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by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Don’t for a single minute think I am undercutting, overselling, or even suggesting that a Ph.D. is so easy to obtain that anyone (everyone) can or should get it. First, it is only available to those who qualify and are accepted into such a program. Second, it requires extensive, complete, positive references from former professors who know the candidate well. Third, it requires a commitment of three or four years (usually at a minimum) beyond the master’s degree. (Sometimes a master’s degree or equivalent credits are subsumed within the requirements for a Ph.D.) Fourth, it requires successfully completing a great deal of graduate-level course work. In most programs that means 15 courses including a number of required ones. Fifth, it requires securing a graduate advisor, writing an extensive, original, well-researched dissertation, and successfully defending it before a panel of professors. These are by no means lightweight expectations, and even many who begin such a pursuit do not finish.
I loved Elim Chew’s essay, “Getting a PhD” (June 25, 2010), at the web site The Straits Times: SME Spotlight. She begins her essay with the comment, “Many People write to me and ask me a question ‘How do I become an Entrepreneur?’ My answer is simple. You need Passion, Hunger, Drive or what I call PHD.”
Chew writes that passion “is about wanting something so badly that you will do whatever it takes to attain it.” I’m sure all readers of this essay not only know what passion is but have experienced it themselves. I have found it in getting my education and in the classes I took; I have found it in finding my wife and experiencing the love I had for her; I have found it in my love for my family, writing, reading, and traveling. And, I often find it in my everyday life. There are so many things to get passionate about. I have even found that the more stimuli you have in your life and the broader experiences you have, the more opportunities you have to demonstrate and experience passion.
How do you discover your passion? The first thing you must do is find your calling. What is it in life that you feel strongly about, that you value highly, and that you are willing to support with all your heart, mind, and body? When you find your calling you will start to experience the ecstasy, pleasure, and satisfaction of an inspired life.
Once you have discovered your passion, dedicate your energy to it. Those people who love what they do are the ones who get the best results no matter what area of life it involves.
When you make your calling your work, you will never work a day in your life. It is truly what I have done with my writing.
Passion and hunger are likely to compliment each other for when you have passion, hunger often becomes an outlet for that passion. I don’t know exactly when or where my hunger for knowledge began. It is likely to be something that evolved as a direct result of being in school and liking it. I had great teachers, received positive rewards (e.g., good test scores, excellent course grades, teacher praise); thus, it is likely that there was no single point when it happened, and no single teacher who was likely to be responsible — although some of my teachers stood out more than others.
When I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan in speech (with a minor in science because of the required courses I took for my pre-medicine orientation when I entered college), I decided to go on for a master’s degree with an English minor. My love of school had blossomed, I didn’t know what to do with an undergraduate degree in speech, and I wanted more time to think about my future direction. I had three choices (with respect to my interests at the time), I was still considering becoming a Unitarian minister, going to law school, or pursuing a Ph.D. somewhere. All involved more higher education — an idea that pleased me simply because of my hunger for knowledge that was now deeply embedded.
Getting a Ph.D. was the choice I made. I figured that with a Ph.D. I could still pursue my other two options if I chose to do so later. I also thought that if no graduate school wanted me, I had two other viable alternatives. I applied, was accepted at all of the graduate schools to which I applied, and chose Indiana University simply because of a graduate, dissertation advisor who had a great reputation for being tough. I chose toughness, and Dr. Robert Gunderson lived up to every iota of his reputation. He was the most uncompromising, unsympathetic, rigorous teacher I ever encountered, but he taught me to write.
With newly acquired writing skills, I could pursue a new passion (not totally new). My passion for writing began slowly; however, with the success of passing my Ph.D. oral examinations, writing and defending my dissertation, and having a university teaching position, I could now not just satisfy my hunger, but I could indulge something new in my life — a drive.
Now all the credentials I needed were in place. A drive is something that pushes or propels you onward with force. I was in the driver’s seat; I was in charge of my life; and now I could make things happen. Also, I was an Assistant Professor — a low point on the professional step ladder.
