Tag: resilience

Think Better So That You Can Feel Better

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date February 28, 2024
No Comments on Think Better So That You Can Feel Better

Vertical shot of thoughtful dark skinned woman has idea in mind, keeps finger on lips, looks pensively above, tries to decide how to act, poses against blue background, blank copy space above

In the eternal Quest for human happiness and contentment, one fundamental principle emerges, the necessity of thinking better to feel better. In a world filled with stress, anxiety, and existential dread, mastering the art of thinking better can be a game changer. So, buckle up and get ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. At its core lies the virtue of rationality, combined with the knowledge that we should acknowledge and honor our emotions as well.

In this intricate tapestry of human experience, the interplay between thought and feeling weaves a complex narrative of existence. To think better is to feel better, and the pathway to true fulfillment can be found in the harmonious integration of mind and emotion.

Central to this philosophy is the recognition that thoughts and feelings are not opposing forces but complementary aspects of our well-being. Each informs each other, shaping our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in profound ways. To neglect one at the expense of the other is to deny ourselves a holistic understanding of human nature, relegating us to a state of perpetual imbalance.

Think rationally, think critically, so that you can feel better.

Think Better so that you can feel better. Photo by Freepik via Freepik.com

Rationality demands that we engage our minds in a continuous pursuit of understanding, critically analyzing, and processing information. It urges us to question assumptions, challenge biases, and seek truth, even when it is uncomfortable. In doing so, we sharpen our cognitive faculties, enabling us to navigate the complexities of existence with clarity and purpose.

Having said that, the path to thinking better through rational and critical thinking is fraught with obstacles. Our minds are susceptible to cognitive biases, and ingrained patterns of thinking that distort our perception of reality. Confirmation bias, for instance, compels us to seek out information that reinforces our existing beliefs, blinding us to alternative viewpoints. Similarly, emotional reasoning can cloud our judgment, leading us to do all kinds of mental gymnastics to justify a viewpoint that we are attached to emotionally but which, from a rational point of view, does not make sense.

Overcoming these barriers requires discipline and introspection. It demands a willingness to confront our limitations and biases, embrace uncertainty, drop the urge to be right all the time, and pursue knowledge with humility. It is a journey marked by constant self-reflection and growth, a testament to the enduring power of the human intellect.

In the end, honing our ability to think critically and rationally is a noble endeavor; it is a testament to our capacity to reason, our ability to transcend the confines of instinct and emotion, and to aspire towards higher truths.

When we think better, we cultivate resilience against the storms of life. Rather than succumbing to the whims of fleeting emotions or irrational impulses, we anchor ourselves in reason, which in turn allows us to respond to events in our lives with wisdom and equanimity.

Moreover, thinking better fosters empathy and understanding towards others as we hone our capacity for critical thinking, we develop a deeper appreciation for the complexities of human experience. We recognize that beneath the surface of every emotion lies a story, a narrative shaped by individual circumstances and perspectives. Armed with this insight, we approach interpersonal interactions with compassion and humility, fostering meaningful connections built on mutual respect and understanding.

In the end, the pursuit of rationality is a noble endeavor. It is a testament to our capacity for reason, our ability to transcend the confines of instinct and emotion, and to aspire towards higher truths. By thinking better, we not only enrich our own lives, but we also have a positive impact on people around us and we contribute in a small but meaningful way to the collective advancement of humanity, forging a brighter future grounded in reason, compassion, and understanding.

Harmonize your mind and emotions, so that you can feel better.

To think better is to feel better, and the way to get there is through a harmonious integration of mind and emotion. Rational thoughts and feelings are not opposing forces but complementary aspects of our complex existence. Each informs the other, shaping our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in profound ways. To neglect one at the expense of the other is to deny ourselves a holistic understanding of reality, relegating us to a state of perpetual imbalance.

When we think better, we cultivate a deeper awareness of our emotions and their underlying causes. Rather than suppressing or denying them, we should embrace them with curiosity and compassion. Through introspection and self-reflection, we uncover the hidden patterns and beliefs that govern our emotional responses, empowering us to cultivate greater emotional intelligence and resilience.

Emotions such as joy, gratitude, love, sadness, loneliness, and even pain can be a trigger to broaden our cognitive perspective, enabling us to think more creatively, and expansively. They fuel our motivation and curiosity, propelling us toward new insights and discoveries. In this way, emotion becomes not a hindrance to rationality but a catalyst for it, enriching our intellectual lives and deepening our understanding of the world.

Yet, achieving this harmony is not easy. It requires a commitment to self-awareness and willingness to confront discomfort and uncertainty and a dedication to personal growth and transformation. It demands that we cultivate a sense of mindfulness, learning to observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment or attachment. It invites us to embrace vulnerability and authenticity, recognizing that true strength lies not in stoicism but in emotional openness and resilience.

Ultimately the journey towards thinking better to feel better is a deeply personal one, shaped by our unique experiences, values, and aspirations. It is a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance of learning to embrace the full spectrum of human experience with grace and gratitude. And it is a journey that holds a life of greater meaning, connection, and fulfillment.

