The art of Introspection...

It was Plato in his work "Dialogues, Apology Greek philosopher in Athens" (469 BC - 399 BC) who wrote about his mentors phrase “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Supposedly Socrates said that at his trial for heresy, for his ideas challenge the accepted beliefs of the time. His message, think for oneself. The idea of introspection is examining oneself, and discovering why we do the things we do (both in thought and action). As a Christian I must point out that while I start with introspection, I don't end there. I get understanding from myself, but not answers. Still, it is important to understand oneself. This includes preconceived biases and beliefs, predispositions and dislikes. The celebrated psychologist Carl Jung once said: “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” It's often good to have our beliefs challenged, but as long as we seek to resolve those challenges. Here are a variety of questions that can help get you started (titles are listed above):

Sex/gender/sexual orientation
Is this something you embraced or struggled with.
Have you felt ostracized?
Did you siblings of opposite sex get treated differently as a child.
Do you feel you have adequate social support? How does your immediate family act to your choices in life? Do they reflect your families beliefs?

Socio economic level or Education
Did you feel that you had less opportunities that those around you.
Did you feel that education was highly valued in your family structure.
What is the education level of your parents?
Religion/spirituality
How much of an impact does your religion play in your daily activities/life?
Does your religion limit that you can date/marry?
Have you felt discriminated in a work or social setting because of your beliefs?
Have you felt threatened by any others whose religion is difference than yours?
Age
How does your age effect your sex life?
Have you ever felt victim to ageism?
Do you feel that western society has a greater appreciation for youth and beauty or age and wisdom.
Did you have a mid life crisis, and if so…how did it get flushed out.
Name a common misconception that you feel elders have with your generation
Political affiliation
Does your political affiliation coincide with your parents
Do people stereo type you based on your political affiliation
What are the stereotypes for your political beliefs.
Do you even follow politics?
Disability
Do you prefer the term disabled or handicap
What is word disability means to you
Is there a tendency for others to overly altruistic due to your disability
What is one myth that you would like to dispel about your condition.

Am I slave or am I master...

Lately I have found a number of things in my life I have not wanted to part with because they mean too much to me. This serves as a wake up call that I may be ripe for an enslaving destructive dependency… if left unchallenged, deception and denial will spread and blind my heart, and this deception will allow my addictions to gain their foothold. If the problem is unchecked, addictions can destroy my capacity for self control. So why do I engage in such behavior? Because it turn my lows into temporary highs, providing doses of relief that I control. All are ways that I find to relieve pain or helplessness or boredom.
The realty is that its promise of freedom is really a house of mirrors that traps me with little hope of escape, the effects are always self destructive. Of course I would quit if I could on my own, but I have become a slave to my own desires, and often I believe I deserve the relief and power my addiction provides.
Don’t get me wrong, the desire to feel good is not unhealthy, but having a belief that one needs relief “NOW” regardless is a trap leading to enslavement in a destructive dependency. When feeling good becomes more important to a person then doing good, loving others, or knowing God, they are drifting on the waves of the addicted. A need for relief does not have to drive us into arms of addiction. The question I need to ask myself is "am I willing to feel the inescapable pains and valleys in my life?" The alternative is committing to immediate relief and control. Ravi Zacharias reminds me that “All pleasure cost (something). For legitimate you pay the price before pleasure. For illegitimate you pay the price after pleasure.”

a spoonful a day keps the doctor away...

Why is it that people are willing to use Aspirin for Headache and birth control for decreasing one’s chances (97% to be exact) of impregnation , but when the idea of behavioral modification techniques or psychotherapy is introduced people resists stating they don’t want a part of that psycho stuff. Do they not realize that just as there body’s are chemically composed, so are their brains. More precisely, they have the limited ability to change the chemical compositions in their own brain, influencing their own perception and behavior. Scary to think one’s perception is actually formed by a serious of chemical substances interacting in a nero network of cells. Perhaps our perceptions then if subjective to external and internal stimuli aren’t as invulnerable as we might think.

Is your girl high matinance?

Is your girl high maintenance? From the article the top ten signs that your chick is a high maintenance girl:

1 - She's unfair.
2 - She's daddy's girl.
3 - Going out is like the countdown to eternity.
4 - Irrational demands.
5 - Bills.
6 - She doesn't do "dressed down".
7 - What does "sacrafice" mean?
8 - Difficult to please.
9 - Social brick.
10 - My way or the highway.