Don’t Believe the Rhetoric. PLEASE.
Brene Brown’s TED talk got me thinking about shame, and with that in mind, my well-intentioned new therapist suggested a relevant Atlantic Monthly article she remembered liking. So there I was on a rainy Sunday, tucked into an armchair, hoping to learn something. That is, until I read this: Continue reading »
Is Delaying Gratification a Marker for Success?
I’m not sure what compelled me today to re-read Jonah Lehrer’s fascinating piece about self control, and it’s ability to predict success in life. I’m not convinced it was a good idea. Lehrer recounts a famous marshmallow test, in which four-year-olds are given a choice between having one marshmallow right now, or getting two, if they can wait a few minutes before eating it. These children were tracked through the years, and it was discovered that the ones who weren’t able to delay gratification did worse on standardized tests, had a higher body mass index and were more likely to have a problem with drugs. I thought back to my one-night stands, and wondered if there’s a correlation with the current state of my romantic life. On second thought, I need some ice cream.
Image: Steve Lambert
What We Do When We’re Misunderstood
Here’s a beautiful story about stuttering from John Updike, whose birthday is today: Continue reading »
Working On My Core
It was Pilates that first put me in touch with core muscles, even though I came to it with years of dance training. After a back injury took me out of ballet class, I was looking for a way to stay fit. The instructor quietly sized up my body, and said, “You’re toned, but weak.” (Ouch.) Since that time, I’ve done hundreds of hundreds, and all sorts of resistance exercises to find core strength. Now I’m ready to tackle it from the inside. And that’s why I called a therapist.
Illustration by Marcos Chin
The Power of Vulnerability
I’ve been riveted, listening to Brene Brown in her TED talk. PLEASE, take the time to watch this. It’s reassuring and thirst quenching. Here’s how Brown describes courage:
The original definition of courage, when it first came into the English language is from the Latin word, coeur, meaning heart, and it is to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.
Image: Women in Tub, 1949, Saul Steinberg
Ending the Week On an Up Note
If for no other reason than happy graphics. Illustration by Christopher David Ryan
Look out, Frank Gehry!
Barbie made her first appearance on this day in 1959. Ruth Handler created her not as a career woman, but as a receptacle for little girls’ fantasies of marriage and glamorous outfits. Two architects consulted with Mattel on the design of this new doll, which comes loaded with a hardhat, pink blueprint bag, and a skyline imprinted on her dress. Read Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride, my tribute to Barbie on her 50th birthday.
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