Old Photos and Robots

Alchemy For Life

#Society #Philosophy #Business #Mental Health #Fitness #Im On #Author Mark Bradford #Entrepreneur

38:05

In late 1972, U.S. Marine Captain Ron Forrester disappeared on a bombing run into North Vietnam. Back home in Texas, his family could only wait and hope. Audio subscribers to Texas Monthly can get early access to episodes of the series, plus exclusive interviews and audio. Visit texasmonthly.com/audio to join. Go to HelloFresh.com/FLIGHT10FM to get 10 Free Meals with a Free Item For Life.…

about a year ago 15:55

MP3•Episode home

You are living in an era that is coming to an end.

There was a time when all pictures were in black-and-white because that was the technology we had. Most people were fit, and men typically wore suits even at baseball games.

Then pictures, had color, but it was of a not true to life color with a look that was overly warm with lots of reds and browns.

Then we had more color accurate images and what was in the picture changed a bit.

Then we moved into the realm of digital high resolution images, and we started to see things like mass produced electric cars, drones, e-bikes, and two wheeled hoverboards

We are leaving that era.

We are moving into an era in which—like the pictures of old—we will be able to tell when the picture was taken just by what is not in the images.

Let’s talk about that and do a bit of time traveling… to the year 2025.

The post Old Photos and Robots first appeared on Alchemy For Life.

250 episodes

Old Photos and Robots

Alchemy For Life

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

You are living in an era that is coming to an end.

There was a time when all pictures were in black-and-white because that was the technology we had. Most people were fit, and men typically wore suits even at baseball games.

Then pictures, had color, but it was of a not true to life color with a look that was overly warm with lots of reds and browns.

Then we had more color accurate images and what was in the picture changed a bit.

Then we moved into the realm of digital high resolution images, and we started to see things like mass produced electric cars, drones, e-bikes, and two wheeled hoverboards

We are leaving that era.

We are moving into an era in which—like the pictures of old—we will be able to tell when the picture was taken just by what is not in the images.

Let’s talk about that and do a bit of time traveling… to the year 2025.

The post Old Photos and Robots first appeared on Alchemy For Life.

250 episodes

#Society #Philosophy #Business #Mental Health #Fitness #Im On #Author Mark Bradford #Entrepreneur

All episodes

Alchemy For Life

1
Non-Local Consciousness 10:17

4 days ago10:17

10:17

Let’s talk about non-local consciousness , who you’re really talking to when you’re on the phone, what happens to me and possibly you when something is put on the back burner , and wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in the United States, Brazil, Germany, India, China and Japan. The post Non-Local Consciousness first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Meaningful Exhaustion and the energy transfer 10:42

19 days ago10:42

10:42

Getting energy and giving energy One of the things I’ve said from the very beginning is that a thing can give one person energy and take energy from another. in other words, one person’s activity that energizes them could also really be draining for another. But that giving of energy is also taking energy. Nobody engages in meaningful receiving of energy without also giving energy. Simultaneous And this energy going both ways at the same time can be confusing, especially if you think that your energy is like a glass of water you spill out. It’s not. What gives you purpose? What gives you meaning? You will find that the things in your life that give you meaning are the things that can potentially exhaust you , because of the energy transfer. For some people, it’s misleading because we are not taught that exhaustion is a good thing. For others it can be addicting to the point that someone is drained beyond healthy levels in this pursuit (common for some people in healthcare—nurses, therapists, even some coaches). Episodes referenced: Job Career or Calling Is Positivity Just Oblivious Contentment? Books: T hree Voices BeCAUSE! (out soon!) The post Meaningful Exhaustion and the energy transfer first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Question Mark – Oh how the tables have turned 12:15

4 weeks ago12:15

12:15

The normal format for this show is to introduce you to something and raise your perception. Then we discuss it and you typically leave with homework. This time you are giving me homework. Let’s talk about the importance of feedback and how each and every one of us has a struggle. What’s yours? The post Question Mark – Oh how the tables have turned first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
The Anatomy of Ghosting 11:34

6 weeks ago11:34

11:34

We all know what it is. We have all done it. We’ve all had it done to us. Let’s talk about when it’s appropriate when it’s not, and why it can be so frustrating. The post The Anatomy of Ghosting first appeared on Alchemy For Life .

Alchemy For Life

1
Time is sometimes money but is always Energy 10:50

7 weeks ago10:50

10:50

Time is money You’ve heard that phrase and it is often accompanied by someone clapping, tapping their foot, or some other show of impatience. Chop chop, time is money . In our world of Time, Energy and Resources as separate entities, they are saying time is resources, aren’t they? But it’s actually more accurate to same time is energy . Let’s discuss, and see if you agree. This just might help you plan your time in a way that makes more sense. 👂If you would like to delve deeper, consider a quick 15 minute call with me. You can tell me what you are up against, and I can tell you about how the coaching system can help, and how I can help you. The post Time is sometimes money but is always Energy first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
The amazing, frustrating, daunting world of squares and triangles 7:00

8 weeks ago7:00

7:00

Fair & Square Here are the rules of the square and triangle universe. Squares sell things to and help that are both squares and triangles. Most triangles gear their products and services for only triangles. Most squares buy from squares and triangles. Most triangles will buy from both squares and triangles but will choose a triangle over a square, especially if the triangle says their product is exclusively for triangles. Triangles have a number of large companies that use them to market their product to other triangles, using social coercion, exclusivity, personal connections and even guilt. Squares do not have these kind of large corporate connections, and although there are some activities that the squares tend to enjoy they always welcome the triangles. There are other rules but these are the most obvious. Listen to the podcast and tell me what you would do as a square. I’m looking for an answer… So what would you do? Are you a Square or a Triangle? The post The amazing, frustrating, daunting world of squares and triangles first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Your Catalog and Your Facets 9:22

