Mental blocks can be quite frustrating and can prevent us from reaching our full potential. However, there are several ways to overcome them.

It is important to understand what is causing the block. Is it fear of failure, a lack of confidence, or perhaps past negative experiences? Once you have identified the source, you can start to address it and find ways to overcome it.

Identify the source of the block

Setting achievable goals can help you focus on what you want to achieve, and can also help you measure your progress. Make sure the goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Set achievable goals

Our thoughts and beliefs play a crucial role in shaping our experiences. Try to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations and reminders of your strengths and accomplishments.

Practice positive self-talk

Taking breaks and engaging in activities that you enjoy can help you recharge and reduce stress. Exercise, meditation, and spending time with loved ones are all great ways to take care of you.

Take breaks and engage in self-care

Surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people can help you stay motivated and on track. Seek out mentors, join a support group, or connect with like-minded individuals.

Surround yourself with positive influences:

Don't let failures define you. Instead, use them as opportunities to learn and grow. Reflect on what you could have done differently and use that knowledge to inform your future actions.

Learn from failures

Stepping out of your comfort zone can help you overcome mental blocks. Try new activities, take on new challenges, and embrace uncertainty.

 Challenge yourself

If your mental blocks persist, consider seeking the help of a therapist or counsellor. They can help you work through your issues and develop a plan to overcome your mental blocks.

 Seek professional help

mindfulness

Mindfulness

health

Health

mentalhealth

Mental Health

creativity

Creativity

meditation

Meditation

8 ways to get out of Mental Blocks

For thousands of years, humanity has passionately pursued the Truth with a capital T—the ultimate answers to life and the universe. This perennial knowledge constitutes the answers to what are often called the soul questions:<ul><li>Who am I?</li><li>What do I want?</li><li>What is my purpose?</li><li>What is the meaning of life?</li></ul>

The Soul Questions

Religion: Religions are most often based upon the lives, teachings, and beliefs of a historical or archetypal figure (e.g., Christ, Buddha, Moses, Krishna, Muhammad).Spirituality: By contrast, spirituality is more often based upon the practical application of the founder’s teachings.

Origins of Religions and Spirituality  

Spiritual aspirants heed the advice of Japanese poet Matsuo Basho, “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.”

Let’s try to clear things up by taking a closer look at the most defining differences between religious and spiritual paths. Religion: <ul><li>It is an objective experience, there is usually a greater focus on externals. </li><li>It is object referral, you're completely focused on objects like house of worship , books and observances etc. </li></ul>Spirituality:<ul><li>Self-referral, self awareness of your soul. </li><li>Inward journey</li></ul>

Objective vs. Subjective Experience

<ul><li>Moral rules, laws, and doctrines, as well as specific codes and criteria, create the organized structure that contains the religion’s specific belief system. </li><li>The spiritual aspirant recognizes that he or she is on a “pathless path” of self-discovery. They are following not a set of external rules, but their own inner call to spirit. </li></ul>

Organized vs Formless

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson Said : 

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Religiousinstitutions conservatively guard their practices and values, holding rigidly to the past and the original interpretations of the founder’s teachings. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Spirituality embraces change and the evolution of consciousness. With spiritual practice, ideas and interpretations change as individuals, societies, and the world move forward.</li></ul>

Traditional vs. Evolutionary Approach

Traditional religious beliefs, sometimes based upon rigid interpretations of key teachings, can create an exclusive worldview that isolates those who may not share their views or interpretations. Spirituality favors an inclusive approach. In the recognition that pure spirit is a unifying force, no one is left out. You are part of the universal hologram, all gods and goddesses in disguise.

Exclusive vs. Inclusive

Through religion, you are taught to have faith in God or the scriptures as being the infallible and ultimate truth of reality.Spirituality doesn’t dismiss faith; however, it often leans more heavily on direct experience of the soul or divinity.

