Depression and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Depression hurts. When a person feels deep sadness from loss of a job, a loved one, or when stressful situations occur such as divorce, financial burdens, or troubles at home, life takes on a completely new meaning. When a person feels despair, they will often start feeling hopelessness, misery, and helpless.

Depression is a mental state that causes a person to create negative ideas about themselves and others. People, who feel depressed may feel like they have failed everyone, feel as though others are judging them, and they may say, "I am a failure. I am hopeless. I am inadequate. I am helpless."

The truth is there is always hope. For the most part, any common problem can be resolved. Of course, death is a natural occurrence that happens to us all at one point in our life, and every one of us will experience the loss of a loved one at some point in our lifetime. It is a difficult reality to accept; yet we all must face it at some point or another. It will happen and the best way to deal with grief from loss of a loved one is to learn how to accept the loss.

Divorce hurts. People, who spent a good deal of time with someone close to them, may blame themselves when things go wrong. This feeling of blame, guilt, and shame lingers for some time and causes depressive symptoms to emerge.

Depressed souls tend to feel shame, guilt, and blame often. This problem creates a negative illusion, leaving the person to feel that no matter what he or she does or says it is never right. The person starts to feel despair and rejected.

The fear of rejection and fear of failure forms for most people who suffer depression. Failure and the notion of being rejected feels like catastrophe and disaster to those who suffer from depression constantly. The pain escalates, the hurt grows deeper and deeper until one day, and the person decides to get help or end his or her problems.

Depression is not only a mental illness it is a very dangerous place for anyone to live in. Those who suffer from chronic depression may entertain suicide thoughts, and in too many instances may act on those thoughts. The overwhelming statistics show us that thousands of people every single day choose death as an escape from depression, and thousands others attempt suicide. Based on these facts, we need to learn to take depression serious and help those who are struggling with depression the best we know how.

One of the best solutions is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a set of procedures that involves helping a person come back to the here and now, and helping the person find solutions to resolve problems including emotional conflicting problems resulting from death, divorce, finances, and so forth. Bringing the person back to reality can help him or her come to term with painful emotions that keep the person feeling stuck. Feeling depressed is no place to be, but if you go there, there is always hope!

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the best methods of therapy to help those overcome depression. Studies show that when treated with Cognitive Therapy, depressed souls can heal!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Depression-and-Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy&id=7707069

What Meaning Do You Assign To Your Life? (By Kate Strong)

Courses

I'm doing two courses at the moment, a Food Body and Spirit course through a Sufi University and a 6 month course with high vibration teacher plant essences. Both courses are bringing up a lot of memories from my childhood.

The Shame Game

The core energy I am experiencing in the healings is around Elevation. To raise me up so subsequently I am having a lot of shame coming to the surface, as shame is the lowest vibration we can experience.

I was raised in a very patriarchal family, and my early school days were governed by what can only be described as a sadistic headmaster. He singled me out as he had issues with my father, as my father was the Chairman of the School Committee. I suspect the further back through the generations you go his style of commandership was considered normal, as you spared the rod and spoiled the child.

Shaming, violence and humiliation were the order of the day. That's how you kept kids in line. Like cattle being prodded.

Aftereffects

I don't like groups and especially don't like learning in a class situation so I like to do all my study on my own. I can see why now. The fear, violence and shaming in the classroom when I was age 5-10 contributed to brain freeze, and I often froze in high school in a classroom setting.

So I came away thinking I only went to school to eat my play lunch and that I wasn't a good learner. And a lot of fear of authority, and fear of my voice.

Assigning Meaning

For me one of the biggest ways I was shamed was by attributing what I did to being female. So subsequently everything I have done, or do, I assign a meaning of less than to, and to counteract that I puff myself up to feel important or meaningful, but the core feeling I have is of feeling worth-less.

One of the biggest areas I struggle is in cooking. I don't like to cook and I see why now. I attributed this to being woman's work and so therefore had less of a value. Where in fact cooking is neutral, it's the meaning I assigned to it.

I realised that I assign meaning and value to things. Myself, my day, my life, my purpose, my beliefs, what I watch on TV, if I decide to put nail polish on, or put out the trash, or do the dishes, or stay in bed. They are all neutral in value, but I give them their worth.

And the worth I had been giving them was less-than. Because they were the patriarchal voices in my head, drilled into me, that I had to obey. Those voices were very hard to identify because I just did as they were told. But experienced it as anxiety because they were not my true beliefs, if they were I would be experiencing peace.. They were anchored in early child experiences. Still alive in my subconscious.

