Project P.E.A.C.E. Mindful Monday #12: Avoiding Cynicism

Good morning, Mahwah, and happy Monday! On this week’s segment of Mindful Monday, we are talking about avoiding cynicism.  In the stressful environment that is school, it is very easy to become defensive and cynical. Unfortunately, being pessimistic and sarcastic about the challenges in day-to-day life gets nothing done. However, by avoiding cynicism, you become more open, which allows for a greater understanding of your environment and of your emotions. By working to become less cynical, you’ll learn to confront your worries and issues head-on, which will significantly improve your quality of life.

Here are some links on how to defeat the cynicism inside of you:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201212/is-cynicism-ruining-your-life

http://careynieuwhof.com/2013/03/how-do-you-kill-the-cynicism-inside-you/

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2012/10/07/how-you-can-defeat-cynicism/

Thank you and enjoy the rest of the shortened week!

Project P.E.A.C.E. Mindful Monday #11: Being Mindful of Your Surroundings

Good morning, Mahwah, and happy Monday! We are back with another edition of our Mindful Monday and this week’s segment deals with being attentive of your surroundings every so often. Despite our desire to be successful and improve each day, we often run through our busy days without processing the world around us, making us downright bored. According to psychologist Ellen Langer, the best way to exit this harmful state of mind is to look for the “new in the familiar.” For example, simply ask yourself: What do you notice in the world around you that you haven’t noticed before? By simply being mindful of your surroundings, you will not only be much more entertained, but you will also put yourself in a better state of mind, which in turn improves productivity in the long run.

Exploring the "new in the familiar" could be done through something as simple
 as a hike down at the Reservation. 

Here are some links regarding this topic:

http://www.buddhanet.net/lmed2.htm

Spiritual Intelligence: A New Way of Being By Brian Draper (pg 87)

Thank you, and have a great rest of the week!

Project P.E.A.C.E. Mindful Monday #10: Laughing

Good morning, Mahwah, and happy Monday! This week’s segment of Mindful Monday may sound funny, but it’s actually very good for the soul and that’s the nature of laughter. Laughing won’t just reduce stress in your day; it has also been proven to also improve your physical health. One of the long term effects of laughing is an improved immune system! Sometimes it is hard to get your mind out of your work, but if you make the attempt to laugh at something for a while, you will be in a better mindset to tackle your day! So today, make time to watch your favorite show or hang out with friends that make you laugh; it’s for your health!

Here are some links regarding the science and psychology of laughter:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/talking-about-trauma/201311/lol-how-laughter-can-improve-your-health

Thank you, and have a great week!

Project P.E.A.C.E. Mindful Monday #9: Carrying out your goals

Good morning Mahwah and happy Monday! On this week’s segment of Mindful Monday, we are talking about executing your goals. We all have dreams and goals in life that we want to accomplish. Sometimes, we talk about how we are going to accomplish these goals, but end up doing very little when it comes to actually getting work done. The problem is that our actions often do not reflect our words and our desires. One way to work around this issue is to make a time-sensitive list or schedule as a method of making sure that you do what you set out to do. Setting a deadline for your goal fuels the intrinsic motivation within.  There are many more ways to make sure that you achieve your goals, so don’t be afraid to innovate!

Here are some links regarding this topic:

http://thehumanenterprise.com.au/announcements/why-setting-goals-is-not-enough-the-art-of-execution

http://personalexcellence.co/blog/goal-achievement-execution/

Thank you, Mahwah, and have a great week of testing. The finish line is near; push to the end, Mahwah!

Project P.E.A.C.E. Mindful Monday #8: Focusing on your goals

Good afternoon Mahwah and happy Monday! We’re back with another Mindful Monday and this week we’re talking about focusing on your goals. Your mindset works kind of like a seesaw when it comes to completing a task. If you are faced with a problem, it is like you are on the seesaw with your goal sitting on the other side, but 100 pounds heavier than you. However, like the way a seesaw moves, when you get close to the center, the closer you move towards your goal and the easier it is to get your mind going. Simply move your focus towards what you want to get done, and it will seem less hectic, which in turn will help you de-stress a bit.

Thank you , Mahwah High School, and have a great week of testing! We as Project P.E.A.C.E. wish everyone the best of luck these next two weeks; remember to breathe - you are all well prepared and are going to do great!