- March 18, 2009 – 4:55 pm
- Posted in mental health, prosperity consciousness, self-actualization
- Tagged acceptance, Anger, angry, anxiety, attention, balance, calm, choices, compassion, concentration, defensiveness, denial, depression, fear, forgive, forgiveness, gratitude, Health, illness, insanity, irritability, meditation, mental health, mentally fit, overwork, projection, psychotherapy, rage, rationalization, relationships, release resentments, results, self-entitlement, selfishness, service to others, stress, truth, well-being, wellness
- Comments (3)
It confuses me to see intelligent people surprised by the recent AIG “retention bonuses.” They seem shocked and perplexed as to how the individuals at AIG pulling the strings could do such a thing with the taxpayers’ bailout money. What did they expect would happen when they gave billions of dollars with no oversight to the same corrupt, incompetent and greedy people who ran the world game into the ground in the first place? To think these people would suddenly act differently is disturbingly naive. It reminds me of the popular definition of Insanity which is “doing the same thing and expecting different results.” Now, in this time of harsh, frightening realities, it behooves each of us to consider this definition of insanity in the context of our own lives and our own choices. Now, more than ever, it is important, perhaps even critical, that, rather than doing the same thing and expecting different results, we do something different. Many things different. For ourselves. For our families. For our country. And for our world. Now, more than ever, it is important that we pay closer attention to the details of our lives and actions, not merely to avoid accidents, injuries, and a variety of mistakes with potentially serious consequences, but in order to intelligently and critically assess our entire life situation and see which aspects can be repaired, improved upon, and healed, which aspects it might be wise to discard either temporarily or permanently, and which aspects it would benefit us to truly accept and transcend without grievance or resentment. So that’s what it comes down to in these vigorous and challenging times: We pay closer attention. We make better choices. We weigh the pros and cons carefully. We seek counsel, before we take action, from those we trust who are wise and lead lives that are reasonably intact, so as to avoid impulsive and reckless mistakes. We make better use of our time. We choose to be of service to others. Not just in the sense of holding a door for a stranger or taking out the garbage when it’s not our turn. These kindnesses are important. Helping out wherever we can to whatever degree we feel comfortable is important. And healing. So is being of service to others in the sense of giving others the benefit of the doubt whereas in the past we assumed the worst. Being of service to others in the sense of truly letting go of resentments. Truly letting go of judgments and prejudices. Unconditionally forgiving others despite what they’ve done to us. I suspect we all do these things to various degrees. I also suspect we don’t do them nearly enough, that there is much more of our compassion and understanding that we can consistently extend to others. I suspect if we choose to get better at discovering and implementing new choices in all aspects of our lives, we will feel better about ourselves and not quite so afraid, and that we will see our lives improve in the process. Walter E. Jacobson, MD
@walterdoc It confuses me to see intelligent people surprised by the recent AIG “retention bonuses.” They seem shocked and perplexed as to how the individuals at AIG pulling the strings could do such a thing with the taxpayers’ bailout money. What did they expect would happen when they gave billions of dollars with no oversight to the same corrupt, incompetent and greedy people who ran the world game into the ground in the first place? To think these people would suddenly act differently is disturbingly naive. It reminds me of the popular definition of Insanity which is “doing the same thing and expecting different results.” Now, in this time of harsh, frightening realities, it behooves each of us to consider this definition of insanity in the context of our own lives and our own choices. Now, more than ever, it is important, perhaps even critical, that, rather than doing the same thing and expecting different results, we do something different. Many things different. For ourselves. For our families. For our country. And for our world. Now, more than ever, it is important that we pay closer attention to the details of our lives and actions, not merely to avoid accidents, injuries, and a variety of mistakes with potentially serious consequences, but in order to intelligently and critically assess our entire life situation and see which aspects can be repaired, improved upon, and healed, which aspects it might be wise to discard either temporarily or permanently, and which aspects it would benefit us to truly accept and transcend without grievance or resentment. So that’s what it comes down to in these vigorous and challenging times: We pay closer attention. We make better choices. We weigh the pros and cons carefully. We seek counsel, before we take action, from those we trust who are wise and lead lives that are reasonably intact, so as to avoid impulsive and reckless mistakes. We make better use of our time. We choose to be of service to others. Not just in the sense of holding a door for a stranger or taking out the garbage when it’s not our turn. These kindnesses are important. Helping out wherever we can to whatever degree we feel comfortable is important. And healing. So is being of service to others in the sense of giving others the benefit of the doubt whereas in the past we assumed the worst. Being of service to others in the sense of truly letting go of resentments. Truly letting go of judgments and prejudices. Unconditionally forgiving others despite what they’ve done to us. I suspect we all do these things to various degrees. I also suspect we don’t do them nearly enough, that there is much more of our compassion and understanding that we can consistently extend to others. I suspect if we choose to get better at discovering and implementing new choices in all aspects of our lives, we will feel better about ourselves and not quite so afraid, and that we will see our lives improve in the process. Walter E. Jacobson, MD
@walterdoc
|
Insanity Vs Making Better Choices
It confuses me to see intelligent people surprised by the recent AIG “retention bonuses.” They seem shocked and perplexed as to how the individuals at AIG pulling the strings could do such a thing with the taxpayers’ bailout money.
