Jeff Davidson's Blog, page 36
June 3, 2014
Environment Counts
When I moved to North Carolina, one of the first things I wanted to do was visit the Dean Smith Center. Named after the former coach, it is where the University of North Carolina Tar Heel Basketball Team plays its home games.
The 21,572 seats each have a marvelous view of the court. There are no posts, banners, or other obstructions. The sound system is wonderful -- no reverberation or static, just clear, crisp tones of the speaker. The lighting is perfect, as is the scoreboard, the ventilation system, and virtually all other aspects of the facility.
As impressive as this structure is, there's something even more notable, and it hangs from the rafters. I'm talking about the retired jerseys of former UNC basketball greats and the championship banners acknowledging successful seasons. You'd think that having such banners installed would be old hat to a coach like Roy Williams. Yet, whether it's an Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship, tournament championship, NCAA tournament participation, second-round, final sixteen, final eight, semi-finals, finals, or NCAA championship, which happened most recently in 2005 and 2009, everything this team has accomplished hangs from the rafters for the fans to see.
Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and the University of North Carolina athletic department profoundly understand the importance of environment. Those banners, hung chronologically and neatly from the rafters, are continuing psychological boosts to the coach, the team, and all of those who are associated with Carolina basketball. They tell new recruits, "We have tradition here. We are winners, and we will win again."
The 21,572 seats each have a marvelous view of the court. There are no posts, banners, or other obstructions. The sound system is wonderful -- no reverberation or static, just clear, crisp tones of the speaker. The lighting is perfect, as is the scoreboard, the ventilation system, and virtually all other aspects of the facility.
As impressive as this structure is, there's something even more notable, and it hangs from the rafters. I'm talking about the retired jerseys of former UNC basketball greats and the championship banners acknowledging successful seasons. You'd think that having such banners installed would be old hat to a coach like Roy Williams. Yet, whether it's an Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship, tournament championship, NCAA tournament participation, second-round, final sixteen, final eight, semi-finals, finals, or NCAA championship, which happened most recently in 2005 and 2009, everything this team has accomplished hangs from the rafters for the fans to see.
Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and the University of North Carolina athletic department profoundly understand the importance of environment. Those banners, hung chronologically and neatly from the rafters, are continuing psychological boosts to the coach, the team, and all of those who are associated with Carolina basketball. They tell new recruits, "We have tradition here. We are winners, and we will win again."
May 15, 2014
Bad Sleep = Bad Day
I revisited an article on the prevalence of sleep disorders in our society. As communication technology grows ever more powerful, and people are more likely to abuse rather than effectively use technology, what are the chances that sleep disorders will decline? Where is the Breathing Space?:
“Poll finds sleep disorders on the rise in U.S.”
April 2, 2002
(CNN) -- A poll on the sleeping habits of U.S. residents released Tuesday found the number of Americans reporting trouble sleeping is on the rise, as is the number of people who use medications to help get some shuteye. The latest "Sleep in America" poll, commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation, found that respondents were getting average of 6.9 hours of sleep on weekdays and 7.5 hours on the weekend.
Seventy-four percent of respondents in the study reported experiencing at least one symptom of a sleep disorder a few nights a week or more. That number was up significantly from 62 percent in 1999 and 2000, and from 69 percent last year. Those symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up a lot during the night, waking up too early and not being able to go back to sleep, waking up feeling unrefreshed, snoring, having tingling feelings in the legs, or pauses in breathing.
Pollsters found that 68 percent of respondents were getting less than eight hours of sleep on weeknights and that they sought to make up for it on the weekend, when 52 percent said they got eight hours of sleep or more. Respondents noted that not getting enough sleep made them feel more irritable, more likely to lose their patience around children, and to get angry while driving.
Meanwhile, the number of people who reported using medication to help them fall asleep was also on the rise. Fifteen percent of people surveyed said they had used either a prescription or over-the-counter drug for sleep, up from 11 percent in 2001.
The poll found that men, on average, got less sleep than women, though women were more likely to report symptoms of insomnia than men. On average, people between the ages of 18 and 29 got the least amount of sleep, while those 65 or over got the most. Adults living with children got less sleep that those without children. And people in the Western U.S. got the most sleep each day, while residents of the Midwest and Northeast slept the least.
