MAC Wk 2 Comment 1

Sharon Jones has a very well written post about our reading this week from the Art of Possibility. Read it here. My comments are below:

Sharon,

I think you are spot on in suggesting that one of the Zanders' greatest strengths is the simplicity that they deploy in their writing style. However, in this week's post you have also eloquently and succinctly illustrated how the 6th Rule from the Art of Possibility can be reflected in our daily lives.

I agree, much of the positive or negative attitudes that surround our lives are self-determined. I've sometimes tried to describe this notion to my students through a discussion of "the little things". In short, I've tried to explain that it is often our reactions to little daily inconveniences, such as missing a bus, rather than drastic and catastrophic events which can positively or negatively shape our day.

More importantly, I really appreciated your observation that the behavior of our students, or traffic, or other such trivial daily events is rarely dramatically worse on any given day. Instead, it is our reaction to the myriad of other unrelated occurrences which lead to our perceptions of a good or bad day.

Personally, I sometimes find it difficult to choose how to respond to one of those "little events", but I'll certainly try to let my initial reaction or mood dissipate as quickly as possible. I've found on more than one occasion that green tea seems to make almost everything better…

Well put Sharon, thank you.