I had a goal. I wanted to become an Associate and then a full professor. I wanted my fair share of any merit pool (money that is divided up and divvied out among those most deserving). I wanted to establish my professional, academic credentials.
That all happened within six years. Twenty-two years (at Bowling Green State University) after my first six at the University of Massachusetts, having taught over 80,000 undergraduate students and directed several hundred graduate teaching assistants, I gave up teaching for the sole purpose of writing. The drive that pushed and propelled me onward with force was successful.
Passion, hunger, and drive are important influences in anyone’s life. To find your passion, satisfy your hunger, and drive yourself toward practical, positive, and meaningful goals can result in a fully satisfying, highly rewarding, successful life. If “Ph.D.” meant “piled higher and deeper” (I’ve heard many a “clever” person remind of it.), I wouldn’t mind if it were passion, hunger, and drive that were heaped in the mound.
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At the web site Dumb Little Man, the essay there, “39 Ways to Live, and not Merely Exist,” offers wonderful, motivating, practical suggestions for turning your life around.
Read Elim Chew’s great article at The Straits Times, “Getting a Ph.D.” (June 25, 2010)/ Chew ends her essay saying: “In conclusion, we know that challenges will come along the way, but our Passion, Hunger and Drive will cause us to rise above our situations. What I achieve is after 22 years of pursuit as well as sacrifices made. It is not an overnight success.
“Therefore one of my mottos is, "Love what you do and it's never work anymore." After 22 years into my business, I have encountered setbacks and challenges, but I am still as passionate, hungry and driven. So instead of sitting on your problems or challenges, go get your PHD today!”
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Copyright May, 2012, by And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
It was Dale Carnegie who said, “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” I have always been a person who enjoyed his life, no matter what stage, no matter where, and no matter when.
I have always had my own transportation whether it was a bicycle, motor scooter, or car. And I came to know much of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I grew up from sixth grade through college, by taking the long way home. I remember distinctly two places in Ann Arbor that I discovered on my own and that have affected me ever since.
There was a forest just about three or four blocks from our home on Sunset Road across from the Water Softener [the name we called it]. The paths through it were wide enough and smooth enough that I could bicycle most of the way, but to me it was spectacular. Why? Because it was quiet, except for the sounds of nature. Also, it was away from everyone else. I can’t remember ever meeting someone else on the paths. I always felt like I was an explorer, and this was new territory I was uncovering.
We lived about three or four miles from the Huron River, and when I had my Lambretta (a motor scooter), I would often ride along Huron River Drive all the way to Dexter, Michigan, or even Chelsea. There were a number of parks along the way and many access points down to the River. So, often I would just cruise along the two-lane road, take in the trees and the water, and just enjoy the delightful solitude.
Just as an aside, when I was in college, I would transfer college students from a pick-up point on the University of Michigan campus, to the Unitarian Church meetings on Washtenaw Avenue. I had to get a Chauffer’s License, but I drove a large yellow school bus once a week. Several times, I would pick up the bus early then drive it out along Huron River Drive (even through the parks along the way) all the way to Dexter — just to bring back old times. I also loved driving that great big yellow bus — and taking a very long way.
The desire to take the long way home never left me. Now, I’ll have to admit that it is a great excuse when one gets lost. For some reason, I have a terrible sense of direction; thus, often I take the long way home for no purpose and with no intention — except that I got lost.
There are dangers to just exploring unknown places, it is true. And you have to be careful. In Naples, Italy, I left the cruise ship (it docks almost in downtown Naples), and I walked by myself in the early morning (before stores had even opened their doors, and before the sidewalk vendors had laid out their merchandise), from our dock all the way through the main (expensive) part of town. Not feeling like I was getting much of a sense of Naples, I turned down a side street, then another (trying to keep track of the turns I was making so I wouldn’t get lost). Along these streets were the little markets, fresh fruit stands, and cozy restaurants and coffee bars that were active at this hour.
