Disgust is an important safety mechanism that protects us from harm by warning us of potential biological hazards or the crossing of moral boundaries. It can also drive compulsive behaviors or cause social challenges if we don’t learn to regulate it. This is Disgusting Disgust is an emotional response that drives us to avoid harm […]
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Personality is often viewed through the lens of the Big Five traits of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN). Understanding these traits can help us better know ourselves and others. Let’s start with Openness What is Openness? Openness is a generalized way of expressing how receptive you are to new experiences. I can be
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Welcome to the part 3 of this 12 part series that explores my journey from warfighter to mental health professional. This week I will explore Identity formation and the emotional control required in the warrior culture. Off We Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder When you are homeless and unemployed waiting to ship off to
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We are alive today because of fear, and we might not be living the life we want to live today because of fear. While these ideas are at odds with each other they can still both be true. Let’s explore. One of our Oldest Survival Instincts Neuroscience, along with evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology have
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Being ready for war is a good analogy for being prepared for fighting through the struggles of your daily life. If you are ready for the fight, you’ll be able to overcome challenges and live the life you want to live. The warrior who is prepared starts with developing a moral conviction. They say to
One of the keys to living the life we want to live is learning to master our emotions. The goal isn’t to minimize or repress them, that’s a dangerous path that leads to suffering. What we should aim to do is understand them so we can benefit from their positive effects and mitigate their harmful
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Today I have been thinking a lot about influence. It is both a blessing and a curse to be susceptible to influence. On one hand we can learn and grow from positive and helpful influences and on the other we can be tormented and manipulated by coercive and maligned influences. We need positive influences in
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We are all subjected to internal and external pressures. These pressures push us and pull us in ways that have profound impacts on our lives. Understanding how these systems interact with us can help us respond to them in ways that enable us to live the life we want to live instead of being cast
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The reluctant hero called to seek out a mythical dragon and its horde of treasure is one of my favorite types of adventure stories. The idea of a small band of adventures heading off on a journey of redemption to reclaim the treasure and riches stolen by a wicked and evil beast is vivid and
Here there be dragons! Read More »
During military service we walked a path defined by discipline, strategy, and vigilance. The profession of arms is the warrior’s way—shaped by training, honed by experience, and reinforced by the culture of military service. But what happens when the mission ends? When the uniform is set aside and the battlefield is no longer external, but
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