This week has been “one of those weeks” for me. I have three days of classes at school to get ready for next week, a workshop to run, and a full schedule. I have a whole lot of organizing to do regarding school schedules, requests, responses etc. each evening. I’ve got a “to do” list …
Battling the Negativity Bias
Our brains are wired for a negativity bias. Bummer, huh? We all, by default, tend to be natural Eeyore’s, looking for the cloud, the crack, the fault, the rolled eyes, the raised eyebrow, the implied criticism, the pursed lips, the blemish, the deficit etc. {! social/video/youtube?url=http%3A//youtu.be/irL6nLkaj2E%3Ft%3D1m19s !} There is a way out…and that is …
So Low that Down is Up
In an odd sort of way, this day I look forward to annually…December 21st. I’ve blogged about it before…here in 2008, here in 2009, here in 2010, and here in 2011. It’s the day that is the symbol for me of relief…when something has reached it’s extreme and after that it can only get better Because …
The One Thing…
…is hopefully that people can try to take away, I guess, is the relationships they have with people…when you ask someone how they are doing, do you really mean it? When you answer someone back how you’re doing, are you really telling the truth?… We live in a society of social networks and twitter pages …
Pain
Do we know how to sit in pain, discomfort, uncertainty and confusion? Uh…that’s a hard one. Do we want to know? Nope…that’s an easy one. No. Do we have a choice? Sigh…that’s an easy one too. No choice, nope. There was a time in my life years ago, when I was in a dark place…my …
The Hidden Cost of Public Protection
Becoming a good soldier, a good cop, or a good fire fire fighter and being a warm, engaged, vulnerable partner/parent is difficult. Because being a good public protector means not staying in control, dominating, exerting power and never showing vulnerability…it’s a requirement to stay alive on the battle field… …and sets that same public protector up for …
‘Tis the season for despair
Mornings and I are not good friends, though I work hard to make sure we remain on speaking terms. Tomorrow, I suspect we will be barely civil. I’m not a fan of mornings in general, but tomorrow I have an 8:00 class at the university…and with the days getting shorter, it’s gonna be very dark …
Creating Hope in Winter
This is the day I think of as “So Low That Down Is Up” day…the day where there is more darkness than any other day of the year. I’m a light-lover by nature, and so these long cold winter nights are hard on me. Not only me. I think the majority of us are affected …
Voices of Depression
It feels hopeless to live with depression. Others may think it’s not hopeless, but somewhat by definition, a person in the depths of depression feels hopeless. It feels awful, and it feels like it can never end. I’m giving a talk on depression in a couple of weeks, and went over some old notes from …
Appropriately Aknowledging the Abyss
“There is a deep hole in your being, like an abyss. You will never succeed in filling that hole, because your needs are inexhaustible. You have to work around it so that gradually the abyss closes. Since the hole is so enormous and your anguish so deep, you will always be tempted to flee from …