8 weeks ago9:22

9:22

A while back we talked about the importance of a catalog and your awareness of that. By revisiting that we are demonstrating (in a rather meta way) the importance of revisiting it. And let’s add how that affects your facets too. Catalog A catalog covers anything and everything you do. This then gets distilled down into your nice brochure and your website. That gets distilled down further into your line card. Even further, this turns into your tagline and then your business card. Revisiting and refreshing if you truly review your catalog, you may find that there are things listed on one of the things mentioned above that you simply do not do anymore. Your role may have grown (business owner to consultant, direct participant to manager, etc) or your role may get honed and change over time. You may even have a greatly expanded catalog—and that’s definitely something to make your clients aware of. This is why I created the All Podcast Episodes page on the AFL site. Facets We all have facets and what we think we do for a living. Those facets may be within our job description or genre. But some of us may also have facets on the opposite side of our lovely gemstone, and when you do, It can be a bit confusing when it comes time to market yourself. Let’s talk about refreshing your catalog, and what to do about your facets and your message. PS – Thank you to all the pre-readers of BeCAUSE! The post Your Catalog and Your Facets first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Intellectual Injury—what the heck is that? 11:06

10 weeks ago11:06

11:06

I like to apply analogical reasoning, You can call it conceptual metaphors. And if both of those are confusing, how about applying the concept of one domain to another. Still confused? For example, we talked about liminal spaces which don’t look or sound right. But you can then take that into the emotional domain and talk about things like a bride on the night before her wedding, or how it feels to be in a doctor’s office waiting room. Physical Injury When you receive a physical injury, you: Assess what caused it Give TLC to that area. Build it back up and then some to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Emotional Injury We do the same for emotional injuries. We figure out what caused it, why it hurt so badly, and then we build it up by toughening up our metaphorical skin, or addressing the thing that causes it to hurt. Intellectual Injury But what about intellectual injury? Is that even a thing. Well it is now, and let’s talk about it, and why it might be the most important one. The post Intellectual Injury—what the heck is that? first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Old Photos and Robots 15:55

11 weeks ago15:55

15:55

You are living in an era that is coming to an end. There was a time when all pictures were in black-and-white because that was the technology we had. Most people were fit, and men typically wore suits even at baseball games. Then pictures, had color, but it was of a not true to life color with a look that was overly warm with lots of reds and browns. Then we had more color accurate images and what was in the picture changed a bit. Then we moved into the realm of digital high resolution images, and we started to see things like mass produced electric cars, drones, e-bikes, and two wheeled hoverboards We are leaving that era. We are moving into an era in which—like the pictures of old—we will be able to tell when the picture was taken just by what is not in the images. Let’s talk about that and do a bit of time traveling… to the year 2025. The post Old Photos and Robots first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
The pleasure principle and a new book 7:47

12 weeks ago7:47

7:47

I have a new book coming out. it’s my 10th, and it’s based on my take on the pleasure principle and what I believe is a layer just above it. It’s what allows us to accomplish things that others do not. It’s what prevents us from doing things that we think we should be able to. It’s that nagging, (usually invisible thing) that we keep running into. It’s what allows top performers to be top performers. It’s what will get you out of your slump. You’ll be shocked at what I’ve discovered and developed. If you want to apply to be a Beta Reader and read the book before everyone else in exchange for your feedback and honest review, go to my patreon . The post The pleasure principle and a new book first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
What I learned writing a screenplay 11:36

14 weeks ago11:36

11:36

(and how it might help you tell your own story) Telling a story in an unfamiliar medium with constraints you’re not accustomed to is a common theme in business. You may be the best story teller in your circle/medium/genre but if you need to tell your story outside of that it can be a challenge, a learning experience, overwhelming or all three. Here’s my experience in writing the screenplay for The Sword and the Sunflower and how it might help you tell your story in an unfamiliar medium. Book vs. screenplay A book is a self-contained personal connection between you and the reader. It allows you to intimately tell a story, brain-to-brain. There’s nothing in the way other than rules of style, fonts, the reader’s imagination, your ability to tell a story, etc. Little things like that. But overall it’s a straightforward medium for those that enjoy exploring it. You as the author have the ability to focus on whatever you deem important, with no constraints. If a brief moment in time that lasts only a few seconds is vital to understanding a character then you can spend pages upon pages dissecting, explaining, and experiencing. The length of your novel is not predetermined. Yes, there is an accepted minimum for word/page count and a realistic maximum due to physical limitations for a book, but if it’s too short it becomes a novella or a short story. If it’s too long it becomes a duet, a trilogy, or a series. Your style is yours—that is, while adhering to the elements of style, grammar, etc. My approach to dialogue is fairly unique and is a direct product of my reverence for it. But the reader can switch from your unique style to another author’s style. They may enjoy a story but really like the writing style. The opposite can also be true. The Sword and the Sunflower – a quick recap After writing for nonfictions I took a walk in a cemetery and had an unusually clear mind. There was not going to be a ‘next book’ but just a break from the writing. Then I heard the voices. not the voices of the dead, but the voices of a conversation between two people. I played it out and was really inspired. I hoped to see “that movie” one day but realized there was no such movie. The I realized I had to write it myself. I ran home, and wrote a poem, and this poem because the outline of the book. The Sword and the Sunflowe r is actually a duet (two books) with a third as a prequel explaining what happened in 1,000 years. The screenplay One of the most common comments I’ve received for The Sword and the Sunflower is that “this should be a movie.” I’d like to think it’s because of the vivid descriptions, the attention to realistic dialog, and the emotionally impactful settings. Maybe people just want that medium instead. A medium I’m unfamiliar with. So I decided to see what it would take to write the screenplay for at least the first book. This is where I experienced the confusion, the learning curve, the overwhelming sense of not getting it right, and slammed hard up against the very real constraints that a screenplay has over a manuscript. Unlike a book Unlike a book, there is a very real limit on how many pages a screenplay can be. Unlike a book, you are not free to just describe anything and everything you want to describe to insure that your audience gets it. Unlike a book, you don’t get to narrate to your audience (yes there are movies with narration but most are not done well and can take away from the story). In a book, the description of the character is controlled by you, but more so by the imagination of the audience. I’ve been told many times by readers who should play Stojan or Anastazja and the actors they choose look or behave nothing like them. But that was their imagination and experience. Unlike a book, you are not talking to your audience at all, but instead to someone else. They in turn will speak to your audience on your behalf and introduce their own style, perceptions, strengths and weaknesses. In a fiction book I can point your attention to a certain thing, place, scene or person’s face. If I try to do that in a screenplay it becomes something else—a spec script. And directors aren’t keen on you telling them what to do (unless you’re a screenwriter hired by them, and in many cases they do their own screenplays). So you write a screenplay, in the only acceptable font, with the only acceptable line spacing, with the only acceptable tags and formatting and stay within the page limit, and leave a lot up to the imagination of the director, you trust that they will see your vision. The lesson I learned If that last line sounds a little familiar it’s because that’s what we have to do sometimes with our plans and our vision—we hand it off to someone and trust that it will be handled the way we would handle it. This is one of the biggest pitfalls of both creatives and solopreneurs—being able to let go of something enough to allow others to handle it. it applies to marketing, sales, distribution and more. Let’s talk about this in the podcast, and afterwards we can chat more on Patreon . If you’d like to get your own copy of The Sword and the Sunflower it’s available as an kindle, ebook, paperback, hardcover and audiobook. You can read reviews on Amazon as well as on the reviews page of MarkBradford.org As far as the movie, you’ll have to wait and see… The post What I learned writing a screenplay first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Teacher, Teach Thyself 11:04

