explaining present participle of ex·plain (Verb) Verb Make (an idea, situation, or problem) clear to someone by describing it in more detail or revealing relevant facts or ideas. Account for (an action or event) by giving a reason as excuse or justification. I … Continue reading
I don’t know how else to say it. I tend to write about how you can create or shape identity. It’s definitely my default perspective, but there is the dimension of identity that just happens to you. It’s the life … Continue reading
I think you have to be at least 30 to understand this post, but a sign of progress and change is having the ability to Break the Pattern. Take a look back at your life, and ask yourself, “Are you … Continue reading
I have been listening to a lot of Cornel West lately. What a thinker. He talks about so many subjects, but I really like his concept of how we must face the death that is present in our lives. He … Continue reading
There are some foundational things about your identity that just cannot change. There are some things – scars, conditioning, desires, or preferences that are just a foundational part of your identity – the stuff that just cannot change. I guess … Continue reading
I heard someone say that today. Think about that concept. Let me break it down for you. purge (pûrj) v. purged, purg·ing, purg·es v.tr. 1. a. To free from impurities; purify. friend (frnd) n. 1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. 2. A person … Continue reading
I heard someone say this today. Awareness is easy, but to be able to articulate awareness – that’s not as easy. I loved hearing the saying. It helped me to understand that it doesn’t matter how aware I am of … Continue reading
This is in reference to any change that you want to make in life. Whether you want to change yourself or help someone change, you have to do so at the right rate of acceptability. You can’t force yourself or someone else to change outside of what you or they are willing to accept. Make suggestions and give advice – only as far as their willingness to accept it.
If you want to change yourself or help someone change – figure out the right rate of acceptability. Figure out how much they can handle – even if the rate of acceptability is minuscule, that would be the right rate.
Disclaimer: I try to keep my posts to about 100 words. It doesn’t always happen. If I can articulate one idea in a post, I’m good, but this post like many others will probably lead to more questions and reactions. … Continue reading
….then learn how to change yourself. Actually, learn how to change something – anything. But why not start with yourself. If you can’t change yourself – the one thing that you have control over – how in the world are you going to change something – anything.
Here’s the lesson: if you want to change the world, start with yourself.
One of the ideas that Chip and Dan Heath wrote about in Switch was this idea that we as people are predisposed to problems. We automatically think about problems. On Monday after the football game, we will talk about the loss and all of the missed field goals by Nate Keading. It’s natural to talk about all of the bad things that happened. Even when your team wins, people still focus on what they should have done.
Our analytical tendencies draw us to think of the negative right away – to think of all of the problems. One of the fundamental ways to make change is to use our analytical tendencies to focus – not on the problems, but on the positives. Focus on the good things that have happen and continue to happen.
I have been thinking about this since I saw a tweet about a week ago. Someone had tweeted – what the latest movies say about who we have become. They suggested that we have become more “escapist” as people. As if movies like Avatar make us want to live different lives than we do. Second Life has been around for years now. It’s not like any of this is new. People have been writing stories about other worlds and realities for years – Lord of the Rings and Narnia come to mind.
The technology hasn’t created something new in us as people, it has just given it a channel and a voice. People haven’t changed, but the way your express your desires in these new digital channels have. What used to be private is no longer. Technology doesn’t change you; it gives you a new way to channel what is and was already there.