Belief vs. Spiritual Experience

Despite the best of intentions, religions can sometimes contain a subtle (or not so subtle) undercurrent of fear woven into their teachings. By contrast, spirituality typically discards the vestiges of fear and worry in favor of a more loving, compassionate approach to life—and death.

Fear vs. Love

These comparisons aren’t meant to be absolutes or an attempt to polarize one against the other. Religious beliefs and spiritual beliefs differ in the ways in which they are practiced.Whichever path or combination of the two you follow is the personal and subjective expression of your journey of awakening.

All In All

I've always seen myself get trapped in the fine line that seperates religion from spirituality, the two seem to be interconnected however when you take a deeper dive u see how seperate they are.

The line between religion and spirituality can be very fine, and they are similar in many ways. How do we tell the difference between spirituality and religion?

philosophy

Philosophy

religionandspirituality

Religion & Spirituality

Religion vs. Spirituality: The Difference Between Them

<ul><li>Thinking in extremes. Using words like always, never, must, should, horrible, perfect etc</li><li>This type of thinking results in extreme emotions and can make a situation worse.</li><li>The key to resolve black and white thinking is to look at reality in a more nuanced manner and get honest with ourselves</li><li>Instead of saying ‘you never do something’ say that ‘she does these sometimes’.</li></ul>

Black and white thinking 

<ul><li>It justifies you.</li><li>It excuses you from work.</li><li>It protects you from feelings extreme emotions like disappointment, sadness etc.</li><li>It helps you feel powerless.</li><li>It kinda feels good.</li></ul>

Why do we think in ‘black or white’

<ul><li>Notice extreme words like 'always', 'never', 'horrible' etc.</li><li>Take a deep breath and slow down.</li><li>Name the emotion - like I feel angry, for example I feel  </li><li>Reframe your thoughts by - </li></ul><ol><li>Use both/and - You can feel two emotions at the same time. Eg I am smart and valuable but i make mistakes too.</li><li>Look for exceptions like "my husband does the dishes sometimes"</li></ol><ul><li>Be specific about the problem. Specify what’s troubling you. Instead of saying 'everything is horrible' describe what specifically is horrible.</li><li>Be accountable. What can be done to help the situation</li></ul>

Reframing black and white thinking

Reframe your thinking to see reality as more nuanced and varied.

Get the free guide to this episode: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/pl/2147654246 Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube Black-and-white thinking is when you take a situation and think about it in an extreme way, you push out all the nuance and turn it into something as intense as possible. You can usually recognize it when you use words like “Always, Never, Perfect, Terrible, Everything, Everyone, Nothing, Nobody, Worst, or Best. The Arbinger Institute calls these “Horribilizations” You take something and horriblize it. Notice how in these situations, black and white thinking exaggerates the situation. A husband says to his wife: “You NEVER do the dishes! I ALWAYS have to clean up after you!” Depressed Young Adult: “EVERYthing is awful. The world is a TERRIBLE place. Climate change is HOPELESS. I’ll NEVER be able to succeed. I’m NO good at math” Someone at work: My boss is the WORST communicator. A young mother: “I’m just a TERRIBLE person” or “She has it ALL together, she’s such a SAINT” Each time, the person takes a difficult situation and makes it horrible. They use the most extreme word. Never. Always. Everything. Hopeless. Terrible. The more extreme your thinking, the more intense your emotions will be, and the more likely you are to be depressed or anxious. But Black and White thinking also makes you helpless to escape that depression or anxiety. And it’s a lie. When you use B&W thinking, you are usually distorting nuanced reality by ignoring the good and exaggerating the bad. You’re lying. If it’s so awful, why do we do it? You subconsciously like black and white thinking because it serves a function in the short term. And like a drug, it makes you suffer in the long term. So what function does it serve? 00:00 Introduction to Emotional Reactivity 00:38 How to Identify Black and White Thinking 02:36 Why do we "like" black and white thinking? 05:52 How to be less emotionally reactive 06:15 How to reframe black and white thinking 07:10 How to think in the gray 10:15 summary of how to be less emotionally reactive Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/ Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

Get the free guide to this episode: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/pl/2147654246

Looking for affordable online therapy? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Black-and-white thinking is when you take a situation and think about it in an extreme way, you push out all the nuance and turn it into something as intense as possible. You can usually recognize it when you use words like “Always, Never, Perfect, Terrible, Everything, Everyone, Nothing, Nobody, Worst, or Best. The Arbinger Institute calls these “Horribilizations” You take something and horriblize it. 