15 weeks ago11:04

11:04

Q&A and the answer (That’s so meta) Have you ever helped a friend who has a question or a conundrum, and the answer was so obvious to you that you easily spelled it out for them? You felt pretty smart. You noticed at some point that when you’ve had issues you turn to others for answers and you realize thatr you also could have come up with the solution? You have a “Well duh, I know that” moment. You think “Why can’t I do that for me?” That’s what this episode is about. Highlights: Question vs. Answer Mode – People think more clearly when answering for others because they’re emotionally detached. But why are they emotionally detached? Limbic System – When the problem is personal (even if it’s a decision) it triggers emotions—fear, uncertainty, doubt , etc. which makes the process more difficult Frontal Cortex Role – Your frontal Cortex is what handles logic and reason—without the aforementioned. Mindfulness – I don’t know what you think of when you hear ‘mindfulness’ but for me it’s nothing absolutely definable. However, being mindful of your current conundrum can shift the processing from the limbic to your frontal cortex. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can also help with this. Being ‘professional’ – Professions like surgeons, pilots, and investors train people to use logic under stress. Let’s talk about this concept so you get to know your hardware, and perhaps better understand its use. And we’ll talk about how being coached allows you to automatically benifit from the best of this concept—if done correctly. Join us on Patreon to talk about this! Citations: Bechara A, Tranel D, Damasio H. Characterization of the decision-making deficit of patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions. Brain. 2000 Nov;123 ( Pt 11):2189-202. doi: 10.1093/brain/123.11.2189. Erratum in: Brain. 2009 Jul;132(Pt 7):1993. PMID: 11050020. Rosenbloom, M. H., Schmahmann, J. D., & Price, B. H. (2012). The Functional Neuroanatomy of Decision-Making. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 24(3), 266–277. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.11060139 The post Teacher, Teach Thyself first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Do you experience Disconnected Happiness? 11:49

16 weeks ago11:49

11:49

A tale of disconnected happiness or Benign Violation Theory. Allow me to tell you a tale of disconnected happiness. Perhaps you can relate? Helpful related (or referenced) episodes: The holy Grail of positivity bias Throwing away the container Benign Violation Theory Have something to say? Come talk about it on Patreon . The post Do you experience Disconnected Happiness? first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Dramaturgy, Role Theory and Modes 10:25

17 weeks ago10:25

10:25

Modes What mode are you in right now? You may intuitively know exactly what I’m talking about. Ever interrupt a conversation and the person changes their conversation style/demeanor? That’s an example of someone switching modes. Are modes just putting a mask on, or being disingenuous? No, like so many things in experimental psychology, I look at it like a program, or a template being overlaid because it is appropriate and useful. Like multitasking , switching modes can cause the expenditure of energy. It is more useful and more efficiant to stay in a mode for a longer period of time. What does a mode look like? Think parent, manager, salesperson, CEO, husband, supportive friend, success-minded accomplice, etc. And engaging one of the modes in the wrong setting can be confusing, detrimental or even worse (drinking buddy mode at the CEO round table is not a good idea). Overlap But there is overlap, and the overlap is what we are even when a mode is applied. This may sound similar to finding your core directives, which is discussed in the my upcoming book. When you figure out your core you figure out quite a book. Let’s raise your awareness of this concept, and give us something to think about. The post Dramaturgy, Role Theory and Modes first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Manuel Rendon of Timeplast and 4d programmable matter 54:49

18 weeks ago54:49

54:49

Meet Manuel Rendon , certified polymer science inventor and CEO of Timeplast, Inc . My first interview episode of 2025. Manuel joins the ranks of Scott Adams , the late John McAfee and others. 4d matter In the world of plastics, everything pretty much repels water. But what if you could create a plastic that truly dissolves in water quickly, leaves no forever chemicals, and is programmable? Oh, and it’s already readily available to the public. This is what Manuel and Timplast have created, and he has the patents and the materials to prove it. Here are the seven patents for Manuel Rendón with links to their respective pages: US Patent 9181412 : Composition for the degradation of plastic US Patent 10954354 : Upcycling process for unsorted waste stream US Patent 11639424 : Extrusion process of a manufacturing system for plastic US Patent 10967470 : Degradable plastic composition US Patent 11390532 : Method for manufacturing a plastic product with a reduced environmental impact US Patent 11634782 : Process for recycling mixed plastic waste US Patent 11620641 : Additive for reducing the environmental impact of plastic products You can click on each link to view the full patent details. They’ve created a substance that’s available for those, like me, who are 3d printing technology evangelists. By adjusting the thickness in various ways, you can ‘program’ the object to dissolve on a schedule that you determine. Imagine water bottles that you toss into a lake, and they completely dissolve. What about a plant waterer that waters on a schedule? Biomedical products? Labels on food containers that degrade and warm of spoilage? Sometimes when you print a 3d printed object (like my psych charms ) it has features that the printer cannot create without the help of a support. Think of a scaffolding holding up an overhang, or the outstretched arms of a statue. You can print the supports in the same plastic, or with special support material (if you are lucky enough to have multiple printing heads. But you then still have to break it away carefully, and then sand out the edges. But with Timeplast, you just submerse your model in water and only the supports dissolve. There is support material like this already, but it does not dissolve in the same way. Note that Timeplast’s goal is mass production in traditional ways, but makes the time-mass available to small hobbyists in the form of Timeplast also produces a device that essentially breaks down anything you put into it (except for mundane commercial plastics—with nothing but water. It is called the Pabyss ™ (as in Plastic Abyss). I’m hoping Timeplast will take my suggestion and rename it the Molecular Disintegrator because I cannot imagine anyone (especially tech-savy nerd dudes) who wouldn’t want to say they own a Molecular Disintegrator™. Join us Join my fascinating discussion in which we cover everything from 3d printing to the Cardeshev scale, the saving humanity to contacting Elon Musk about joining forces to create a better world for us all. If you are into 3d printing and didn’t know this was available, or are concerned about the environment and want to learn that there is a realistic, provable solution, or just want to hear my chat with a dual-brained inventor (who happens to be the CEO of a company creating IP that makes Netsle pay attention), give this a listen. A note about the video The select clips from the video interview are available on Patreon (it’s free). You can go there to discuss. The audio (as usual) episode is available here, and wherever you listen to podcasts (iTunes, Spotify, etc.) References : How much real estate do you have in the 4th dimension? Three voices Episode | Three Voices Book Manuel’s video on contacting Elon Musk Social media for Timeplast https://www.facebook.com/TimePlastOfficial https://www.instagram.com/timeplastusa https://youtube.com/@timeplastinc The post Manuel Rendon of Timeplast and 4d programmable matter first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Most useful and helpful episodes of 2024! 12:12