What meaning and worth are you assigning to things in your life and where did that meaning come from?

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Meaning-Do-You-Assign-To-Your-Life?&id=9615414

The Better It Gets, The Stronger I Get (By Joshua Clayton)

"This means nothing!" That is when we have to give things our own meaning instead of accepting "this is what it comes down to". I remember when I was in a tail spin after the death of my Dad in 1991, and life lost all meaning. What kept me going was that I had to slowly create my own meaning for it all again, even if I suffered setbacks that seemed to mean nothing but misery and trouble. Indeed, when I say "the better it gets, the stronger I get" as the title, that means instead of giving up or committing suicide, I pursue with even more resolve that the universe knows what it is doing. Also, I create my own happiness, meaning and all of that great stuff instead of depending on good fortune or "providence".

Sometimes, with so many of you, I would like to "cop out" of it and quit, but then, I seriously remember the advice I just gave here, and realize that it is genuinely up to me if it is to genuinely be.

I think of Phineas Taylor Barnum when I think of my philosophy, failure after failure, and loss after loss seemingly, but then, that is what made Phineas Taylor Barnum one of the greatest showmen in the world. He could fail and come back and win again with even more experience, which is a genuine asset in reality. I mean think about it, feeling sorry for ourselves is just an alibi really.

I woke up this morning feeling bad about life, wishing I got a better hand in it than "the joker" I feel like most of the time. You know, the universal wild card that you think has no value until the end of the game in most poker tournaments, that wins it all when you get it, especially in wild handed games and seven card variations. So, when I say, "the better it gets, the stronger I get" I am writing about those crappy moments in life where we wish for the "ace of spades" or a "royal face card" and then get "the ten of diamonds" or even "the joker" instead. I say bluff and win with that ten of diamonds, and use the joker as the wild card it is instead of giving up. After all, it does not matter what you win with, it matters how well you play the hand in all things. No matter what it looks like now, there is always a chance to succeed if you genuinely do not give up and use experience in the next play in cards and in life. On this, I quote a famous Neville Brothers song, sung and written by Art Neville and his son Ian about card dealers, "Listen to me, hear what I say."

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Better-It-Gets,-The-Stronger-I-Get&id=9848107

Be Who You Were Destined to Be

Who are you? Who will you be? What will you do with your life?

All questions you are consistently asked throughout your life, and yet do you really know the answers to them? Will you ever truly know how to answer them in such a way that is true to your self and understood by others? I don't believe so. I think that each of us tries to figure out who we are through many channels of self expression. None of which somewhat define a little piece of who we are, but have no real value or meaning in our lives.

Some say by the time you graduate high school you will know who you are. Others say after you graduate college or university, then you'll know for sure. I think it is difficult to pinpoint a timeline for knowing who you are and who you will become, because as humans we are constantly growing and changing and learning new things. How can one judge their potential when they have yet to explore the world and know where they are?

Defining yourself: 

- Write a 30 second pitch, answering two questions: 

1. Who are you? 

2. Why should I care? 

- Are you a person or are you a job title. Never say you are Head of Company Y or the significant other of So&So. 

- Describe who you think you are in 5 words. Does it match who you show you are?

Being yourself: 

- Don't be who people tell you to be. 

- Do what you like doing and find those who enjoy the same things. 

- Be kind to strangers because they may show you a hidden piece of yourself. 

- Have a value system and stick to it. Don't compromise yourself.

Stand up for what you believe in: 

- What do you believe in? Write it out. 

- Join a protest for your favorite cause. 

- Join an organization or campus club that you can fully support. 

- Are you for or against organized religions? Join those who differ from your viewpoint.

Learn from those around you: 

- In your path to self discovery, open your eyes to the people you do not associate with. 

- Everyone you meet knows something you don't. So listen when they speak. 

- Have Humility. 

- Attitudes are everything! If someone has an attitude, good or bad, seek to understand it.

Be present: 

- Ground yourself in the present moment. 

- Be Mindful. 

- Focus on what is right in front of you. 

- Accept things you cannot change and move on from it.