As I walked the back streets of Naples, I not only kept my eyes peeled for “shadowy” characters, but I kept up a very brisk walking pace as well. Because I was dressed differently than those along the way, and I looked different, too, I made no eye contact with those I passed, never stopped for directions or to purchase anything, but took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the area.
When my family (my mother, father, and sister) lived in Dacca, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) for a year, I had a brand new, light green, Italian bicycle. (We bought it in Italy on the way to Pakistan.) I was warned that if I parked it anywhere in the open, it would be stolen. But, it was my sole means of transportation, and I rode it everywhere.
From the place where I worked in Dacca (at the United States Information Service (USIS)) I would always take the long way home. I explored the very poor areas, the ramshackle neighborhoods, the markets down by the river, and (being a teenager; I was 19 at the time) the fear of getting robbed, having my bicycle stolen from me, or encountering any kind of trouble, never crossed my mind. I was fearless — and I created memories from that experience that will always be with me. (There was never an altercation of any kind.)
I remember when my wife and I were in Bermuda. We rented a moped (of course, you can’t rent a car there!), and we rode double all over the island. We would drive along the main highway, see a road off the left or right, and just take it for no other reason than wanting to see more of the way people in Bermuda lived.
Taking the long way home, however, is more than just a physical experience; it is a mental concept. That is, it is like a philosophy or approach to life that can serve as a motivating force, a stimulator, or inspiration. It is more than just physically exploring areas off the beaten track. When reading, it is going beyond the printed page. When researching, it is going beyond the obvious information. When thinking, it is thinking outside the box. It is like a creative challenge or a summons to act differently.
A number of years ago now, I gave a speech titled, “And Then Some.” It was published in Vital Speeches of the Day. You can actually view this speech at this website and, the and then some philosophy (discussed in the speech) became the benchmark or touchstone for our publishing company, And Then Some Publishing L.L.C. The and then some philosophy dovetails nicely with the ideas expressed in this essay, for if you truly pursue the and then some philosophy, it often requires taking the long way home.
So the simple question becomes, how do you take the long way home? The answer lies, in part, in what Dale Carnegie said at the outset of this essay, “enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” It means taking longer, observing more, experiencing further, thinking deeper, and, in all cases, appreciating wholeheartedly. It may even mean getting outside of ourselves and becoming immersed in the world around us. Taking the long way home is pursuing life — and then some!
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At Zenhabits, Leo Babauta has a short, interesting, and worthwhile essay, “6 Questions to Ask Yourself to Get the Most Out of Life,” in which he asks questions such as why do I love?, am I pursuing my dream?, am I doing something worthwhile?, and several more.
At Life Coaches Blog, Shelley Stile has a delightful essay, “Getting the most out of life” (October 10, 2007), in which she discusses our control over ourselves, the necessity of taking charge of our lives, getting in touch with our passions, honoring ourselves, and mapping out what we need to do today to get what we want.
SoulSeeker writes “9 Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Life” at the web site “o5:Recipes for Life,” where the nine short items are: 1) Love your body, 2) Embrace experience, 3) See life as a process, 4) Don’t let fear rule your life, 5) Don’t be afraid of pain, 6) Just do it, 7) “There” is no better than “here,” 8) Take charge of your fate, and 9) You become what you think.
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Copyright May, 2012, by And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
“Mark Twain was born on the day of the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1835, and died on the day of its next appearance in 1910. He himself predicted this in 1909, when he said: "I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it."
([N.a.]. (05-02-07). Oddee, “20 Most Amazing Coincidences,” Retrieved January 26, 2011.).
“While American novelist Anne Parrish was browsing bookstores in Paris in the 1920s, she came upon a book that was one of her childhood favorites - Jack Frost and Other Stories. She picked up the old book and showed it to her husband, telling him of the book she fondly remembered as a child. Her husband took the book, opened it, and on the flyleaf found the inscription: "Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber Street, Colorado Springs." It was Anne's very own book. (Source: While Rome Burns, Alexander Wollcott)” ([N.a.]. (05-02-07). Oddee, “20 Most Amazing Coincidences,” Retrieved January 26, 2011.).
