By Patrick McNerthney
Have you ever noticed how the first day of anything new is completely energizing? There’s no need for coffee when you wake up in the morning because you’re already invigorated by the excitement and mystery of what lies ahead..
Consider the first day of:
Vacation: “Let’s do this thing! Oh crud, first we have to get to the airport three hours early…THEN, let’s do this thing!”
School: “Here we go. I’m nervous and terrified, but I’m ready. I got this.” Or my personal approach—“Hey, I’m gonna run this town, be the quarterback, and valedictorian. Stay out of my way.”
Work: Which inevitably descends into the next stage: “Finally, the pinnacle of my career. Wait, I have to sit in that CUBICLE?”
Leading the Meeting: “Can’t wait to make everyone do trust falls. That’ll really add some pizazz to this quarterly report. People LOVE trust falls. After that, we’ll rub out our injuries while talking favorite foods, segueing into the grossest thing we ever ate; favorite scary movies, and favorite restaurant desserts we took a bite of while the other person wasn’t looking. Perfect, that’ll only take, lets see–20, 35, 45, 55 minutes, leaving a robust 5 minutes to review the report.
Indeed, the bottom line here is: on the first day there’s excitement. Things are as fresh as hotel sheets, spring chickens, and new car smells.
(They don’t look like they’d smell that good but whatever.)
But then there’s every other day after that. Those days tend to be less bright, and when it comes to our work—well, lets face it, it starts to feel like work. However, if we choose, we can literally change our minds to bring the energy of the ACTUAL first day to every other day.
After all, technically every day is new. And to quote one of the best movies of all time— Kung Fu Panda—“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”
(Okay, maybe not Mondays, but this week Monday was a holiday–so there you go.)
So what’s it gonna take to get you into your next bright shiny NEW DAY? The one where you bring the one metric ton of ENERGY your residents or loved ones desperately need to overcome the anxiety and depression they face because of social isolation?
Here’s where your friends at Fine Art Miracles (FAM) can help. They champion creative expression in brand new ways every day! And you already know this is an effective way for the elderly, children with challenges, and anyone needing help with life’s routine tasks to RECONNECT with their confidence, self-worth, sense of mastery, optimism, hope, and understanding that they matter.
Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Drumming & Exercise Therapy, Art2Go Packages (this month is Paula Modersohn-Becker Still Lifes!), and Dance & Movement Therapy are activity-based solutions that change the attitude of those you care for by replacing anxiety and depression with a sense of accomplishment—which improves their overall well-being. FAM’s programs provide a NEW DAY for both you, AND your residents and loved ones, every time you use their services.
Now that’s a nice present.
So what are you waiting for? Drop FAM a note or give them a call today, they’re happy to help!
Well, tomorrow is the first day of fishing for me (ahem, for 2022). While I haven’t had much luck in the past, I can tell you it’s gonna be different today—new rod, new reel, same bad skills but a NEW DAY nonetheless. Let’s just hope the fish see my lure as a NEW DAY adventure too….
