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Sunday, 6 September 2015
Friday, 31 July 2015
Sweat Today, Success Tomorrow: My week of screaming little children has shown me hard work pays off
Three Thinking - Edition 021 - Friday 31 July 2015
A 48 page script, including six songs, 29 Primary School children and four days. What could possibly do wrong?
This was the question I found myself asking on Monday morning as I arrived at a local secondary school to help with a week-long Summer School. The plan was to allocate parts, learn dialogue, lyrics and dance routines, set the show on the stage and do two performances of the 1 hour play on Friday (today). A very ambitious plan, I felt, and I wasn't too sure how it would all come together!
I can safely say that all the hard work has paid off. From 9 - 4 each day for the past four days, the budding performers have put blood, sweat and tears into learning dozens of lines and dances, and found the energy to run through Robin Hood and the Sherwood Hoodies countless times. It really has amazed me how committed, passionate and hardworking the seven to eleven years olds have been...and they are an inspiration to us all!
Because tonight, I have no doubt those 29 children will delight their parents with their performances, the result of a great deal of hard work and determination. The secret ingredient to their success, I believe, has been belief - they believed on Monday that they could pull off a full scale production by Friday and (with fingers crossed for tonight!) they have.
There is a well known quote that reads;
Not all the children were born to be on the stage. But all were determind to do a great job. It's the only way you can succeed.
THINK & REFLECT - Work hard today, reap the rewards later. There's no success tomorrow without sweat today!
Article by an exhausted Ben Wardle, who just so happens to be doing it all again with a new set of Merry Men next week!
A 48 page script, including six songs, 29 Primary School children and four days. What could possibly do wrong?
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| The children knew that, if they put in hard work on Tuesday, they'd reap the rewards on Friday. A wise lesson for us all! Image - 123rf.com |
I can safely say that all the hard work has paid off. From 9 - 4 each day for the past four days, the budding performers have put blood, sweat and tears into learning dozens of lines and dances, and found the energy to run through Robin Hood and the Sherwood Hoodies countless times. It really has amazed me how committed, passionate and hardworking the seven to eleven years olds have been...and they are an inspiration to us all!
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| Wise words on putting in sweat today in order to enjoy success tomorrow! |
There is a well known quote that reads;
Some succeed because they are destined but most because they are determind
Not all the children were born to be on the stage. But all were determind to do a great job. It's the only way you can succeed.
Determination today leads to success tomorrow (Aremu Sunday). So put the hard work in today, and reap the rewards tomorrow.
THINK & REFLECT - Work hard today, reap the rewards later. There's no success tomorrow without sweat today!
Article by an exhausted Ben Wardle, who just so happens to be doing it all again with a new set of Merry Men next week!
Thursday, 30 July 2015
As the Special Olympics take place in L.A, it's time to celebrate everyone for who they are.
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| Previous Special Olympics Medalists. Image courtesy of nameplace.com. |
The Special Olympics are currently underway in Los Angeles, with over 6,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities competing on behalf of 165 countries. According to the website of the Games, the Special Olympics is a global movement of people "where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability".
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| A competitor in the 2010 Europe-Eurasia games. Image - specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com |
We all have different, strengths, weaknesses, talents and gifts. Some of us are born naturally clever, and seem to have all the odds in our favour as we go through life. We succeed in getting the exam results, jobs and opportunities we want, and we manage to fulfill our dreams and aspirations single-handedly. Others need a little more help and support; a helping, steady hand is often needed to ensure they can cope with the pressures and challenges of life.
Inevitably, it's the successful and very capable high-flyers who garner the most attention and public exposure, and the main Olympics are among the most watched events ever to have taken place. Those who perhaps struggle a little more and need a little more support in order to flourish are often, not intentionally, forgotten or left behind by society.
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| A beaming competitor in a recent games Image - ct.gov |
This is why the Special Olympics are so fantastic. They are shining the spotlight on the most wonderful, inspiring and praise-deserving people on the planet. The Special Olympic athletes have overcome huge barriers to get to where they are today, and their strength, bravery and determination to live life to the full, despite their intellectual disability, is both incredibly inspiring and breath-taking.
Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the founder of the Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, saw how those with intellectual disabilities were often ignored and neglected - despite the many talents and gifts they had to offer - and routinely placed in custodial institutions. Fortunately, we have come a long way since then, but there is still more to do.
THINK & REFLECT - So please, show your support for the athletes competing in this week's Special Olympics in LA, and champion a belief that the gifts and talents of each and every individual deserve to be celebrated, irrespective of disability, race, gender or ethnicity.
