Ronit and I love movies about relationships. We prefer movies showing “real” people (as opposed to flashy, overly unique characters) going through “real” challenges and hopefully completing a positive personal journey by the end of the film. This way, we can take something home with us, discuss it, learn from it and share the growth.
Read Everyone Knows the Truth »
Since I was 16, I was fascinated with the human mind. When I discovered my ability to choose my life, I said to myself I needed to remember that moment in my life, the time when I passed from being part of the herd to being a leader. From a confused state of mind, I changed to being clear, successful and happy. Straight afterwards, I also got a boyfriend (guess who) and that made life even more fun.
I remember the library as one of my favorite places. Like James Redfield says in The Celestine Prophecy, I believe the people we meet are not there by chance. Well, I have always thought the books I happen to read are not there by coincidence. Our school librarian was very happy I was there every day, taking a book and actually reading it. She used to welcome me happily every day and say, “Ronit, I have just the right book for you”. She would then hand me a book about behavior, psychology, morals and the human mind. One day, she brought me a mind research book that talked about the brain and philosophy. I think this book started my journey in the research world, learning as much as I could about how the brain works and giving me my greatest advantage in the special education arena. My rule was, is and will be…
Read Choices and Illusions »
Wow, it is already 2009 and I hope you have a huge list and many wishes for the new year. Every year, Gal and I sit with the kids and write lists of wishes and goals for the year to come. It is a ceremony that is most important to me and I nag until we find time to sit and write our wishes down.
From the first year of my Special Education studies, I had this debate with Gal. Gal, who has a degree in Biology and Computer Science, thought that people’s behavior was all genetic and I, as an educator, believed it was all taught and could be changed. For years, we had those discussions. Over time, I learned there are many things that are mostly hereditary and Gal learned that even they can be changed with education.
Read Happiness is in Your Hands »
Only 3% of teens going into higher education straight after high school actually finish their choice of study and work in that profession for about 5 years after finishing studying.
At a junction of life, in a world full of possibilities, Adam stood in the middle, struggling with making choices. He looked North and asked himself, “If I go this way, will I get what I want or not?”
For a while, he kept asking this question, but did nothing. The unknown was scary and he chose not to choose. Instead, he followed the herd, allowing the river of life carry him into the same stream in which everyone drifts and he lost his sense of identity.
One morning, Adam got up and found he had built his house in the middle of a junction. He was locked inside his own house and it did not feel right. His choice muscle was weak and, as the days went by, it was harder for him to move. He looked out the window, saw others going into their paths of life and felt stuck.
At that scary moment, Understanding he was a prisoner in his own house, Adam knew he had to regain control, focus and inspire himself to start a journey. He knew he had to change his point of view on life – it was a live show and not a dress rehearsal. He needed courage to play, to leave the junction and to take his first steps on the journey of life.
With his heart beating fast, Adam opened the door of his house. He felt the strong light stopping him at the entrance, yet he picked up his bag and bravely stepped out of his house, closing the door behind him.
He looked in his bag, wondering if the contents of this bag would last the journey. “Will the content of my bag help me find the way? Will it help me fight dangers? Will it help me scare the darkness away? Will I find companions to walk with me?”
Read The Journey of Life »
Discomfort and pain are things most people do not like to experience and, to a certain extent, because of this, we have many problems in life. Pain and discomfort are ways of the body to let us know that something is wrong. We should be very thankful for this mechanism. Imagine us not experiencing pain when our hand is on fire.
Most, if not all the people in the world want to be happy. Happiness is also what parents want to give to their kids most of all – more than money, health and many other things. Yet, many people believe that in order to get the most happiness, they must avoid unpleasantness and hardship as much as they can.
It is amazing to discover that more and more often, decisions we make are no longer long-term or life-long decision but very short-term ones.
My parents come from a generation in which they thought that when a decision was made, it was made for life. If we misbehaved, they thought we would misbehave our entire lives. When we did not want to learn (OK, when I did not want to learn), they thought we would hate learning forever. When we hung around certain friends, they were afraid we would be with those friends forever.
Not so for my kids.
Read Decision Horizon »
Sometimes, when people really try to go for something, their goals can be too big or set too far away so they easily lose track along the way. When I talk to my kids about knowing where to sail to, they always ask, “But Mom, how do I get there?”
I think the question “How do I do it?” is the most demoralizing thought people have during their dreaming stages.
Read Things I Want My Kids to Know: Leave the “How” To the Universe »
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