We all see chances to do it every single day. Chance after chance after chance. If we only took one or two per day we would literally change the world. We would set a different kind of example for kids. Instead of teaching them to shop for more stuff we could teach them to express themselves through kind and generous acts. This isn’t hard. And it’s far from painful. It feels awesome. Generous people aren’t generous because they’re stupid. It’s because they’re selfish. They know it feels fantastic to help another human being. Or even an animal or the planet itself. Despite what advertising tells you, it feels good to share and to not be driven all the time by want. Take a look at these wonderful examples. And I hope you’ll use them as inspiration in your own life:
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I have a lot of people come to me on SSRIs or other pharmaceuticals that they would like to stop taking, either because they feel dependent, or because they can’t make certain connections in life, as in cases with people who are artists but cannot access their creative self, or people who lose interest in their relationships or in sex. I only have my own views on this subject and I can certainly clear the air in the sense that if people learn to control their thinking better then they do tend to know more certainly what they want to do about medications. But there are a lot of datapoints worth taking in in the debate. Here’s a recent interview on the subject. If you’ve been thinking about quitting too, this will likely interest you:
Robert Whitaker on the Evidence Behind Antidepressant Drugs
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There’s a lot of you that think you’re pretty clear-headed. That you’re pretty kind and fair-minded and that you’re a do-the-right-thing kind of person. But the difference between us is that I know I fall into ego all the time and I say and do and chase and avoid all kinds of things that are entirely foolish. But because I know that, I do that less than you. I’m humble. I’m on guard. I know I’ll slip, so I aim toward keeping my attention—my consciousness—focused on the moment I’m in. Here’s one example of something that might make you too uncomfortable. Something that you would have thoughts about that would prevent you from relaxing into love. It’s worth thinking about. There’s a lot of life experience on the other side of our fears.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFWr-CKMWGY]
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Focus on the many things you have to be grateful for. Share your gratitude with the world through your smile, your kind words and your thoughtful gestures. Cause the world to be a better place because you are making it that way with the verb of your life. There’s nothing like it. It truly feels wonderful even when it doesn’t. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
peace. s
The Friday Dose is a collection of cool, interesting and surprising things that are chosen for their potential to distract you away from any painful thought loops that may currently be disrupting your sense of perspective. Save these for when you’re feeling low and you want to change your perspective. They’ll help Enjoy. And please let me know if you bump into any broken links. Thanks!
A serious childhood brain injury lead Scott to spend his entire life meditating on the concepts of thought, consciousness, reality and identity. It made others as strange to him as he was to them. When he realized people were confused by their own over-thinking, Scott began teaching others to understand reality. He is currently CBC Radio Active’s Wellness Columnist, as well as a writer, speaker and mindfulness instructor based in Edmonton, AB where he still finds it strange to write about himself in the third person.