“Poll finds sleep disorders on the rise in U.S.”
April 2, 2002
(CNN) -- A poll on the sleeping habits of U.S. residents released Tuesday found the number of Americans reporting trouble sleeping is on the rise, as is the number of people who use medications to help get some shuteye. The latest "Sleep in America" poll, commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation, found that respondents were getting average of 6.9 hours of sleep on weekdays and 7.5 hours on the weekend.
Seventy-four percent of respondents in the study reported experiencing at least one symptom of a sleep disorder a few nights a week or more. That number was up significantly from 62 percent in 1999 and 2000, and from 69 percent last year. Those symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up a lot during the night, waking up too early and not being able to go back to sleep, waking up feeling unrefreshed, snoring, having tingling feelings in the legs, or pauses in breathing.
Pollsters found that 68 percent of respondents were getting less than eight hours of sleep on weeknights and that they sought to make up for it on the weekend, when 52 percent said they got eight hours of sleep or more. Respondents noted that not getting enough sleep made them feel more irritable, more likely to lose their patience around children, and to get angry while driving.
Meanwhile, the number of people who reported using medication to help them fall asleep was also on the rise. Fifteen percent of people surveyed said they had used either a prescription or over-the-counter drug for sleep, up from 11 percent in 2001.
The poll found that men, on average, got less sleep than women, though women were more likely to report symptoms of insomnia than men. On average, people between the ages of 18 and 29 got the least amount of sleep, while those 65 or over got the most. Adults living with children got less sleep that those without children. And people in the Western U.S. got the most sleep each day, while residents of the Midwest and Northeast slept the least.
May 8, 2014
A Little More Heaven on Earth
The big issue behind Breathing Space is creating a little more heaven on earth, for yourself and those around you.
What would your life be like if you had the ability to drop back when you wanted or needed to do so? To have time for true rest and relaxation? To have time for quiet reflection? Breathing Space encompasses all of these factors.
Despite the pace of change in society – the constant development of new technology, all the paper and information that confronts you on a daily basis, and everything that competes for your time and attention, you have the ever-present opportunity to remain resilient.
When you carve out even a few moments of Breathing Space for yourself, the world is a different place; it doesn't seem so hectic. Often, things work out for the best. You continually have a sense of control and are almost independent of your environment. The feeling of being in control of your life, while acknowledging that you’re only a small part in the overall scheme of things, enhances your experience of the world around and within you, every day.
What would your life be like if you had the ability to drop back when you wanted or needed to do so? To have time for true rest and relaxation? To have time for quiet reflection? Breathing Space encompasses all of these factors.
Despite the pace of change in society – the constant development of new technology, all the paper and information that confronts you on a daily basis, and everything that competes for your time and attention, you have the ever-present opportunity to remain resilient.
When you carve out even a few moments of Breathing Space for yourself, the world is a different place; it doesn't seem so hectic. Often, things work out for the best. You continually have a sense of control and are almost independent of your environment. The feeling of being in control of your life, while acknowledging that you’re only a small part in the overall scheme of things, enhances your experience of the world around and within you, every day.
May 7, 2014
The Compelling Present
The average person is bombarded daily by more information than he or she can even comprehend. With each passing second on Earth more than 200 years worth of information becomes newly available, based on average human viewing, reading and listening speeds.
Each time we open another magazine, turn on the TV, visit a website, receive an email, get today's mail, and engage in any other information or communication-related activity, we are adding to the heap of information and communication that we've already acquired. The onslaught is never-ending and the potential danger is insidious.
Too many people today represent vast warehouses of uncategorized and un-assessed information. We are virtually walking “incompletion units” with so much undone, and it is taking a toll on our psyches. Whether or not we understand the phenomenon, the mental strain of living in an era of unfettered information and communication flow is considerable. We must take comprehensive steps to gain or regain control, and to be able to make effective decisions, stay competitive and productive, finish our work on time, and have a life for the rest of the day.