What you do is not who you are, but merely a small part of the greatness that defines you. If you only address yourself as your job title or by your partner life is going to be dull and you will not have a sense of self or self worth. Believe in yourself. Set goals and achieve them. Don't just have a goal and not act on it. Action is key to anything you do. Be active in finding yourself and showing who you are to the world. If not for the world or anyone else, find yourself for you. Knowing who you are and what you stand for and what you believe in sets you a million miles apart from those who don't. It might be lonely being who you are and standing up for what you believe in, but if you don't no one else will. It is up to you to be the lead explorer in your life and take it for all it is worth. Find your passions. Please I urge you to find things you enjoy doing and never stop doing them. You are worth it. Society will beat you down to a pulp if you let it. And you can't let it. You have to fight the societal norms and break away from things you cannot change focusing on the things you can. And change them. Change yourself if you do not like who you are becoming. That is the part of exploring yourself no one talks about. You can change if you truly wish to.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Be-Who-You-Were-Destined-to-Be&id=9553564

A Law of Attraction Affirmation for When You Are Overwhelmed or Afraid

What do you do when all you can think of is the problem you need to solve? What do you do when the wheel of your worry seems to be powered by a rabid gerbil of fear? There he goes, running along, churning out more unease and feelings of helplessness. It is time to take back your power and change the direction of the flow.

Sounds great. Now how do you do that?

First, honor how you really feel. Pretending you are not scared does not work. Your body knows and there is no fooling it. You have to work through the fear and anxiety in order to clear it all away.

Admit that you are afraid or worried. Once you do that, understand that feeling something and being it are two different things. In other words, just because you are afraid does not mean that the situation is hopeless or that you cannot be empowered by your feelings.

You always, always have a choice in how you will respond to any situation. That is your super-power and it never goes away. No matter how bad things seem (and that is always a matter of perspective), you have the power to decide what meaning it does or does not have to you. You cannot choose how others feel or act, but you can control what plays in your own head.

Next, read these words aloud. (Or write your own version of an affirmation, whatever helps.) This can allow you to let go of the feeling of need so that you can change your focus to one of gratitude and expectation for a solution. This raises your vibration and can make you feel better too.

"I release my attachment to the outcome. I release my expectations. I release my suffering and allow myself to let go, falling into the arms of the greater truth. I trust the path, even when I am in pain or afraid.

I choose to trust when I am broken and when I am well. I choose to trust when it seems I will not have enough, as much as I do when my cup overflows. I chose in this moment, to focus on gratitude and remember all of the times when things could have gone wrong, but somehow went right instead.

This small situation is but a microcosm of time, space and perspective that will pass. The birds still sing. The fruit still hangs on the vine and the world still turns. Daylight chases shadow and the cosmos continues to expand.

No matter what happens, for me, this is but another lesson. I accept the lesson with a grateful heart and move on, secure in the knowledge that this is but an illusion that will one day fade. When that moment comes, when this mirage is over, I will understand every purpose, every pain and every reason that eludes me now. And so, I let go, trusting that all is and ever will be, well."

Now breathe and put your hand over the area above your heart. Then imagine the happiest memory that you have. No matter what it is, think of something joyful. You can also imagine how you will feel once you have the solution. Hold that thought, those feelings for at least thirty seconds. Really feel it. Rinse and repeat as needed.

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Law-of-Attraction-Affirmation-for-When-You-Are-Overwhelmed-or-Afraid&id=9229074

Shifts Toward Meaning

This article is born after watching the Shift by Dr. Wayne Dyer. We all are very amazing creatures. Look at all the achievements of mankind. We began very simply and have advanced in both thoughts and science. The information we can transmit to each other is on such a level that it is almost indescribable. We transmit information through feelings, looks, words and more. What we transmit to each other is where we can begin to prepare the world for what we are trying to achieve.

By planning what it is you want to achieve and letting go at the same time we are in a constant shift of change. This is all very natural. Knowing where you want to go is only the beginning. Once the decision has been made to reach for something that doesn't exist yet creation has begun. That creation will lead to one change after another, or bring to you one challenge after another, until the lesson is learned. We can decide to repeat the same cycles or we can move beyond and above. The best part is that you get to choose.

A shift toward meaning is exactly what it sounds like. Shifting the mindset to service to one another, helping one another and building each other up is where it all begins. To every person a different meaning will occur and that is the perfect meaning. Some of us care for animals. Others care for humans. Yet there are others that care for the Earth. Some others go toward spiritual boundaries and learning. Know that when you feel those moments of happiness and bliss you can know that you are on the good and right path.

Today is the day that you can begin moving in that direction. One way that I am doing this in my personal life is volunteering this Wednesday. I reached out to someone through various connections that has a very similar belief about helping fellow humans. Any person can make a difference. The music in the ideas that has come to your mind only you can bring to reality. We all need your music to make this world a better place.