19 weeks ago12:12

12:12

Welcome to 2025. As with last year, we are selecting the most helpful and useful episodes of the previous year. Of course I feel that all of the episodes are useful and helpful. Each one has a use, a point, and a tangible takeaway. Each one is a unique perspective on something you’re familiar with or a bringing to your attention of something you may not even be aware of. As they say, “It’s all good.” But here are the top episodes from the thirty three to choose from 2024—and the selection was very difficult. To choose the “top” you have to leave some out. Listen to this episode to hear a breakdown of each and why they were chosen. Live Your Life Iteratively A Strength Stretched too far Becomes a Weakness How Much Real Estate do You Own…in the 4th Dimension? Too much power to something via label Forced to be an Emergency Responder and Love Bombing Engagement Fiction for Your Type A Brain Feeling Safe & Relaxed – Parasympathetic Nervous System All of the Charms episodes – Anxiety, ADHD, OCD, Depression & Suicide, Systems Thinking * Do you have a favorite episode from 2024 that didn’t appear here? Let us know. *Did you know that Psych Charms/States of being episodes automatically appear on the charms page in addition top being listed on the episodes and ALL episodes page? The post Most useful and helpful episodes of 2024! first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Resolutions—what works and what doesn’t 12:34

20 weeks ago12:34

12:34

Resolutions—what works and what doesn’t and why. It’s really important that you don’t repeat the same things that didn’t work last time. You want to make this time to be different. Levels As we mentioned in the Labels episode, we like to label things because it’s a shortcut. And that can make you dumber or smarter. It can also give too much power to the thing . And it’s that last point we’re discussing today—the power you give new years resolutions and the “beginning” of a new year. The new ‘start.’ [INSERT YEAR] is going to be different and I will [INSERT ACCOMPLISHMENT]. OK. The difference. Resolutions are good for one-off actions. They are good for things you want to do or not do and declare. Things like these: I’ll stop eating everything on my plate just because it’s there I will always switch the laundry to the dryer the same day I wash them I will always load the dishwasher I will always tell my kids/spouse I love them every day I will stop eating so fast I will always try to find at least one nice thing to say about everyone I’ll never let the gas tank go below 50% I will speak up when someone upsets me No more phone in bed I will read 30 pages a day Etc. These are “one off” kind of things you just remember to do. But even these are probably indicative of a higher issue, a system that is in place . The eating everything may be due to guilt you have about food which stems from something else and is causing other actions that are unfavorable. The not switching could be due to not focusing, or prioritization, or the dreading of the folding. The phone in bed may be a missing comfort due to lack thereof in your life (which could be a huge issue of self-care ), or a lack of fun (again self-care), or a replacement activity (replacing what you should be doing) or a deflection of sleep which means a delay in bringing forth tomorrow. Let’s talk about the difference, what works, what doesn’t, which are part of a system. And let’s help you make the ones that work. And if you want more thorough, hands-on work to see what systems are in place that these resolutions reveal, reach out for a free no-obligation chat to see if the Alchemy for Life™ coaching system is a fit for you. Supporting episodes: If you use them you’ll get smarter (or dumber Too much power to something via label Dread Selfishness Demystified Self Love and Self Care Revisited The post Resolutions—what works and what doesn’t first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

