3-26-2021

 

Mary’s Minute

“That's my gift. I let that negativity roll off me like water off a duck's back. If it's not positive, I didn't hear it. If you can overcome that, fights are easy.”

                                                                        ~ George Foreman

 

If you have ever made the statement that American mainstream media is negative, you would be correct.  I read this week about a study that analyzed reporting surrounding COVID-19.  The study examined news outlets across the world and found that about 87% of COVID coverage in national U.S. media last year was negative. The negative slant was not consistent across other news outlets:  in international media it was 51%, 53% in U.S. regional media, and 64% in scientific journals.  (By the way, there was no difference between national media sources that are considered more liberal or more conservative.)

 

Why are national media sources so negative?  Some suggest that reporters are giving Americans what they want – what sells.  Others argue that reporters are programmed to be cynical in order to get to the truth in their stories, which can lead to negativity.  It is interesting that scientific journals, which we would think would be objective, are only 64% negative compared to 87% in mainstream American media. 

 

Although we may not know why national media is so negative, it is a fact that it is.  Therefore, we need to remember that although we cannot control what happens, we can control how we respond to it.  George Forman won fights by not listening to the negativity.  Given the slant towards negativity in mainstream media, I think we all need to do the same thing.  We need to be informed, but the next time you listen/read from a mainstream media source, remember the bad news bias and let it roll off your back!

 

                                                              Have a great week!

                                                                        Mary

3-19-2021

 

Mary’s Minute

 

“Edison's electric light did not come about from the continuous improvement of the candle.”

- Oren Harari

It is true that the electric light was a vast departure from the candle, but both of them were created for the same purpose of providing a light source.  This popular quote reminds us that often powerful innovations require a massive change in thinking, and that even though we may be working on the same goal, we may need to change our thinking in order to come up with a better solution.  For exciting changes, we need to think differently!

When we think about change, one approach is gradual, continuous improvement.  Another route to genuine change is a total shift.  Nothing is wrong with enhancing the candle.  Minor continual, growth is a pathway to success.  I’m all for having the best possible candles we can!  I’m also really grateful that innovators understood the need to move out of the candle mentality to come up with a better approach to supplying light.

What goals do we have in our lives or jobs for which there may be better solutions if we broke away from past responses to the same challenge?  I want to improve every day, but I also love the idea of shifting to a new mindset in order to grow.  May we use the candle and the light bulb as our inspiration to grow!

           

Have a great week!

                                                                                           Mary    

3-12-2021

 

Mary’s Minute

“Laughter is an instant vacation.”

                                                                            ~ Milton Berle

 Last weekend my sister, Sofie visited with me for few days.  It was fun to catch up, but most importantly it was great to laugh!  We really laughed!  After feeling stifled and stressed through a pandemic, a vacation seems like just what the doctor ordered, but laughing with my sister was even better!

 We go on vacations as a way to relax and live in the moment.  While we are laughing, we can’t focus on our to-do list or our worries.  In that moment, we simply are feeling pure joy.  It’s no wonder that laughter is scientifically proven to improve mental and physical health. 

 One cool thing laughing is that it isn’t always something we can plan.  Sure, we can set up experiences that lead to laughter, like watching a comedy, but laughing is usually spontaneous.  I don’t even remember what all we laughed about – my driving did give her some good giggles!

 Admittedly, I do love to travel, but laughing really does provide the same benefits!

 

Have a great week, and I hope you can laugh!

                                                                                    Mary

             

3-5-2021

 

Mary’s Minute

 “Kids should be allowed to break stuff more often. That's a consequence of exploration. Exploration is what you do when you don't know what you're doing. That's what scientists do every day.”

                                                   ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson

I recently listened to part of an interview with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about raising children.  He told a story about watching a mother in Central Park who would not allow her toddler, dressed in boots and a raincoat, to stomp in a puddle.  He described how this was a lost opportunity for scientific inquiry.  Learning is inquiry – learning is asking questions and discovering the answers through experimentation.  By allowing children to ask questions and discover answers on their own, learning is propelled.  As parents we sometimes struggle with balancing exploration and natural learning with obvious safety concerns, and sometimes with a sort of intuitive response to say no.  Some of examples of balancing this are obvious with toddlers, as safety is of course very important!  Allowing them to bang on pots and pans and touching a hot pan are both opportunities to learn, but obviously we want to keep our children safe.  Sometimes we say no without even realizing why, and inadvertently we stop inquiry.  

As educators we strive to spark children’s natural curiosity and to set up opportunities that promote inquiry.  I just observed this in elementary students programming Sphero to navigate a maze they had created.  The skillful teacher let students explore, make mistakes, and learn!

We also need to keep our own natural curiosity alive.  We need to constantly explore and ask questions – and even not be afraid to “break things.” 

                                                               Have a great week!

                                                                                 Mary