Visual Food Diary Study: How About THAT?!?!

I just received a tip from the RealAge.com people that says a study shows when people snap a picture of what they eat, they make better choices ... which is just what *I* was saying!

How 'bout that!!?!?

If you would like to read the article, please click this link to take you to the RealAge tip.

Gallup Higher Education Division

StrengthsQuest™

Below are my Signature Themes — my five most dominant themes of talent, ranked in the order revealed by my responses to the Clifton StrengthsFinder.

As you may know, the Clifton StrengthsFinder measures the 34 themes of talent determined by The Gallup Organization as those that most consistently predict outstanding performance. The greater the presence of a theme of talent within a person, the more likely that person is to spontaneously exhibit those talents in day-to-day behaviors.

Focusing on natural talents helps people build them into strengths, and enjoy personal, academic, and career success through consistent, near-perfect performance.

How well do you think these themes describe me?

Learner

You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered—this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences—yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting there.”

Adaptability

You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.

Connectedness

Things happen for a reason. You are sure of it. You are sure of it because in your soul you know that we are all connected. Yes, we are individuals, responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless we are part of something larger. Some may call it the collective unconscious. Others may label it spirit or life force. But whatever your word of choice, you gain confidence from knowing that we are not isolated from one another or from the earth and the life on it. This feeling of Connectedness implies certain responsibilities. If we are all part of a larger picture, then we must not harm others because we will be harming ourselves. We must not exploit because we will be exploiting ourselves. Your awareness of these responsibilities creates your value system. You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. The exact articles of your faith will depend on your upbringing and your culture, but your faith is strong. It sustains you and your close friends in the face of life’s mysteries.

Positivity

You are generous with praise, quick to smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. Some call you lighthearted. Others just wish that their glass were as full as yours seems to be. But either way, people want to be around you. Their world looks better around you because your enthusiasm is contagious. Lacking your energy and optimism, some find their world drab with repetition or, worse, heavy with pressure. You seem to find a way to lighten their spirit. You inject drama into every project. You celebrate every achievement. You find ways to make everything more exciting and more vital. Some cynics may reject your energy, but you are rarely dragged down. Your Positivity won’t allow it. Somehow you can’t quite escape your conviction that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that no matter what the setbacks, one must never lose one’s sense of humor.

Input

You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information—words, facts, books, and quotations—or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity. If you read a great deal, it is not necessarily to refine your theories but, rather, to add more information to your archives. If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts. These can be acquired and then stored away. Why are they worth storing? At the time of storing it is often hard to say exactly when or why you might need them, but who knows when they might become useful? With all those possible uses in mind, you really don’t feel comfortable throwing anything away. So you keep acquiring and compiling and filing stuff away. It’s interesting. It keeps your mind fresh. And perhaps one day some of it will prove valuable.

Taking a Stand vs. Protecting Myself vs. Just Being Mean

I've withdrawn from anything but essential interaction with someone from work. I've been verbally assaulted just once too often, and I'm done pretending I want to have anything but a purely professional relationship.

I've just answered my own question.

In a purely professional relationship, I would still maintain the "niceties" ... saying a pleasant hello, acknowledging a sneeze with "Gesundheit," saying "good night" when I leave.

Last night, it was just the two of us left in the office when I went home. It felt funny (I should have listened to my inner uneasiness), but I was ready to walk out the door when I heard, "are you leaving?" from behind me. "Yes," I responded. "Oh, well, see you tomorrow." "I'll see you Friday," I said, since I was going out of town. "Oh, right! Have a good trip!" "Thanks."

It was mean, petty, and not at all professional.

I'm not good at drawing gray lines. I tend to be better at black and white.

I can do better. I can have a purely professional relationship. I'm sure I can do this.

Being done

It's sometimes difficult for me to tell when to step out of a situation. Exiting gracefully isn't something I have a lot of experience with. It seems as if some people are able to move on and yet keep relationships going ... I tend to leave a workplace or situation -- usually on good terms -- and either intentionally or unintentionally end up cutting almost all ties.

I don't want to do that with this group; but I think it's time for me to step out of the circle.

We'll see how this goes ....

Still not right ....

Something still feels "off" ... working on putting my finger on it, so I can either learn from it or just make it go away ... or both.

Makes me wish I could just stay tucked in bed, some days.

What's important?

Where do we go from here ....?

This seems to be the question occurring to me over and over, lately, for various reasons. I don't think it means relocating our residence. I think it means things are moving ... in many ways, in many directions. I'm also feeling a "what comes next? what do I do now differently than before?" kind of urging, prodding, prompting me to question all kinds of things that I simply left alone before.



Things are definitely moving ... and looking for direction ....

Where do we go from here ....?
Originally uploaded by shrnmc

What am I choosing ... when I feel threatened?

There is a heaviness in my heart, almost a nauseous feeling, and an impulse to escape.

I hate feeling this way.

How much of this is in response to the current situation, and how much is survival response reminding me of past dangers, to urge me to take cover, stay safe, "survive!"?

Physical danger is unlikely in this situation. But my physical and emotional reactions are so intricately tied together, just as my current and past experiences are so intimately tied together, that it is difficult to know what to respond to and what to ignore.

Ignoring danger can result in dire consequences.

I hate feeling this way. I know it's a choice; I'm just not sure what is necessary right now, and what I can discard.