June 20, 2024
Empathy!
January 11, 2022
Happy Place Sweat Jacket
In My Happy Place
With some yellow and pink sunflowers underneath and on the arms.
I'm feeling happy just looking at it! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Happy Place Sweat Jacket
December 8, 2021
Luv Is The Answer
It's the answer.
What's the question?
(Credit Photo: Dossy Blumenthal)
Luv Is The Answer
April 28, 2021
The Feeling of Shaming
In this life, it's having your head ripped around your body.
Then in the next life, it's got to be a soul bared and stretched across the heavens and for all eternity.
Punishment is revelation and the mark it undoubtedly leaves behind.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
The Feeling of Shaming
April 16, 2021
Life Is A Big Blue Circle
Blue world.
Blue oceans.
Blue skies.
I'm feeling so blue! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Life Is A Big Blue Circle
February 9, 2021
Heart Over Head
While many people may occasionally feel head over heels for something or someone, I liked this saying by Miska Ben-David:
The head will make its plans, but the heart will choose its own path.
In other words, we are often driven by our hearts over our heads!
Passion is a powerful motivator, indeed.
When passion calls, do you go running too?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Heart Over Head
January 11, 2021
We're Leaving
This was funny.
Store closing.
50% off all the store fixtures.
We're leaving.
This joint just ain't cool anymore.
Not one sells us short. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
We're Leaving
December 8, 2019
The Best of Jewish Nigunim
Shlomo Carlebach was a master of Jewish Nigunim (melodies).
With his music he could literally move one's soul to reach for G-d Almighty in the Heavens and on Earth.
Thank you Eitan Katz for bringing this alive again.
I hope you can feel it as I do.
Hashem lives!
The Best of Jewish Nigunim
November 26, 2019
A Song of Saul and David
Great song: David and Shaul from Ehud Banay's third album, ”The Third/Hashlishi”
The song is about the "bipolar" feelings of King Saul toward David (then the next king of Israel).
Here are the lyrics:
כולם מזמן הלכו לישון
רק שאול ער, קודר
מרים לדוד טלפון
נפשי אגם שחור
תביא איתך את הגיטרה
כי באצבעותיך אור
דוד בא מיד רגוע,
מתיישב ומכוון
את המלאכה היטב יודע
עוצם עיניים, מנגן
עשר אצבעות לדוד
קצה כל אצבע - קרן אור
כשהוא פורט על המיתר
הזמן זורם לו לאחור
קרבות בתוך בטנו
אוהב-שונא, ומקנא
מכור לחברו
השד חוזר להשתולל
סכין נזרקת באוויר
פתאום יש בין השנים קיר
דוד שוכח וסולח
כששאול מתקשר
קח אותי לכוכבים
בוא שוב לנגן הלילה
שיר געגועים
בוא שוב לנגן הלילה...
שיר געגועים...
A Song of Saul and David
November 2, 2019
Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence
It starts at the bottom with your own personal self-awareness--knowing who you are, including your beliefs, values, priorities, needs, and dreams, and being able to express this.
Next level is your personal self-control--being able to manage your feelings, control your actions, and cope with challenges and adversity.
Moving to the social level is then social awareness--having a consciousness and respect of others, their feelings, thoughts, motivations, needs, desires, and rights.
Finally, at the top is relationship management--the ability to actively listen and empathize, assert and influence, be patience and unconditionally accept differences, develop trust, give and take, collaborate, and manage conflict.
Most people work on developing these areas of the EI their whole life, and it is definitely a pyramid worthy of the climb. ;-)
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence
September 21, 2019
OFNR Communications Model
This is a useful 4-part communications process (developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg):
1. Observations: Tell the other person the behavior you observe from them that is making you uncomfortable.
When I Observe...
2. Feelings: Explain how the person's behavior makes you feel (happy, sad, angry, annoyed, excited, worried, scared, hurt, embarrassed, confused)
I feel...
3. Needs: Describe what you need from the other person (physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization)
Because I need...
4. Requests: Ask them specifically what you'd like them to do.
Would you be willing to...It's a way to make your feelings and needs known and ask nicely what you'd like from others.
