and creative experience. c.Allow employees of different backgrounds and knowledge to get together in groups and discuss possible projects.That encourages harmony and friendship to develop,which is extremely conducive to the birth of new ideas or to the fruition of already existing projects. Diversity and homogeneity in the working place is one of the basic ingredients of a peopl-friendly company. I hope this post will prove to be useful to you.It certainly was a delight for me to write.I hope you have an amazingly creative and productive day,but don't forget to enjoy the ride! With love and light, Lia Creativity -from what I have learnt so far,especially after starting this blog-is not synonymous to talent.I always believed that if you have a God-given gift or a strong drive,that automatically entails that you are creative as well.I admit to being very wrong.From my recent experience I discovered that creativity,much like teaching is a never-ending,ongoing process of learning,of immersing yourself in the craft you have chosen to pursue.Admittedly,it is much more difficult than I initially thought it was. Creativity is not some romantic notion,some quality you just happen to possess.It is a way of thinking,of being,it is the way you approach your craft and life in general.It means constantly working on your craft and maintaining your determination to learn more about it, about any new tools or approaches that are available to you.So, read everything you can get your hands on.Research.Ask questions.Be curious and inquisitive.But learn.It is of the utmost importance to believe you can create.Then go do it.Work on it daily, work relentlessly,work without minding the time,perfect it.Don't hold back emotionally, because creativity is first and foremost the expression of your feelings-it is the expression of YOU.Do not fear the mistakes that will inevitably be made.As with every other learning process they are inescapable,desirable even.How else can one venture to become a better version of oneself? After some digging around in the Internet vaults and its vast array of articles full of knowledge,I managed to gather some characteristics for the creative individual.Some of them I posses,others not.By no means do I claim that every artist or person walking this planet possesses all these qualities.They are more a list of guidelines of the creatively restless person.The person who will dare to think differently,go against the norms and challenge the status quo. 1.The creative individual is constantly curious,asking questions and doubting established societal structures. 2.A creative person has a vast array of interests.After all,to create,one must posses knowledge, as knowledge can trigger creativity. 3.Creativity opens the mind to alternative possibilities.So,the more creative a person the more flexible his approach to problems,the more he can come up with solutions that are off the beaten track,unusual but effective.That tends to be called divergent thinking.Even the answers this person provides, tend to be extraordinary. 4.One can easily distinguish the creative person from his willingness to take risks.This person loves adventure and everything that is uncertain,way off the comfort zone. 5.Versatility and adaptability are also key traits of this special individual. 6.Divergent thinkers tend to fantasise a lot,imagine alternate realities and solutions to the world's problems.A phrase that is totally charracteristic of them is:"What would happen if.........?" 7.Their humour is also a bit unusual and bizarre.Not everyone can relate to it. 8.They demonstrate a heightened emotional sensitivity to beauty due to their natural inclination toward aesthetic perfection. 9.Their non-conformity to societal norms is also a trait that sets them apart.It is simply impossible for them to accept authority in any form.They are unafraid of being different.In fact, they flaunt it every chance they get. 10. Their criticism is constructive. 11.The brain function of the creative individual is above average. 12.Their fluency is another typical characteristic.They are able to construct and phrase their ideas way more eloquently than a person who is less creative. 13.A divergent thinker can create much more original content and ideas.What's more,he can elaborate on those ideas to the point of perfection. 14.Their perception of reality and the way they define things and their circumstances is different than that of the average thinker.Othe people often find it difficult to grasp their way of thinking. 