Click on image to enlarge, or view a larger pdf image of this page
Plant Flowers, Pull Weeds (maybe be slow to open)
“Plant Flowers, Pull Weeds” quote from Rick Hanson. I went to a wonderful workshop by Rick Hanson,PhD, the author of a huge, wonderful website and of the really good book, Buddha’s Brain.
During the workshop, Rick emphasized that it is so important
to expand on the positive “mind states” in life
and to try to limit and decrease the negative “mind states.”
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In addition to that, he emphasizes that it’s so important to increase “clock time” in positive mood states…that the neurobiological impact of that increase will actually lead to positive changes in the functioning of the brain.
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Now, THAT is highly motivating to me!!
And hence this reminder page for myself…
“plant flowers” = expand on the positives
“pull weeds”= decrease the negatives
And that’s a good way to create a more beautiful “garden of life”
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A few other “pages” that use this “plant flowers, pull weeds” idea
Creating My Own Sunshine:(click on image to enlarge it) I created this page for the younger kids in my class, but it applies equally to me for creating sunshine in my own everyday life.
Garden of Life: (click on image to enlarge it) I did a 
project with the kids in my class at school: I used fruits and vegetables, rather than flowers. (I figured that kids might be very motivated to AVOID growing and eating certain vegetables) We talked about trying to plant only the kinds of seeds that you want to have grow…because that is what you’ll probably get from your garden. They get the idea of planting positive (happy) seeds and trying as much as possible NOT to plant negative (unhappy) seeds. Here is a page one of the kids created, on the computer, showing the garden he wants to grow and what the seeds might represent.
Links to two huge and remarkable websites: Rick Hanson’s Website Wisebrain: Website of Rick Hanson and Dr. Richard Mendius This is a good book: Link to Amazon for the book Buddha’s Brain
Another, “simpler” flower garden: click image to enlarge
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Update, August 1: I have posted this image several times in this blog. This image/idea has made a significant, positive difference in how I approach life…a very positive change. I have copies of the image printed on paper and transparencies and have taped them up on several walls and windows…it’s starting to “sink in”. My sincere thanks to Rick Hansen for this special way of phrasing it… : )
May we all make steady progress in
planting more flowers and pulling more weeds…
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August 4, another update: I just saw this quote on a daily quote site…
Thursday, August 04, 2011
“Basically we are all the same human beings
with the same potential to be a good human being or a bad human being .
The important thing is to realize the positive side and try to increase that; realize the negative side and try to reduce.
That’s the way. “
DalaiLama
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Pocket Perspectives 
The garden of life is inspiring. It motivates you to be positive and optimistic in life. To embrace the light and share it to the World. Great post.
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I love that idea of the “garden of life”…makes it so much easier to have that specific image of planting seeds and seedlings….and seeing the need to pull those pesky weeds..Thanks for visiting : )
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I enjoyed the positive message conveyed through message and art in this blog. Beautifully done. May you be blessed in your creativity and passion.
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Thank you so much. I’m happy that the messages and symbols resonate with you I only started the blog in April, but it seems to have gotten quite large. Please feel welcome to browse through it… : ) kathy
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Wonderful, Kathy. I’m adding a link at the bottom of my post to this garden!
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thanks Nancy….thinking in terms of plant flowers, pull weeds has really made a difference in how I approach things…and a tremendous difference in the interactions of adults who come into my classroom…and the kids too…
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These are just beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing!
Much love,
Laurie
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Other pages and ideas that might be helpful for kids.. pages I came up with to help kids in my resource classroom, grades K through 5th (the pages also helped me…similar challenges here too… 🙂 ) Just linking in case any might be helpful…hope I don’t overwhelm you with so much…many years worth of ideas etc in these…
“Wise speech”…using criteria of “is it kind? is it helpful?” this made a huge difference in the interactions of both kids and adults in my classroom, and at home too!
https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/3120/
Muddy Dog Thinking: I made these for some 4th and 5th grade boys who were having “challenges” with being “unkind.” They loved the puppies in these pages and really “got” the ideas and parallels to the muddy dogs…it was a humorous way to approach a challenging area https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/pull-weeds/muddy-dog-thinking/
Kids love bears, so I used bears to help them become more aware and to try to overcome avoidance and procrastinating
https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/bearable-it-may-be-hard-but-it-is-bearable/
https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/bearable-reminder-cards-and-games/
All of the kids LOVED the “little bit” bear…
Page I made for myself, using the “little bit” bear
https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/a-little-bit-a-little-bit-simply-a-little-bit-at-a-time/
“feeding the wolf of love” …very powerful idea…kids really got it! https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/please-feed-the-wolf-of-love/
Hang in there cards ( Over the years, I had created a large binder, full of an assortment of 100’s of different “Monday cards”…kids chose one card each week, with intention of living what cards suggested…they kept cards in 8 1/2 by 11 plastic business card holders… they had huge collection by end of 5th grade…they LOVED getting and accumulating the collection of cards! ) https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/im-gonna-hang-in-there-not-stopping-now/
“Tests and Life Can Be Hard” Written by a very bright, overwhelmed, courageous 4th grade girl, during the STAR test…coping strategies we had worked on together…this is how she expressed her ideas about that… I think it’s amazing!
Lots of booklets in the pocketperspectives youtube channel…kids really “got” the ideas in a lot of those earlier booklets, although I created them for “myself”..not for kids, but they really “got” the ideas http://www.youtube.com/user/pocketperspectives/videos?flow=grid&sort=da&view=0 (there are about 50 booklets etc in that channel… )
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ps… oh, I see I had posted that “tests and life can be hard” book… here’s a link to it https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/piles-of-smiles/tests-and-life-a-book/
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