Look at where you are in the current moment. Is this everything you have wanted in life? That is great if so and that is great if not. The next step will point you in another direction. Trust yourself that you are choosing the correct path that is just for you. If you are guided to write something, write. If you are guided to music, please share that music. Any path that you choose will begin your path. Then let it go and just flow with what is brought your way.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Shifts-Toward-Meaning&id=9727995

This Is How Gratitude Can Help You Cope With a Difficult Time in Your Life

 

"I am sorry; your mother has passed away"

"We have a diagnosis and can confirm that your child has Autism"

"Your baby was deprived of oxygen during his birth. He will have many disabilities."

Life. It's unpredictable and full of surprises. You seem to have it all planned out, and then suddenly, and without warning, something happens to remind you that there are no guarantees about anything.

Sometimes it's good news and you are pleasantly surprised. Other times, you have the kind of experience that turns your world upside down and you're not sure what to do next. It comes on so quickly and you can't think straight. You didn't prepare for it, nor did you predict it would ever happen.

Emotions like fear, anger, disbelief, and confusion can quickly take control of your entire being. You may feel depressed, alone and uncertain. Overcome with strong negative emotions, you may not recognize the support from others and you may blame them for not doing enough.

Amidst the chaos and confusion, there is one thing that can help you to feel more positive and hopeful. That one thing is gratitude. Simply, being thankful. It doesn't cost money, it doesn't take a lot of time and it is accessible each and every day, yet it is one of the most under used tools that we have available to us.

The principle of being thankful and appreciative for what we have has been around for many years and is gaining momentum as an emerging science. From psychologists and mental health experts to Oprah, gratitude is rapidly becoming recognized as a key ingredient for overcoming trauma and grief.

Deepak Chopra, M.D. and alternative medicine advocate, believes that, "by practicing gratitude, our well-being is automatically oriented toward greater health and balance." Writer Amy Morin discovered that a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2003) found that gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for - even during the worst times of your life - fosters resilience.

There is no denying that when you are going through a difficult time, you are angry, frustrated and sad. Feeling thankful isn't on your mind.

How can you practice gratitude when you are heartbroken or stressed?

Here are some things that I have discovered through my own experience and from others I have met along the way.

Discover Purpose and Meaning

Instead of looking at the negative, gratitude can empower you to see the opportunities in your life. While you are going through a challenge, gratitude helps you to think about all of the things you are learning. You appreciate the possibilities rather than the obstacles and you are able to find purpose and meaning in your circumstances.

When I was asked to become a committee member for our local children's services planning group, I remember feeling very thankful. From the first meeting I attended, I realized that I had something to offer. As a parent of a child with multiple disabilities, I was exhausted and under a lot of stress however sharing what I had learned and knowing that it would make a difference for other families, was a step toward understanding a broader purpose in my personal situation.

Value Your Physical and Mental Health

According to many experts, approaching each day with gratitude can change our mindset, your perspective, and even your body chemistry.

Adam Anderson, a neuroscientist at Cornell University explains that "positive emotions activate neural circuits related to novel, creative thought processes." They allow you to take on new perspectives." His findings also describe that feeling grateful has a compounding effect. The more times we express our thanks; the more positive memories we build up.

In her article from Maclean's magazine in August 2015, author Cathy Gulli refers to a recent study published in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice. "The results of the study found that people who scored high on a gratitude assessment test experienced better mood and sleep, more confidence in their ability to maintain their cardiac health, less fatigue and most stunning of all: blood analysis of the patients revealed gratitude was associated with lower inflammation in the body."

I was always so thankful for the one hour each day when I would go for a run or a long walk. It was my time to unwind and do something that was important to me. Whether it be exercise, joining a club or having coffee with a friend, do something regularly that is important to you.

Foster Healthy Relationships

It's no secret that maintaining healthy relationships takes commitment and dedication. The stress of the daily grind can certainly put a strain on sound partnerships and alliances. It's easy to see the faults of others, especially with the added pressure of a challenging situation. Tension within the relationship is bound to increase. If you approach your relationships with gratitude, you will be able to recognize all of the positive qualities in your partner, family member or friend. By simply expressing thanks to another person you bridge the gap between the two of you. If there are broken relationships, gratitude may be the first step toward erasing old grievances and forgiving petty differences you may have been holding onto.

Build Trust

Furthermore, open and honest communication is extremely important during stressful times. Too often people protect their feelings by not communicating, for fear of rejection or having their emotions exposed. Dr. Chopra believes, "gratitude helps to reduce feelings of insecurity, vulnerability and fear."

