Tag Archives: christmas

Something for the weekend

Moderna and flu cocktail – that’ll do

A few quiet days post vaccines is a minimal price to pay for some added protection in casa Beardall. Essay writing and research limping along. Here is one part of a question (with only 750 words permitted) which seems nicely appropriate, all things considered:

Steven travels a short distance to a shop and then realises he doesn’t have a face mask, although current guidelines state that it is compulsory to wear in the shop. He feels a strong uncomfortable tension between going inside anyway and returning home to get a mask, but eventually he decides to go inside anyway. Subsequently he decides to stop wearing masks so often and does not feel bad about it. Use social psychology theory to explain to Steven why he might feel and behave this way.

Ongoing essay

I will blog about this at a later date, because the wider subject matter here is fascinating and relevant to much besides. I would not give it justice today. Plus, I suspect it would be bad form to present too much on live and graded homework.

Instead, a little mindfulness share. Day 6 of advent, and this note is one of those I remember through the year and seems to grow in resonance each advent.

Think of all that has brought this to your plate

With jabs and fevers on the wain, maybe I’m started to feel a hint of Christmas. Back with more cheer tomorrow.

About Me

In psychology we are required to look beneath the mask. This blog series is attempting to unmask some hidden parts of projects to engender a more collaborative way.

Find my professional mask here:

Original art
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The advent of mindfulness

Being more, not having more

Here’s a little psychological trick to prompt a cheerier mood.

When something or someone important is about to arrive, it is the advent of this arrival we are experiencing. In itself therefore, advent is a reflection upon change. A state of being, becoming something new. This concept is completely scalable, to make it more meaningful to you.

I struggle with the commercialism of Christmas. Once warmed by the spirit of the Christmas season, I tend to be more thoughtful to what it can instead represent beyond faith or materialism. So here I present my first day of the advent calendar, with a nod to perspectives that makes most sense to me.

Be attentive to what goes into a moment

Being loving – and taking a moment to be thankful for all that entails.

My wife and I met nearly 30 years ago. She is so thoughtful. And organised. She bakes great mince-pies (and knows my taste in chocolate)…

She presented me a wonderful gift in 2019. An advent jar. Containing a little mindfulness message each day.

A little mix

Approaching the advent, mindfully

Below is the message from that first mindfulness advent message. I re-ordered and numbered each re-useable message – an old self thinking of my future self. I can read each daily message with some semblance of order that make the most sense to me. In this first message, keeping perspective on tasks is a great message to kick-off the month.

To have too many jobs vs to be focused

Tree Beardall

It takes me about a week to warm-up to the idea of Christmas. I am the Grinch in November, and possibly early December.

My own house rule is that I can only consume Christmas foods once the Christmas Tree is up. That helps shift my mindset the right way – even if under duress. This year, our tree went up on Saturday 27th November…

Is it beginning to feel a lot like Christmas? Not quite, but getting there… …mindfully.

v | b | t

That’s a little window (visibility) into how I start early to get to Christmas in good cheer. Psychologically, this is pre-emptive behavioural change to induce attitude change. The current self trusting in a prior known process, and encouraging the advent of my festive self… (or is that the Festive Elf?).

About Me

In psychology we are required to look beneath the mask. This blog series is attempting to unmask some hidden parts of projects to engender a more collaborative way.

Find my professional mask here:

Original art
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