Resolutions, Idealism, and Motivation
Some ponderings for the new year...
Students ask us for books on everything you can or maybe cannot imagine. In the last term alone, I've directed student requests to books on raising chickens, child neglect, marriage advice, how to build a boat, and oh so much more. Yes, your questions are beautifully varied and a great part of why we all love our jobs here in the library. One question I recently answered in previous years which has stumped me a little bit is a request for books on New Year's Resolutions. I've had this request pretty regularly over the years as the winter quarter gets underway and people start thinking about life and doing things better than they have been. While I've not ever written resolutions myself, I am a firm believer in introspection. That is, taking the time to really look at your life, where you are, and where you do not want to be. If you do this honestly, meaning truthfully accepting who you are aloud even to yourself, there can be a great deal to learn.
Honestly. That's the challenge.
That means that we have to see the flaws for what they are and accept them as either unique parts of who we are that we learn to deal with or around or as areas of potential that can be worked out or improved upon. Nothing can happen until we accept them though.
What many of us see as the harder part to this honesty is that we have to see the good for what it is as well. To see the beauty and the strengths and do so without judgement. As soon as we judge (ie. I'm great at X but only when...I am beautiful except for...), the truth, the honesty of the moment is stripped away.
So, to the students who've recently asked about resolutions and starting over....this, I believe, is the first step. As for books to help you get there, especially when what I just wrote scared you a little bit, with some thought, there are plenty. We've pulled together a display of some of our favorite inspiring stories, great writers, and the kind of books that are going to ask you the questions and elicit answers within you. To find such books, I will always turn to writers...literature writers. Why? Because they look at the world differently than you may. In the words of Susan Sontag, who we unabashedly love, "A writer, I think, is someone who pays attention to the world. That means
trying to understand, take in, connect with, what wickedness human beings are
capable of; and not be corrupted — made cynical, superficial — by this
understanding.
Literature can tell us what the world is like.
Literature can give standards and pass on deep knowledge, incarnated in language, in narrative.
Literature can train, and exercise, our ability to weep for those who are not us or ours.
Who would we be if we could not sympathize with those who are not us or ours? Who would we be if we could not forget ourselves, at least some of the time? Who would we be if we could not learn? Forgive? Become something other than we are?"
Which is the very skill needed to help us answer those questions ourselves. We have many of Sontag's essays and letters which are full of wisdom and her own series of introspective questions, beautifully written. Another great lady for such a time is Brene Brown. A common theme in Brown's writing is that the truth we are seeking can only be found in honesty with ourselves and in connection with others. In fact, in her book Daring Greatly (on display in the Library), she states,
"Vulnerability isn’t good or bad. It’s not what we call a dark emotion, nor
is it always a light, positive experience. Vulnerability is the core of all
emotions and feelings. To feel is to be vulnerable. To believe vulnerability is
weakness is to believe that feeling is weakness. To foreclose on our emotional
life out of a fear that the costs will be too high is to walk away from the
very thing that gives purpose and meaning to living.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path."
In honor of this new year, finding happiness, cheer, or just an path through life that's better than the one we're on, come check out some of the books we've collected or ask us for something we've missed. And in all of it, we wish you all nothing but the absolute best.
Students ask us for books on everything you can or maybe cannot imagine. In the last term alone, I've directed student requests to books on raising chickens, child neglect, marriage advice, how to build a boat, and oh so much more. Yes, your questions are beautifully varied and a great part of why we all love our jobs here in the library. One question I recently answered in previous years which has stumped me a little bit is a request for books on New Year's Resolutions. I've had this request pretty regularly over the years as the winter quarter gets underway and people start thinking about life and doing things better than they have been. While I've not ever written resolutions myself, I am a firm believer in introspection. That is, taking the time to really look at your life, where you are, and where you do not want to be. If you do this honestly, meaning truthfully accepting who you are aloud even to yourself, there can be a great deal to learn.
Honestly. That's the challenge.
That means that we have to see the flaws for what they are and accept them as either unique parts of who we are that we learn to deal with or around or as areas of potential that can be worked out or improved upon. Nothing can happen until we accept them though.
What many of us see as the harder part to this honesty is that we have to see the good for what it is as well. To see the beauty and the strengths and do so without judgement. As soon as we judge (ie. I'm great at X but only when...I am beautiful except for...), the truth, the honesty of the moment is stripped away.
So, to the students who've recently asked about resolutions and starting over....this, I believe, is the first step. As for books to help you get there, especially when what I just wrote scared you a little bit, with some thought, there are plenty. We've pulled together a display of some of our favorite inspiring stories, great writers, and the kind of books that are going to ask you the questions and elicit answers within you. To find such books, I will always turn to writers...literature writers. Why? Because they look at the world differently than you may. In the words of Susan Sontag, who we unabashedly love, "A writer, I think, is someone who pays attention to the world. That means
trying to understand, take in, connect with, what wickedness human beings are
capable of; and not be corrupted — made cynical, superficial — by this
understanding.
Literature can tell us what the world is like.
Literature can give standards and pass on deep knowledge, incarnated in language, in narrative.
Literature can train, and exercise, our ability to weep for those who are not us or ours.
Who would we be if we could not sympathize with those who are not us or ours? Who would we be if we could not forget ourselves, at least some of the time? Who would we be if we could not learn? Forgive? Become something other than we are?"
Which is the very skill needed to help us answer those questions ourselves. We have many of Sontag's essays and letters which are full of wisdom and her own series of introspective questions, beautifully written. Another great lady for such a time is Brene Brown. A common theme in Brown's writing is that the truth we are seeking can only be found in honesty with ourselves and in connection with others. In fact, in her book Daring Greatly (on display in the Library), she states,
"The truth is, rarely can a response make something better —
what makes something better is connection."
And to make a real and human connection requires vulnerability.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path."
In honor of this new year, finding happiness, cheer, or just an path through life that's better than the one we're on, come check out some of the books we've collected or ask us for something we've missed. And in all of it, we wish you all nothing but the absolute best.
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