And this my Dear Friend is your Quest.

If you wish to support my work you can purchase my book This is Your Quest online at BookLocker, from Amazon, or from Barnes & Noble. The Ebook version is available on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple (iBooks) & Kobo. Check out my Amazon Author Page here or my listing on Booksradar.com.

You can also follow me on my FaceBook Page and sign up for a Free Guide that I wrote for women to remind them that they should give themselves permission to be all that they can be.

Tags awareness of emotions, Be Happy, Be Healthy, Emotional intelligence, harmonize mind and body, honor our emotions, resilience, self awareness, Self-Help, Think better to feel better, Think critically, Think for yourself, Uncategorized

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Histographics 2.0. The Adventure Continues – Crazy Survival Tips that Actually Work

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date April 10, 2022
No Comments on Histographics 2.0. The Adventure Continues – Crazy Survival Tips that Actually Work

Video Transcript

Being in a life-or-death kind-of-situation is a very uncomfortable place to be. Nobody would willingly put themselves in that kind of situation. Disaster movies are fun to watch from the comfort of our own home but being the main actor in a real-life situation where your very existence is at stake is much less comfortable.

Of course, we would rather not be the person who has to face insurmontable odds to survive very unfortunate sets of circumstances, except that sudden disaster can strike you at any time and the decisions you are going to make at this very moment will determine whether you live or die and watching this video could potentially save your life.

Video by Histograhics 2.0. Scritwriter: Joanne Reed

This is why you need to watch this video because having some basic survival knowledge will definitely increase your chance of not dying. Better safe than sorry. But before getting into full disaster mode don’t forget to support our new channel by sharing, commenting, and subscribing.

The first thing you need to do if you are facing a life-or-death kind of situation is: DO NOT PANIC! I can hear you saying, “Easier said than done”. Sure, thing but losing your grip is not going to help the situation, on the contrary it may accelerate your demise.

S.T.O.P for a minute or two. Sit. Think. Observe. Plan. Inventory the resources you have. Identify the critica tasks required for survival (water, shelter, warmth), make a plan to stay alive. Mental toughness is key. It is often grit that separates a survivor from a non-survivor.

Bad situations can turn dramatic for many reasons but the 3 potentially deadly events that can precipitate your exit from this earth are:

Exposure to the elements: extreme cold or extreme heat on land or at sea.
Lack of water and food.
Injuries.

Let’s get into the disaster scenarios very gently by looking at bad situations that can be dealt with quite easily and where your chance of survival is pretty high. Before you go out anywhere, please check the weather forecast. The Brits have a saying: There is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing. Staying alive in extreme weather conditions is a real art that requires skills, knowledge, some preparation and good packing skills. When you are out in the open clothing is your first line of shelter and your first protection. Have the right clothes for the right environment. Pack an extra layer of clothing just in case and don’t forget to pack a hat.

Sudden disaster can strike you at any time one minute you are doing your duty on an aircraft carrier and the next you found yourself in the middle of the ocean. This is exactly what happened to Marine Lance-Corporal Zachary Mayo in 1995. He was wandering around his aircraft carrier when a metal door swung open and whacked him into the ocean 100 miles from shore. He survived his ordeal thanks to some crazy navy training that he remembered and was found two days later by a fishermen’s boat.

If you ever find yourself adrift at sea (God forbid), do not try to swim to some faraway land the location of which you have no idea. You have to figure out a way to stay afloat and alive as long as possible until someone comes to rescue you. Marine Lance-Corporal Zachary survived his ordeal and was able to share with the world one crazy survival tip that actually works. He turned his pants into a life preserver.

First, take off your pants and tie the ankles together into a tight knot. Then lift the waistband high, hold it open and swoosh your pants through the air in order to fill them with air. Slip the legs over your head, make yourself comfortable and buoyant then pray that the sharks don’t take an interest in your exposed genitals and that some fishermen’s boat will come fishing in the vicinity, like right now.

You will probably need to re-inflate your pants pretty often because the pants’ main function is not to be an airtight life preserver, but whatever, you are in the middle of the ocean, and you’ve got nothing better to do.

Being adrift in the middle of the ocean is bad, but being on land, freezing cold, and lost in the wilderness is not good either. We heard countless stories of people getting lost in the wild or surviving a plane crash only to find themselves at death door again trying to survive cold, heat, thirst, and hunger.

Crazy Survival Tips that Actually Works. Video by Histographics. Scriptwriter: Joanne Reed

Once again, if you find yourself in this dire situation, the first thing you have to do is S.T.O.P for a minute or two. Sit. Think. Observe. Plan. Inventory the resources you have. Identify the critical tasks required for survival (water, shelter, warmth). Make a plan to stay alive and make a fire.

Fire is the king of survival techniques. Fire can keep you warm, purify water, cook food, signal rescuers, give you light and comfort. It can also keep unfriendly predators at a distance.

The easiest way to make a fire is by using a lighter or some matches. Duh!

But chances are you are not going to have these two items handy just when you need them the most and you can also forget the idea of rubbing two sticks together to make a fire like our homo sapiens cousins used to do in the olden days. Mind you, Tom Hanks managed to pull it off in Castaway but that was just for the cameras.