15.As no one is perfect,these people also tend to possess some negative characteristics.Some of them tend to be overly assertive and stubborn,temperamental but at the same time withdrawn.Their tendency to be unconventional sometimes makes them cynical or uncooperative. There are numerous tests out there to measure one's creativity or tendency to divergent thinking.The most well-known one is the Torrance test of creative ability.I did find other tests too,though.I did one of them and the result showed I'm very creative.Of course,delighted as I was with the results,I know better than to rest on my laurels.A test score does not make you creative.Hard work and persistence does.Here's the link,should you be interested to check out your level of creativity. http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/uzzi/ftp/page176.html Apart from an aspiring writer,I am also a teacher.It saddens me to see the creative thinking of our youngsters being suppressed in the most hideous of ways.Memorisation,standard testing to check how well the prescribed knowledge has been assimilated.Simultaneously,our students' creative abilities remain latent,hidden under a pile of otherwise useless knowledge and skills.Alternative and abstract thinking,novel ideas are brushed off as being too absurd,illogical and contrary to the rules contrary to the set educational norms.I am very angered by this process.Why should we stump their alternative,creative streak of inspiration?Why not encourage it?After all,no progress could ever have been made if it were not for the divergent thinkers, the pioneers.Charles Darwin,Henry Ford,Albert Einstein,Nikola Tesla,Steve Jobs,Steven Hawking.....the list is endless.How can we possibly exalt these peoples' accomplishments but at the same time suppress out very own children's creativity?It is one of the paradoxes in our education I simply do not understand and will never accept.Why is everyone so afraid of it? Creativity and thinking out of the box is the way to go.It should be given free reign in schools.That is the only solution to hinder the robotisation of our kids,the only way to give them self-confidence,trust in their dreams and potential.It is the only way to fire up their desire to make a difference in our very confused and violent world.Creativity is the ways to change the world.Not the creation of class of workers and passive thinkers but a class of free people, of pioneers. Sir Ken Robinson is one of the people I look up to when it comes to this subject.I will add a very characteristic video with a fantastic speech on creativity and why it is of the utmost necessity in our education.I have posted it before,but it seems only appropriate to repost it today.Enjoy! And one more,from the same inspiring speaker... Today's post was a true joy to write.I hope it gives you inspiration to unleash your creativity,your kids' or your students'.Alternative thinking brought the world thus far.If we want a beter world,happier,more productive people,let all creativity and imagination loose.Let talent thrive.Wake it up from its slumber.Now is not the time for sleeping.It's a time for action.
Hope you have a fantastic day. As always, with love and light, Lia Good morning to all you out there!It's a gloriously sunlit September morning and I feel energised to the point of bursting.....I have this amazing,highly nutritious breakfast recipe to share with you.I have already said that I am consciously avoiding processed foods and that is why i am constantly on the lookout for healthier alternatives.Health food blogs are therefore a new passion of mine. This morning I stumbled upon this fantastic,not to mention mouthwateringly delicious recipe. Oatmeal is one of nature's most nutritious grains.Even for those of you with an intolerance to gluten,like myself,this will not bloat your stomach or make you drowsy and fatigued.I am literally hopping up and down and looking forward to whatever this day is to send my way.The recipe is really quite simple and it takes only a bit more than 5 minutes to prepare.Accompany with a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee(I can't live without it as you might have noticed!)and your day is ready to start.The recipe is below.Enjoy!
Blend all the ingredients in a blender until the mixture is smooth.Add some olive oil to your pan and cook just like pancakes.Apart from the ingredients in the original recipe,I added raw almonds and walnuts in the mix, to make it crispier and for an extra healthy dose of protein and fat.I sprinKled with goji berries, chia seeds,flax seeds and some sea-buckthorn.I accompanied it with homemade applesauce (a happy reminder of my childhood in Holland)and plenty of cinammon.What surprised me rather pleasantly is that I do not feel any discomfort, full or bloated.Quite the contrary.So, whip it up and enjoy!The link to the site,in case you want some more healthy alternatives, is below. http://www.food.com/ Have a fantastic day!I leave you for now with this amazing song.It never fails to give me goosebumps.Lagoon by Nightwish with the smooth,crystal clear voice of Tarja Turunen. What a fantastic start to a great day! https://play.spotify.com/track/55hIrUzO4ADRqjSmOLnfLd As always with love and light,