1
Depression and throwing away the container 15:22

22 weeks ago15:22

15:22

This is a separate article that goes with this podcast episode. it is not a transcript but rather an alternate summary of what the episode is about. NOTE : Depression, and worse (the meaning of “throwing away the container”) is a delicate subject. The truth is that all mental health is a delicate subject, as is the psyche that we all possess and protect—voluntarily or otherwise. This is the fourth recording of this episode. Though I am no stranger to re-recording (I tend to re-record vs. edit to maintain the right flow) I’ve never had to re-record this many times. My challenge was balancing staying near my self-imposed 10-minute limit, sharing too much, treating the subject with the respect it deserves, and coming up with a meaningful, tangible take-away. And that’s why I recorded it four times. What is depression Depression comes in many forms, and as with many states of being, there is a spectrum. We are talking about sadness all the way to the ultimate sacrifice. It is a sadness, a despair, and worse. The reality of depression The reality is that there is a lot of confusion and frustration. There’s clinical depression—some of it caused by external forces. There is sadness, despair, and thoughts of throwing away the container (more on that later). These feelings, impulses, and desires can form a vicious circle of a downward spiral. See below. My experience with depression This is one of the reasons I recorded this four times. How much is TMI, and how much is enough to help someone? I have experienced depression—due to situational circumstances. I have some times said, “I am too happy of a person to feel this sad.” I’m sure I’m not the only one that has a baseline happiness that is pretty high. But sometimes things get tough. Sometimes there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. When you have a pain that is so great you make the leap of logic and understand that these bad feelings—along with the good ones—are all kept in the same vessel, or container. So, logically speaking, if you get rid of the container, you get rid of the bad feelings and the unbearable pains. The problem is that you get rid of the good stuff too, and the entire container. Expressing your state of depression to others is beyond taboo for some people and is usually met with a quick solution as if they are helping you with a math problem. Most people aren’t willing to experience that level of empathy because sometimes there isn’t a solution. They are too content in their own bubble. So you suck it up and attempt to persevere. And sometimes you just try to help others. The reality is that just googling the S word throws a phone number into your face. But what if you just want to see what level of these thoughts is “normal?” The system is so concerned with preventing this that there is no middle ground. I’ve said that it’s easier to get someone to talk you out of buying a boat than it is to talk to someone about the general concept of throwing away the container. And that’s all someone needs sometimes. So perhaps we should make this option just as available as the nuclear option. Coping with Depression Willing to throw out the container means you are willing to end it all to stop the pain. It’s logical—and you my not like that. But my counter-logic to that is equally absurd. If you’re willing to throw out the container for that reason, then why not do literally everything else to that end. Meaning, why not do a risk assessment, and do all the amazing things that risk throwing out the container? Think about it—jumping out of planes, performing dangerous jobs, going on adventures, literally saving the lives of others—all could result in the same end. But you get to experience all of those things. A sense of humor is one of the most powerful things you can have in your life. That, along with gratitude can really make a difference and not only break you from your downward spiral but can great the opposite. The upward spiral. It’s so easy to go on a downward spiral—wow, they really hate me let’s think of the 27 other people who probably don’t like me, or wow, that was horrible, what other horrible, unfair things have happened. But what about the opposite? If you’ve heard the episode on the holy grail of positivity bias then you know what I am talking about. It’s possible to create an upward spiral. Trust me. You’re that good. The Depression Charm As I said, this is coming full circle, because it was the symbol for suic*de that started me on the path. Since I disagree grammatically with what the symbol means, let alone the fact that I wanted to come up with original designs, let alone the fact that the people who created the original designs were rather litigious, I came up with my own design. This charm represents a sunset. But with all sunsets, it’s followed by a sunrise. In fact, if you take a picture of a sun and show it to someone, they will not be able to tell the difference between a sunrise and a sunset. Thus the meaning of the charm. The symbol can tell you what you think is a downward spiral may actually be an upward spiral, that the dark time will be proceeded by a time of light. Regardless of whether you grab a charm for yourself or others, just know that you are seen—especially in this middle-ground area. The holidays are a really tough time for more people than we realize. The tiniest act of validation can make all the difference in the world, and people in this state of being are not going to be broadcasting it to you. Or they did, a few times, and just gave up. Don’t give up on them. Resources : The NIMH page on depression The holy grail of positivity bias episode The post Depression and throwing away the container first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Am I a systems thinker? 12:34

23 weeks ago12:34

12:34

Guess who has this one? 🙂 NOTE: As I’ve said before, these thirteen ‘states of being’ are not being looked at as an ‘ailment’ or a ‘disease’ or a disadvantage. Just as there are upsides to what some would consider a disability, there are downsides to what some would consider a superpower. What is Systems Thinking? Systems thinking is taking a step back and discovering, recognizing, and working within a system. It allows you to see above what others might see, to see the complex patterns in place, and even see the machinery making it all happen. The reality of being a Systems Thinker The reality of being a systems thinker is seeing the system in everything. Much like someone who has been intimately involved in a process, a sector, a business, an affiliation, you find difficulty in not seeing ‘behind the curtain.’ That can be a down side for some that find difficulty in turning the big picture off and enjoying the moment. The massive positive is in being able to accomplish things because you understand the system. You know that you can’t just jam something into a system and not understand that the thing as a whole is going to react. My experience with Systems Thinking Systems thinking is was enabled me to write my first book— The Status Game, once I entered the world of dating and dating sites. It helped me to discover what was in place and that allowed me to write the much-expanded sequel— The Status Game II (and the upcoming finale— The Status Game III: Beyond Status ). This also allowed me to create both a dating site from scratch as well as a card game. Thinking in systems allowed me to go on to create a coaching system. This involved two systems—one conceptually that showed that life is made of three things, and a programmatic system that handled working with clients to help them discover their own systems and make actual changes within that framework. When I started writing fiction it allowed me to see the three aspects of writing fiction that—when focused on properly—meant you’d never have writer’s block (and subsequently helped me to create both a seminar and a book-coaching process for aspiring writers). Coping with Systems Thinking As I said, when you have a behind-the-curtain 30,0000 foot view of things, you could potentially get lost in that view and be detached. Personally, I just find it fun and am more than happy to get lost in the moment. Being mindful in general and having gratitude can help you with that. Even being grateful that you can return to systems thinking if you want to jump out of the moment can paradoxically keep you in the moment. The Systems Thinker Charm I designed this one to look like a gear because a gear can remind us of all the gears involved in a system. People have said we are but a cog in the machine, with the cog being a gear and the machine being the system. Having this charm can remind you to focus on the system, in your business, your way of doing business, your way of connecting and helping. It can (as with the others) be a reminder that there is more than the system and that you may want to be in the moment a bit more. Alternate uses of the symbol: Being a gearhead. You like cars, you work on cars You’re a machinist and you live the physicality of actual machines You enjoy getting your hands dirty fixing things Building systems—mechanical, programatic or otherwise—is your thing As always, just know that you are seen. Take care. The post Am I a systems thinker? first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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The Silence of Success 11:14

23 weeks ago11:14

11:14

Social Media and You If you’re on social media, whether it’s the Boomers Gone Wild of Facebook, the Graphic (in many ways) Instagram , the Millennial-Controlled Tiktok or the ‘business-oriented’ Linkedin, you will see the kind of posts I’m about to talk about. Drawing a line in the sand… in your face Some people post things full of words—typically a graphic telling you in no uncertain terms a bit of advice. You will see these over and over again, and the more you read the more you’ll get the impression that they are not talking to you. They are talking to themselves. It’s like they are looking in the mirror talking to themselves and you are forced to sit on the toilet seat next to them and watch—over and over again. Two sides of the same coin If you are someone who posts things like this, I am not trying to diminish your enthusiasm. If you have read The Status Game II (or will read my upcoming The Status Game III – Beyond Status ) then you know that they most powerful emotion we can feel is validation. If you’ve listened to Stolen validation then you know what I am about to say. Stolen validation (I encourage you to listen to that episode). If you tell everyone you’re going to lose weight, then you’ll get kudos and pats on the back and bask in the warm and fuzzy validation. And then… nothing. Why? Because you’ve already received your kudos, so why even do it. You just stole the reward from your future self. Your Journey vs. The End Results It is far more satisfying to share the results of your journey—which can include the entire chronicled journey—rather than to attempt to chronicle the journey in real time. And I’d submit it’s far less risky. Because failing in private (and perhaps regrouping and trying a different attack) is less painful than failing in public—in real time. Those that are doing it just do it. Those that aren’t constantly post about it. So if you have a lot to say and want to impart wisdom, that’s one thing. But if you are shouting into the void when it’s actually your bathroom mirror please don’t make us sit on the toilet and watch you. Listen to the episode for the full conversation. This article is a summation for you. The post The Silence of Success first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Deferred Gratitude and Exotic Cars 8:27

