Category » Applied Philosophy & Psychology
Excellence vs Perfection
Excellence versus Perfection Hello and welcome back. Without warning, early in my experience as a therapist, I realized one elephant in many of my therapeutic rooms, was perfectionism. Perfectionism is an elephant that engenders more rigid, frozen fear than fluid forward movement. As I understand perfectionism, it is almost always compensatory, that is, it begins […]
Self-Regard and Human Well-Being
The next steps, in understanding self-regard, concern understanding the term, self-regard, and unpacking Seligman’s statement that “Serving something larger than self fosters purpose and perspective.” What happens if we invert the terms of Seligman’s statement thus: Serving purpose and perspective enlarges self? That reframing puts the emphasis back where it belongs: within each individual. That […]
Self-Regard: The Sacred & Profane
Hello and welcome back. In the discussion of faith, ritual, and reverence, an analytical reader—and I hope you are many—might have expected to see Seligman’s statement that “Serving something larger than self fosters purpose and perspective” (Seligman in Boardman, S. 2016). I think the heart of the difficulties we have been facing, since the beginning […]
Wokusts, Big Bangs, & Windhovers: The Need for Faith, Ritual, & Reverence
The section of the manuscript from which I’m working, is entitled Processes, which began with a quote about religion. I have never been able to practice a religion though I’ve only really tasted two, Christianity and Judaism. With its frequent calls to sacrifice and placing others above self, Christianity has never worked for me. I […]
How to Manage Stressors I
In terms of processes—which is our primary sub-heading—the message here is 1. Know yourself, and, 2. Know and regularly practice the processes that keep you course-corrected—on a weekly basis. Earlier, I stated that a good life comes of accurate thinking and well-spirited actions. To achieve accurate thinking and well-spirited actions requires disciplined practice or, per […]
Helplessness, Stress, & Learned Resilience
Last week’s intervention was walking around the block to arrest rumination while saying to yourself, knowing a tool is not the same as practicing a tool. Please stop walking now. As some of you know, much of what you’re reading forms part of the manuscript of a book I’m trying to complete. It’s called Individual […]
Stress, Anxiety, & Practice, Practice, Practice
Last week’s intervention was using maybe in response to negative thoughts. Maybe I’m not a klutz. Maybe I’m not just an addict. Maybe I can change. The subject was stress and its relationship to arousal, helplessness, and recovery. I’ve had some questions from viewers. My supposition is that, if one person is asking these questions, […]
Stress, Arousal, Helplessness, & Recovery
If this is easier to understand in a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtNOQyjHbw0 Last week’s intervention was making a mistake and saying, Excellent! and then thinking of at least one advantage resulting from that mistake. The subject was stress and its relationship to trauma, addiction, and burnout. We’re going to dig into those relationships from the perspectives of […]
PART II: Process
Today’s blog is one of a chain from an in-process book entitled, Individual Excellence: The 4Ps of a Well-Spirited Life. What follows is the eighth passage of Process, the second of four sections of that book. Last week we placed footings. This week, we build foundation walls. Metaphysical Foundation Walls As related, the first time […]
Individual Excellence: Part II, Process 7
Today’s blog is one of a chain from an in-process book entitled, Individual Excellence: The 4Ps of a Well-Spirited Life. What follows is the seventh passage of Process, the second of four sections of that book. Last week five lists were presented here. This week discussion of various points of comparison, between the lists, begins […]