David G. Myers, Professor of Psychology, Hope College, begins his essay, “The Power of Coincidence,” with this paragraph: “People around me have been both amused and aghast at the news that on 9-11 the New York State Lottery's evening number game popped up the numbers 9-1-1. Is this a paranormal happening? A wink from God? Is there a message here?”
A coincidence is simply the appearance of a meaningful connection when there is none.
When you watch a quarterback who is “in the flow,” and just makes all his passes, or, when Michael Jordan hit nearly every three-point shot he attempted, and then running down the floor shrugging his shoulders and turning his palms up as if to say, “I can’t believe it either!” you are a witness to coincidence. The quarterback and Michael Jordan had the hot hands. When you see stock-market patterns, batting slumps, people driving down a busy main street and hitting every stoplight green, our pattern-seeking minds demand explanations. The goal of our minds is to connect anomalies in some meaningful way. You know as well as I do, that it is very difficult to accept the idea that something happened, and it doesn’t mean anything at all.
“One thing is certain about coincidence,” writes Jill Neimark, in an essay, “The Power of Coincidence,” at the Psychology Today: Personality web site, “the phenomenon fascinates believers and skeptics alike. It's a porthole into one of the most interesting philosophical questions we can ask: Are the events of our lives ultimately objective or subjective? Is there a deeper order, an overarching purpose to the universe? Or are we the lucky accidents of evolution, living our precious but brief lives in a fundamentally random world that has only the meaning we choose to give it?”
“Some people find it surprising,” Robert T. Carroll writes on the Skeptic’s Dictionary web site, in an essay, “Law of truly large numbers (coincidence),” “that there are more than 16 million others on the planet who share their birthday. At a typical football game with 50,000 fans, most fans are likely to share their birthday with about 135 others in attendance. (The notable exception will be those born on February 29. There will only be about 34 fans born on that day.)”
At this web site, the Skeptic’s Dictionary, Carroll writes about Uri Geller’s explanation of the coincidences that occurred as a result of the anti-terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. “[Geller] asked everyone to pray for eleven seconds for those in need,” writes Carroll, “Why? He was convinced that there was a cryptic, numerological message in the events that occurred that day.”
Carroll provides a great conclusion to his essay that should alert everyone to be cautious in finding meaningfulness in patterns: “If we start hunting for items that seem relevant but don't fit the pattern, we will soon see that there is nothing special about Geller's list or the number 11. Only by focusing on anything that we can fit to our belief and ignoring everything that doesn't fit (confirmation bias) can we make these coincidences seem meaningful.”
At the web site Quackwatch [I love the name of this web site!], Robert Novella has an essay titled, “The Power of Coincidence: Some Notes on ‘Psychic’ Predictions” (August 31, 2000). Novella has effectively and succinctly explained the problem people have with coincidences when he writes: “There are many simple reasons why most people misinterpret coincidences:
* Humans have a poor innate grasp of probability.
* We believe that all effects must have deliberate causes.
* We do not understand the laws regarding truly large numbers.
* We easily succumb to selective validation—the tendency to remember only positive correlations and forget the far more numerous misses.”
At Listverse “Top 15 Amazing Coincidences” (November 12, 2007) — taken from Ripley’s Believe it or not, BBC, and the New Scientist — the sensational coincidence reads like this: “In 1975, while riding a moped in Bermuda, a man was accidentally struck and killed by a taxi. One year later, this man’s bother was killed in the very same way. In fact, he was riding the very same moped. And to stretch the odds even further, he was struck by the very same taxi driven by the same driver – and even carrying the very same passenger!” The sensational coincidences discussed are remarkable.
