I thought I’d do something with a little more levity on Fridays. How about a glance into some wisdom from Disneyland? From my book “Disneyland Wisdom” let’s play! I randomly drew a card and burst out laughing. Oh, Universe, you are so funny! We start this series with none other than the Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Tea Party! Also known as The Tea Cups. For those of you who do not know, this teacup tosses and spins you from one side of the platform to the other. Yeah. You either love it or hate it. The advantage you have is you do have control how fast you spin. If you don’t touch the wheel in the middle, you get gently tossed from one side of the platform to the other. But if you turn the wheel, you spin while you toss (and then get out and toss your cookies). To quote what I wrote in the book: “This ride suggests that, although you may be having a great time right now, you’re not being particularly productive. Your actions are not moving you toward your goals. Maybe you are feeling downright overwhelmed and out of control.” See what I mean? The Universe has a sense of humor. And then here is the question: “To have a ‘mad tea party’ is a contradiction. A tea party by nature is a ritual of satisfaction, calmness and serenity. What can you do to bring that centered, respectful state back to your life?” And, drumroll, here is the alternative message: “Yet sometimes this is true: genius is insanity usefully applied. You know that crazy idea you have? Go for it!! Get dizzy with your genius!” As for me, I still have occasional days of feeling totally overwhelmed. I have taken the gentle approach and let myself off the hook for productivity on those day. Otherwise, I am been dizzy with the creative projects on my plate. Love every one of them. And I appreciate the reminder to remember what is important. Every now and then I reflect: Ya know, if I were to get COVID, all of these projects would come to a halt. And it would be okay. So I don’t have to drive myself so hard. How has the Mad Tea Party of 2020 been for you? For this week, let’s consider how we may bring ourselves back to a state of calmness and serenity. Or for some, we’ve paused enough and now are ready to be insanely creative!