So, what’s the next best thing? Use the very thing that people carry with them everywhere, every day, night and day, their mobile phone. If you are carrying steel wool or wrapper foil of chewing-gum good for you because it can save your life. Twist the foil up into a loop and touch it to both the positive and negative terminals of your phone battery in order to generate enough heat to set fire to something dry and easily flammable.

If this doesn’t work, you can use the lithium in your battery, which is made up of a dangerous concoction of chemicals carefully segregated so that they don’t go off. Burst open the battery case, take a sharp stick, then stab the phone as your life depends on it because it does. This beating up triggers a process called “thermal runaway” which is a rather undesirable thing to happen in 99% of cases, you don’t want your phone to explode except if it is going to save your life.

The next thing you need to do is to collect water and find food. If you cannot locate any water source, the next best thing would be to harvest fresh water from plants with a plastic bag and a rock. Just as you release water vapor into the air when you breathe, so too do plants. Tie the plastic bag around some leaves, put something heavy like a rock, to create a reservoir at the bottom, and wait for the magic to happen. It is going to take a while so feel free in the meantime to go hunting for food; but after 24 hours or so, you should have a cup and a quarter of freshwater. Don’t worry it tastes much better than you own sweat.

So, your extended stay in the goddamn wilderness has turned out not too deadly so far. You managed to save yourselves from hyperthermia by starting a fire that keeps you warm, whilst keeping unfriendly predators at a distance. You successfully alleviated your thirst by drinking ~~sweat~~ I mean freshwater from plants. Now, you are starving and becoming weaker and weaker by the hour from lack of nutrition.

Time to become a hunter-gatherer and venture around to look for food. There is no obvious way to tell if a thing is edible simply by looking at it. You could put it in your mouth, sure, but many poisonous wild-growing plants look an awful lot like the kind of thing you’d put on the dinner table.

For example, regular carrots and parsnips look almost identical to hemlock, a plant that will kill you so dead that they used it to execute people in the olden days. Fortunately, there is a way to figure out whether or not something is okay to eat. It is called the universal edibility test or UET. It is not flawless, but it is better than saying prayer.

When you find something that looks like it might be edible smell it first. Plants that don’t want to be eaten have evolved for millions of years to communicate that fact to us, and many of them smell bad. If it smells okay, rub it on the inside of your elbow or wrist and wait to see if you develop a rash or hives or anything.

Ideally, you have enough time before you starve to death to give this test the scientific rigorousness it warrants, but if time is short you want to give each step between 15 minutes and an hour before you move to the next step. If the plant passes the elbow test, the next thing is to rub it on your lips, then wait again. If you are still feeling okay put some of it in your mouth and swish, it around but don’t swallow. After that eat a very small amount of it and wait overnight. If you are not dead by the morning, then whatever you’re thinking of eating might be safe.

Of course, this test comes with some disclaimers. For example, it apparently doesn’t work very well with mushrooms; experienced survivalists will tell you that you should never eat a wild mushroom no matter what it looks like.

Whilst you are out and about looking for food, make sure you don’t twist your ankle or cut yourself badly. Did you know that the most common injuries happening in the wild are sprained ankles, broken limbs, and cuts?

To treat a twisted ankle, remember R.I.C.E: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. First, rest the ankle by getting off it immediately. Second, reduce swelling by icing it. Since you are in the wilderness and ice packs are in short supply there, soak a t-shirt in cold water and wrap it around the injured ankle. Compress the joint by whatever means you find. Finally, elevate the ankle above the level of the heart.

Try not to cut yourself, but if you do, treating a cut in the outdoor is not that different from treating a cut at home. Your first job is to stop the bleeding, clean the wound, then bandage the wound.

Remember that disaster can strike any time without warning, so better be safe than sorry. Whenever you are out and about on land or at sea, best to wear a pair of trousers rather than a dress. Trousers work better as a life preserver. Always carry your mobile phone, chewing-gum can become handy, always carry a plastic bag for water collection and some extra layer clothing with you such as an extra-T-shirt in case you need to use it as a bandage. Having the right type of gear with you and the right kind of knowledge acquired by watching videos such as this one will make you a survivor.

Thank you for watching and/or reading and don’t forget to like, share and subscribe to our channel because it can literally save your life and stay tuned in because I have a whole bunch of videos in the pipeline!

Yours Truly Script Writer, Joanne Reed

You can also follow me on my FaceBook Page and sign up for a Free Guide that I wrote for women to remind them that they should give themselves permission to be all that they can be.

Tags animation, resilience, scriptwriter, scriptwriting, survival, survival tips, wilderness

when the going gets tough, be tougher

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date July 11, 2021
2 Comments on when the going gets tough, be tougher

We are living in uncertain times, there hasn’t been a time like this in recent memory. People are feeling worried, anxious, scared, and helpless. Human beings are fragile animals, but we are also resilient rational beings with foresight, discernment, and the ability to survive, and even thrive, when the going gets tough, be tougher. Nobody knows what is going to happen next, so we should get comfortable being uncomfortable while uncertainty reigns.