Each time we open another magazine, turn on the TV, visit a website, receive an email, get today's mail, and engage in any other information or communication-related activity, we are adding to the heap of information and communication that we've already acquired. The onslaught is never-ending and the potential danger is insidious.
Too many people today represent vast warehouses of uncategorized and un-assessed information. We are virtually walking “incompletion units” with so much undone, and it is taking a toll on our psyches. Whether or not we understand the phenomenon, the mental strain of living in an era of unfettered information and communication flow is considerable. We must take comprehensive steps to gain or regain control, and to be able to make effective decisions, stay competitive and productive, finish our work on time, and have a life for the rest of the day.
May 3, 2014
Breathing Space Institute Platform
Here are the five pillars of the Breathing Space Institute Platform
Population
Replacement-level human population is the practical and ethical approach to ensuring a sustainable quality of life on this planet – for human beings and other remaining species. Responsible parenting is the most important element of society.
Information
As producers of information, each of us needs to control the amount of data we offer to others so as to not inundate or overwhelm them. As consumers of information, we need to be discriminating about what we ingest and realize the counterproductive impact of taking in more information than we can reasonably assimilate.
Media Growth
The need for responsible reporting has never been more critical. Tabloid and innuendo journalism is tearing at the fabric of our society. Media professionals and their audiences must overcome the prevailing predisposition of focusing attention on 1) disasters, 2) scandals, 3) personal attacks, and 4) news that fails to convey a balanced view of society.
Too Much Paper
Paper still remains the medium by which most information in our society is distributed. Each of us faces the challenge of adopting new measures to limit the amount of paper on our desks. Such measures include more selectively targeting message recipients, limiting the length and frequency of messages, and recycling.
An Over-abundance of Choices
No one benefits by being confronted with more choices than he/she can sensibly consider. As producers, we need to offer appropriate choices that best serve consumers. As consumers, we need to ignore many of the choices confronting us.
Population
Replacement-level human population is the practical and ethical approach to ensuring a sustainable quality of life on this planet – for human beings and other remaining species. Responsible parenting is the most important element of society.
Information
As producers of information, each of us needs to control the amount of data we offer to others so as to not inundate or overwhelm them. As consumers of information, we need to be discriminating about what we ingest and realize the counterproductive impact of taking in more information than we can reasonably assimilate.
Media Growth
The need for responsible reporting has never been more critical. Tabloid and innuendo journalism is tearing at the fabric of our society. Media professionals and their audiences must overcome the prevailing predisposition of focusing attention on 1) disasters, 2) scandals, 3) personal attacks, and 4) news that fails to convey a balanced view of society.
Too Much Paper
Paper still remains the medium by which most information in our society is distributed. Each of us faces the challenge of adopting new measures to limit the amount of paper on our desks. Such measures include more selectively targeting message recipients, limiting the length and frequency of messages, and recycling.
An Over-abundance of Choices
No one benefits by being confronted with more choices than he/she can sensibly consider. As producers, we need to offer appropriate choices that best serve consumers. As consumers, we need to ignore many of the choices confronting us.
April 29, 2014
Teething Phone
Sitting in the park, I noticed an elderly lady with a baby. I assumed it was her grandchild. The baby was mouthing on a cell phone.
At first I thought this cell phone was a toy but a closer view confirmed that was an active cell phone with a brightly lit screen. What a tremendous metaphor for these times. Here is a baby whose life is likely to be intricate linked with a cell phone, but for now, he gets to bite into it.
At first I thought this cell phone was a toy but a closer view confirmed that was an active cell phone with a brightly lit screen. What a tremendous metaphor for these times. Here is a baby whose life is likely to be intricate linked with a cell phone, but for now, he gets to bite into it.
April 27, 2014
Having Breathing Space
What would it be like to be beamed back to 1814 with an iPod or a Blackberry player in your hand? No one would know anything about these devices. You might be deemed a sorcerer or witch. Today, we know that much of what we do not understand or cannot see exists, i.e., ultrasonic waves, television remote control, smart phones, CAT scans, and black holes to name a few of thousands of examples.
Suppose you were beamed to the year 2024 and told that you could handle all of the information confronting you, never need to feel behind, and feel the clock slowing down. What's more, suppose you were told there was no reason to have headaches, or that you could approach nearly everything in your career with grace and ease, because it was possible now. Would this be sorcery? Not really, because each of these capabilities are possible today.
