Third Degree Mind

Emotion Overload, Skipping Christmas, Impulsiveness

Yup, you read that right, I'm skipping Christmas. Sometimes, situations that we're put in cause us to go into a sense of "emotion overload" that sometimes require some unwinding time, and a "soft reset."

We're also discussing impulsive behaviors, and specifically WHY some people feel the need to make impulsive "on the fly" decisions. If you know someone like this, rather than judging their impulsive behaviors, and rather than just simply "accepting" them, try to understand the deeper reasons for that behavior. I'll tell you about mine...

Have a happy and SAFE holiday season, and I'll talk to you in 2019.

True Happiness (Part 2): Sadness is Key!

Way back in February, we had an episode titled "True Happiness" - it was the second episode put out by Third Degree Mind. Finally, 10 months later, here is a sequel in that series. How is true happiness achieved? You may be surprised to learn that SADNESS actually plays a very critical role to achieving true happiness.

Cut the Toxicity!

Life filled with toxicity? Take out the trash. Emotions are contagious, you need to recognize that toxic people have a negative affect on YOUR happiness. Want to be happy? Remove those who aren't.

Mass Tragedy. Be A Friend

Sometimes our world experiences a mass tragedy. Be a friend. Don't give unsolicited advice, just listen. Be what THEY need. Everyone has demons. If you need someone, find someone. People will listen. Sometimes, just talking and venting can make us feel a thousand times better. If someone is venting to you, be that friend. Don't push them aside and tell them to "go talk to someone." They're talking to YOU. They trust YOU. Be that friend they so desperately need.

There Are No Mistakes In Life

Life is a collection of experiences, both good and bad, and those experiences shape who we are. There are no "mistakes" as you learn from each of those experiences. A mistake means you should not have done something: but everything we do, every decision we make, is part of who you are, and provides priceless life lessons.

We're also going to start talking about some phobias, anxieties, and other things that cause stress in life. Some of them are "expected" based on a person's past experiences or trauma they've gone through, and others are just plain random and unique. We'll be starting this topic today, and discussing more phobias next time also.

Trauma & Recovery

Trauma and stress affects everyone differently. How we handle it and grow from it affects the type of person we will become.

This week's episode features an interview with Amy, who has a story of a trauma she experienced as a child, and how it continued to affect her as a young adult, and even today. What she experienced as a child taught her valuable life skills and gave her a unique perspective on life and what matters. Last month, she experienced more trauma and more tragedy, and she applied what she learned as a child to keep going, and now has an amazing story to share.

Midweek Update: Own Your Emotions & Don't Be A Whiner

Are you in a bad situation? Having a rough day? A rough week? Maybe longer?

Life throws all kinds of bad things at us, every day brings with it some new challenges. That's true for all of us. How you handle those situations, is up to you. You are in control of your own emotional responsess to difficulties. Some people own & overcome them, some people whine about them. Which type of person would you rather be?

Midweek Update: Hire the Maid!

Maintaining happiness and a balanced life is not unlike having your house professionally cleaned once in a while. Sometimes you need a little help. Sometimes you need to talk to someone. Whether it's a friend, family member, or an actual professional, it's OK to involve other people once in a while to help you with life's problems. But don't rely on these people, because they are really only short-term solutions. You still have to keep your house clean between those professional cleanings, and you are responsible for your life and your happiness in the long-term. Yes, other people can help, but it's ultimately up to YOU. Make it what you want it to be!

You can't control the world outside, and we all know how shitty the world is. Control what you can, control your own life. You are in charge, you have the power. Make your house look how you want it to look. Make your life look how you want it to look.

Distractions Compromise Identity

Distractions have the power to compromise our identity... but only if we let them. They compromise who we are, because we allow them to take over our mind. This week I talk about some distractions in my life, most notably social media. This is a big one for a lot of people. Rather than sit here and preach about removing social media and Facebook from your life entirely, I'd rather have you just focus on it during a set time each day. Don't let it grip your attention at random points throughout your day, but set aside time somewhere that it can be used, and stick to that schedule. Things like social media take away from your personal identity, because it's a "fake" way to interact with other people and what's going on in the world, rather than focusing on the YOU.

I want you to find some other things that allow you to develop and discover who YOU are, like writing. Self expression through writing has been a recurring theme on Third Degree Mind, as it's something that's important to me and I've found great benefits through it in my own personal life, especially since my own diagnosis and acceptance of a personality disorder.

Last but not least... I need some help developing the Third Degree Mind studio, where the magic happens. This Podcast is recorded in my home, in a messy storage room, one that I'm going to convert into more of a "studio" feel for producing this Podcast. Help me out with suggestions... It's not just my studio where I sit alone and record, it's the place where this Podcast is produced, with all of you in mind and trying to produce relevant content. Send me some suggestions on what to put on the walls, what to put on the desk, paintings, anything that has anything to do with any of the topics we have or could discuss on the program. Third Degree Mind is not just "my Podcast" of "my story" - it's going to be a group effort. Soooo let's make it happen! Watch the Facebook page in the coming days for photos of the existing "studio" which is in poor condition, and in need of a little TLC!

Midweek Update: Distractions

Last week we talked about making sure you focus on yourself and your own identity. This midweek update builds on that concept and reminds you that one of the most important ways to focus on yourself is to remove or minimize distractions. Figure out where you are spending your time, what's demanding your attention, and then find ways to remove those distractions. Find time where you have no distractions, and do something relaxing and fun. "Me time. We're going to continue to build on this next week.