This provides a mechanism to give feedback and work with other people without being confrontational, threatening, dictatorial, or nasty.
When I see you reading my blog, I feel happy, because I need to try to be a good person and good influence in this world. Would you be willing to share my blog with others? ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal and Colleague from Work)
OFNR Communications Model
June 3, 2019
Finding Our Innerspace
Innerspace
There is outer space.
And there is innerspace.
Outer space is the universe, the cosmos, the galaxies, the solar systems, the stars, and the planets--it's the big picture of what is all around us.
Innerspace is the our soul, conscience, thoughts, feelings, who we are, and what we're all about--it's the infinity of what makes us up and what's inside each of us.
The perspective is infinitely big as we look upward and outward to the heavens, and infinitely small as we zoom inside ourselves to the subatomic levels.
The innerspace makes me think of mindfulness, meditation, and finding purpose, meaning, truth, and inner peace.
Our search for self is really the intersection of outer- and innerspace.
We are but a speck of dust and yet we have the power to do such immense good.
It's a contradiction that is so powerful--for who are we that G-d is mindful of us and cares for us and gives us the power to choose good from evil.
Yet that is exactly our world and our place in it--and this is where we find innerspace in all of outer space. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Finding Our Innerspace
March 3, 2019
Video Of Video
We went to the art galleries in Rockville Town Center today.
They had this video called "Neighbor" by Kanat Akar.
It's about the life of a 13-year old refugee boy from Alleppo, Syria who migrated to Anakara, Turkey.
The video is eerie and hypnotic as it walks you through the eyes of this little boy and the misery of his life.
While to me it represents the dark side of life, there is so much to be explored and felt from it.
You can't watch this without feeling like you are there on this dirty, squalor of a road to nowhere, but wanting desperately to know where it ends. ;-)
(Source Video: Andy Blumenthal)
Video Of Video
January 19, 2019
Stone Faces Hide The Heart
They go around with a stone face.
No emotion seems to seep in or out.
The face doesn't betray the heart in any way.
You say something or do something, and they just sort of stare at you.
No words, no outward response.
Just a stone face like a poker face.
You don't know what's behind it.
But worse yet is a heart of stone--nothing impacts the inside just like the outside.
Are some people this way because they have been so hurt in the past that they become hardened like a turtle's shell to protect from the outside world.
...Ain't gonna let nothing hurt me again.
Or are they great at using their poker face to fool, manipulate, and get what they are after.
Perhaps the worst possibility is that they are simply a real psychopath--someone without conscience or empathy.
Yes, that is scary because the unthinkable becomes thinkable.
For most of us, reading verbal and non-verbal cues is critical to understanding other people.
Hiding those cues can mean that the stone face is going to shatter someone's world and that won't be a pretty face at all. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Stone Faces Hide The Heart
January 7, 2019
No One Cares How You Feel
But it is one full of love and helping your kids.
Sometimes, I remember listening to my kids say that they feel this or that and seeing that it was holding them back from accomplishing their goals.
Often, I would tell them that the only people that really care about how they feel is your mother and father--but generally-speaking, it a tough world out there, and:
"No one [else] cares about how you feel."
I tried to focus them--not on being cold and unfeeling--but rather on being strong inside and focusing on the tasks that need to get done.
Sure, feelings are important, but if you are getting held back from doing what you need to do--then there are times when you need to put the feelings in abeyance and go forward.
Overall, there is plenty of time to feel what you feel, but don't let anger, fear, or anxiety get in the way of you accomplishing your dreams.
In a book that I am reading by Amos Oz, "A Tale of Love and Darkness," he writes:
'I want' and 'I don't want' aren't reasons, they can only be defined as self-indulgence.
Yes, it's a little tough love, but also it is out of true love to help the kids to be willing and determined to try their best and not get held back by anything in the pursuit of the destiny they choose to follow. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
No One Cares How You Feel
November 15, 2018
Listen, Empathize, Give A Little
He said something I liked:
Listen, empathize, and give a little.
Yes, we each have our beliefs and positions on things.
But we don't live in a vacuum.
Other people have their own views, sensitivities, and wants.
We have to get along so we can work together, and get things done.
It starts by listening--not just hearing, but really listening to what the other person is saying.
