Wonderbringers Newsletter with Monica Parker
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Hello wonderseekers!
Well, I am sorry to say I have succumbed to one of the variety of illnesses that are marauding through the world today, hence no new video message this week. As I type this from bed, I am feeling guilty, which I know is insane, but I’m feeling it nonetheless. It’s a sad feature of the modern world that one can’t just have a few days off sick without feeling the glare of proposals not sent, emails not replied to, and appointments not arranged. As some of you might recall, my words for this year are peace, patience, and persistence, and I am far from patient today!
There is a good scientific reason for the sick-day guilt — it has to do with our cytokines. Interesting, as wonder actually lowers our proinflammatory cytokines. It’s a fascinating connection between wonder and cytokines. When we are sick, and our cytokines are high, we retreat from the world and those in it. When we are well, and our cytokines are low, we put ourselves forward to others, which is one reason why wonder makes us more pro-social. Our healthier cytokine expression brought on by wonder makes us want to connect with and support others.
If you’re desperate to hear my voice, below is a clip from last summer about “sitting in a place of patience” which seems appropos.
Some wonderbringers for me this week:
“I want people to see me as a person, not just for my disability.”: Spain’s first parliamentarian with Down’s syndrome.
That’s what I call alternative energy: Harnessing an Unusual Kind of Natural Energy - Dancers’ Body Heat
Lovely short film asking, “What is your biggest regret?”: Spoiler alert -no one said taking fewer sick days or working harder.
I had two excellent podcast discussions last week. The first was with Dr. Alise Cortez. She and I bonded over being nerds, and she shared that her term of endearment for her daughter is Wonder. I also spoke to a long-time friend and colleague, Mark Eltringham, on his Workplace Cocktail Hour, where we shared an Old Fashioned and conversation about wonder at work.
As I mentioned last week, I’ll be making a vision board for the year and am putting together a virtual vision board session for anyone who wants to join. In it, we will look at the scientific reasons vision boards work (but resolutions don’t) and work together to create vision boards for ourselves. If you want to join, email me here, and I’ll send you more info. For those who have been in touch, be on the lookout for some timing options this week (and apologies for the delay.)
With wonder,
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