While no one lives a life of complete Breathing Space, there are some among us who recognize the limits of our days, weeks, years, careers, and lives, versus the infinity of that which competes for our time and attention. Even in tough situations, if you have a vivid portrayal of what you face, you can map out an approach that will bring you to higher ground.
During the darkest days of World War II, when London endured the Blitz (fire-bombing) and many citizens feared they would become slaves to the brutal Third Reich, Winston Churchill assessed this ultimate challenge, and concluded what he had to do to be triumphant (drag the Americans into the war). He then proceeded to do precisely that.
None of the Breathing Space concerns that you face in your career or your life are insurmountable, although they might be annoying and relentless. To have Breathing Space in your life requires regularly practicing Breathing Space principles. You wouldn't take a bath once a week whether you needed it or not; you clean yourself often. The same is true with having Breathing Space.
Suppose you were beamed to the year 2024 and told that you could handle all of the information confronting you, never need to feel behind, and feel the clock slowing down. What's more, suppose you were told there was no reason to have headaches, or that you could approach nearly everything in your career with grace and ease, because it was possible now. Would this be sorcery? Not really, because each of these capabilities are possible today.
While no one lives a life of complete Breathing Space, there are some among us who recognize the limits of our days, weeks, years, careers, and lives, versus the infinity of that which competes for our time and attention. Even in tough situations, if you have a vivid portrayal of what you face, you can map out an approach that will bring you to higher ground.
During the darkest days of World War II, when London endured the Blitz (fire-bombing) and many citizens feared they would become slaves to the brutal Third Reich, Winston Churchill assessed this ultimate challenge, and concluded what he had to do to be triumphant (drag the Americans into the war). He then proceeded to do precisely that.
None of the Breathing Space concerns that you face in your career or your life are insurmountable, although they might be annoying and relentless. To have Breathing Space in your life requires regularly practicing Breathing Space principles. You wouldn't take a bath once a week whether you needed it or not; you clean yourself often. The same is true with having Breathing Space.
April 20, 2014
Wishes Fulfilled
Note from Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering the Art of Manifesting, by Wayne Dyer
* The ability to feel and to trust in our divine connection is exactly the key to manifesting, your “wishes fulfilled.”
* We can develop this ability to trust despite the absence of physical evidence as perceived by our senses.
* No matter the circumstances or obstacles, draft your dream and the way can be cleared.
* Trust your divine connection, know that your soul has no limits and the universe responds and works with you to manifest that idea into a physical reality.
* Feel the connection, focus on what you have to give, have faith in your dreams, and you will overcome all doubt and make your wishes reality.
* Faith is the complete reliance on the power and goodness of Spirit and the firm belief that you are always connected to this goodness.
Faith versus Doubt
* Always affirm your faith and not your doubt.
* When you affirm that things might not work out, that your troubles continue to mount, that your problems are insoluble, that God has not been listening, or that you are powerless in the face of so many struggles, you are affirming doubt rather than faith.
* The ability to know faith and affirm it allows it to manifest in your life.
* Learn to affirm your faith in the face of doubt with thoughts that things will work out, things will improve. Think, write, and say affirmations like these:
I intend to create prosperity.
I’ll do what is necessary to eradicate this problem.
I know I am not alone.
I have faith that all is for good.
I give no energy to the negative because I know all is in divine order.
* The ability to feel and to trust in our divine connection is exactly the key to manifesting, your “wishes fulfilled.”
* We can develop this ability to trust despite the absence of physical evidence as perceived by our senses.
* No matter the circumstances or obstacles, draft your dream and the way can be cleared.
* Trust your divine connection, know that your soul has no limits and the universe responds and works with you to manifest that idea into a physical reality.
* Feel the connection, focus on what you have to give, have faith in your dreams, and you will overcome all doubt and make your wishes reality.
* Faith is the complete reliance on the power and goodness of Spirit and the firm belief that you are always connected to this goodness.
Faith versus Doubt
* Always affirm your faith and not your doubt.
