1. A phenomenon I find fascinating…
We hear about Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but more people need to know about Post-traumatic growth. Yes, trauma can cause long-term stress and adverse behavioral changes, but in many, it can cause growth and improvement. People with post-traumatic growth have seen results such as “greater appreciation of life; changed sense of priorities; warmer, more intimate relationships; greater sense of personal strength; and recognition of new possibilities or paths for one’s life and spiritual development.” (Wikipedia) We’ve all heard that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Well, we can grow and benefit from some of the adversity in our lives. That is good to know. Remember that!
2. Quote I love…
“Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” -Oscar Wilde
How about that… BE YOURSELF! In a world where everyone is trying to be like everyone else, and authenticity has become more and more scarce, I think we need to work on who You are, who your Creator made YOU to be, and show the world what YOU have to offer. Think of the people making the biggest impact in the world… the artists, the entrepreneurs, the industry disrupters… they aren’t doing what everyone else is doing. Acting in ways that are incongruent with who you REALLY are shows up somewhere, at some time, in bad ways. Maybe that’s part of why so many people are depressed, unhappy, anxious, and frustrated. Who should you be like??? YOURSELF!
3. Hysteria I won’t buy into…
Have you heard about the “deadly” outbreak of the new virus coming out of China? Yep… it’s that time again… time to freak people out about some virus that (I predict) will turn out to be nothing too serious. The virus they are calling 2019-nCoV, or the Wuhan virus, is gaining traction in the media and is sure to get everyone in a panic. Before you get all worked up, remember other viruses, such as the swine flu, SARS, and Zika. Do you know anyone who died from those???? Nope! Wait… do you know anyone who even was infected with those???? Nope! I am not careless, reckless, or ignorant in regards to these things, but I watched how those other viruses were handled in the media and was amazed at how ridiculously it was all handled. Viruses are real, people do get sick, and people do die. It’s wise for our country to be proactive and create awareness. But putting things in perspective and reporting things accurately is important. Guess what the devastation that SARS inflicted on the U.S was.… a whopping 75 cases and zero deaths. Oh my! (And that’s not because we took special action and thwarted the threat.) The best thing that you can do day in and day out is build your health and immune system to keep it strong so that when you are exposed to ANY virus, you resist it. And how come the media doesn’t freak out more about facts such as this one… over 100,000 Americans are killed each year by properly prescribed medications. That should be a headline! So before you strap on your blue mask to protect yourself from this new virus, give it a little time and watch the hype fade just like those other viruses before it. Here is a short, but simple article I just read about this new virus from a perspective I appreciate.