Notice how in these situations, black and white thinking exaggerates the situation. 
A husband says to his wife: “You NEVER do the dishes! I ALWAYS have to clean up after you!”
Depressed Young Adult: “EVERYthing is awful. The world is a TERRIBLE place. Climate change is HOPELESS.  I’ll NEVER be able to succeed. I’m NO good at math”  
Someone at work: My boss is the WORST communicator. 
A young mother: “I’m just a TERRIBLE person” or “She has it ALL together, she’s such a SAINT”
Each time, the person takes a difficult situation and makes it horrible. They use the most extreme word. Never. Always. Everything. Hopeless. Terrible. 

The more extreme your thinking, the more intense your emotions will be, and the more likely you are to be depressed or anxious. But Black and White thinking also makes you helpless to escape that depression or anxiety. And it’s a lie. When you use B&W thinking, you are usually distorting nuanced reality by ignoring the good and exaggerating the bad. You’re lying. 

If it’s so awful, why do we do it? 
You subconsciously like black and white thinking because it serves a function in the short term. And like a drug, it makes you suffer in the long term. So what function does it serve?

00:00 Introduction to Emotional Reactivity
00:38 How to Identify Black and White Thinking
02:36 Why do we "like" black and white thinking?
05:52 How to be less emotionally reactive
06:15 How to reframe black and white thinking
07:10 How to think in the gray
10:15 summary of how to be less emotionally reactive
Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell
Sign up for my newsletter: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources
Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books
Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/

Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. 
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.
Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

Welcome to my passion project! I’m Emma McAdam, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and my mission is to make mental health resources easier to access. I take therapy skills and psychological research and condense them down into bite-sized nuggets of help. 

As a licensed therapist, one thing I’ve noticed is that most people have no idea of what they can do to improve depression, anxiety, or other mental illness. 

I’m here to spread the message that while mental illness is real, it’s common, it’s debilitating, it’s also treatable. There are dozens of research-backed approaches to treating depression, anxiety, and other mental illness. Change, growth, and healing are possible. Please keep courage! Try one little thing every day to improve your life and health, and things can get so much better! 
I am not currently taking any new clients, but you can find a therapist with my sponsor: BetterHelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Therapy in a Nutshell

How to Be Less Emotionally Reactive: Black and White Thinking

How to Reframe Black and White Thinking and become less emotionally reactive

<ul><li>Improve information diet. You can add intentionality to your information consumption by asking yourself, "Can this be included in my newsletter?"</li><li>Build a habit of creating. Committing to a regular publishing schedule forces you to create on a consistent basis.</li><li>Collect your ideas in one place. Your newsletter becomes home to your ideas.</li><li>Repurpose content for social media. E.g. You can turn the main points in your newsletter into Twitter threads.</li><li>Find like-minded people. Sharing your thoughts online generates conversation and connections with people who resonate with your ideas.</li></ul>

Why write a newsletter?

<ul><li>Lower the stakes. If an email newsletter is scary, write a thread on Twitter every week. Prove to yourself that you can produce a collection of ideas and notes in under an hour.</li><li>Start writing to become more creative. Our best ideas come to us when writing. </li><li>Realize that playing small doesn't benefit anyone. Your readers benefit the most if they can learn from your ideas.</li><li>Connect with your "why". Why did you start writing in the first place?</li></ul>

How to overcome limiting beliefs

<ul><li>Increase consistency. Life circumstances and motivation vary every week. A system helps you be consistent despite these variations.</li><li>Increase efficiency. With practice, your system will help you create your newsletter in less than a few hours.</li><li>Avoid creator panic. You'll always know where your next idea is coming from.</li></ul>