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
As you relax in the sun, spare a thought for the millions of carers selflessly looking after the sick, elderly and disabled 24/7
Three Thinking - Edition 019 - Wednesday 29 July 2015
As you busy about your holiday preparations, I wanted to provide you with some 'food-for-thought', in the form of an extract from Melanie Reid's column in The Times Magazine. Melanie, who is tetraplegic after breaking her neck and back in a riding accident, writes movingly each week, and this week's piece, in which she discussed the supposedly negative connotations of the word 'carer', was no exception.
There are two different types of carer; the selfless souls who take up the role as a career, and the also selfless souls who are thrust into caring for a loved one in need of care and support. The phrase 'unsung hero' seems to have become quite a cliche these days, but I really do believe it rings true for the unpaid carers who give up all their time to care for a loved one, and the often very low paid carers who make giving the sick, disabled and elderly the best life possible the central part of their working lives.
But these 'unsung heroes' who go about their job each and every day, are not saints. It's important we recognise this, writes Melanie, and it's vital we don't take them for granted. Melanie refers to a book by Hugh Marriott when she writes that 'it is perfectly normal to get guilty, angry and frustrated, and understandable to have murderous thoughts about the person you have to look after'. They are not perfect "carers" - they are humans, too. We can never take the contribution they make to millions of lives for granted, and I for one cannot understand why so many selfless carers are forced to get by on the minimum wage.
So here's today's THINK & REFLECT - to spare a thought for the four million unpaid carers, spending each and every day looking after ill or frail relatives , and to perhaps think about what YOU can do to support a friend or family member who works as a carer.
As you busy about your holiday preparations, I wanted to provide you with some 'food-for-thought', in the form of an extract from Melanie Reid's column in The Times Magazine. Melanie, who is tetraplegic after breaking her neck and back in a riding accident, writes movingly each week, and this week's piece, in which she discussed the supposedly negative connotations of the word 'carer', was no exception.
"Consider this, as you pack your swimwear and sunscreen: more than four million unpaid carers in the UK will not have a summer holiday. Half of them, in fact, haven't had a holiday for five years. Three quarters of them work more than 50 hours a week and a third of them never get a break of any kind"
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| Melanie wrote movingly about carers in the Times Magazine. Image - The Times. |
There are two different types of carer; the selfless souls who take up the role as a career, and the also selfless souls who are thrust into caring for a loved one in need of care and support. The phrase 'unsung hero' seems to have become quite a cliche these days, but I really do believe it rings true for the unpaid carers who give up all their time to care for a loved one, and the often very low paid carers who make giving the sick, disabled and elderly the best life possible the central part of their working lives.
But these 'unsung heroes' who go about their job each and every day, are not saints. It's important we recognise this, writes Melanie, and it's vital we don't take them for granted. Melanie refers to a book by Hugh Marriott when she writes that 'it is perfectly normal to get guilty, angry and frustrated, and understandable to have murderous thoughts about the person you have to look after'. They are not perfect "carers" - they are humans, too. We can never take the contribution they make to millions of lives for granted, and I for one cannot understand why so many selfless carers are forced to get by on the minimum wage.
So here's today's THINK & REFLECT - to spare a thought for the four million unpaid carers, spending each and every day looking after ill or frail relatives , and to perhaps think about what YOU can do to support a friend or family member who works as a carer.
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Why it's time to climb into someone else's skin and walk around in it (metaphorically, of course!)
Three Thinking - Edition 018 - Tuesday 28 July 2015
With Harper Lee's new book 'Go Set a Watchman' at the top of the book bestsellers chart, I decided I would read the original, To Kill A Mockingbird, first published over fifty years ago. One of the quotes still fresh in my mind are the following wise words from Atticus Finch, a lawyer, to his two young children, Jem and Scout;
With Harper Lee's new book 'Go Set a Watchman' at the top of the book bestsellers chart, I decided I would read the original, To Kill A Mockingbird, first published over fifty years ago. One of the quotes still fresh in my mind are the following wise words from Atticus Finch, a lawyer, to his two young children, Jem and Scout;
Harper Lee may have written these words over half a century ago, but I believe they still ring true today. We are often quick to judge others, about anything from their sexual orientation to their skin colour or ethnicity, and many of us are often quick to cast assumptions on others.
These wise words urge us to take a different approach, to employ empathy instead of casting assertions and pre-judging someone.
We have been gifted with incredible minds that allow us to think in an extraordinary way and, crucially, use our imagination. We can use this creative thinking to attempt to understand someone else, see their point of view and try to understand their perspective on a situation or circumstance. By doing this, we can attempt to establish their motives for performing a certain action or saying a certain thing, and then work with them and be more accepting of - and indeed celebrate them for being - who they are.