Lia ...... inherent in human nature.The human soul never stops longing for more, no matter how advanced it is,no matter how many material possessions it has been blessed with.The soul is eternal,restless and strives to rise above human and earthly conventions.it strives for magnifecence.It is something that all wealth and human possessions cannot possibly begin to satisfy.There's always another song to write,another book to be written,play one more game,run one more marathon. It is an undeniable fact that the social conditions are dire and the whole structure seems to be falling apart.I hear many people saying that there is no point in dreaming anymore.I was there too.It's so easy to reach rock bottom and feel everything is useless,void,even the calling of your very soul.It is of absolute necessity to stress that this void is merciless,dark,cruel.It dries up your very essence and all that remains is just a flesh bag of bones,a mental zombie. What I personally find the most appalling is that this is phenomenon is affecting the younger generation,the very ones that will be determining life on Earth in a not so distant future.It is something that affects and bothers me more than words could ever express.It is part of my dream,to be able to eradicate this,to change the younger generation from technology,screen-staring zombies into thinking beings,full of dreams and zest for positive changes,that only they can bring about.Their essence is very much needed. In case you're wondering what brought this ranting about,I've been reading a truly fascinating book over the weekend.It's called "Dare to Dream"by Rolan A.Roberts.It's not the first time I've read it,but it is the only time I've so profoundly affected by it.Maybe it's because I'm so restless myself,looking for purpose in my life.I've been pondering the ten questions posed by hte writer to discover your purpose in life.I intend to meticulously study them and maybe I can understand what is bothering me.The questions are below.I hope you'll find them useful to finding the way to your own unique life's mission. 1.What is your true passion in life? 2.What bothers you? 3.What would you do /who would you be if money was not an issue? 4.What is your purpose in life? 5.What are your skills/talents? 6.What character trait do you get mostly complimented on? 7.What would you do if you knew you had one more week to live? 8.When do you feel more successful and alive? 9.Which circumstances in your life are unique and how could you use them to your benefit? 10.What would you like your legacy to be? That is about it for today.....gotta pick up my little third-grader from school.Hope you have a truly fantastic,productive day. With love and light, Lia Once there was a time of a never-ending dream.......... I discovered a new,amazing voice,Diane van Gierstenberg.Gorgeous presence.Enjoy! I will never forget the first day ever to walk into a classroom full of kids,looking up expectantly at me.I was a complete newbie to the whole procedure.Suffice it to say, I was a nervous wreck.I had no idea what I was doing there,much less teach and discipline the little rascals.They were a rowdy bunch and me being shy did not help ease the awkward atmosphere.At some point I plucked up the courage to start the lesson.It was a total disaster,to say the least.The little ones, sensing they had free range,made a complete chaos out of my carefully planned lesson.I was too young,too reserved to discipline, much less inspire any kid.I doubt if I inspired any inkling of respect then. Fast forward to today,17 years later.I thank God or whatever power up there in the vast universe that made me persist.I still teach and haven't looked back,never felt any remorse.I started out teaching English, but as the years went by,I realised I had another gift,one that is way more important than simply conveying the significance of correct English grammar and vocabulary usage.It felt empty somehow,devoid of meaning or feeling.It became evident that I NEEDED to connect to my students, and did so relatively easily.I realised that by relating to every individual's special needs,teaching became so much easier and the lesson trasformed into a multifaceted process of English,joking,music and most importantly bonding.Being able to create a bond among kids who are so dissimilar, so varied in their backgrounds,emotions and reactions,became a challenge I look forward to.And it makes me immensely happy to say I succeed every single time.To me, that has become the essence of my teaching and the single most anticipated reward,not the grades or the certificates. My colleagues and loved ones know how much I love to learn and English is my passion.The teacher I am today though,craves more.The job market is rapidly changing and the demands that our students are burdened with are more complex and require them not only to have amassed knowledge but to have mastered a multitude of life skills,the skills tomorrow's leaders are made of.The leaders that will inhabit and determine the fate of the Earth of tomorrow.That is what I seek to accomplish.With English as my vehicle,I strive to convey the basic rules of leadership and to keep them informed as to the skills they need to possess.Integrity,sound knowledge,communication,hard work,self-esteem and leadership.No matter where they might end up professionally, these skills will unfailingly get them where they need to go.I am a staunch supporter of this and it is the main axis for my lessons. I genuinely believe that our world does not need any more politicians,but people who truly care for our planet,humanity and possess the will and determination to actually DO something about the state our so-called civilisation is in.Love, compassion and interest in the common good and welfare are some more qualities inherent in true leaders.These are the principles I try to instill,hoping to affect their future even if it is a small fraction.To be more specific,the guiding principles are the following.