Why you need a content creation system

Like a restaurant, the system has 4 components:<ul><li>Menus (topics)</li><li>Ingredients (ideas)</li><li>Staff (distribution system)</li><li>Reviews (audience feedback)</li></ul>

John Nicholas' Content Creation System

This is where you set up your menu:<ul><li>What topics resonate with you?</li><li>What do you want to serve your readers?</li></ul> You can pick several topics and organize them into "modules" or sections of your newsletter. With modules, you:<ul><li>Create awareness for capturing information. If you don’t know what meal you are cooking, you won't know which ingredients to collect.</li><li>Create consistency. Your readers know what to expect from you each week. There is room for experimentation, but stick to your broad niche. Nobody likes a mixed kitchen (burgers, pasta, fish).</li></ul>

1. What do you want to write about?

For example, James Clear's 3-2-1 Thursdays has 3 modules:<ul><li>3 ideas from him</li><li>2 thoughts from others</li><li>1 question for the reader</li></ul> Tip: Limit yourself to 3 - 5 modules.<ul><li>Save yourself time each week</li><li>Prevents audience overwhelm</li></ul>

Ideas & Tips for Deciding on Newsletter Modules

As you consume information, look out for ideas that <ol><li>resonate with you, or</li><li>can go into your newsletter</li></ol> When capturing ideas, write a brief description of:<ul><li>why this idea resonated with you, or </li><li>why it could help someone</li></ul>This helps you pull yourself back into the frame of mind you had during the idea capture. The note can also slot straight into your newsletter when you share the idea.

2. Find ideas for your newsletter

Set constraints to make your newsletter enjoyable for your readers and yourself. For example:<ul><li>Length: Your readers are busy, so keep your newsletter under a certain word count. This also means you don't have to write too much.</li><li>Cadence: Stick to a publishing schedule that's sustainable and non-spammy. From this schedule, backsolve when you want a first draft done.</li><li>"Table of Contents" section: Allows readers to choose which modules they want to engage with each week. Also acts as an outline that you can easily fill in.</li></ul>

3. Write the newsletter

<ul><li>Email your subscribers. They've already opted into receiving your content.</li><li>Post on social media. Repurpose your newsletter content for easy consumption on other platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)</li></ul>

4. Distribute the newsletter

<ul><li>Always encourage your subscribers to reply to you</li><li>Your subscribers and followers will point out what resonated with them and what didn’t (silence is also a form of feedback)</li><li>Use replies and comments to generate new ideas</li></ul> For example, when people ask you questions about your process e.g. how you script a YouTube video, the answer you give them can become another newsletter issue.

5. Get and act on feedback

A nice analogy for creating your content flywheel.

marketingandsales

Marketing & Sales

writing

Reading & Writing

education

Learning & Education

Run Your Newsletter Like a Restaurant

Knowing when to quit We all know the benefits of perseverance to be one of valuable life skills. “Keep pushing it, you’ll get there.”  “Or just keep going it will be alright,” It’s a good advice, and one  I try to live by too. But I’ve also realized that while it’s great to give things time enough to fail or succeed, at times, what we NEED is to know when to quit!

For real, knowing when to quit before hitting rock bottom, isn’t clear to most people, but it’s an extremely important skill that everyone should learn. Everyone. I’m not writing this to discourage you so that you can give up on things easily. The scope behind this article is to encourage you to take a bold step out of any toxic situation in life—not to imply giving up on a course that has the potential for success.

It’s like we’ve been rewired to believe quitting means failure. It’s why some people prefer to stick to something, even when it grieves them, so as to avoid judgement from others. This problematic situation mostly attributes to life in general–we’ve instilled the idea of persevering to the end that we can’t—read between the lines—or know when to quit or keep going. There’s a quote that says “losers are quitters, winners never quit”  Well, this isn’t a matter of whether losers are quitters or not, it’s a matter of being brave enough to discern when to stay or step away from something.