Robert Novella, cited above, concludes his essay in this way: “. . . the vast majority [of coincidences] that we experience turn out to be much more probable than they appear, if analyzed critically. When this is taken into account, along with our propensity for selective validation, our desire to believe in something akin to fate, and our coincidence-detection hardwiring, the true deceptive power of coincidence is realized.” Emma Bull said, “Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and pulleys.”
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At About.com: Paranormal Phenomena Stephen Wagner’s essay, “Amazing Coincidences,” explains at least ten sensational coincidences.
“Much religious faith is based on the idea that almost nothing is coincidence; science is an exercise in eliminating the taint of coincidence.” This is just one short sentence pulled out of context in an essay by Lisa Belkin, “The Odds of That” (August 11, 2002), at the New York Times website.
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Copyright May, 2012, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
The internal locus of control concept is so important and can have such a powerful influence on people’s lives, that I spent one entire lecture in my basic speech-communication class discussing it. I would give students a “test” in lecture without them having a clue about what its subject or nature was, I would “grade” it for them orally (again, without them having any idea of what it was all about), I would ask for a show of hands only (and without the results of the “test” having been interpreted — in other words, only with their “test” numbers in hand) I would ask them how they performed, and, finally, with their results in front of them, I would interpret their results for them. Never did they have to reveal their results once the interpretation of their results was provided.
I always received positive responses to this exercise, and often, on the open-ended responses to the lectures at the end of the term, this lecture was mentioned as one students not just appreciated but enjoyed as well. (I think the “enjoyment” factor was due, in part, to the fact that students did not have to take notes nor were responsible for remembering a great deal of content!)
The important question, however, is why is this concept so important in a basic speech-communication class that I would spend a full lecture covering it? Good question. The concept was developed by Julian Rotter in the 1950s. (Rotter, J. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcements. Psychological Monographs, 80, Whole No. 609. Retrieved January 25, 2001.) “Locus of Control refers to an individual's perception about the underlying main causes of events in his/her life. Or, more simply: Do you believe that your destiny is controlled by yourself or by external forces (such as fate, god, or powerful others)?”
Psychological research has found that people with a stronger internal locus of control are better off. What I was trying to show in my lectures was simply that adopting and using an internal-locus-of-control-perspective could have immediate and demonstrable results in revealing their (students’) competence and self-efficacy, as well as their ability to make use of opportunity (their willingness to take advantage of the opportunity provided in class for giving public speeches). By doing so, students would be able to successfully experience a sense of personal control and responsibility. This perspective of mine fit into an overall point of view that embraced getting students to take charge of their lives!
I was reminded of all of this when I was reading a book, The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work (Crown Business, 2010), by Shawn Achor. Achor writes, “Research has shown that people who believe that the power lies within their circle have higher academic achievement, greater career achievement, and are much happier at work. [The footnote for these findings is 1/3rd of a page long and includes 7 different sources.] An internal locus lowers job stress and turnover, and leads to higher motivation, organizational commitment, and task performance. ‘Internals,’ as they are sometimes called, have even stronger relationships—which makes sense given that studies show how much better they are at communicating, problem-solving, and working to achieve mutual goals. They are also more attentive listeners and more adept at social interactions—all qualities, incidentally, that predict success at work as well as at home” (pp. 131-132).
In the very next paragraph Achor says that believing that you are in control over your job and your life also reduces stress and improves physical health. (p. 132)
From Achor’s comments, you can easily see why it is worthwhile to, at the very least, point all of this out to students. The fact is, research has shown that people can choose; they have control over which one they believe in, and if they have learned one response pattern over another, they can unlearn it and switch.
The key that I taught my undergraduate students was choice. The important thing they needed to realize was simply that it was up to them. Thus, with the information I gave them — including the long-range benefits of possessing internal locus of control — they could still do something about it. Although their decision was likely a result of previous learning, all they needed was some new information to help them change.