What did they expect would happen when they gave billions of dollars with no oversight to the same corrupt, incompetent and greedy people who ran the world game into the ground in the first place? To think these people would suddenly act differently is disturbingly naive.
It reminds me of the popular definition of Insanity which is “doing the same thing and expecting different results.”
Now, in this time of harsh, frightening realities, it behooves each of us to consider this definition of insanity in the context of our own lives and our own choices.
Now, more than ever, it is important, perhaps even critical, that, rather than doing the same thing and expecting different results, we do something different. Many things different.
For ourselves. For our families. For our country. And for our world.
Now, more than ever, it is important that we pay closer attention to the details of our lives and actions, not merely to avoid accidents, injuries, and a variety of mistakes with potentially serious consequences, but in order to intelligently and critically assess our entire life situation and see which aspects can be repaired, improved upon, and healed, which aspects it might be wise to discard either temporarily or permanently, and which aspects it would benefit us to truly accept and transcend without grievance or resentment.
So that’s what it comes down to in these vigorous and challenging times: We pay closer attention. We make better choices. We weigh the pros and cons carefully. We seek counsel, before we take action, from those we trust who are wise and lead lives that are reasonably intact, so as to avoid impulsive and reckless mistakes.
We make better use of our time.
We choose to be of service to others. Not just in the sense of holding a door for a stranger or taking out the garbage when it’s not our turn. These kindnesses are important. Helping out wherever we can to whatever degree we feel comfortable is important. And healing.
So is being of service to others in the sense of giving others the benefit of the doubt whereas in the past we assumed the worst. Being of service to others in the sense of truly letting go of resentments. Truly letting go of judgments and prejudices. Unconditionally forgiving others despite what they’ve done to us.
I suspect we all do these things to various degrees. I also suspect we don’t do them nearly enough, that there is much more of our compassion and understanding that we can consistently extend to others.
I suspect if we choose to get better at discovering and implementing new choices in all aspects of our lives, we will feel better about ourselves and not quite so afraid, and that we will see our lives improve in the process.
Walter E. Jacobson, MD
@walterdoc
It confuses me to see intelligent people surprised by the recent AIG “retention bonuses.” They seem shocked and perplexed as to how the individuals at AIG pulling the strings could do such a thing with the taxpayers’ bailout money.
What did they expect would happen when they gave billions of dollars with no oversight to the same corrupt, incompetent and greedy people who ran the world game into the ground in the first place? To think these people would suddenly act differently is disturbingly naive.
It reminds me of the popular definition of Insanity which is “doing the same thing and expecting different results.”
Now, in this time of harsh, frightening realities, it behooves each of us to consider this definition of insanity in the context of our own lives and our own choices.
Now, more than ever, it is important, perhaps even critical, that, rather than doing the same thing and expecting different results, we do something different. Many things different.
For ourselves. For our families. For our country. And for our world.
Now, more than ever, it is important that we pay closer attention to the details of our lives and actions, not merely to avoid accidents, injuries, and a variety of mistakes with potentially serious consequences, but in order to intelligently and critically assess our entire life situation and see which aspects can be repaired, improved upon, and healed, which aspects it might be wise to discard either temporarily or permanently, and which aspects it would benefit us to truly accept and transcend without grievance or resentment.
So that’s what it comes down to in these vigorous and challenging times: We pay closer attention. We make better choices. We weigh the pros and cons carefully. We seek counsel, before we take action, from those we trust who are wise and lead lives that are reasonably intact, so as to avoid impulsive and reckless mistakes.
We make better use of our time.
We choose to be of service to others. Not just in the sense of holding a door for a stranger or taking out the garbage when it’s not our turn. These kindnesses are important. Helping out wherever we can to whatever degree we feel comfortable is important. And healing.
So is being of service to others in the sense of giving others the benefit of the doubt whereas in the past we assumed the worst. Being of service to others in the sense of truly letting go of resentments. Truly letting go of judgments and prejudices. Unconditionally forgiving others despite what they’ve done to us.
I suspect we all do these things to various degrees. I also suspect we don’t do them nearly enough, that there is much more of our compassion and understanding that we can consistently extend to others.
I suspect if we choose to get better at discovering and implementing new choices in all aspects of our lives, we will feel better about ourselves and not quite so afraid, and that we will see our lives improve in the process.
Walter E. Jacobson, MD
@walterdoc