What am I saying in essence? Learning to quit in this aspect, is the ability to self-assess situations, and question whether you should keep going or quit. It’s a skill everyone should learn to scale through life.

As a matter of fact, there are unique instances in life where people have to quit their jobs or relationships. There are certain circumstances where people have blind spots concerning the wrong decision they make. To back it up I’ve compiled these are 3 most important areas of life where we make the most mistake; <ul><li>Making a wrong career move </li><li>Staying too long at a job </li><li>Taking too long to walk out on toxic relationship </li> </ul>

Assuming you want to be a model or an actor, do you want to be in either of these industries because you are in love with the prospect of modeling/acting? or you got your aspirations from the fame and fortune that comes with being in the spotlight, the centre of attraction ?

1. Making a Wrong Career Move

If later is the case, you’ll be wasting time doing something that’s not worth a drop of your sweat, when you can be much appreciated elsewhere. You’ll never be happy or fulfilled no matter how hard you try. There are a lot of undiscovered active models or actors on cue doing menial jobs, many of them seem to be ok with the small wins, hoping that one day, they’ll hit the jackpot and be discovered. People like that are at risk of being stuck, especially if they’re just after the fame. They might struggle fruitlessly unless they decide to do something else.

They automatically stop being intentional. They stop questioning whether their decisions will lead them to the life they want to live, rather than doing what they want and what makes them happy, healthy, and free.

What does this mean to you? If it means you love your job but the circumstances don’t allow you to perform at your highest potential, or you’ve decided the workload with the low paycheck isn’t worth your efforts then you’re better off leaving. But what if you want a change, what if you want a career change? Then I say, if it means that much to you, don’t be afraid to do it if you can.

2. Keeping a Job That Drains You 

I’ve seen quite a few of what toxic relationships look like and I must say… It takes good foresight and courage to exit a toxic relationship quickly. ( I mean run-as-fast-as your-legs-can afford-you type of exit) Here’s why —first off—It’s worth noting that bad relationships sometimes don’t seem bad at all, and things aren’t always a shithole from the inside. You share happy moments and there are even glimpses of the change you hoped for, or moments that you believe are THE  turning point . But possibilities can be both a blessing and a curse.

3. Taking Too Long to Walk out on Toxic Relationship

The truth is we don’t have any real control over other people, the only person we have control over is ourselves. Unfortunately, the potential you sometimes see in others, the hope you have for who they can become, only goes that far… Trapped in the waiting zone. For any miracle to surface, the other person must see and work for the same potential. They, too, must be invested in the relationship just as much as you.

But many people don’t get that. Or they don’t want to? Ok maybe not when they are seeing some kind of miracle? They just hold on to the feeling, hoping that their partner will come around. So many people are hurt because they keep hanging around until they’re hurt, broken, and drained. Call abuse for what it is , and don’t hang around people that will keep receiving from you with no guarantee to receive. Walk away while you can, or you allow being take for a long, long ride.

So friend, “Not everything has to keep heading in the same direction, everything has to end.” Michael Jordan was widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but his decision to retire and return to the game several times took away from his legacy. He retired from the Chicago Bulls in 1998, but returned to play for the Washington Wizards in 2001 damaged his legacy. He retired again in 2003, but returned to play for the Bulls in 2009.

Closing Thoughts

This constant switching between retirement and playing took away from his image as an all-time great. People felt that his return to the league was simply for financial gain and that he had lost the passion and drive that made him a dominant force in the game.

Another example was Lance Armstrong. He was once considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time, but his decision to continue racing after being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles due to doping allegations damaged his credibility. Many felt that his continued participation in the sport was a desperate attempt to salvage his reputation and so he lost the respect of the cycling community. This famous figures experiences are testimonials for life in general, because they all screen “quit when you should” from the rooftop.”

Not every face of your life has to keep going in one direction. And no one can teach you exactly how to do that better than yourself.