How does changing to an internal locus of control relate to speech communication? Actually, the link is much closer and much tighter than one might at first imagine. The basic speech-communication course first examines intrapersonal communication — the talk that goes on within us.
One of the problems with an external locus of control occurs when people say to themselves, “I have no choice,” “I have no control,” or “There’s nothing I can do.” To make the switch to an internal locus of control requires that those using such excuses (making such comments) step back and remind themselves that they do have control; it is their choice. They can exercise their control if they choose to do so.
Another way to make the switch from external to internal is by developing effective decision-making and problem-solving skills. When people set clear, achievable goals, work toward and achieve them, they control what happens in their lives. As they do this, too, they'll find that their self-confidence builds, and they become more persistent and determined — all signs of internal locus of control.
With the achievement of goals and increased confidence — that you can control what happens in your life — decision-making and problem-solving skills improve dramatically. You discover that you not only can better understand situations that impinge on your life, but you can navigate through them successfully.
How much people believe they have control over their lives makes a significant difference now and for their future. There are a number of sources online where tests can be taken to determine internal versus external belief systems. The biggest discovery — and the point of this essay — is that it all depends on choice. And moving from an external to an internal belief system can be accomplished. Sure, it takes patience and perseverance, but what in life that is worth achieving does not require time and effort?
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At this web site, under the heading, “Locus of Control,” you get a fairly complete discussion of Rotter’s 1954 discovery: his observations as well as the core of his approach.
At the web site Shine from Yahoo, there is a wonderful, thorough, and interesting essay by CBT, “Developing an Internal Locus of Control - a key to better health,” (June 19, 2011), which ends saying: “Developing an Internal Locus of Control is just one of four important life skills I believe we should be teaching people of all ages, especially our young people while we have them in schools and families. Acquiring these skills is what I call having Mental and Emotional Fitness.”
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Copyright May, 2012, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Often I can predict what kind of a day I’m going to have by the way I get up in the morning. I’m not always accurate, but I use my “getting up” as an indicator. When I showed one of my granddaughters my daily log, she asked me why I begin each day with the time I get up? What she was really asking was, What difference does that make? I explained that the time I get up each morning is just one of the indicators I use for what kind of a day I’m likely to have. When my log indicates that I woke up just before the alarm clock, that is a signal to me that I’m likely to have a very productive day. (Remember what I said above, “I’m not always accurate.”)
When I allow the alarm clock to get me out of bed, I feel I’m a victim. That is, I’m being controlled, regimented, restricted, or managed by forces outside of myself. When there is an external locus of control (like the alarm clock), I feel I’m at the mercy of forces over which I have little (or less) influence.
You have to understand something here that helps make sense of this. I seldom have an unproductive day no matter whether I awake before or with the alarm clock. What I have described thus far has more to do with an attitude or a way of framing my day — as I begin it. My behavior and actions throughout the day are likely to, and often do, take shape in many different ways that have no bearing whatever (or some bearing, but minimal) on the way I get up.
Something that has often intrigued me is that on the days when I get up early to exercise (3:00 a.m.), then take a 2-hour nap after exercising, showering, and having breakfast, to make up for the lost time, I often find that I engage in far more physical exercise (in addition to my morning exercise routine) than on the days when I do not get up early to exercise.
I need about six-and-one-half to seven hours of sleep each night. I can do with less, but too much less will make me feel groggy during the day, and sometimes during the late afternoon, I may even fall asleep briefly as I sit in the chair at my computer or at my desk. Since I hate that feeling of grogginess, I try to get my full quota of sleep every night.
On all of the days during the week when I do not exercise (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday), I set my alarm for 6:00 a.m., and when the alarm goes off, I get up immediately. I know the saying, “If people were made to pop out of bed, they’d all sleep in toasters,” but I am a creature of habit, and I have found that my sleep habits have some effect on my daily work habits. Besides, I feel comfortable in my toaster! Since I am always trying to cram more work into my days than hours allow, I try desperately not to do anything that negatively affects my work.