“Uncertainty is the very condition that impels man to unfold his powers. As we navigate our own uncertain times together, may a thousand flowers of sanity bloom, each valid so long as it is viable in anchoring the human spirit it animates. And may we remember the myriad terrors and uncertainties preceding our own, which have served as unexpected awakenings from some of our most perilous civilization slumbers” Erich Fromm.
Erich Fromm

When the going gets tough, be tougher.

We live every day with the knowledge of our staggering fragility, and we know how physiologically vulnerable our body and mind can be. We are aware that terrible outcomes are always possible and often probable. Your quest as a Human being is to protect yourself against the danger of losing your life but also against the danger of losing your mind. When the going gets tough, be tougher.

This knowledge of our own vulnerability makes us go back and forth between ecstatic optimism and sheer despair. In order to cope with that awareness and to counterweigh the heavy sense of our own fragility we often rely on the hope that somehow, we will be strong enough to withstand rare and unexpected events, which the author Nassim Taleb refers to as Black Swans Events.

The concept of a Black Swan Event originated from German philosopher Karl Popper. In his famous essay “The problem of Induction’, Popper said: “A scientific idea can never be proven true, just because no matter how many observations seem to agree with it, it may still be wrong.” Popper noted that many people believed all swans were white; millions of observations of white swans seemingly proved this theory. Yet, it was the discovery of a single black swan, living in Australia, which invalidated a theory based on millions of prior observations.

Nassim Taleb, a former options Trader, wrote his book, The Black Swan in 2007. The book focuses on the extreme impact of rare and unpredictable events or Black Swan Events which are events impossible to predict due to their extreme rarity. Taleb’s book popularized the term which is now commonly used to describe an unexpected event with dire consequences. As Black Swan Events may result in catastrophic consequences it is important for people to always assume, however unlikely, that they are possible, and plan accordingly.

In his book, Taleb urged his readers to not attempt to predict Black Swans Events but to build robustness to their negative impacts. The world is too complex for anyone to understand or predict exactly what is going to happen, and rather than naively try to predict Black Swans Events, we just need to be aware of the possibility and adjust to their existence, by becoming antifragile. All systems can be categorized as fragile, robust, or antifragile. Fragile things are exposed and destroyed by volatility, Robust things resist, and Anti-fragile things benefit from it.

When the going gets tough, be tougher. Some things benefit from shock. Photo by Master 1305 via freepik.com

“Some things benefit from shock; they thrive and grow when exposed to volatility, randomness, disorder, stressors, and uncertainty. Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shock and stay the same, the antifragile gets better.” Nassim Taleb.Taleb urges people to stop using the observable past as an indicator of the future, the don’t be a Turkey Rule. Turkey is fed for 1000 days and thinks that everything is all right and food will be coming, on day 1001, the day before Thanksgiving, everything changes.

“Uncertainty is our discipline and understanding how to act under conditions of incomplete information is the highest and most urgent human pursuit.” Karl Popper.
Karl Popper

Four tips to become tougher.

1. Become tougher by removal. The solution to many problems in life is solved by removal, not by addition. Living a healthy life is more about removing, sugar, processed food, and unhealthy snacks from your diet. Similarly, people become wealthy by reducing their exposure to going bust. Professional athletes win games by removing mistakes.

When the going gets tough, be tougher. Become antifragile. Photo by Master 1305 via freepik.com

2. Become tougher by being healthy. Treat your body as a temple, worship it every day. Being unhealthy makes our immune system weak, which makes us more prone to disease, which in return makes us fragile. Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine, is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. Hippocrates is known for saying: “ let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food”. According to his doctrine, the body contains within itself the power to re-balance and heal itself. Hippocrates was reluctant to administer drugs; his favorite treatment was fasting and apple cider vinegar. He recognized when people ate mainly a fresh, plant-based diet, they developed fewer diseases. (I wrote a whole chapter on Hippocrates in my book “This Is Your Quest”, feel free to check it out.)

3. Become tougher by optionality. The more options you have, the more freedom you have to respond to unforeseen circumstances, thus reducing your fragility to Black Swans Events. If you have optionality you don’t need to be right that often. All you need is the wisdom not to do things that will hurt yourself and to be able to recognize favorable outcomes when they arise.

4. Become tougher through trials and errors. Try new things and find out through a process of trials and errors what works and what doesn’t. If an idea doesn’t work, make it fail quickly then move on to the next one. Play safe in some areas of your life and take some risks in others.

And this my dear friend, is your Quest.

You can also follow me on my FaceBook Page and sign up for a Free Guide that I wrote for women to remind them that they should give themselves permission to be all that they can be.

Tags antifragile, black swan events, inspiration, motivation, resilience, robustness, self development, self-discovery, Self-Help, toughness, Uncategorized

Learn How to Be Courageous. Watch the Lions, the Tigers and the Bears

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date January 26, 2021
4 Comments on Learn How to Be Courageous. Watch the Lions, the Tigers and the Bears

Learn how to be courageous. Watch the lions, the tigers and the bears. What is Courage?