Learn one of life's most important skill 

Knowing when to quit We all know the benefits of perseverance to be one of valuable life skills. "Keep pushing it, you'll get there." "Or just keep going it will be alright," It's a good advice, and one I try to live by too. But I've also realized that while it's great to give

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

entertainment

Entertainment

One “Life Rule” That Hits You Harder Later in Life

Focus is critical component of success in both personal and professional life. It is the ability to concentrate one's efforts, thoughts, and energy toward a specific goal or task.

How to stay focused in Life and on Goals 

1. Set clear and specific goals - The first step towards focus is setting clear and specific goals. This means you need to determine what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and by when. A clear goal provides direction and motivation, making it easier to stay focused.

Here are some tips for staying focused on your goals 

2. Eliminate distractions - Distractions are one of the biggest obstacles to focus. It's essential to eliminate them as much as possible. This means turning off your phone, closing your email, and finding a quiet place to work.

3. Stay organized - Organization is key to focus. When you have a clear and organized workspace, you can find what you need quickly, and you don't waste time searching for it.

“Here the ways of men divide. If you wish to strive for peace of soul and happiness, then believe; if you wish to be a disciple of truth, then search.” ~<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wakitime09-20&keywords=Nietzsche&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=39e61491bbfc532e8dcc0bb8d63120cc">Nietzsche </a>

To a certain extent, we are always deceived. For we are only human, all too human. But to the extent that we can become aware of deception—both self-deception and the deception of others—being undeceived means being ahead of the curve of the human condition.

First, it means embracing deception as an integral part of life. Then it means being strategically circumspect while creating your own meaning. It means taking everything that you’ve learned into consideration with humility and a good sense of humor. It means becoming so healthy that your very existence is a catalyst for healthy change. It means connecting courage to curiosity. It means taking a leap of courage. It means putting things into proper perspective by using health as a benchmark.

It is, paraphrasing <a href="https://www.wakingtimes.com/bruce-lees-private-letters-explain-really-meant-like-water/">Bruce Lee </a>, “absorbing what is useful, discarding what is not, and adding what is uniquely your own.” Let’s break it down…

“If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.” ~<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/074325807X/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wakitime09-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=074325807X&linkId=b41a3a37e1afa96c0efc2f500e5609d2">Benjamin Franklin </a> What is useful? Well, if your goal is not only basic survival but also progressive evolution, then what is useful is what is healthy. Contrastingly, what is not useful is what is unhealthy.

Absorb what is useful:

So, how do you figure out what is healthy or not? Through logic, reason, and critical thinking. You cannot wish something into being healthy. You cannot simply believe something is healthy and, by your strong faith alone, expect it to be valid. You can only reason through if something is healthy or not. Once you have reasoned a thing to be healthy, you free yourself to absorb what is useful.

Absorbing what is useful is absorbing what is healthy. The path is then clear to question with a good conscience. You become undeceived. In a state of undeception, you are free to wield the question mark sword, the Sword of Truth, and to use it in a way that distinguishes what’s healthy from what’s not. What is healthy is absorbed as something useful for progressive evolution. What is unhealthy can then be discarded as something useless, so as to avoid an unhealthy society.

“A fool thinks himself wise, a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” ~<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wakitime09-20&keywords=William%20Shakespeare&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=26cbe500ba6a34a1f703948012da08f7">William Shakespeare </a> Discarding what is not useful (what is unhealthy) requires self-discipline. It requires vigilance. Most people don’t even know that they don’t know the difference between healthy and unhealthy. Especially people who have grown up, culturally conditioned and indoctrinated, in a profoundly sick society.

Discard what is not useful:

How do you know if you were born into a profoundly sick society? 1.) Any society that pollutes the air it needs to breathe is a profoundly sick society. 2.) Any society that pollutes the water it needs to drink is a profoundly sick society.

3.) Any society that pollutes the food it needs to eat is a profoundly sick society. 4.) Any society that pollutes the minds it needs to evolve with is a profoundly sick society.