You may believe that sharing your feelings with your partner may create additional stress for them. Talk openly and honestly and don't be afraid to express your emotions. This will help to strengthen trust, foster growth and increase empathy.

Create Abundance

"I need more help!" is frequently expressed by people going through a traumatic situation. "There isn't enough nurses." "My child needs a better teacher." "Where is my family when I need them?"

Inadequacy, shortage, isolation and deficiency. These words represent scarcity and speak to what is lacking in your life. Instead try to pay attention to what you have in your life. My parents helped a lot. Quite frankly, we coped so well because of their unconditional love and assistance. My sister-in-law and her family would visit every weekend. My closest friend called me every day. My brother-in-law held our son and sang to him while he was an infant in the hospital. The director of my son's preschool initiated a move to help us get more in home support. At the hospital, there were some great nurses and some not so great. Some teachers were better at classroom inclusion than others. For the situations that were not very supportive, I would let them know. It is your responsibility to let them understand your point of view so that they can make a change for the better.

Gratitude helps us to feel abundance. The more grateful you are, the more your life is supported because you recognize the generosity in others. Instead of feeling alone and unsupported, you notice what your friends and family are doing for you, rather than what they are not doing. You recognize the knowledge, support and guidance offered by professionals rather than their inability to change your situation

Uncover Peace and Acceptance

After enduring a plethora of emotional ups and downs, there will be a time when you realize that you cannot change or "fix" your situation. With gratitude, you will discover the determination and the strength to make it a positive experience. Through your acceptance, you can help others in a similar situation and help them to feel more optimistic and encouraged.

Dr. Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author, sums it up nicely. "As our self expands through gratitude, our concerns, anxieties, and insecurities become small and insignificant, while our experience of joy, freedom, beauty, and compassion continues to grow. Simply take a few moments to focus on all that you have - rather than complain about things you think you deserve."

Daily Practice

The power to discover the things in your life that you are thankful for, lies with you. Start a daily gratitude journal. Look around and list the things and people for which you are thankful to have in your life. Carry it with you and be aware of each moment when something happens that makes you feel grateful and write it down. This will help you to realize that despite the difficulties, there is a lot of love, support and positive energy around you.

http://ezinearticles.com/?This-Is-How-Gratitude-Can-Help-You-Cope-With-a-Difficult-Time-in-Your-Life&id=9426952

The Ultimate Secret to Self-Confidence!

Do you have a habit of undervaluing yourself and underestimating your own worth? Do you get stuck in fear of doing or saying the wrong thing? Do you wonder what it would be like to feel relaxed, strong, and capable in the face of any challenge? Or, do you find yourself resigned to just getting through the day because you lack the confidence to dare much more?

In this article, you'll discover the secret to where self-confidence comes from and how you can use this secret to break-through to an empowered life of greater success, meaning, and purpose.

Moments of Competence

Now, most likely, you have certain areas of your life in which you feel fairly competent and sure of yourself. You have some degree of self-confidence in these areas.

For example, you might feel confident in your personal style-knowing the clothes, food, or music you like. You may have a skill you've developed, or a specific area of knowledge or expertise. You may have family, friendship, or work relationships in which you feel comfortable and secure.

There have been times, even if they were brief, in which you felt confident in who you are, what you were doing, and your place in the world. Even if it's a fleeting memory, you can build on that.

Take a moment now, and recall a time when you felt confident in who you are, what you were doing, or your place in the world...

Go ahead and jot that down. If more than one moment comes to you-great. Write down one to three of these self-confident moments...

Notice how you feel in your body as you remember one of these high self-confidence moments...

Make note of any sensations and the location of those sensations in your body...

Moments of Failure

Now, on the other hand, you have had moments that made you doubt who you are, your worth, or your place in the world. In the extreme, you may have doubted your very reason for being. It's okay. Don't worry. We've all had those moments. It's important to learn from them, so we can move forward with greater insight about what doesn't work.

Take a moment now to bring to mind at least one moment when your self-confidence hit a low. Maybe you failed at a task, or were criticized for something you said or did. Maybe you were made to feel like an outsider-like you were strange, different, or just didn't fit in.

Go ahead now and write down one to three of those low confidence moments...

Notice how you feel in your body when you remember those low confidence moments...

Notice any sensations and the location of those sensations...

O.K. good. Now that you have a feeling for the contrasting sensations of self-confidence and self-doubt, let's use that experience to go a bit deeper.

