Tag: self-reliance

[The Story] Years of Adversity

How many years of adversity would you endure to achieve your goals? Constant jeering, doubt from everyone you know, and a growing sense that regardless of how much effort you put into trying to overcome your current situation, survive, and profoundly thrive, carving out a niche for yourself, that it’s possible it won’t happen? John (left) and Trishna (right) will face adversity frequently in “The Story.” How will they- and we- endure to ensure victory?

Spoiler Warning Scale: Minor (character building) WANNA CONSIDER HOW KNOWING IF IT MIGHT TAKE 20 YEARS TO SUCCEED, KNOWING THE FINISH LINE WILL HELP ENDURING ADVERSITY FEEL THAT MUCH SWEETER? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Applied Self-Confidence] Defending Your Insecurities

Stop defending yourself! Quit justifying your existence, your actions, or your life’s intentions to every person you observe. We’ve got it all twisted. Sure, it’s important to explain ourselves to our family and close friends. They’re invested in our future and our failures could drag them down financially or emotionally. Everyone else, though? Who cares! Why invest your energy in the stranger that might scoff at you? All that does is lead to feeling insecure!

WANNA CONSIDER HOW WE BECOME LESS SELF-CONFIDENT WHEN WE FEEL THE NEED TO EXPOSE EVERY RAW EMOTION TO EVERYONE? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Chilling and Relaxing

The characters and people that inspire me have figured out parts of themselves. Whether conscious or subconscious, they know what they like, dislike, their ambitions, and how much they can realistically accomplish. Watching action heroes mow down everything in their path doesn’t inspire me because there’s no dramatic tension and release. They aren’t believable without a cool-down release period! In “The Story,” after working toward their ambitions, how do Trishna (left) and John (right) unwind?

Spoiler Warning Scale: Minor (character development)
WANNA READ ABOUT HOW CHARACTERS FLOAT ALONG AFTER PUSHING AHEAD? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Weak versus Weakness

We can decide whether our weaknesses will cause us to become weak. While most weaknesses can become excuses that can potentially control us, there are exceptions that should be respected. My intentions are pure, so let’s not focus on any possible hypotheticals for this week’s update to “The Story.” Instead, let’s focus on two casual examples of when main characters John (off-center) and Trishna (center) decide to not let their physical weaknesses make them weak.

Spoiler Warning Scale: Minor (character development) WANNA CONSIDER HOW WE’RE MORE CAPABLE THAN WE MIGHT INITIALLY THINK OURSELVES TO BE? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Sober/Confidence] Defense Against Chill

My addictions strangle me when I’m unable to cope with situations. Hearing bad news kills. Chilling, defined here as succumbing to any addiction, then feels acceptable. If you’re anything like me, we need to re-enforce our defenses, rather than ask that the constant barrage of life’s perhaps-positives and perhaps-negatives cooperate with us. It would be nicer to have a conflict-free life. That won’t happen. Let’s instead try figuring out how to build up our defenses.

WANNA READ A COMBINATION OF APPLIED SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SOBER LIVING ON 4/20? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Fiction Practice] The Old Guy

“OK, Jane. We have time for one more question.”
“What’s the successful candidate look like in this role? What should I focus on to prevent myself from being unsuccessful?”
“Well, lemme tell you about the old guy. What a lazy bum! Couldn’t do nothing! He couldn’t understand anything we’d give ‘im! We’d tell him repeatedly how to do his assigned work and he’d seem to just forget! Stay away from the guy you are replacing![1]”

WANNA READ ABOUT AN INTERVIEW GONE WRONG WITH JUST ONE QUESTION? OR RATHER, HOW ONE QUESTION CAN REVEAL WHAT IS HIDDEN BENEATH THE SURFACE? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Applied Self-Confidence] Get Over It

I was feeling stressed out until Gogol Bordello kicked into the chorus of “Break the Spell,” just as I’m usually always despondent after hearing bad news, until I breathe in deeply and accept the circumstance. No one died, nor will die because of this. It’s unfortunate, sure, but that makes for good writing fodder, so get over it! That’s not meant to be callous or superficial. It’s just acceptance is the first step toward resolution.

WANNA CONSIDER HOW GETTING OVER IT MIGHT BE THE BEST ADVICE EVEN IF IT MIGHT BE BLUNT? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Applied Self-Confidence] How To Forget

I used to profoundly respect anyone’s opinion. It’s not that I’m some kind of awful curmudgeon now. More that I refuse to freely accept anyone’s subjectivities about the world, or myself, until I’ve listened with my empathically critical ear to validate their true intentions. If the argument is reasonable enough, I’ll buy it. If not, I move on with my life. Why obsess over negative thoughts? Why not forget and carry on? That’s easy, right?

WANNA CONSIDER HOW LETTING THINGS GO CAN HELP BUILD YOUR MENTAL FORTITUDE? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[Book Review] Discipline Equals Freedom (2017)

199 pages leaves no padding to hide behind. Eloquent sweet nothings are not present here. “Jocko” Willink doesn’t pull any punches with Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual. He is on a singular mission to teach us how to combat the lazy or unmotivated moments that unsuspectingly tempt us with “sugar-coated lies” found in fast food or unearned leisure. These are your enemy if you have any ambitions or if you want to keep what you’ve earned.

Rating: ★★★★★ [5/5]

WANNA READ ABOUT THE SORT OF DIRECTED DISCIPLINE AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT YOU’LL READ IN THIS BOOK? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!

[The Story] Meeting New People

How often do you meet new people? Not just regurgitating scripts during transactional interactions with humans, either, how often do you allow yourself open up so that new people can meet you? That does require the vulnerability of letting your guard down, inviting people to see your ego’s grit, and possibly getting hurt. “The Story” will focus on many people and encounters, centering around Trishna (left) and John (right), almost as guides through their world.

Spoiler Warning Scale: Minor (philosophical character-building!) WANNA SEE HOW JOHN AND TRISHNA MEET OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTERS? AND HOW THIS ANALOGY WORKS WELL FOR MAKING NEW FRIENDS? CLICK HERE TO KEEP ON READING!