You must have the self-discipline to daily question what is healthy and what is not. For health is not a matter of opinion. Health is a benchmark. Without this benchmark, you cannot discern what is useful from what is not useful.

As such, belief and certainty are the greatest obstacles blocking us from being able to discard what is not useful. This is especially dangerous when those beliefs and certainties are derived from the cultural conditioning of a profoundly sick society. Hence the importance of vigilance and strategic prudence.

In order to remain undeceived, we must remain circumspect. The Sword of Truth must be unleashed daily so that it may cut through the red tape of wishful thinking, irrational beliefs, and whimsical certitude. It is only when our naïve beliefs have been shattered upon the hard concrete of reality that we are free to distinguish between what is healthy and what is not. As we begin to piece things together, we become undeceived. We are liberated to absorb what is useful and discard what is not.

“Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.” ~<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wakitime09-20&keywords=Henry%20Thomas%20Buckle&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=beaf00caa84487504931248b07abe628">Henry Thomas Buckle </a> Once you have successfully threshed the chaff (unhealthy/useless) from the grain (healthy/useful), you are free to unleash your creativity. From swords to plowshares, your Sword of Truth becomes a Pen of Truth. With it, you are free to create high art; art that shatters molds, stretches comfort zones, and initiates wake up calls. You become free to prove why the pen will always be mightier than the sword.

Add what is uniquely your own:

Here, still, we must remain vigilant. For even art can become dogmatic. In order not to be deceived, we must always be in a state of questioning what we think we know and weighing it against the nonnegotiable scales of healthy/unhealthy. Should our art become dogmatic, we would be wise to absorb what is useful from it and discard what is not. This way we will always be openminded and openhearted enough to add what is uniquely our own.

Outdated truth must die so that it doesn’t taint the updated truth of the times. God must die so that God can be reborn. Creativity thrives off the ashes of old art. Evolution progresses or stagnates in proportion to how creative we can be after having absorbed what is useful (healthy) and discarding what is not (unhealthy).

The art of being undeceived is more like the juggler’s art than the interrogator’s. It should be flexible and adaptable to meet results which are sudden and unexpected. The undeceived understand that the self is masks all the way down perceiving delusions all the way up, and they have the acumen and the wherewithal to juggle both masks and delusions into a state of high humor and even higher art.

Gary ‘Z’ McGee - To a certain extent, we are always deceived. For we are only human, all too human.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

The Art of the Undeceived

What is Self-Awareness? It is the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and actions. It involves being aware of the present moment, one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and the environment around them.

Self-Understanding

Self-awareness is important because it helps us better understand our emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. It allows us to be in tune with our needs, strengths, and weaknesses, so we can make more conscious decisions. It also helps us to communicate better with others, set achievable goals, and be more confident in our abilities.<a href="https://productive.fish/blog/self-awareness/">Being self-aware</a> can help us create meaningful relationships, overcome personal challenges, and lead a more fulfilling life.

Why is Self-Awareness Important?

<a href="https://productive.fish/blog/self-awareness/">Increasing self-awareness</a> involves taking a deliberate and intentional approach to understand and reflect on one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This process of introspection and self-reflection can lead to greater understanding of one's strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and habits.By becoming more aware of these aspects of ourselves, we can make more informed decisions, develop healthier relationships, and work towards personal growth and fulfillment.

How to Increase Self Awareness

Regularly take time to reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how they impact your daily life.

Practice mindfulness and introspection

Ask friends, family members, or coworkers for their perspectives on your behavior and habits.

Seek feedback from others

Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences can help you gain insight into your patterns of behavior and emotions.

Keep a journal

Consider participating in activities such as meditation, therapy, or workshops that encourage self-reflection and self-discovery.

Engage in self-reflection activities

Self-awareness is the conscious knowledge and understanding of one's own personality, feelings, thoughts, and sensations.