Where Confidence Comes From

What if I told you that the secret to deeper self-confidence resides in your gut?

Does that sound crazy?

Let's try a little experiment, so you can begin to see and feel what I mean.

If you would, place your hands on your lower abdomen, focus your attention there, and take a few slow, deep breaths. Feel the gentle rise and fall of your hands in rhythm with your breathing.

Now, as you inhale, imagine that your belly is filling with Life Energy, with the Life-Force from the Source of your being. As you exhale, imagine that Life-Force is spreading outward through your whole body, infusing every cell. Go ahead and do this for ten, slow, deep breaths...

Notice how you feel...

Notice any sensations in your body and where they are located...

Do you feel a little more relaxed and empowered?

Now, that you have a taste of that feeling, here's that little-known secret to self-confidence.

The Ultimate Source of Self-Confidence

The deeper basis of self-confidence is knowing and Trusting in the Greater Power that dwells inside you and is the Source of your life and purpose. This Greater Power endows each of us with gifts for the good of the Whole.

Self-confidence is a feeling that comes from acknowledging and fulfilling "who you are" and "what you are here to do." It is a feeling that comes from acknowledging and fulfilling the qualities, skills, and resources that you have been given. It comes from knowing that you were sent here on purpose to fulfill certain tasks for the good of those around you. It is a feeling of opening to the Greater Life-Force flowing through you.

In our little experiment, you got a small taste of that feeling. I hope you enjoyed that.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Ultimate-Secret-to-Self-Confidence!&id=9401468

The Dirty Truth Behind Finding Passion, Meaning, and Purpose In your Life

Generic self-improvement advice sucks.

“Follow your passion”

“Find what’s meaningful to you”

“Discover your purpose”

I mean it’s got all the right components, it’s just backwards in its approach.

Like the big corporations of the world take essential life resources—water, fresh vegetables, green spaces—generic self-improvement advice too takes essential components of living and puts labels on them, makes them sexy, and turns what was once had in abundance, into scarcity.

• It puts passion at a distance from the everyday
• It places meaning on a pedestal
• It champions purpose as holy and absolute

It is a sexy idea, but it robs us of the truth.

Generic Self-Improvement Advice Loves Your Circle of Comfort Nearly As Much As You Do

Generic turn-your-life-around advice usually gets underway with one of the following:

• Making a list of what you love doing
• Asking others what you’re really good at
• Asking yourself questions like, “If I knew I was going to die soon, what would I do?”

We love this—especially the list making part. It’s comfortable and arousing to explore a greater life and an upgraded version of ourselves, without ever having to leave our cubicle or couch or change our behavior.

You see, our bodies and minds love stability. They’re used to following certain routines and patterns and not standing out from the crowd. It’s part of survival. So if we left it up to them, change would be forever confined to the risk-free world of our imaginations.

It’s definitely a comfortable idea, but it robs us from the truth.

Generic Self-Improvement Advice Looks For Answers To The Wrong Questions

As you may have figured, the truth is often not very sexy or comfortable. And something which isn’t very sexy or comfortable is always going to be a tough sell.

So generic self-improvement advice continues to suck. And the truth sits in the shadows patiently waiting for anyone who makes the effort to go and find it.

Those who do, discover:

• Passion is not limited to one endeavor. Real passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion which should be let free in every part of life.
• Meaning can be found in anything. From suffering and doing the chores, to playing Tetris and curing cancer, meaning is everywhere.
• Purpose is a trait that defines a life of quality. I visited my grandma with the same level of purpose in which I wrote this article. I wrote this article with the same level of purpose in which I completed my university dissertation.

Don’t be bummed out that there’s no one special path to follow or big dream to chase.

The reality is, any direction your life goes down can be just as bright and meaningful as the next.

So whenever you hear, “What’s your purpose in life?” or “What’s your passion?”, and you look up with a blank face, remember, the real truth seeker is not a person who gives the right answers, but who asks the right questions.

“Albert grunted. “Do you know what happens to lads who ask too many questions?”
Mort thought for a moment.
“No,” he said eventually, “what?”
There was silence.
Then Albert straightened up and said, “Damned if I know. Probably they get answers, and serve ’em right.”
—Terry Pratchett, Mort

Push aside all the sexy advice and ideas, tear away from the comfortable and familiar routines, and uncover the painful truth that lurks underneath.

Chances are you’ll find exactly what you’ve been searching for.

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/dirty-truth-behind-finding-passion-meaning-purpose-life/