3 Gifts/Resolutions: Presence, Clarity and Openess

I am a college professor by trade, and as the semester draws to a close, I am feeling tired and weary. Any like many people around this time of the year, I am reflecting back on what I have done and what I want to do in the near future. So although New Year's is still a few weeks away, I created a simple list of resolutions/gifts for myself.

1. Be Present

When I am interrupted by someone, sometimes I forget to be present with that person.  I am eager to multitask and divide my attention between that person and what I am currently working on.  Sometimes I think that I am a PC with Windows.  I think I can run an application in the background while working on another program in the foreground.

I am renewing my commitment to do only one thing at a time.  I may be a little less efficient, but I will be more engaged and present!

When I am interrupted by someone, I will either stop and give them my full attention or ask them to wait until I am at a stopping point in my work. 

2. Be Clear About Being UnClear

Sometimes I make decisions when I am confused or not sure what the best answer is.  In those times, I feel an internal pressure to make a decision and thus come up short.

My goal is to give myself permission to be comfortable in the unknown gray areas.  I will answer IDK in moment of uncertainty rather than force an answer. 

3. Be Open

For a long time, being organized, linear in my thinking, and in control helped me.  I was able to go to school and work full-time at the same time and keep my sanity.  Being organized helped me organize over 250 events including retreats, workshops, and parties.

Now, I am adopting a new way of living where I am less likely to be in control and be more open to going with the flow regardless of the pace.  I am committed to learning the fun in letting go and accepting what is right in front of me.  And with a few weeks off from work, that will prove to be quite a time to practice this resolution.

I hope these are commitments that I will uphold for the duration of the year and then some.  May you enjoy the holiday season and also have the opportunity to be present, clear and open as well!

 

Minnie, Smurfette and Jane

In a recent post, I shared my discovery of Mickey Mouse's whiteness.

From there, I started to wonder about the gender differences between Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

I started to think about her name, Minnie.  Calling a female character "mini" and then giving her a supporting versus a lead role to my mind is unfair and sexist.

And this inequity can be found in many other cartoons as well. Smurfs is a great example of this. Each character is named after his talent or special characteristic. For example, Brainy Smurf is very smart. However, Smurfette, the first female smurf, has a name that refers to her as less than, like Minnie. Is that her talent? Why is the first female smurf's name diminutive?

Boys and girls deserve to see more equity in their cartoons as well as in their formative years. And there is some good work being done to help create more balance in children's media.

Please check out www.seejane.com for more information.

Below, please meet Jane.