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently”. Maya Angelou.

We can learn how to be courageous by watching the lions, the tigers and the bears. The word ‘courage’ originates from the Latin word cor (Coeur in French and cuore in Italian) which means heart; in essence, it means ‘to act from one’s heart’. The etymology of the word indicates that when we act courageously, we are activating our inner power and strength which surfaces through our heart’s desire. Courage is the mental preparedness and ability to deal with difficulty, challenges, and sometimes seemingly impossible circumstances. It is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, intimidation, and other threats.

Courage is not a quality that you are born with. It is one that has to be cultivated and honed. Today we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds but being courageous does not necessarily entail doing something dramatic or astoundingly heroic, everyday living requires courage.

So, what is courage? There are many definitions out there of what courage is. Below are my favorite ones.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel fear, but he who conquers that fear.” Nelson Mandela

“Deep down in the human spirit, there is a reservoir of courage. It is always available, always waiting to be discovered.” Pema Chodron.

“Courage is a special kind of knowledge: The knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared.” David Ben-Gurion.

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.” Jim Hightower.

“Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” John Wooden.

“We all have varying degrees of courage. Finding courage can be a choice we make every day, often in the quietest of ways. There is great courage in living life to the fullest, living with authenticity and a sense of alignment with one’s most deeply held values. And sometimes, simply getting up every day and putting one foot in front of another is an act of immense courage.” Barbara Bonner.

As Maya Angelou rightly said courage is a virtue and it is the most important one to cultivate because without it you cannot practice any of the other virtues consistently. When we work to develop courage, we both empower ourselves with the ability to confront problems head-on, as well as acquire the skills required to deal with life’s inevitable challenges.

*Be Courageous. Native American Woman. Photo by @freepk via freepik.com*

In certain cultures, including in the Native American culture, there is a belief that our spirit guides accompany us during our life journey and those spirit guides include animals. A spirit animal acts as a teacher or messenger that comes in the form of an animal; it is believed that you do not choose the animal, rather the animal chooses you and is there to provide guidance, lessons, protection, power, or wisdom. You can have one or several spirit animals throughout your lifetime. They can come in and out of your lives to give you guidance, teach you about yourselves, and help you maintain balance. A spirit animal can bring you a message in several ways. You can physically cross paths with the animal, you can dream about it, see representations of the animal when you are out and about or it can come to you in your meditations. Your spirit animal often represents qualities and attributes that you may see in yourself.

To help us learn how to be courageous, I called upon the animal world and asked the lion, tiger, and bear to teach us a thing or two about courage.

Learn how to be courageous, watch the lion.

*Learn how to be courageous wacth the lion. Photo by@freepik via freepik.com*

The lion is the king of the jungle, it epitomizes courage and is universally known as the symbol of strength, true leadership, and a commanding presence that cannot be easily intimidated. If the lion spirit animal makes you aware of its presence, it will give you the strength you need to face and overcome hurdles in your life; it will also teach you how to harness your fear, anger, and wild emotions. The lion animal spirit urges you to move forward with courage and decisiveness and push through life, no matter what.

With the lion animal spirit by your side, you will learn to choose your battles carefully. Some fights are worth fighting for and others aren’t, but taking care of the weak and vulnerable is always worth it. Lion people are very protective of their tribe and will spend considerable effort training their young to take care of themselves. For this reason, lion people are readily recognized as a leader and protector.

Learn how to be courageous, watch the tiger

Tiger symbolism is most commonly associated with strength and courage, as well as determination and independence. Tigers travel great distances, but they also spend much of their time resting and saving their energies. Choose wisely which pursuits you spend your energies on. Do not waste your efforts on those that will not give you something positive in return.

The tiger animal spirit also wants you to be determined and independent. If at first, you don’t succeed, try again until you make it. It’s OK not to get it right the first time, so don’t let your failures prevent you from achieving your dreams.

The tiger animal spirit is silent and solitary and thrives when there are no distractions. Its focus becomes more laser-sharp, and the silence makes it easier to spot any kind of movement nearby. Do not come rushing and roaring at your targets because this is the easiest way you can lose them from your grasp. Take a step back and think of the best approach. Sometimes to be successful in life, you need to forgo speed and aggression; slow down, listen closely, and wait for the perfect timing, no matter how long it takes.

When the tiger animal spirit makes you aware of its presence, it will teach you to focus on your goals, quietly and silently. And then when the time is right, trust your instincts, take action with swiftness and confidence. Persistence, patience, and hard work will lead you to success. Balance all the possibilities before you make a huge decision and act swiftly when required. Rely on your personal strength when you need motivation, determination, or courage.

With the tiger as your animal spirit, people can trust you to be calm and collected. You are very observant when it comes to people and your surroundings, which makes you wise and perceptive.

Learn how to be courageous, watch the bear

The bear is emblematic of grounding forces and strength. This animal spirit gives those who need it the courage to stand up against adversity. The spirit of the bear is a strong source of support in times of difficulty. When the bear shows up as a spirit guide in your life, it’s perhaps time to stand for your beliefs or your truth. Bears symbolize warrior spirit and courage to fight and would be invoked to help the warriors in the battle.