24 weeks ago8:27

8:27

Exotic Cars When people purchase exotic cars, they are sometimes hit with something called deferred maintenance . As with many car buyers, they see the value of purchasing a car used . The positive of that is that they get a car they want at a dramatically reduced price. The downside is sometimes that they hadn’t considered there might be deferred maintenance. Oops! There’s Deferred Maintenance With really expensive cars comes really expensive maintenance even down to just something as simple as oil changes and tire rotations can be shockingly expensive for those who have never owned an exotic car. And sometimes people own exotic cars, and realize they’ve spent the majority of their money on the car itself and don’t have a lot left over for the really expensive maintenance. So they skip it. And when they do that, the maintenance is deferred to the next person, which of course is the person purchasing it. All that time and they didn’t do it… 👀 Gratitude As I’ve mentioned in other episodes, gratitude is one of those rare things in life that really access an antidote to a lot of negativity. It’s the last thing you would think would work and yet it does. When you have times of sadness or hopelessness or things aren’t going your way or you feel that life is unfair, the last thing you think you should do is just become grateful for what you do have. It seems like a copout, but it’s not. It’s exactly what acts as a remedy in those cases. I rarely use this word because so many people do, but I find it to be quite powerful. A tree falling… If a tree falls in the woods and there’s no one there to hear it does it still make a sound? Well yeah that’s not how sound works. If you feel gratitude for someone does it still count? Of course it does. However, it has even more meaning if you share that gratitude with the person you have it for. A license to be grateful As I said in a number of episodes, you need to give yourself a license to write and be creative, instead of preventing yourself from doing so. The same applies to gratitude. We feel we have to wait for birthdays, Christmas Thanksgiving, or… worse. We don’t. We shouldn’t. I’m grateful for you—the person reading this or listening to my podcast. You spend your valuable time doing so. I’m grateful for those that give me feedback—whether its a review, or a comment, or a shoutout here or there. I’m grateful for a lot of things that I could share with you here but instead, you probably want to think of what you’re grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate, wherever you are! Cheers! The post Deferred Gratitude and Exotic Cars first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Time and energy = space 11:07

26 weeks ago11:07

11:07

A new formula Here’s an interesting concept for you, just when you thought you understood that life is made of three things: Time, Energy and Resources. But after ll, this is alchemy. Time, Energy and Resources Alchemy for Life™ has always been about life being three things. And we spend those three things on five facets. it’s the basis for the podcast, the coaching system, and a way to map your life out by a method tht nothing else can. It’s energy, not time We’ve talked about how often I’ve encountered someone who thought they didn’t have time to do something when almost invariably they don’t have the energy. But there’s more to it than that. Even if you have the time and the energy to do something, if you don’t make the space you’re going to find it difficult at best and impossible at worst. That’s where the new formula comes in. If you’re trying to accomplish something, there are really two ways to give yourself a means to do so: You can just carve out the time you think you need, or you can give yourself the space for it. Let’s talk about that concept in this week’s podcast. References multitasking and the forgotten glue The post Time and energy = space first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Is Positivity just oblivious contentment? 12:44

27 weeks ago12:44

12:44

What is Positivity? You may think that ‘positivity’ doesn’t belong with such states of being as OCD , Anxiety , ADHD and the others featured in this 13-part series, but I think it does because it is markedly different than the average person. Positivity isn’t just being nice. Positivity isn’t being positive blindly . It is a state of being in which your base level is high positivity. You tend to see the big picture and your scale is set properly (see below). The Reality of Positivity The reality is that this state isn’t just being cheery, but seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and not sweating the proverbial small stuff. People tend to be suspicious of people who are very positive. We think they are so nice to us because they must want something. They don’t. We think they aren’t listening or taking something to heart. They are. My Experience with Positivity It can get a bit daunting when you don’t know a lot of people who are also positive. When everyone else is down most of the time, and seem to always seek out the negatives you can feel a bit left out. Strangely enough, being the positive one can really make you feel like the odd duck when something doesn’t bother you as much as it bothers other people. When you speak up about it they tend to think you are taking the side of the opposition when in fact, you are simply expressing your perception of what’s happening on the whole. People like commiseration and they will view your positivity sometimes as condescension, lack of empathy and lack of interest. Sometimes with positivity, no good deed goes unpunished. It of course is part of the human condition to have ups and downs—by design. I have often said that without fail people who seem the happiest and kindest are the people who have gone through the most difficult of times. I have said that their scale is set properly and they actually know what zero feels like. (listen to the story demonstrating this on this episode) Coping with Positivity It might sound odd to ‘cope’ with something good, but there are downsides to this. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but the silent one gets nothing. So, being positive and not complaining, and not speaking up when something isn’t perfect can mean that you get less attention, less forgiveness and, understanding. Sometimes you have to remember to ‘let something get to you’ so that you have an equal and opposite reaction to things in your life—instead of sitting idly by and envying those that always speak up and are treated with more respect. It’s a delicate balance. The Positivity Charm I designed the icon for this one simply as an up arrow. Because the charms have a loop and actually have an up and down, this arrow always points up. Alternative uses and meaning for this charm: A reminder to be more positive, if you struggle with negativity (especially because of our built-in negativity bias ) A reminder that you have a lot going for you, or perhaps just one thing that always makes you smile when you think of it (or them) It can be your talisman for avoiding negativity The up arrow may remind you to look up to where you believe all the good emanates. It may be your spiritual reminder Perhaps this helps you to elevate your conversations. You can always go to https://www.alchemyfor.life/balancecoaching/charms/ for the latest news on them and grab one, or two. Remember: whatever your state of being, whether you grab a charm or not, you are seen . Join the community if you want to chat about this episode. It’s free. This episode is part of a 13-part series on ‘states of being’ on the Alchemy for Life™ podcast hosted by Mark Bradford . Over 250 episodes are available on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and anywhere podcasts are consumed. Resources: The podcast episode on the web The podcast episode on iTunes The post Is Positivity just oblivious contentment? first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Forced to be an Emergency Responder and Love Bombing 10:32

