Chronicles of a Psychology Professor w/ Dr. C

It is important to learn to move towards well-being and away from distress. To recognize the factors that harm us and move away from them, and to recognize the factors that heal us and move towards them.

This understanding, that we are mind, body, soul, and family, is the first part of the puzzle. It's the first part of the answer to the question we're trying to tackle: What is mental health?

I reflect on the importance and benefits of cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Being grateful does us good.

What forgiveness is not. To forgive is not to deny the seriousness of the offense. To forgive is not to forget. Forgiveness is not a sentimental act. Forgiveness is not about the other person.

Having resentment is like carrying dead weight. This weight tires us more and more, the more we carry it.  And this resentment also infects us and turns us into zombies. Then we become like the walking dead infecting everybody and everything around us.  But we have an antidote and it's called forgiveness.

Stress is our ally if we listen to it, and our enemy if we don't.  Like the check engine light in a car, stress lets us know that something is wrong and that we need to take action.  

There's a difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder.  A normal experience of anxiety and worry motivates, while a pathological experience of anxiety, or what we call an anxiety disorder, paralyzes. 

Health is not just the absence of disease.  It's also the presence of well-being.  And it's not a static state.  It's a process. So, what is mental health? What does it mean to be mentally healthy? 

Who are you and why are you here? It is important to live from a place of identity and purpose.  What do you love? What are you good at? What does the world need? What can you get paid for? These questions help you find your passion, mission, vocation, and profession.  Also, there's a time to inspire, to transpire, and to expire… and there's a difference between persistence and stubbornness…. I think that summarizes it.  

Are words important? Do they really matter? Can they affect our quality of life? Or are they simply words than mean nothing?  What do you think of the phrase, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words shall never hurt me? Does physical pain hurt more than psychological and emotional pain? 

Some thoughts on motivation and the difference between wanting to do something and having to do it.  

Some thoughts on the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock from a social psychology perspective.  What do you think? 

March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day.  I recorded this spontaneous and short episode in honor of my daughter, Camila, and in honor of all the people with Down syndrome around the world and their families.  I want to make some noise and create awareness.  

I really put myself out there in this episode!!! I talk about how my procrastination is fed by my sense of incompetence and fear of failure and rejection.  I also share my journey towards self-acceptance and self-compassion. 

We all need wisdom and courage: the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to actually do it.  It's easy to think like Piglet and Eeyore.  It's a little more difficult to think like Pooh. 

We live in a hurry.  Time has become our main adversary.  Fast food.  Instant results.  Same-day deliveries.  Megabytes per second.  High speed trains... and immediate gratification!  Speed has become a synonym of progress but dissatisfaction has become a new way of life, and patience a virtue in danger of extinction.  How do we find peace? 

I had an epiphany thinking about Black Friday that made me realize I'm simply another guest in Skinner's box.  I discuss how happiness is bad for business, how dissatisfaction sells, and how to truly increase our sense of well-being.  

Is it all in your head? I discuss how your thoughts set the narrative and how this narrative makes or breaks (brakes) you.  I also talk about dung beetles, rumination, locus of control, and regaining control of your life.  

Many people express their opinion as if it were truth, and they cancel those who don't fit in their narrative.   Many others feed an artificial sense of self-worth through social media “likes”, “views” and “followers”.  However, social media platforms allow us to connect, express, entertain, and gain information (or is it misinformation?) So, is social media “good” or “bad”?   

What makes life worth living?  An introduction to the psychology of purpose, Viktor Frankl, and the existential vacuum.     Dr. C.  

In light of World Down Syndrome Day 2021, I want to pay tribute to all people with special needs and their families. I also want to help create awareness that being different does not make us deficient.   I share my experience with my daughter who is diagnosed with Down Syndrome.  Dr. C.  

How do we go about achieving change? Maximize motivation and minimize friction.   In this his episode, I reflect on the interplay between attitude and behavior and the concept of cognitive dissonance.   It is definitely easier to change our beliefs to match our behavior than it is to change our behavior to match our beliefs.   Dr. C.   

Stop MUSTerbating and SHOULDing all over yourself.   Like Winnie the Pooh said, sometimes the best thing to do is nothing (acceptance). Dr. C. 

We blame stress for our misfortunes and waged a war against it.  But what if stress is not the problem?  What if the problem is our inability and unwillingness to understand it, accept it, and deal with it.  Instead of being scared of the river, let's learn how to swim and let's become good swimmers.  Dr. C. 

What is psychology?  I define it as the study of why we do what we do. We are all constantly trying to understand ourselves and others.  I briefly talk about the mind as the part of the person that encapsulates all the invisible realities that make or break the human experience.  And I end with a reflection on failure and how we should not let it define us, our goals, and our future.  Dr. C.     

The title says it all! The story of Cinderella gives me the platform to touch on the subject of dissociation and to dive into various social psychology terms.   The world is not a fair place, and we don't always get what we deserve! So instead of criticizing, judging, and throwing stones, we should ask questions, listen, and understand- letting compassion be our guide.  Dr. C.