1.A leader relies on his humanity to lead,not his position. That entails that no matter how self-confident an individual is, he still has to remain humble and not allow his ego to take charge.A leader seeks to gain loyalty and not compliance.A leader shows respect to all,regardless of their status,education,race,religion or political beliefs.Honesty and integrity are of paramount importance.They walk their talk,meaning they actively apply all that they preach on themselves.Leaders are lifelong learners,constantly thirsting for knowledge and new experiences.Since they have successfully silenced their ego and opened their minds they feel no insecurity in the presence of people who are smarter or more intelligent then themselves.There are added benefits to limiting an inflated ego:one can more easily admit to their mistakes and find ways to tackle them successfully, in a coolheaded way and without becoming defensive.A true leader does not need constant confirmation.He knows his self worth,therefore it is easier to remain humble and focus on the job at hand. 2.A leader dares to connect to people. The speed at which technology is advancing has caused isolation among people.We have become afraid to connect, to reach out.Afraid lest we might actually come out of our stupor and actually feel and get hurt.Don't get me wrong,I'm all for techology.Its benefits are too many and important to ignore or or be shrugged off dismissively.It can't be denied though that as a society we are unconsciously withdrawing within,on a screen.a successful leader will realise the undeniable pros of technology but will actively pursue human contact,connection on a soul level.A person who leads, constantly asks questions to discover other people's motives and desires,respectfully and with understanding.They listen attentively and encourage,pointing out their strong points and virtues,praising their success and offering a willing ear and advice in case of a failure.They use stories,their own experiences to trigger interest and motivate. 3.A leader dares to pursue his dream/goal. So many of us(myself included)have dreams,express wishes of a better future.Few of us actually have the persistence and willpower to bring this dream to fruition.Leaders are doers.They remain loyal to their dream and are more than willing to take on the risks and accept any changes necessary if that is conducive to the realisation of said goal.That of course means that a healthy dose of optimism is necessary to overcome the obstacles ahead or worse,negative people.In this way,they are better able to bridge thatseemingly insurmounatable gap between what is real and the desired outcome.They tackle problems and details head-on.Their enthusiasm and optimism is very helpful in convincing others of the positive outcome of their dream.And most importantly,they don't nag,Quite the contrary.They actually have a blast during the whole process. Departing summer hath assumed An aspect tenderly illumed, The gentlest look of spring; That calls from yonder leafy shade Unfaded, yet prepared to fade, A timely carolling. - William Wordsworth, September The morrow was a bright September morn; The earth was beautiful as if newborn; There was nameless splendor everywhere, That wild exhilaration in the air, Which makes the passers in the city street Congratulate each other as they meet." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "'Tis the last rose of summer, Left blooming alone; All her lovely companions Are faded and gone." - Thomas Moore, The Last Rose of Summer, 1830 There is a quote in the Great Gatsby -life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.While it very accurately describes the season of autumn, the heatwave that persists here in Greece rather contradicts it.Summer is almost over,though, and schools are officially starting again on the 11th of September.To top it all off, because here in Greece we can't feel quite alright if we don't have elections a couple of times in a year-and a healthy dose of national drama and political bickering and backstabbing-we have the national elections on the 20th.May we make a wiser choice this time..... September is a month that has inspired- and still inspires the artistic and restless minds.Poems have been written about it, like the ones above, by William Wordsworth and Thomas Moore.Many others ,like Henry James,Emily Dickinson,T.S.Elliot,Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and countless more have contributed their verses to pay tribute to autumn.Beautiful verses,songs,movies that praise the many virtues of September.Likewise,there is a very upbeat song by Earth,Wind and Fire (a group the younger ones will probably not have heard of, but to my generation they were plain awesome.September can be a very happy month with this tune dancing in your head! A couple of decades later,Jason Donovan sang a re-make of the 1972 song by Bobby Vinton "Sealed with a Kiss",dedicated to summer loves that ended sadly in September....
There's a vast array of movies set in autumn.You can find them here:....http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/10/15-classic-fall-movies.html I remember an amazing Hollywood movie, that came out in 1961,starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lolobrigida,quite a hot couple in their time.You can see the trailer below.
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August 2021
CategoriesAuthorI am a passionate English teacher.Aspiring writer and speaker.I take educational matters to heart and hope to bring about some positive change in the field of education. |