* When you affirm that things might not work out, that your troubles continue to mount, that your problems are insoluble, that God has not been listening, or that you are powerless in the face of so many struggles, you are affirming doubt rather than faith.
* The ability to know faith and affirm it allows it to manifest in your life.
* Learn to affirm your faith in the face of doubt with thoughts that things will work out, things will improve. Think, write, and say affirmations like these:
I intend to create prosperity.
I’ll do what is necessary to eradicate this problem.
I know I am not alone.
I have faith that all is for good.
I give no energy to the negative because I know all is in divine order.
April 14, 2014
"When You Can You Will"
Notes from When You Can You Will by Lynne Bernfield, Berkley Books
▪ Subtitle: Why you Can't Always do What You Want to do.. and What to do about it.
▪ You can't hurry change. In our instant soup society you're encouraged to do more, be more, have more, and achieve more. Technology enables us to accomplish more faster. No matter how quickly society moves however, human beings still have to be ready before they can make certain changes.
▪ Human change is evolutionary. You might have to try on the change several times before you're accustomed to the way it feels.
Easy or Hard?
▪ Even if you don't know you're ready to change, your subconscious will know. It will help you to change the easy way or the hard way.
▪ Changes made the easy way are effortless. You often find yourself thinking, saying, and doing things that would have been unthinkable even the day before.
▪ Changes made the hard way can be difficult, unpleasant, and even frightening. You might feel as if you're breaking down or disintegrating, when in fact this will lead to the changes you need to make.
Your Cover Story
▪ Everyone has a cover story, a detailed explanation of who they are and who they are not. Once you discover your cover story, you're free to move on from it.
▪ Pretending to be something you're not means denying something you are. Human beings all come well-equipped with the capacity for denial.
▪ When you ask yourself the question, "What will happen if I make this change?", the answers may tell you exactly what is blocking your path to change. Being more successful might require you to perform better, take more risks, live up to your reputation or say no.
April 11, 2014
Airline Travel and Stress
Airline travel has become increasingly stressful in the last few years. Consider the following: Once you arrive at the airport grounds, there's the issue of parking the car, making your way to the shuttle, and so forth. The delays you can experience once you're actually at the airport can exceed the time it took you to get to the airport.
Inside the airport, you have to either check your bags, or, if you're wiser, use rolling luggage or all carry-ons and make your way directly through TSA "the system." You have to clear the line that already forming and ensure that you have the right ticket, and the right identification. Finally, it's time to get on the plane.
Once you board the plane, you have to sit in a chair that was designed to seat the greatest number of people possible in the plane's cabin, not for your comfort. The shoulder width of most seat backs is two to three inches fewer than the typical adult male's shoulder span. The leg room is nonexistent. Unless you choose the bulkhead row or emergency exit row, or happen to be in first-class, forget about having an enjoyable flight.
Then there's the forced air within the plane. The air is actually drier than most of the world's deserts. You get a tiny beverage served every 30 to 60 minutes.
If you're on a single aisle plane, making your way to the bathroom problematic. The thought of stretching or getting any kind of exercise is nearly out of the question unless you're very adept at seated exercises. Finally, when you're about to begin eating, the pilot will announce, "We're heading into turbulence."
Inside the airport, you have to either check your bags, or, if you're wiser, use rolling luggage or all carry-ons and make your way directly through TSA "the system." You have to clear the line that already forming and ensure that you have the right ticket, and the right identification. Finally, it's time to get on the plane.
Once you board the plane, you have to sit in a chair that was designed to seat the greatest number of people possible in the plane's cabin, not for your comfort. The shoulder width of most seat backs is two to three inches fewer than the typical adult male's shoulder span. The leg room is nonexistent. Unless you choose the bulkhead row or emergency exit row, or happen to be in first-class, forget about having an enjoyable flight.
Then there's the forced air within the plane. The air is actually drier than most of the world's deserts. You get a tiny beverage served every 30 to 60 minutes.
If you're on a single aisle plane, making your way to the bathroom problematic. The thought of stretching or getting any kind of exercise is nearly out of the question unless you're very adept at seated exercises. Finally, when you're about to begin eating, the pilot will announce, "We're heading into turbulence."