With a bear animal spirit at your side, you will learn the art of being patient and will learn to wait for just the right moment to manifest your ideas and projects. Moreover, you will have a great deal of confidence in who you are and where you are going in life.

The bear is an animal that lives a solitary life. Having a bear as a spirit animal can mean that you find balance and comfort in solitude. The presence of this animal could point to the need to “regroup” and set up boundaries, so you feel comfortable in your own space, where you can re-energize yourself in order to come back stronger than ever.

Be courageous, wake-up, dress-up, and show-up.

Being courageous doesn’t mean that you have to do bold spectacular acts of bravery and become a hero. Courage can show-up in a very quiet manner and in thousands of unexpected ways. Deciding not to fight can sometimes be as courageous as charging into battle. Forgiveness requires a lot of courage. Learning a new skill, starting a new business venture, stepping outside your comfort zone requires a lot of courage. Standing-up to bullies and speaking your mind require a fair dose of courage. Falling in love, letting your guards down can be an act of courage. Staying positive and upbeat when facing setbacks, ill-health, old age or even death requires a lot of courage.

And this my dear friend is your Quest. Be courageous.

If you liked this post you can follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, or you may also like:

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Tags animal spirit, be courage, bears, courage, fear, lions, resilience, Self-Help, strength, tigers, Uncategorized

Why You Should Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date November 30, 2020
18 Comments on Why You Should Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste

Sometimes the road is rugged and difficult - Photo by @freepik via freepik.com

Why you should never let a good crisis go to waste

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to never let a good crisis go to waste. This article is my attempt to offer you some pointers on how to do just that. Life is a journey, sometimes the road is nice and pleasant and other times it is rocky, arduous, dangerous and most unpleasant.

No one voluntarily chooses to go down the unpleasant road, except that sometimes there is nowhere to go but down that road. Picture yourself being on Route 2020 (which looks a lot like the year 2020). Route 2020 is one of those roads that gives you the chills when you are on it, danger lurks at every corner, there is no good visibility, it is isolated, rugged, with many up and down hills and unexpected turns. Since the beginning of this year, we have been driving down that road, it has been rough.

A lot of things are happening this year are outside our control. Instead of worrying about things we can’t change, it is better to focus instead on the things that we can control. There is always a silver lining on the horizon, even if we can’t see it yet. Never let a good crisis go to waste.

Some roads are rugged, difficult, dangerous – Photo by @freepik via freepik.com

“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity” –

John F Kennedy

The whole premise of this article is that you should never let a good crisis go to waste because they could be an opportunity in every crisis. John F Kennedy and the Chinese understood that concept quite well. Once you are aware of the danger, y acknowledge it, calm your nerve and then do something about it preferably that turn things around to your advantage. One way to achieve this is to focus your energy on a purpose, a mission, a passion, something that keeps you in a state of flow. And this is how you find your opportunity, your silver lining.

Never let a good crisis go to waste. Find your passion

Life can be hectic and it always feels like there is so much that needs to be done. Your to-do list is filled with essential items requiring your attention, (thanks for adding check out Joanne Reed’s blog on your list of essential things to do today. I appreciate it very much.) The problem is that non-essential activities rarely make it onto that list, and if they do, these low-priority items will only be completed if there is time left. The problem is that there is never enough time left.

*Time is of the essence*. *Make time*. – Photo by @freepik via freepik.com

Except that this year, it is different. Suddenly all of us find ourselves with a lot of new-found-time because the government has ordered their people to stay at home, to work remotely, to do online schooling, to only go out for essential trips to the grocery store (there is nowhere else to go anyway, everything is shut)? Make the most of it. Never let a good crisis go to waste and don’t spoil it by turning yourself into a couch potato.

Instead of laying on the couch in a state of semi-torpor binge-watching TV, fill your to-do-list with activities you never had time to do before the crisis, such as cooking, getting fit, gardening, singing, painting, writing, becoming a YouTuber… whatever lights-up your spirit and get you in a state of flow.

How do I find my passion?

For some people finding their passion is easy, they were born knowing what it was; what is less easy is to get started and to do it consistently. For others, finding their passion is not so obvious. The problem is that a lot of people believe that their passion is hiding somewhere, maybe behind a tree or underneath a rock. The truth is that our passion comes first from doing things, and then doing them right. We should get into the habit of injecting passion into all the things that we do. If we do this consistently, a time will come when something will stand out above all the other things, and that is the very thing that we should devote more time to doing passionately. That’s all there is to it, just do it .

*Find your passion* . *Make your Life a work of art – Photo by @freepik via freepik.com*

It is possible to have a passion and still feel demotivated and deflated because you can’t see any results. The problem these days is that people are impatient, they expect instantaneous results. That’s not how things work. Being successful at something requires hard work, sweat, tears, discipline, and patience. Don’t focus on the outcome, focus on the work itself. Pursue the things you love doing and devote yourself to hone your craft on a daily basis. Eventually, people will not be able to take their eyes off you.

