Despite the excitement that hot days finally arriving can originally bring, not everyone glides through the summer months feeling great. Summer can bring an underestimated amount of stress that can trigger cycles of low moods and anxiety. Left unchecked, this can roll right into a case of summer depression. What summertime stressors should you watch out …
Show them what’s in your heart
“Sing in your own voice.” Because when you try to be anything but you, you’re not genuine. There’s a phony sheen that people detect, that you already know. Picasso was a so-so colorist. That didn’t stop him, it didn’t matter. His work in black and white, in charcoal and pencil spoke in far greater volume. I’m still not sure if Bob Dylan can really sing. It doesn’t matter. …
Instant Gratification or Long Term Satisfaction
How are you doing in the tug-of-war between working toward your long term goals and the temptation of instant gratification? It is amazing how so many areas of life are affected by the gravitational pull of these two forces. Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult to stick to a long term success plan and so easy to be derailed by things that only …
The Peace of Natural Spiritual Growth
It's my genuine belief that if people allow themselves to just be, then we would all naturally grow spiritually. It would simply be how we engage with ourselves and with life. We'd grow in the same way that our bodies grow. They naturally come into their appropriate shape, albeit some people have genetic diseases …
Sometimes The Answer Is, Simply, “This Isn’t It For Me.”
If I had to vote for my least popular post, this would be it. It contains observations and things that NO ONE wants to hear. Sorry. But it’s helpful to know. It’s a long post because I try to give … Continue reading →
Low Self-Confidence – How Much of a Problem Is It, Really?
It’s easy to blame many of our problems in life on low self-confidence. But is your confidence as low as you think? And if you do struggle to be confident, how worried should you be when it comes to your psychological health? What is self-confidence? Self-confidence is both a state of certainty and a positive …
Reduce all that friction in your head
“Cultivate a spirit of healthy skepticism toward people and institutions that are taken too seriously by everyone.” It’s good to just lighten up. Unless you’re truly dealing with a life or death situation, it’s healthy to step back, take a closer look, and rethink why you’re so wrapped around the axle about the actions and pronouncements of others. Step back and rethink why you’re holding on so tight, why you’re taking people and institutions so darn seriously. Life gets better when you reduce all that friction in your head, so let go of the drama. Learn to see life from new vantage points. Exhale, see the longer view, and do something because it defines you, not because you’re reacting to someone pushing your buttons…
Posting and spam
To avoid spammers getting on the board, we have a fairly sophisticated spam filter in place. Sophisticated doesn’t mean it’s not stupid. Sometimes it does things that have no rhyme or reason, but here is how it’s supposed to work: … Continue reading →
Anger in Children – How Can You Help?
Anger can be perplexing enough in your partner or family member. But what about your child? What can you do if you have an angry kid? And what are the possible reasons he or she became so angry in the first place? Why is my child so angry? We all have an inbuilt primal response of self protection. For …
Educational Talks: Epicurus Life and Philosophy
The life and philosophy of Epicurus. A lecture delivered at Peninsula College by Wesley Cecil, Ph.D. Part of the ancient philosophers lecture series. Related posts: Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness (Part 2) – Epicurus Learn About The Philosophy Of Epicurus & Zeno In Only Three Minutes Why We Should Not Forget The Ancient Philosophers Of Days Gone Past Wise, Witty and Humerous Parables of The Ancient Greek Philosophers Wisdom Books: The Principle Doctrines of Epicurus
Creating a Memorable Vacation in Honolulu
When my oldest daughter was very young, she had an imaginary friend called Lulu. She came from…you guest it, Honolulu. Lulu was staying at our place so that she and my daughter would set up a “beauty shop”. If you somewhat more adult fantasy also includes Honolulu, here are a few things to feed that fantasy. The beach! Quick, name the most famous beach in the world. Chances are you just named Waikiki Beach. Thanks to songs from the likes of the Beach Boys and Chicago, this surfer’s paradise is well known to an audience far wider than will ever have…
Don’t let your past push you around
“You are not nailed to the cross of your past.” There are only two reasons to stay stuck in the past: Feeble timidity and self-imposed punishment. Let go of the desire to castigate yourself for mistakes of the past. Let go of situational shame – particularly situations you didn’t create or could not prevent. Indelibly note the…
Keep Moving Forward and Let Go of Failure
Have you ever found it difficult to keep moving forward because you were afraid of failure? Most people have! Let’s face it; no one likes to fail. None of us likes to feel that we’re ineffective, weak, or lacking in any way, and that’s exactly how failure makes us feel. Here’s a little secret that may help you to keep moving forward and to let go of the fear of failure. Did you know that failure doesn’t exist – until YOU say it does. In the dictionary, failure has several definitions: 1. A failing to do or perform 2. A state of inability to perform a normal function adequately 3. A fracturing or giving way under…
