Epicurus and Genuine Happiness
December 2, 2021
Epicurus’ analysis of happiness is one my mind returns to periodically. … More Epicurus and Genuine Happiness
Tag: Psychology
Building Trust
November 17, 2021
I come by conflict avoidance honestly. By that I mean it’s deeply steeped in my family history. I never heard my parents argue when I was growing up. Assuming that they did instead of just avoid all conflict, they must have done it entirely behind closed doors. As a Presbyterian pastor, my dear dad was … More Building Trust
Escaping the Emotional Rabbit Hole
October 29, 2021
The Parable of the Second Arrow According to the Buddha, any time we suffer misfortune, two arrows fly our way. The first arrow is the bad event itself, which certainly can (and often does) cause pain. The second arrow is our reaction to the bad event, the suffering we attach to our pain. This secondary pain, he tells us, is … More Escaping the Emotional Rabbit Hole
When you feel so tired
October 11, 2021
When you feel so tired … More When you feel so tired
Observations on pain and spiritual growth
September 17, 2021
Recently I’ve been hearing people talk about how spiritual growth is not painless. This, I think, is a very good thing to be pointed out, a very good thing to be reminded of, a very good thing to consider somewhat regularly. The topic puts me in mind of certain other observations. One, that to walk … More Observations on pain and spiritual growth
We become so accustomed
September 12, 2021
We become so accustomed to speeding ahead, … More We become so accustomed
Question of the Day: No. 537
July 23, 2021
Here’s a question for discussion: Is ego really the enemy? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. *** You can find AP2’s personal blog here at: https://clear-air-turbulence.com
Do a little less (or not)
July 5, 2021
There’s such a push to do more. Don’t you think? It seems like we’re always being advised, persuaded, pushed, to do something more, something further. The advice is: add this other thing on top of all the things you already do. The subtext seems to be: you won’t be happy unless you add this (whatever … More Do a little less (or not)
SnapDragon Speaks: On Pausing.
May 25, 2021
Take this moment. Just for you. Your body. Your mind. Your purpose. Breathe it in. Then let it out. You are beautiful. . . . SnapDragon is a writer, artist, and donut enthusiast. Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for all kinds of goodness, yo.
True Self-Esteem 2
May 13, 2021
True, intrinsic self-esteem is extremely conducive to happiness. But self-esteem that is merely contingent, on the other hand, is not. Following up on a previous post, I want to share a few contrasts between true and contingent self-esteem. Gabor Mate identifies these in Scattered (see chapter 25). Contingent self-esteem… True self-esteem… evaluates accepts “is fickle, … More True Self-Esteem 2
SnapDragon Speaks: On The Gentle Spirit.
May 11, 2021
Inside this chest pounds a heart so steady. Inside this head lives a brain so alive. And somewhere in between rests a spirit so gentle, even the tiniest of scratches leaves a scar. . . . How would you describe your spirit, Dear Reader? What inspires you? What shakes you to your core? (Such easy … More SnapDragon Speaks: On The Gentle Spirit.
SnapDragon Speaks: On The Same Side.
April 6, 2021
I fondly remember the days of grammar-school playgrounds; of brown-bagged lunches; of field trips to museums, caverns, and coal mines. I remember the sense of belonging within those classroom walls. There was a constance amongst us kids: a comradery that strengthened with each lesson, each game, each talent show. The questions we asked were not … More SnapDragon Speaks: On The Same Side.
True Self-Esteem
March 15, 2021
Not long ago, I read something about self-esteem that seems important to share. It’s a distinction between contingent and true self-esteem. Or rather, a distinction between self-esteem, and something that looks like self-esteem, but isn’t. Gabor Mate puts it like this: “Self-esteem based on achievement has been called contingent self-esteem or acquired self-esteem. Unlike contingent … More True Self-Esteem
Seeking an outside-of-life meaning as a category mistake
February 20, 2021
By SeekerFive A very nice comment by @kjensenstudio pushed me to enlarge upon what I meant by suggesting, in a previous post, that “life is the condition for meaning and meaningfulness, rather than something that needs a single, permanent, or predetermined meaning.” Although I attempted to do so in a long-winded reply, I also want … More Seeking an outside-of-life meaning as a category mistake
Tiredness
October 20, 2019
Hi all, I want to talk about tiredness today. Specifically, how tiredness is closely tied to the mind. According to some, some (or most or all) illnesses are caused by psychological issues. Illnesses are reflections of underlying psychological problems. I also believe that at least some illnesses are like this. However, my point today is … More Tiredness
The Self-fulfilling Prophecy – Reblog
May 15, 2019
Things happen and I often hear that things happen to us. What if we somehow influence most of them? What if when a car breaks down and we blame the universe, it’s actually our fault for not doing its checks more often? What if when we get sick it’s because we haven’t paid enough attention … More The Self-fulfilling Prophecy – Reblog
Is It Dumb to Have a Smartphone?
May 10, 2019
By Troy Headrick I struggled coming up with a title for this one. I almost called it “My Love/Hate Relationship with My Smartphone.” Okay, so I own a Samsung Galaxy Note5. I know. I know. It’s certainly not the latest and coolest model. But then again, I’m not necessarily the coolest guy either. Almost nothing … More Is It Dumb to Have a Smartphone?
Money: Goal or Resource – Reblog
May 9, 2019
Unfortunately, almost daily something happens that reminds me how important money really are in this world. The car broke down? You need money to fix it. You have some guests? You need money to prepare/cook something nice for them. You need to go to a wedding? You need something to wear, you need some money … More Money: Goal or Resource – Reblog
Ego is always a trigger
May 5, 2019
This potential lack of proper social skills is one of the things that creates problems when we interact with other people. It’s funny how this people problem can be solved by spending time with people. It’s not funny that this people problem creates social anxiety so we avoid people because if it. Do you see … More Ego is always a trigger
Happiness is…
May 4, 2019
Those are some very interesting dots because they represent different things for different people. For some it’s a fat bank account, for others it’s a walk into the nature. Happiness is a journey, a destination and a forbidden word. It’s everything and nothing. For some it’s sweat and pain towards something whilst for others it’s … More Happiness is…