But that's not really enough.
To really understand the other person, we have to try to empathize with what they are feeling--we need to try to walk in their shoes even if just for a moment.
But that also isn't enough.
We can't have it all our way--we need to give a little to get a little.
No one can have everything and have a good relationship like that.
We need to compromise--as long as it's not on things of integrity, conviction, or G-d.
Everything else we have to listen, empathize, and give a little. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Listen, Empathize, Give A Little
October 3, 2018
We All Have Our Moods
Today I'm feeling {choose your poison}...
While I'm sure that we'd like to be happy all the time, it's not realistic to think that will actually be probable or even possible.
Sure, everyone puts on the big smile.
But behind the smile is often many other feelings
As one colleague said to me:
"People are complex!"
Isn't that true?
Anyway, don't beat yourself for feeling what you feel--it's okay to be relaxing, excited, angry, sad, stressed or whatever.
Of course, that doesn't excuse letting it get the best of you and bad behavior.
We're adults, not children with temper tantrums.
Certainly, though, we are all human, and all feelings are fine. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
We All Have Our Moods
August 26, 2018
What's It's Like To Be A Bag
My son-in-law joked about feeling bad for the bags all crinkled up and thrown in with all the others like that.
He drew this little sign on a paper towel, and put it on the fridge:
Bag's life
This is what a crying creased up bag looks like.
Maybe even inanimate objects have feelings too.
As human beings, we can learn to treat everything in the world kindly and with appreciation.
Bye bye baggy. ;-)
(Source Drawing: Itzchak Ochayon)
What's It's Like To Be A Bag
August 20, 2018
When It Turns In
Depression is anxiety turned inward.
When people feel anxious and that they don't have control over their situation that make them feel in a sense helpless, and then the anxiety "has no where to go," it becomes depression.
I guess it make sense that if you feel that you can't really do anything to make things better--and no matter how hard you try--then you feel somewhat helpless/hopeless and get depressed
Perhaps it's almost like a frustration at your own inability to change things you feel you need to change.
That is why a person's feeling some sense of control over their environment and life is so important.
When things are looking down, it helps to try and do something to take back control over what feels like spiraling uncontrollable events and circumstances.
Of course, only G-d really has control over what ultimately happens.
But we need to do our part to try to make things better.
Just taking that first (and second and third) step is freeing.
I'm pretty sure that an element of this is that you can tell yourself that you "did everything you could" so in effect there is a lifting of guilt about the situation, but at the same time there is also a genuine feeling that you are here for a purpose and perhaps have made a difference in this world.
Some people feel big and important, but the reality is that we are all so small in a very big world and universe where suffering and loss can strike (G-d forbid) at any moment.
Man is but a speck of dust in the realm of things.
But at the same time, our speck is filled with a soul of the living G-d.
So we must do what we can to be a good influence and impact.
Whatever it is, it is what we can do.
If everyone--7.6 billion of us out there---does their part that can make a difference.
Don't let life's anxieties become your depression.
Look for what you can contribute--do it!--try your best to make a difference and make the world better.
It's what you're here for and what you can positively do. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
When It Turns In
March 12, 2018
Tongue-Tied Silence
Too shocked, shamed, confused, or abused to speak or perhaps to even know what to say anymore.
Maybe in the face of some horrible things that happen in life, there really are no words.
Instead, the vacant or crazed look in the eyes says it all.
People go through a lot--some of it is inhumane.
Sometimes, only tears can even begin to express what they are feeling.
I think one thing that is important to do, even when we're not sure what to say, is to acknowledge that it is okay.
Silence is often golden.
Listen more, watch more, feel more, learn more, reflect more.
Ask more questions.
Usually, I'm told to ask at least 5 times (i'd say at least 3) to decompose to what is really going on underneath the superficial covers.
"Tell me more."
"What else?"
"Can you elaborate?"
Sometimes, people have difficulty getting in touch with their true feelings or accurately diagnosing what's bothering them.
It's more than okay to be thoughtful, be deliberative.
Words are often cheap, but they shouldn't be.
Our words should be truthful, meaningful, insightful, even righteous.
Take all the time you need, your words are worth it. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Tongue-Tied Silence