We are all incredibly different, and this is something we should certainly celebrate and cherish - I believe it is one of the things that makes our time on Planet Earth so enjoyable. But we can, all too often, struggle to understand others and those who are "different" often face discrimination and persecution. By, metaphorically of course, climbing inside someone else's skin and walking around in it, we can begin to understand and empathize with them more, making us more tolerant and compassionate towards them.
So next time you find yourself being prejudice or casting assertions about someone, try to see things through their eyes.
Image Credit - likesuccess.com
Article by Ben Wardle for Three Thinking.
Friday, 24 July 2015
'We're all going on a Summer Holiday'...and here's why it'll be good for you!
Three Thinking - Edition 017 - Friday 24 July 2015
The schools have broken up, the airport security queues are getting considerably longer and drivers are refuelling ahead of the long drive to the seaside. It can only mean one thing: the Summer Holidays are here!
We live such busy and hectic lives - there is always something to worry about and another job to do - which is why it's so important to have time to relax and enjoy yourself. The summer holidays offer the perfect opportunity to take a break, enjoy the sunshine and treat yourself. They also offer us a fantastic opportunity to spend time with loved ones, visit new attractions, towns, cities and countries, and treat ourselves to all sorts of delicious foods and treats.
Life can often become monotonous, dull and depressing, especially as the piles of paperwork and household chores pile up. All we can think about is having enough money to get by and maintain our lifestyle, and we are endlessly thinking 'I will soon be able to enjoy myself'. Well the summer holidays is the chance when all that hard work pays off and the 'soon' part of that phrase goes out of the window.
Summer is the perfect time to celebrate what life is all about - enjoying yourself and being happy! You don't need to worry about the next job or follow the daily routine...you can simply celebrate being in the moment and having a good time.
Whether you choose to relax on a beach in the glorious sunshine, or go on an adventurous trek through a desert or something crazy like high-wiring, make sure you remember your summer holiday is your time to enjoy doing what you love.
Have a lovely Summer, whatever you are doing!
The schools have broken up, the airport security queues are getting considerably longer and drivers are refuelling ahead of the long drive to the seaside. It can only mean one thing: the Summer Holidays are here!
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| 'Your summer holiday is your time to enjoy doing what you love' - whether that's relaxing on a beach or skydiving! Image: amieandgracie.com |
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| Summer is a chance to forget the dull daily routine! |
Summer is the perfect time to celebrate what life is all about - enjoying yourself and being happy! You don't need to worry about the next job or follow the daily routine...you can simply celebrate being in the moment and having a good time.
Whether you choose to relax on a beach in the glorious sunshine, or go on an adventurous trek through a desert or something crazy like high-wiring, make sure you remember your summer holiday is your time to enjoy doing what you love.
Have a lovely Summer, whatever you are doing!
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Oscar Wilde adored the simple pleasures in life: Here's why you should too...
Three Thinking - Edition 016 - Thursday 23 July 2015
It was Oscar Wilde who once remarked:
That's where simple pleasures come in. Enjoying these 'simple pleasures', from a cup of tea and a good magazine or a long relaxing bath to going on a long, peaceful walk or spending time with someone you love, is the real key to happiness.
So I challenge you to remember that enjoying the little things is the secret to a happy, fulfilling life filled with joy. Enjoying these simple pleasures costs you next to nothing yet brings priceless happiness and joy. So halt the pursuit of ludicrous wealth, fame, houses and clothes: celebrate the simple things in life.
Here is just a small selection of ideas...
It was Oscar Wilde who once remarked:
"I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex"Often, we all get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. It's all to easy to scroll through the twitter feed of someone like Kim Kardashian and believe we can never be happy unless we have all the fame, houses, clothes, assistants, holidays and money that they have. As a result, we spend our lives endlessly desiring more-and-more possessions and status...yet we never seem to be able to be happy.
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| The way to happiness is through enjoying simple pleasures. Image: ishafoundation.org |
That's where simple pleasures come in. Enjoying these 'simple pleasures', from a cup of tea and a good magazine or a long relaxing bath to going on a long, peaceful walk or spending time with someone you love, is the real key to happiness.
So I challenge you to remember that enjoying the little things is the secret to a happy, fulfilling life filled with joy. Enjoying these simple pleasures costs you next to nothing yet brings priceless happiness and joy. So halt the pursuit of ludicrous wealth, fame, houses and clothes: celebrate the simple things in life.
Here is just a small selection of ideas...
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| Take a break and enjoy a nice cup of tea and a biscuit at your leisure.Image - phrase.org.uk |
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| Take a relaxing and peaceful stroll.Image - news.stanford.edu |
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| Have a good chat with a good friend.Image - budtoboss.com |
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| Settle down and enjoy your favourite TV programme.Image - express.co.uk |
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