The Number One Ego Issue
Our unconscious egos can seem to offer us an endless array of issues to sort through. It can seem like you've no sooner tackled one than another issue pops up, leaving you in an endless game of ego whack-a-mole. But the deeper you go, the simpler things become. And the further you journey inwards, the more you find that it really is the same main issue that is being dealt with again and again in a hundred masks.Nonetheless, I encourage you to respect your process. If you need to understand why you are choosing certain toxic relationships or bad job …
7/15 Check in Post
How is everyone doing? (If you’re new and posted in the last check in at the end, feel free to repost here…well, that goes for everyone but I wanted new people to know how it works..we want to make sure … Continue reading →
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Also called ‘autism spectrum condition’, it is a group of lifelong conditions that result from atypical brain development. Included are Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder, and pathological demand avoidance syndrome. An individual with ASD thinks and behaves in ways that can be perceived by others as unusual, especially when …
For the rest of your life…
“The work you do while you procrastinate is the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” – Jessica Hische It’s okay to wander, to lose yourself in things that create a sense of awe, of timeless flow, of delight in discovery. That kind of deliberate wandering leads you to new realms, to places beyond your imagination, to engagement in work that becomes so perfectly aligned and on target with the desired trajectory of your life. Take the time for purposeful procrastination. Explore new paths. Pay attention to how you feel, to how you respond on the journey. See if the new path fulfills previously unmet desires. See if it enables you to better create and perform. See if it …
Webinar: Embracing All of Your Emotions
Many people think that spirituality is a path that allows us to feel good all the time. This is not the human experience. It has never been the human experience, and I find it very difficult to foresee that it'll ever be that way.Yet, many people are constantly trying to have only…
Loneliness As A Risk Factor For a Bad/Sick Relationship
“One of the first steps of recovery is to develop a full life for yourself. Nothing happens until that occurs. Have a plan what to do if you get lonely so you don’t do the disasterous ‘Drink and Dial!’ Or … Continue reading →
12 Steps to Overcoming Bitterness
Anger involves outrage followed by action, as you decide how best to handle your situation. Bitterness can feel worse than anger because it involves feeling helpless. Referred to as ’embitterment’ in psychology circles, bitterness happens when you feel there is no action left to take because everything is out of your control. While it might be …
The Unwanted Awakening: Denying Your Self and Your Love
Spiritual awakening is always a surprise. As many of you already know, I speak of awakening as the spontaneous shift from unconsciousness to consciousness. But the light of awareness doesn't mean that we are free from all unconsciousness. Instead, that light allows us to see unconsciousness. It allows us to have a perspective and discern the difference between unconsciousness and consciousness that may have been totally invisible before.What Is …
What is Paranoid Personality Disorder?
A personality disorder is when your ingrained ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving are consistently different to others in ways that make relationships and functioning in society difficult. Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) involves a long-term pattern of being constantly suspicious and distrustful of others. It means you live life from the distorted perspective that everyone is malevolent …
Enlightening Articles: The Way of the Monastic Warrior: Lessons from Major Dick Winters
Few masculine archetypes are as mysterious and compelling as that of the monastic warrior. From the Shaolin monks to the Knights Templar, such men withdrew from worldly distractions and sacrificed common pleasures in order to develop both their spirituality and their martial prowess. Through study, contemplation, and physical exercise/training, they disciplined body, mind, and soul … Related posts: Use Stoic Philosophy to Achieve Total Joy and Untroubling Equanimity Stoic Advice from Epictetus on the Art of Living – Part 1 Stoic Advice from Epictetus on
Only you know you
“You can’t get anything done trying to absorb and neutralize everyone else’s criticisms.” – Brian Grazer Move on. Move beyond the confusing noise, the discordant sounds of those who, even with best intentions, try to manage your life. Pay attention to feedback. Stay self-aware. But resist self-doubt, resist being sucked into the vortex of someone else’s plan. Know where you are going, know that only you know you. – We’ve been working on a new website! Whenever we read these posts, we’re inspired to write our own private thoughts. Now you can write your own private thoughts at 130words.com. It’s easy. It’s private. It’s free. Try it! Let us know what you think…