Imagine that you are walking with your eyes down on the ground, focusing intently on where you currently are, studying the path you are on. If you never look up to establish the direction where you should be heading or decide on a destination, where do you think you will arrive?
All of us, without exceptions, carry subconscious childhood wounds into our adult life. These, if unattended, can guide our behaviours and opinions without us even realizing it. One of the greatest Swiss psychologists, Carl Jung, believed in the importance of integration of our unconscious with the conscious as a way to get closer to our true self. One of the methods he proposed for doing this was dream analysis which he believed to be a very personal thing. Dream interpretation, as he pointed out, has to come from our inner feeling about various dream symbols rather than generic definitions as many modern dream interpretation guides suggest. It seems reasonable given that the same object can mean many different things to different people depending on the culture or associated memories and experiences.
As the lockdown continues, I found myself in need for a new absorbing hobby. For some reason unknown to me, when I was ordering books on Amazon, a book called A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming was recommended to me and I spontaneously decided to go for it. I have heard of lucid dreaming before and I even tried the very simplest technique for a bit succeeding in getting lucid in one dream for literally a couple of seconds before waking up, but I never gave much more thought into it or really saw many advantages of even taking the effort to do it at all (and it is, I must say, a substantial effort). However, upon completing the book, I was sold on the idea and having been developing this skill for roughly two months now, I see even more surprising benefits to it than mentioned in the book, and not only from the lucid dreaming itself but also from practicing the techniques that help develop it. It being not such a popular or very well understood skill just yet, I would like to share with you the changes I saw in my life through the practice and perhaps inspire you to try it out for yourself.
We live in a world in which people define each other and themselves based on accomplishments, titles, things we have heard about others or their circumstances. Even in therapy, the emphasis is put on talking about our childhoods or past experiences. We are made to believe that the events that happened in our past define us and forever shape our lives. But is it really true? Does the past have to be this chain dragging us down our whole lives? Is there a way to free ourselves from it?
Continue readingThis year many of us have been thrown for the first time out of their comfort zone when it comes to work. Work from home might be a challenge for many people, especially when they have to do it every single day of the week. There is something about offices, that fact that we see people around us focusing as well, that association we have with the place itself as a space to work, that might be missing when we have to do our tasks from the comfort of our home, surrounded by numerous temptations and distractions. Personally, I enjoy this type of work, being a person who needs complete silence when focus is needed. However, either one likes it or not, no one is immune to distraction unless we actively ensure our environment encourages productivity. Here are some productivity hacks, backed by studies, that I have found most helpful in increasing my efficiency and enjoyment when working from home.
We live in the age of information. Nowadays, more than ever we have access to thousands of sources of information. Even when we’re not looking for it, it creeps up on us on our Facebook or Instagram feeds, it sneaks into YouTube videos that we watch. Even our smartphones can surprise us with notifications of random articles we “might be interested in”. In this vast sea of information, it is hard not to come across sources that are completely contradictory, despite each being backed by “trustworthy” individuals or even science. Perhaps we are conditioned to seek for something that is the ultimate, undeniable truth but what if such truth does not actually exist?
It all started quite innocently. About 4-5 years ago I started developing mild digestive issues and I wouldn’t think much of it. I would occasionally feel nauseated after eating, I would sometimes feel bloated. I would start feeling tired all the time so I ended up going out less and less. I figured it must be something normal that comes with age and years of partying and drinking. But then the pains started. Stomach pains so excruciating that regular over-the-counter painkillers would do nothing for me. The first time it happened, I ended up in an emergency room with painkillers pumped into my veins. And the search of the culprit began.
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From early on we are judged by preconceived standards and pushed into predefined labels. Things happen, we behave in a certain way and suddenly, before we realize it, it becomes who we are. By subconscious interpretation of events and other people’s reactions, we find ourselves defining who we are. It becomes our comfort zone – the comfort of knowing one’s identity. It starts with ‘I am a funny guy’, ‘I am a smart girl’, ‘I am pretty but I lack brains’, ‘I am good at sports’, ‘I am a rebel’, ‘I am an outcast’, ‘I am shy’, ‘I am unattractive’. As we grow up, it becomes ‘I am a banker’, ‘I am an average worker’, ‘I am a yoga teacher’, ‘I am a Christian’, ‘I am a mother’, ‘I am single’, ‘I am fat’, ‘I am a smoker’…
Continue readingSometimes in life we find ourselves faced with obstacles or situations that we don’t agree with but cannot necessarily do much about. It can be a decision someone else has made that affects you in some way or an unfavorable circumstance. If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated in a situation like this and it seems like your world is falling apart, be aware that regardless of what’s happening, you have control over how you choose to react and therefore, how quickly you pull yourself out of the negative feelings. Below are the steps I use to pull myself up and stay calm and happy whatever obstacle comes my way.
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I believe that what we read, watch or listen to has a huge impact not only on our mood at the moment but also on beliefs we develop and ultimately who we become. Think of it like food for the mind. If you eat trashy food for a long period of time, you probably won’t look or feel great in your body. It’s the same with the content you allow to reach your mind. If you keep on watching romantic comedies where women’s only goal in life is to find a boyfriend or get married, you will very likely find yourself blindly chasing these things in your life too. Or if you listen to a lot of hip hop and R&B with lyrics that objectify women, you might find yourself subconsciously absorbing these beliefs and even if you’re female, you might find that you catch yourself behaving in ways that might make you feel unworthy or disrespected or judge other women through such lens. As many of us find themselves with extra time on our hands these days, I would like to share with you a list of my top high value content when it comes to things to read, watch and listen to in case you find yourself out of ideas or having re-watched all seasons of Jersey Shore find yourself craving for some more inspiring and empowering content 😉
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