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When we were young and the world was still in front of us
When we were young, we not only wanted everything, but we also assumed that it was ours. And we not only thought we deserved it, but we were foolish enough to think that it would last. God bless that sweet, guileless time of life. Before the world sunk its cruel jaws into us. Before daily existence carried us down the river of disappointment and shattered our dreams on the…
A solid anchor in a sea of strangeness
All of us will get shaken by repeated threats to our established way of doing things. And all of us will have to deal with changes that we don’t like. What sucks is, simplicity will be in short supply. No matter how hard we work to make quick order of a complicated world that is full of shades of grey, life will probably still feel unfair, stupid and confusing….
A small jolt of another connection falling into place
We get what our heart calls for. When we set out into the world with a clean intention, staying in touch with what is of prime importance to us, without attaching ourselves to any definite outcome, it’s amazing what gets delivered to our doorstep. Like we’re the magnets, and the iron filings that lie within our field are floating toward us. The problem is, these moments are so hard…
Episode 204: Liposuction For A Cause || Carrie, Donna, Bruce
What if cars had lockboxes to store cell phones while driving? What if we used dogs instead of towels after showering? What if religions subsidized hover boards for unpopular teenagers? What if we repurposed unsightly cellulite as soap for third world countries? In this episode of Steal Scott’s Ideas, Carrie, Donna and Bruce gather in St. Louis for some execution in public. **Sponsored by Bother Box Execution Lesson 204: Bear witness…
Get out of the fire first and try to understand it later
When we find ourselves in the middle of circumstances that we didn’t want, didn’t ask for, or didn’t expect, our natural response is to scramble for clarity. Especially when we have no context for these experiences that have left us so devastated. We try and put everything that’s happening into a tidy little box that helps us understand the world a little better. Hunting down the one big prize…
Why isn’t the world ever unfair in my favor?
In a world where there is no cosmic court system, we can drive ourselves crazy over fair. Even if we go to great lengths to set the record straight and satisfy our sense of justice and seek out the soothing waves of vindication to wash over our weary hearts, there is no guarantee that the gavel will come down on our side. Kudos to the vigilantes who take a…
Finding a way to say that life has just begun
Emmon’s book about the chemistry of joy tells us that denial is the default mechanism, the one that’s always available even when others fail. It’s like a fog always waiting to descend whenever we feel the need to obscure the painful reality before us. And yet, as much as denial can help us avoid discomfort, let’s not be in denial about denial. It may feel comforting, but it’s not evolutionarily advantageous. It…
Noticing the places where we typically cut the threads of connection
Lieberman’s research study about the pains and pleasures of social life indicated that social needs are managed using the same neural networks as used for primary survival needs such as food and water. As such, threats to our sense of belonging can result in the equivalent experience as real physical pain. And so, it’s not something we can just shake off. People can’t get over loneliness any more than…
Creating psychological fuel around something we don’t even want
Trying to understand, figure out and even fix our mood rarely helps anything. There are very few situations when the analysis of our temperament relieves us of it. In fact, that typically makes things worse. Because what we focus on, expands. Paranoia is the perfect example. When we grow suspicious of the powers that be, it’s tempting to begin engaging in worst case scenario thinking. Shacking up with doomsday possibilities….
All love needs is to be believed in
Some people wear out their welcome in the marketplace. They show up with guns blazing, make tons of noise and take center stage for a hot minute; but after a while, the world grows tired of seeing them and they ultimately fade away like a bad smell. Strangely enough, some people do the exact opposite. Instead of wearing out their welcome, they waste it. They leave too soon. They…