28 weeks ago10:32

10:32

Forced Emergency Responders and “Love Bombing.” Emergency Responders and the 2:00am call for a wooden spoon When we think of emergency responders, we think of paramedics and ambulances and firefighters and police. If you make widgets, no one is going to call you at three in the morning to tell you they desperately need a new stapler or a wooden spoon or any number of things that aren’t considered an emergency item. That goes for services as well. Other businesses and services may have a little bit of an emergency aspect to them, but for the most part are still handled proactively. Is this emergency aspect optimal? No. You should of course, be as proactive and not reactive as you can. If you have a client that has been one for a while, and an emergency—perceived or otherwise—crops up, I’m fairly confident you would handle it as an emergency and help them as best you can. Emergency Responders and being forced to be one When you call the fire department in the tragic event you have a fire, you may not have ever dealt with them before, but they answer the call with maximum effort because it’s their job. If someone contacts you with no previous experience or connection to you, has never paid you, and also doesn’t know you from Adam, and expects you to respond to an emergency without any kind of established relationship, they are making you an emergency responder In an almost-perfect world, there’s a chance that you can ride up on your metaphorical, big white horse and come to their rescue and save the day and this is now the moment they have you produce all of their spoons, handle all of their technology needs, or be their sole provider of napkins for their catering business. But do people who want to establish a relationship with you, who have the forethought of being proactive, and aren’t the type to patch together things with bandages typically introduce themselves by forcing you to be an emergency responder? Let’s go with “probably not.” Love Bombing Love Bombing in a relationship is when one party absolutely showers the other with affection, gifts, promises and the like. I have often said that the amount of attention one gets in the very early stages of a relationship is inversely proportional to how much they’ll get for the rest. My anecdotal evidence has been discussed with four separate women who have told me the exact story of a man who did exactly that—showered them with affection, flowers, etc. and then soon after marriage became neglectful, jealous, and worse. Instead, it’s the low, realistic, burn and build that makes for a solid relationship. Love Bombing in Business if you connect with someone who is going to hook you up with contract work or hire you as a consultant, refer you, or even hire you directly, and they not only paint a near perfect picture of your relationship and what you’re going to get out of it, but also continue to add bonus after bonus and all of the other things they can probably do for you—the proverbial carrots… The same phrase applies. If they want to connect with you—and they start selling past the sale, and start promising all those extra things they can bring to bear, with their metaphorical dozen roses… The same phrase applies. As a side note, if YOU are doing this—meaning you start making lots of promises about all the other things you can offer if they would just say yes—then you probably don’t really believe in your product. Or worse, you are not telling the truth about it. Because if you truly believe in your product, then that’s all you talk about. ps – We of course weight each opportunity separately, whether it is a personal relationship or a business opportunity. But you have probably been through this and learned the hard way. Wisdom is like that. *See The Status Game II and Beyond Status for a detailed explanation on this in the chapter of the same name. The post Forced to be an Emergency Responder and Love Bombing first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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What is OCD? Do I have OCD? The Reality of coping with OCD. 13:09

29 weeks ago13:09

13:09

What is OCD? Do I have OCD? OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. It shares a symptom with ADHD in which you can be caught in a repetitive loop because of anxiety and stimulus. But it is different than ADHD. The reality of OCD The reality of OCD often involves constant, intrusive thoughts and the need to perform specific rituals to reduce anxiety . Day-to-day life can feel consumed by repetitive behaviors like checking, counting, or cleaning, making even simple tasks take much longer. This can lead to exhaustion, frustration, and difficulty focusing on other responsibilities. If you have to make sure all of the stove top burners are off, and you have to do it from right to left, and you have to do it three times before leaving your house you can be a bit… delayed. It is interesting to know that there is something very ritualistic about this behavior. I tend to find a lot of value in both rituals and ceremonies, and you can learn more about that in the episode called become ceremonious . But become ceremonious is talking about giving more meaning to something and taking your time . On the other hand, OCD is creating a repetitious ceremony for other reasons. My Experience with OCD As always I’m giving my experience, from my perspective on a particular state of being and this is no different. I’m not giving perspective from a clinical evaluation, and I think most people are in that same place. Most joke that they have ADHD or OCD or Autism, and are pretty convinced that they experience Anxiety. Your mileage may vary. Having said that, I never really thought I was OCD. The exception being this: I have two coffee warmers—one in my home office, and one where I have coffee and wake up in the living room in the first hour. When I leave the house, even if I’m convinced that I’ve turned them off, I’l go back in and check all the while mumbling under my breath that this is dumb. But I do it because it takes 30 seconds to prevent a fire while I’m gone. Nothing really has to be in a particular order—I don’t care if the food on my plate touches, I don’t arrange my many mugs a certain way. My office is a bit messy at times. I do like to fold my towels a certain way but that’s because I learned how to make them look pretty (I was having house guests and thought that would make them feel more welcome) and it just sort of stuck. True, if I have cheese, sausage and crackers at the end there’s almost always a bit of cheese, sausage and crackers cuz I like to eat them in parallel because they complement each other. But that’s it. I tell you this in case you can relate. I tell you because it’s really easy for people to fall into the trap of pointing a finger at a specific affliction, or state of being. It’s OK to be quirky. It’s OK to have a personality. And it’s also OK if you have OCD. Do you? Do you think you have OCD? Coping with OCD, and yay acronyms! CBT and ERT are used quite a bit to help those with OCD. C ognitive B ehavioral T herapy is commonly used to treat depression and other issues. In Three Voices , there are a number of exercises that are essentially CBT in which we use our third voice to overcome what our second voice tells us. ERT (Exposure and Response Therapy) is like CBT but it’s used to gradually expose someone to the thing that triggers their OCD. So in the case of someone who has to check the locks even though they know they are locked, the therapy may go so far as to suggest someone leave their house without locking their doors at all. Obviously one should take care with this particular use of it. But you can do many things like this to challenge your own OCD. Being gradual can be a good way to slowly overcome it without setting off a strong reaction. These strong reactions are also addressed in the new book BeCAUSE! . OCD Psych Charm I’ll let you in on a secret —I originally wanted to make the symbol be of something very symmetrical, but then print it offset in such a way that would be annoying. But then that’s not a cool symbol. So after some thought, I came up with the universal symbol for power/on/off for electronic devices. My reasoning is that often OCD will cause people to check if something is on, if it is off, or turn things on/off in a particular order, or repetitively. So now you can have your own power button that you can push. Possible Alternatives You may need to be reminded to not always be “on” (if you’re in sales, or have a public figure persona). Push it just before you get home to your family. Push it just before you talk to clients! Remind yourself to be on, put a smile on, and put your best foot forward You like technology. ’nuff said. Remember : Whether you have your OCD charm or not, you are seen . Join the community if you want to chat about this episode. It’s free. Resources: NIMH page on OCD The post What is OCD? Do I have OCD? The Reality of coping with OCD. first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Don’t speak that into existence! 11:03

