How to Avoid the Holiday Over-Eating Blues

As the holiday season gets busy, Christine Kane has some great advice on how to physically survive the parties. In particular, I see point #5 as being very important. I hope you enjoy this!


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Office parties. Family gatherings. Neighborhood open-houses. Like it or not, holiday time is party time!

Since the season is here, I want to introduce you to a concept that might just make your holidays a little more enlightened:

Nervous Food.

Nervous Food is my name for any edible thing we shove into our mouths when we're in social situations. Not because we WANT it. But because it's there.

Like the mushroom caps - stuffed with what could easily be described as Alpo. Or the crab puffs that we snarf down, as Hal from HR recites the latest office policy on Instant Messaging.

First, let me be clear: this is not about diets or weight-loss.

This is about going unconscious.

It's about leaving your present-moment awareness back in the comfort of your quiet home.

Here are a few techniques to help you stay conscious and connected in any social situation. Try them, and you might discover that you can leave parties feeling energized and purposeful. Not stuffed and buzzed.

1 - Take a pre-party temperature reading.

Take your "temperature" about social settings.

Are you uncomfortable at parties? Do you eat food without tasting it? Can you talk about anything with anyone? Or do you prefer an intense conversation with one or two people? Do you often feel left out or uneasy? Do you try to be in the know?

There are no right answers. This is to simply get clear about your desires and behaviors, and to honor that clarity. Self-awareness is the starting point.

2 - Set your intentions.

Prior to any social situation, set intentions.

What does this mean?

This means that you create your experience before you walk through the door of the event. It means that YOU set the tone for your whole evening.

Do this before you leave your house. Or while sitting in your car outside the party.

Simply intend who you will BE and what you will DO at this event.

Some examples:

I'm a great listener. I truly taste the food I eat. I delight in other people's passions and interests. I have lots of fun without overindulging. I attract the perfect conversations. I am loved.

Your intention is powerful and will act as sort of a beacon to guide you during the party.

3 - Give yourself permission to say NO

Most of us say a knee-jerk "yes" to every invitation we get without asking ourselves if we really want to go.

Saying no doesn't mean you're saying no to the party or the people. It might mean that you're saying "yes" to yourself.

Maybe you need to go to bed early. Or you want to spend a quiet night writing in your journal.

Sometimes we eat out of distractedness and nervousness because our deepest desires aren't being met. When we ignore our true desires, we might try to compensate by filling up on "shadow desires." Shadow desires often come in the form of food and alcohol.

4 - Attract, Don't Push

Parties can be highly charged. Sometimes we walk through that door and instantly feel ourselves trying to "measure up," or prove ourselves to anyone who seems hip.

If you're familiar with this behavior, try this technique:

Stop and take a breath. Intend that you attract the perfect people to you. Do it with a sense of service, and trust.

Attraction is a powerful principle. You might be amazed at how effortless the party becomes, and how surprising the conversations are! You might hear the perfect solution to a personal challenge. Or you might be an angel to someone who needs a listening ear.

5 - Become an Alcohol-Free Observer

Recently, I opted out of drinking the perfunctory glass of wine at a dinner party. I chose to be present and to simply observe. I actively listened to people and observed the conversations all around me. Not in an aloof way, but in a deep way. I had a great time!

Try it. Forego the alcohol and become an observer. Quietly and non-judgmentally witness your behavior. See how actively you can listen in conversations. Really taste the food on your plate. You might discover a whole new definition of fun!
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This is not the typical magazine advice on holiday overeating. But it does work! You really can let the holidays and the Nervous Foods teach you a thing or two about how to create awareness and space, rather than anxiety and over-eating!

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Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Great video

I had the pleasure of being in the audience to hear Geoffrey Canada give this talk at the GEL Conference in 2006. It is now available in video, 23 minutes long and well worth watching.

Who is Geoffrey Canada?

In his 20-plus years with Harlem Children's Zone, Inc., Geoffrey Canada has become nationally recognized for his pioneering work helping children and families in Harlem and as a passionate advocate for education reform.

