Slow No Wake

Here’s a link to my article on Positive Psychology News Daily this month, on the subject of savouring, the Slow Movement and the physical and psychological benefits associated with taking your time.

Image: Thanks to Ellievanhoutte

The idea is that you turn up at the Park, get introduced to someone you don’t know, and are given a ‘Menu of Conversation’ – like a restaurant menu, only instead of dishes, you’re presented with 25 topics of conversation to choose from. But these aren’t your usual dinner party ice-breakers; they’re designed to get you to think about yourself, your life, your relationships, your hopes and aspirations and what makes you you. In other words, the kind of topics that you’d rarely discuss with friends or work colleagues, let alone complete strangers.

Examples of questions on the Menu of Conversation include:

• What have you rebelled against in the past and what are you rebelling against now?

• What most delights each of your five senses and which sensations do you avoid?

• How have your opinions and behaviour changed on the way the two sexes treat each other?

The idea is that posing the questions to a stranger gives you the chance to step into their shoes and really understand what it’s like to be them. And at the same time, when you answer the questions, you get to find out a lot more about yourself and who you really are.

This is such a fantastic way of building connections between people – fun, engaging, light-hearted and profound at the same time. Since relationships are one of the three basic psychological needs (the others being control and competence – Ryan & Deci, 2000), it’s right at the heart of positive psychology. It’s been suggested that the so-called Muse Conversation approach, as well as the self-portrait approach, might help to prevent stress and depression, so not surprisingly, they’re the subject of ongoing clinical trials.

Zeldin has also run “Muse Conversation dinners” for organisations : you can find out more by emailing info[at]oxfordmuse[dot]com or calling 01865 791421.

Image courtesy of katiedee47

Here’s a link to my posting to Positive Psychology News Daily this month, in which I discuss ways of applying Fredrickson’s “Broaden and Build” theory of positive emotions in ways that organisations will find acceptable, as well as useful.

Your comments and thoughts are welcome here, and on the PPND website.

Image: Thanks to Joe Shlabotnik

Image: wadem

Devon farmer, Robert Taverner, says that not only does performing Tai Chi together bond his workforce, the fact that it makes them more relaxed and happy has a positive knock-one effect on his 250 dairy cows, which results in them producing higher quality milk. You can watch a video of various members of the farm’s team performing a different Tai Chi ritual for every day of the week on Robert’s website.

For a quick (3 minute) insight into Tai Chi for cows, listen to Robert on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live programme yesterday morning (10 May 2008)- it starts at about 6 mins 45 seconds into the programme.

Image: WukieGrl

In this New York Times article last week, journalist Henry Fountain considers Thanksgiving 21st Century style – via the practice of keeping a Gratitude Diary. We’ve talked about gratitude several times before; there’s increasing empirical evidence to show that being grateful in a mindful way, for example through a diary or a letter, increases your well-being.

What I like about Fountain’s article is the acknowledgement that giving thanks is simple but not easy, it requires some effort and self-discipline.

I think this is a very important message to get across to the Victor Meldrew’s of this world*; happiness isn’t something that just happens, despite what you often see in films and magazines, you actively need to do something. That something varies from person to person, although Positive Psychology is giving us a lot to go on.
So if you haven’t tried it, I challenge you to keep a gratitude diary for three weeks, and see what a difference it makes.

PS You might like to know that there is a Victor Meldrew Appreciation Club on the business networking site Ecademy…and yes, it is British….

Thanks to Viv Thackray for the link

A new slant on the Gratitude Diary.

There is empirical research to suggest that writing a Gratitude Diary is an effective positive intervention; most studies to date have concentrated on writing a Gratitude Diary on a daily or weekly basis; we have blogged about this before, in March, June and August. Today a friend and fellow UEL MAPP student, Paul Marshall, sent me this five minute gratitude video, with the suggestion that you download it onto your ipod and play it every morning in order to enhance well-being.

I’m not sure if it will be as effective as writing down what you’re grateful for, because the act of writing in itself is known to be extremely important in processing information, however, why not give it a try for a week and let us know whether you notice any difference in your level of well-being?

P.S. Sometimes the Gratitude Diary intervention is referred to as ‘Counting Your Blessings’. If you’re considering using it with a coaching client, you might want to think about what to call it beforehand as there are religious/spiritual connotations to the latter which may not be suitable in your particular situation.

Public pillow fights, bubble battles, art installations and parties on the tube are just some of the group interventions that Newmindspace duo Lori Kufner and Kevin Bracken have devised to create a sense of community by connecting with people and having fun in the public spaces of Toronto and New York.

What we liked about this particular clip was the obvious anticipation before the whistle blows to start the pillow-fight, and the look on the faces of the spectators – they’re having as much fun, if not more, than the pillow-fighters themselves.

21 year old Lori and Kevin, who are studying Urban Politics and Sociology at the University of Toronto, aim to create a sense that anyone can make a big difference, by challenging people’s beliefs about what is possible.

For a longer documentary of the pair discussing their work (which includes footage of the fabulous Valentine’s Day mural on Queen Street West, Toronto), have a look at the Newmindspace website.

And if you know of any similar inspirational activities or events near you, please let us know.