If you still feel dispassionate and have no passion to create anything, listen to the philosopher Carl Jung who may give you some ideas.

“If you have nothing at all to create, then perhaps you create yourself. To give style to one’s character is a great and rare art.”
Carl Jung

What about turning yourself into a work of art? Maybe the healthiest person you could be? Or maybe a deep philosophical thinker? And when you got it, flaunt it.

“Consider making your life a work of art. You have yourself to begin with and a time of uncertain duration to work on it. You do not have to be who you are, even though you may be quite content with who and what you are; it will not be hard for you to think of something greater than you might become; it need not be something spectacular or even something that will attract any notice from others. What it will be is a kind of excellence that you project for yourself and then attain. Something you can look at with honest self-appraisal and be proud of.” Make your life a work of art!
Richard Taylor

Be an artist, create, innovate

*Each creation showcases my own personal journey. My worries, dreams and ambitions. Everything I love and everything I fear* – *Photo by @freepik via freepik.com*

I am an artist

I am a creator of ideas
Swimming in a sparkling see of imagination
A magician of sorts, turning thoughts of
Wonderment into pieces of originality
Each creation showcases
My own personal journey
My worries, dreams and ambitions,
Everything I love and everything I fear
All that I was yesterday and all that I’ll be tomorrow
Is neatly contained in my glorious creations
When you glance over my work, you are catching
A glimpse of my soul,
For a part of me is each piece I create
I march to my own beat, and wildly dance to my own rhythm
Passion runs through my veins,
As emotions are fuel for my craft
Certain pieces I protect and keep to myself
While others I’ll share with the world
I am a creative beacon shining my light brightly
For all the universe to see.

The Artist

And this, my dear companion, is your Quest: think – create – innovate – from dawn till dusk every day.

You can also follow me on my FaceBook Page and sign up for a Free Guide that I wrote for women to remind them that they should give themselves permission to be all that they can be.

Tags artists, corona crisis, creative flow, creativity, crisis management, never let a good crisis go to waste, passion, resilience, self development, self realization, self-discovery, Self-Help, Uncategorized

How to Find Meaning in Life? The Secret is Revealed…

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date November 16, 2020
8 Comments on How to Find Meaning in Life? The Secret is Revealed…

How to find meaning in life? The possibilities are endlesss

How to find meaning in life? Engage in worthwhile pursuits

Finding meaning in life has always been of paramount importance. Human beings have contemplated their existence since the beginning of times. The primary focus of our ancestors was to find food (preferably without being killed in the process), find shelter, and a community to interact with. Fast forward to our modern era, with our basic needs taken care of, our main focus has become trying to find meaning in life.

The feeling that one’s life has meaning can come from any number of things, such as committing ourselves to the pursuit of academic knowledge, focusing on doing our job to the best of our ability, committing ourselves to help others by doing some volunteer work or dedicating ourselves to raising a family. All of these are examples of worthwhile pursuits, but the important point is that the actual purpose does not really matter. What matters a great deal more is that there is a purpose.

*How to find meaning in life? The possibilities are endless*

“Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it because you can’t ever really know the meaning of your life. And you don’t need to. The only thing you need to know is that every life has meaning, whether it lasts one hundred years or one hundred seconds. Every life changes the world in its own way. So, don’t take it for granted. But don’t take it too seriously either. Don’t postpone what you want. Don’t leave anything misunderstood. Make sure the people you care about know you care about them.”
Mahatma Ghandi

Life can be hard and finding contentment and meaning in what you do can help you withstand the innumerable hardships of existence. A 2019 study conducted by the University College London revealed that feeling your life is worthwhile could have a positive impact on your physical and mental health and also influence your economic and social standing. Ultimately, the pursuit of happiness and finding your life purpose goes hand in hand.

How to find meaning in life? Go on a road trip

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.”
Christopher Reeve

Why do so many people fail to achieve their dreams? There could be many valid reasons, but failing to achieve your dream because it is going to be hard is not a good reason. Nothing is easy, so expect some pain and consider the possibility that sometimes hurdles come your way to test your resolve, teach you some lessons and build your resilience.

Imagine you are in your car on your way to Pleasant Ville which represents your ultimate dream destination. You put in the coordinates and drive along quite happily until you realize you are going in the wrong direction after taking a wrong turn. There is no need to panic, the GPS will re-direct you to Pleasant Ville, albeit using a different route. This little detour cost you some time, but you are now more focused on the road, determined not to take another wrong turn or to miss the next exit. You are getting closer to your destination and will get there as long as you stay focused.

*How to find meaning in life? It depends what type of driver you are*

Now, imagine that you are sharing the road with three other drivers and you all want to go to Pleasant Ville. Driver 1 is the fast-and-furious type who starts his engine and immediately speeds-off, impatient to get to his destination as quickly as possible. But, after taking a wrong turn and finding himself in the wrong place, Driver 1 is now annoyed, discouraged and disheartened by losing his early lead (who said that this was a race anyway). Driver 1 returns home feeling defeated.

