For my tenth book review, I will be reviewing self-help book 365 Days of Happiness by Jacqueline Pirtle.
I was today years old when I heard a perfect two-word description of my personality, and I can’t wait to shout it from the rooftops (or write it in a blog post).
To all ye who read this, I hereby proclaim Jill V to forevermore be referred to as…
A Cynical Optimist.
What?
A cynical optimist. Or what Urban Dictionary says:
Das me!!
Szen Zone, the book.
When I first received the book Szen Zone: Reaching a State of Positive Change by Gary Szenderski, admittedly, I thought it was going to be all about meditation-type yoga stuff. I figured I’d basically be learning how to calm the F down in stressful situations, with the goal of freaking out less, and chillin’ out more. I perhaps expected to learn things like breathing exercises, oohmm-ing correctly, yoga poses, etc., with the end result a happier, healthier, less cray-cray Jill.
S2 and me, the perfect portrait of all things Zen, amirite?
However, to my surprise, that was not what Szen Zone was about, at least directly. Indirectly, reading this book did, in fact, lead me to a place of improved calm and increased happiness. However, the discovery of my own personal “happy place” was not due to any sort of “technique” or “exercise” learned in the book. Instead, as I read Szen Zone, I found myself developing an increased understanding of how to look within myself, as well as out at the world in order to create the positive changes I desired in my life. Reaching said state of positive change is what would then lead me to become what I described above: a calmer, happier, more pleasant overall Jill! The thought is most definitely appealing. Continue reading
As an elementary school teacher, I have received a number of flattering compliments regarding my ability to create a visually appealing, organized classroom environment and/or an inviting support services office space each school year. Many times, after bestowing such a compliment, my colleague will then follow up with a variation of the following statement:
“Your house must be impeccably neat and organized, too.”
BWAHAHAHAHA.
Not quite.
Teachers indeed do work for the weekend, yet we also work ON the weekend. And HOLY RED LEATHER PANTS, Batman. Yikes. Continue reading