There are a number of things I do (part of my daily routine) to minimize any negative effects on my sleep. The first major thing I do is avoid having coffee after 3:00 p.m. Now, occasionally when I’m away from home, I may have to extend that to 4:00 p.m.; however, I know that I will disturb my sleep in doing so. I drink just about a cup-and-a-half for breakfast and, for lunch, I have coffee in a large mug poured over ice with a lot of skim milk added. I try to have my lunch from 1:00-2:00 during which time I always have something to read.
Between 9:00 and 10:00 at night, I have my single beer along with fresh pop corn or pretzels. I have found this has no significant effect on my sleep. (I do not drink red wine, and I eat little chocolate; however, I know that coffee, red wine, and chocolate — especially when taken before bedtime — can disturb your sleep.)
Another thing that has a major effect on my sleep is the mood I’m in when I go to bed. Having a happy marriage and having few disagreements or arguments helps. I have found that I sleep best when I’ve had a period of calm and relaxation just before retiring. I try to avoid intense work (thinking!) at the computer, writing an essay or book review, or even reading a book from 9:00 p.m. until bedtime. These efforts so engage my mind that I find it difficult to calm it down before going to bed, and when I go to bed, my mind is still racing, and sleep escapes me.
My wife and I eat dinner around 5:30 p.m.; in this way, dinner in no way affects my sleep.
Another thing that, for me, promotes sleep, is a cool room. Even during the coldest nights during the winter, I sleep with the bedroom window slightly cracked. In that way, I can sleep with a number of blankets over me. For some wonderful reason, the weight of the blankets and comforter provide a great deal of coziness and contentment. With the window slightly cracked, too, it allows the carbon dioxide I exhale to escape the room.
There are other things over which I have control, too, that promote sleep. For example, I keep a consistent schedule. I go to bed and wake up at the same time. We live in a quiet neighborhood; thus, there is no noise (and I mean no noise) at night. I drink a glass of water when I take my calcium, niacin, multivitamin, and fish-oil pills in the morning. This kick-starts my metabolism and causes me to wake up and be more alert. I exercise only in the early morning, and I have discovered on a regular basis, that exercising actually gives me more energy on the day after I exercise; however, the health benefits I receive from regular exercise are noticeable, appreciated, accepted, and certainly worthwhile. (I have been exercising regularly for over 30 years.)
There are several things I do when I get up in the morning that directly contribute to the way I feel throughout the day. After taking my pills and shaving, I take a short, hot shower. I have the same thing for breakfast everyday: Cheerios, oat bran blended with Mixed Gerber Baby Cereal and half a banana, orange juice, and coffee. While eating breakfast, I read two daily newspapers thoroughly.
When I wake up in the morning, I am always grateful for the day I have ahead of me. I never (and have never) seen any day as a burden that I just have to “get through.” I see each day as an opportunity to do something meaningful, beneficial, and satisfying. What is important, especially for the purposes of this essay, is that what I do during the day has a direct and immediate effect on what happens every night and what it will be like when I get up in the morning. I love the quotation attributed to J.M. Powers, “If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.”
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Michael Harrison has a great essay, “10 Geeky Tricks for Getting Out of Bed in the Morning,” (February 25, 2009), at Wired: GeekDad, and what I like about this essay is what Harrison writes in his opening paragraph: “A little confession: I am not a morning person. In fact, I hate getting up before 9 a.m., and I’d probably sleep until 10 a.m. if I could.” The ten tips he offers are worth reading.
At Sleepnet.com, the essay there, “How to wake up with ENERGY in the morning” (June 21, 2002), by Jim Smith is full of interesting and useful advice.
At The Body Ecology Diet web site, the essay by Donna Gates, “How to Wake Up in the Morning: 5 Key Steps to a Healthy Morning Ritual,” is another one that is packed full of worthwhile information and advice. When you Google, how to wake up in the morning, there are millions of available web sites and a plethora of advice.
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Copyright May, 2012, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