Uncover what is self-awareness, why does it matter, and how to improve your self-awareness to reach your goals and live a more positive life.

loveandrelationships

Love & Relationships

teamwork

Teamwork

What Is Self-Awareness and How to Improve It

#1. Put your children first#2. Accept different parenting styles#3. Be calm and focus on connection#4. Keep to regular routines within families#5. Develop a Co-Parenting Plan#6. Be open and flexible#7. When your co-parent won’t be flexible

7 Co-Parenting Tips for Children

During separation, children may experience big and challenging feelings such as grief, anger, frustration, isolation, and loneliness. It's important to acknowledge their emotions and be there for them. Support and stay in contact with your co-parent, to ensure your children feel safe. If your child can't stay overnight with the other parent, think of alternative ways for them to bond. Putting the children's needs first is key.

1. Put your children first

It's important to talk to your children about different parenting styles and household rules, respecting that each is okay as long as the child is safe.<ul><li>Recognize if fear of letting children stay with the other parent overnight is due to legitimate safety concerns or the need for control. </li><li>Ask yourself if being with the other parent is harmful or just different routines. </li><li>Avoid fighting and broken relationships by letting them go if safe.</li></ul>

2. Accept different parenting styles

Be a positive role model for your children. Show them how to handle change and unexpected events by staying calm and composed, even when things don't go according to plan. Encourage connection with their other parent by having photos, phone calls, and responding positively to their stories. Your children are watching and taking cues from you, so lead by example and focus on connecting with them when they are with you.

3. Be calm and focus on connection

Routines bring stability and improved resiliency to families during uncertain times. Determine your family's specific needs and prioritize 2-3 morning, afternoon, or evening routines to anchor the day and keep it on track.

4. Keep to regular routines within families

Having a plan for parenting responsibilities and care arrangements is essential for a successful co-parenting relationship. Putting the needs of the children first and using common sense decision making can help navigate the new relationship between parents and minimize miscommunication. The plan should include a schedule for:<ul><li>Visitation</li><li>Education</li><li>Medical needs</li><li>Financial support</li><li>Special occasions</li><li>And guidelines for decision making and conflict resolution.</li></ul>

5. Develop a Co-Parenting Plan

<ul><li>Be flexible in co-parenting arrangements</li><li>Use common sense to solve challenges</li><li>Give notice and communication options to other parent</li><li>Be open to conversations and adjustments</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Practice mutual understanding, as it may be your turn to request adjustments.</li></ul>

6. Be open and flexible

When your co-parent refuses to be flexible, the best course of action is to Seek a Court Order to ensure the health and safety of your children. If the other parent is uncooperative, this may be the only way to resolve any issues. Regardless of the situation, it is important to do your best as a parent and prioritize the well-being of your children.

7. When your co-parent won’t be flexible

<ol><li>Co-parenting can be done in different ways, so think creatively to find solutions that benefit everyone.</li><li>Finding the right balance in co-parenting takes time, patience and good communication.</li><li>Both parents should work together and put aside their differences to create a positive environment for their children's growth and development.</li></ol>

And Remember...

It takes a village to raise a child.

Co-parenting after separation is a complicated process that requires organization, communication, and flexibility. It's important to work together to navigate co-parenting challenges and find solutions that work for each family's specific situation. 

Learn why it is important to work together when it comes to co-parenting to ensure good family relationships in this blog.

parenting

Parenting

7 Tips for Co-Parenting Your Children

Find 100+ Mindfulness Tips & Facts - Curated from inspiring sources like Books, Podcasts & Articles - Genuine Insights from like-minded Users like You!

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Meditations Summary

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

8 ways to get out of Mental Blocks

Religion vs. Spirituality: The Difference Between Them

How to Reframe Black and White Thinking and become less emotionally reactive

Run Your Newsletter Like a Restaurant

One “Life Rule” That Hits You Harder Later in Life

How to stay focused in Life and on Goals

The Art of the Undeceived

What Is Self-Awareness and How to Improve It

7 Tips for Co-Parenting Your Children

Meditations Summary

It's time to Read like a Pro.

It's time to
Read like a Pro.