So what does Harlem have to do with Franklin?

The challenge that Geoffrey faces is very similar to one all students in MA face as well. The school budget is scrutinized relentlessly for every dollar because it costs too much, yet the prison budget is not given the same scrutiny nor are they given similar performance objectives.

1. Watch the video
2. Listen to Geoffrey
3. Listen to the argument he uses

There must be something in there we can use to change the approach to funding education in MA. Of course it won't be easy, but the time might be better now to try.

What do you think?

School Committee Meeting 12/09/08

The collection of posts from the School Committee meeting on 12/9/08, the last one for 2008.

• Live reporting - new business
• Live rreporting - Information matters
• Live reporting - action items
• Live reporting - Elementary schools improvement pl...
• Live reporting - Best Buddies
• Live reporting - academic awards
• Live reporting - School Committee

Franklin School Committee Meeting - agenda - 12/9/...

Live reporting - new business

Q - to use SurveyMonkey to try and determine how many 8th graders would be moving up to the high school.

Ogden - would want to extend it to all the parents as other choices are being made that we should know about. Forced choice responses are easily calculated, open answers are more difficult to calculate quickly.

Q - test some of their knowledge of the facts of the high school, like graduation rate some things that are more not known (but should be).

Sabolinski - begin with the end in mind, if the focus is to move additional resources to the high school, we need to be careful. Would the middle school faculty be concerned? If we get the data, we need to be responsive to it.

Can use this information to help focus the Panther Pride night.

Roy - develop some questions and let's review them together before they go out.

Rohrbach - endorsing consideration of EdLine or some electronic means of communication, can save paper.

Sabolinski - One day closed door, teachers, administrators, workshop next week to discuss technology needs for the district.

Live rreporting - Information matters

5. Information Matters

Superintendent’s Report

• Academic Excellence Awards - covered previously in meeting
  
• W.A.S.T.E.D. - presentation on 12/2/08 recording of this can be found here
  
• Banner Ads - 1st five ads are in the field house
  

Live reporting - action items

4. Action Items

1. I recommend approval of the ASMS recurring trip to DC for the 8th Grade in May 2009 as detailed. Approved 5 - 0, abstain 1
   
2. I recommend acceptance of a check for $290.17 from the Remington PCC for a 7th grade field trip to the Christa McAuliffe Center. Approved 6 - 0
3. I recommend approval to declare books as surplus on the attached list for the JF Kennedy Elementary School. Approved 6 - 0
4. Take action to remove the modular classrooms at Davis Thayer Elementary School at a total cost of $30,000 to $35,000, (includes removal of interior walls, replacement of grass and landscape in front of building and renovations to the sub standard sized rooms on the second and third floors into normal sized classrooms). Approved 6 - 0
   
5. Take action to remove the modular classrooms at FHS at the cost of $25,000, (includes removal of interior walls and replacement of grass and landscape in front of building). Approved 6 - 0
   
6. Take action to remove the modular classrooms at Jefferson Elementary School at the cost of $15,000 to $20,000, (includes removal of interior walls and replacement of grass and landscape in front of building). Rejected 6 - 0
   

Criteria for removal: (1) for condition, (2) space available within building, (3) community desire to restore building appearance.

Hence for the modulars at Davis Thayer, the removal criteria is met (#s 2 and 3).

Hence for the modulars at FHS, the removal criteria is met (#1 and 2).

Live reporting - Elementary schools improvement plans

School Improvement Plans:

• Davis Thayer - Shirley Babcock, Principal
• Jefferson - Jane Hyman, Principal
• Keller - Mary Jane Wiles, Principal
• Kennedy - Joan Downing Toye, Principal
• Parmenter - Judith Bassignani, Principal

Keller increased enrollment this year by 50 students with one less teacher.

Developing a student council at Kennedy for the first time, hopeful to have intro to students in January and hold elections shortly thereafter.

Parmenter increased enrollment by 29 this year with one less teacher. Built into the building schedule for teachers in one grade to meet, collaborate for 40 minutes.