Driver 2 is the are-we-there-yet-type of driver who drives around not paying attention to hid GPS and turns around in circles thinking are we there yet? Driver 2 eventually gets disheartened by driving around in circles not knowing where he is going. He also returns home feeling defeated.

Driver 3 is the zig-zag-type of driver. Before arriving at his destination Driver 3 decides that a different place is better than where he was originally going, so he changes the coordinates again and again, never arriving anywhere.

*How to find meaning in life? Road Trip gone bad?!*

Driver 4 is the smart-and-steady-type: focused, and patient, he pays attention to the road, and doesn’t fret if he takes a wrong turn, because it doesn’t matter which road you take, there is rarely only a single road that leads to your destination. Eventually, driver 4 arrives to Pleasant Ville and when he gets there, he realizes that it was worth all the time, effort, sweat and tears and rejoices in the happiness of the moment.

I know what type of driver I want to emulate. Which one are you?

Where to find meaning in life?

You will not find your life purpose delivered to your doorstep and waiting for you inside a box wrapped with a nice pink ribbon. You will have to go out to find it, it could be hidden underneath a rock or hidden deep inside you, and it will take some effort and some courage to unearth. In this situation, think of yourself as an explorer.

Explorers are a special type of human being. They have physical endurance, mental toughness, abundant determination and willpower, a deep feeling of purpose, they have faith in their pursuit and live everyday with the conviction of their Quest. For more on this fascinating subject, check out this video below and follow me in the footsteps of some modern-day explorers.

Modern-day Explorers, Adventurers and Travelers – Chapter 2 of “This is Your Quest”

And this, my Dear Companion, is Your Quest!

You can also follow me on my FaceBook Page and sign up for a Free Guide that I wrote for women to remind them that they should give themselves permission to be all that they can be.

Tags adventurer, courage, explorer, Life purpose, meaningful life, resilience, Self-Help, Uncategorized

From Zero to Hero – The Myth of Hercules

Post author By Author_Joanne_Reed
Post date June 30, 2020
5 Comments on From Zero to Hero – The Myth of Hercules

From Zero to Hero – The Myth of Hercules

One of the most popular hero of the Greek Mythology is Hercules. What makes him so popular is the fact that he is half-god and full of flaws. His life was far from perfect and filled with tragedies. He endured many trials and completed many daunting tasks, but the reward for his suffering was a promise that he would live forever among the gods at Mount Olympus. My youngest daughter Alizé will take over for a minute or two to narrate for you (or rather sing) the story of Hercules who went from a zero to a hero in no time flat.

From Zero To Hero – Hercules – Cover by Alize Reed

From Zero to Hero Lyrics

Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show
Point him at a monster and you’re talking SRO
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Now he’s a honcho
He’s a hero
Here was a kid with his act down pat
From zero to hero in no time flat
Zero to hero just like that (snaps)
When he smiled
The girls went wild with
Oohs and aahs
And they slapped his face
On ev’ry vase
(On ev’ry “vahse”)
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you
What’s a Grecian urn?
Say amen
There he goes again
Sweet and undefeated
And an awesome 10 for 10
Folks lined up
Just to watch him flex
And this perfect package
Packed a pair of pretty pecs
Hercie, he comes
He sees, he conquers
Honey, the…

Hercules Story

Hercules is the son of Zeus, ruler of all the gods on Mount Olympus and his mother was Alcmene (Zeus’ mistress). Hercules’ personal problems started before he was even born. When Zeus’ wife Hera heard that her husband’s mistress was pregnant she flew into a rage and used her supernatural powers and a whole range of nasty spells to try to kill the baby before it was even born, but to no avail. Hercules survived but was stripped of his immortality and told that he would have to become a true hero in order to reclaim his full divinity and seat on Mount Olympus among the other gods.

Hercules was raised on earth but retained his god-like strengths, which, although useful, sometimes became a disadvantage. His life was not always a happy one, it was full of disappointments, tragedies, trials, and tribulations. Hercules learned that those disappointments and dark times were part of his human experience and were meant to teach him life lessons. He became the champion and the protector of the weak.

Hercules’ inner strength and ability to endure hardships made him an inspirational figure to the people and a symbol of stability in the midst of chaos, even if it was chaos that he himself caused. Hercules fought against monsters, titans and all sorts of formidable adversaries, but it is his self-sacrifice to rescue his love Meg which made him a true hero.

The myth of Hercules teaches us that everyone has monsters they need to conquer, seemingly impossible tasks that they have to accomplish, and tragedies that they have to overcome. When faced with some difficult situations in life, one can take comfort in the stories of Hercules who went from zero to hero, we can survive one’s own tribulations and become the hero of our own life. Hercules encapsulates the hero that anyone can relate to precisely because his life was far from perfect and his character was less than ideal.

From Zero to Hero in no time flat!

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For more on this subject you can purchase my book This is Your Quest online at BookLocker, from Amazon or from Barnes & Noble. The Ebook version is available on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple (iBooks) & Kobo. Check out my Amazon Author Page here or my listing on Booksradar.com.

Tags Be Happy, from zero to hero, hercules, Hero, inspiration, Mythology, resilience, Sons of Gods