Self Help
The Unknown: Facing the Dark Road
Have you ever been brave enough to drive through Utah on I-70 at night? When I ventured on my solo trip across the country last May from New York to Los Angeles, with only my dogs, I was tempted to pull an all-nighter. But my life partner questioned my judgment as he texted me the following: “Are you nuts?”
Needless to say, I opted against it making it into Utah by sunset in time to find a nearby hotel and post up for the night. Read the rest of this entry »
Easter: The Metaphysical Symbol for Rebirth
Rebirth is the main theme behind not only Christianity but other religions that have celebrated the resurrection mythology. The symbolic nature of Easter is the process of dying to the old self and and being reborn in a spiritual sense.
Beyond religious dogma lies a deeper meaning that can be utilized for anyone inclined to live a more fulfilling life. Easter can be a powerful metaphor, one that helps us to re-examine our current state of being and then decide how we need to evolve. It can be a great day, similar to New Year’s, to become motivated to change what needs to be changed and let go of what needs letting go. Read the rest of this entry »
Movie Therapy: Laugh Away the Blues
I find it interesting how comedy can make the most dramatic situations humorous. What could very easily be executed as a drama, comedy writers take a twisted approach to making the situation funny as hell.
Take a look at some of the funniest movies. In reality, most comedies wouldn’t be viewed as funny if it happened in reality. In As Good as it Gets, you’ve got Jack Nicholson playing Melvin Udall. Udall is a rude, angry and mentally unstable individual who also happens to degrade almost everyone around him. He is racist and sexist yet ironically a romance novelist. When his gay neighbor Simon Bishop is beaten nearly to death and robbed, Udall doggy sits Verdell. Udall is an anti-social, selfish jerk who winds up warming up to the Brussels Griffon and then unexpectedly falls in love with his favorite waitress, Carol Connelly, played by Helen Hunt. Read the rest of this entry »
Are Your Feelings Running Your Life?
Perhaps you are that rare kind of person who, no matter what day it is, wakes up ready to let nothing stand in your way of accomplishment and happiness. You’re that guy who smiles at everyone and says hello to your neighbor as you’re skipping out the door. You whistle down the sidewalk, take your time to help an elderly lady cross the street and make sure to give that homeless man the $5 you were planning on spending on your coffee.
Maybe it’s possible for all of us to be like this everyday, all day, no matter what circumstances life throws at you. But the truth is no one is permanently schmuck-like happy all the time. I mean, maybe you know that one dude or chick who is ridiculously bubbly. It’s almost like they’re off the planet, smoking something. But even then, those people tend to often have a side they hide from others. Read the rest of this entry »
Today’s Self-Esteem Obsessed Junkies: Is Low Self-Esteem Really a Bad Thing?
con·fi·dence
ˈkänfədəns,-fəˌdens/
noun: confidence
1. the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
“we had every confidence in the staff”
synonyms: trust, belief, faith, credence, conviction
“I have little confidence in these figures”
antonyms: skepticism, distrust the state of feeling certain about the truth of something.
“it is not possible to say with confidence how much of the increase in sea levels is due to melting glaciers”
a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.
synonyms: self-assurance, self-confidence, self-possession, assertiveness; poise, aplomb, phlegm; courage, boldness, mettle, nerve
“she’s brimming with confidence”
antonyms: uncertainty, doubt
the telling of private matters or secrets with mutual trust.
Origin
late Middle English: from Latin confidentia, from confidere ‘have full trust’ (see confident).
When someone says that you need to have self-esteem and confidence, I have always gotten annoyed with this. Because it is my belief that the definition is often misunderstood. I know that I used to confuse the definition as well.
Writing With Hope 