30 weeks ago11:03

11:03

Toddlers with chainsaws Are chainsaws bad? No. Should toddlers use them? No. We use chainsaws to perform a task, we don’t give them to toddlers because it is dangerous to do so and the toddlers don’t understand the balance of danger and functionality. Airbags, insurance and fire extinguishers, oh my! Does your car have airbags? Do you own fire extinguishers? Do you have insurance? All of these things are in place because you had to think the negative thoughts of contingency plans in case something negative happened. Entire departments exist within businesses for just such a purpose. Thinking and speaking negative thoughts We have to think and speak negative thoughts. As I said in the The Holy grail of Positivity Bias and Just Be Positive , thoughts are just thoughts, and being afraid to think certain thoughts does not help you get to your goal. You can talk about the negatives all you want as long as you’re not creating barriers for yourself that don’t exist . if you have been through a system for years, and you explain to someone the ins and outs of it and why you’re making the choices you are not being negative, you are explaining how things work. Beating your head against the wall repeatedly because someone tells you that to not do so is being negative is not realistic. Let’s talk about the incredible waste of energy of avoiding negative thoughts. The post Don’t speak that into existence! first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Psych Charm: ADHD 9:41

31 weeks ago9:41

9:41

ADHD – Also known as Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. What is ADHD? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. People with ADHD typically struggle with finding it difficult to focus . They are easily distracted in pursuit of stimulus. Sometimes the stimulus leads them to hyper-focus. The reality of ADHD The reality for many people is that ADHD is a constant challenge for them to focus. You’ll see often online that people joke about their ADHD I myself have joked about somehow ‘harnessing it.’ If you have ADHD, you may be very frustrated with your seemingly paradoxical ability to hyper-focus on something one moment and then have no focus for the things you really want to do another moment. The hyper-focus is almost never the thing you’re trying to accomplish. But it does stimulate you. My experience As I said, I would often joke about weaponizing my ADHD to get an awful lot of things done. It seemed to be the likely explanation for all of the disparate disconnected things I was not only completing rather thoroughly but also in record time. Case in point all of the books that I wrote in a short period along with podcast episodes such as this one in addition to the pilots license I earned a year ago. But I don’t believe I have ADHD. Though I am able to hyper focus on something. It is not because of a have a Pavlovian quest for stimulus. Instead, I have just learned to understand how to focus and how to pursue something to completion. It’s a mental stamina that I’ve developed. In the podcast episode called in the zone. I talk about being in the zone. Though being in the zone share some similarities with hyperfocus, it is rather different. Hyper focus of ADHD can be so intense and all encompassing that the person loses track of time. Being in the zone does speed up time, but you still have an awareness of time passage, and in fact it is this awareness that sometimes makes you feel like you are just playing around when you’re actually getting work done since you are enjoying it so darn much. As I am writing this, I am sitting outside. And Across The Street they are cutting down a tree. The constant chainsaws is very annoying, but I’ve decided that I’m going to push through it. It would be an easy excuse to just either move inside or put this off to a later date. How do you cope with ADHD? It is common, and almost a bit too common, that doctors will prescribe ADHD medicine. I had my own encounter indirectly when I mentioned to my doctor that when I took or used to take sinus medication it allowed me to focus without distraction. she said that one of the ingredients was also in ADHD medicine. I’m often surprised to find that people who suffer from ADHD have an absolutely terrible diet riddled with bizarre modern chemicals. They tend to stare at the TV and spent very little time physically moving. I would surprise that people should really try doing some involved exercises. Even walking Can change your state of being as I talked about in the parasympathetic nervous system episode. No, I am not dissuading you from taking meds if you need them, but I think it’s important to have a baseline of healthy eating healthy outlets and healthy exercise. I think putting those things in place may give some a little reprieve if not a dramatic change in what they call ADHD. But By all means consult the doctor. ADHD Psych Charm This charm uses the infinity symbol to represent the infinite thoughts that one can experience while focusing on none of them. It’s the infinity of possibilities that can be so overwhelming. Paralysis by analysis if you will. As with the other charms I used a symbol that was not color-dependent so we can have some fun with color combination, as well as having the freedom to use and display it all we want (no infringement). And, as with the others, it can be used for something other than ADHD. Whatever it speaks to you is what it means Possible alternatives The infinity of possibilities The infinity of the universe and all it has to offer reminding you that there’s so much more out there If you are a believer in reincarnation, this may be for you May have a very personal commitment that you have made forever and this could represent it for you ADHD is represented by the infinity sumbol. As with the other charms You can always go to https://www.alchemyfor.life/balancecoaching/charms/ for the latest news on them and grab one, or two. Remember, regardless of whether you grab a charm, you are seen . There are a lot of people out there quietly suffering, and I don’t like that. I want you to know you are seen. The post Psych Charm: ADHD first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Psych Charm: Anxiety 13:45

31 weeks ago13:45

13:45

Anxiety – The feeling of stress, the activation of a fight-or-flight mode. Anxiety for some can be a fairly dull but constant sensation of having to attend to a problem—a nagging feeling that you need to take care of something. This can be from the demands of your job, your responsibilities as a parent, a spouse, a parent or a combination of all of the above. For some, however, it can be an instant-on attack of intense feelings of fight or flight complete with rapid heart beat, and even sweats. It is the activation of the sympathetic nervous system over something you are aware of, or something you are not. The reality of… Anxiety The reality of anxiety is that everyone experiences it in some form. The problem is that sopme people get activated by things they are not even aware of (this is addressed in the upcoming book BeCAUSE! ) and because of that, like many things, they can be going through a very intense experience alone. Some people get overwhelmed easily. Others are reminded of their past and how they failed at similar tasks (this is addressed in the book Three Voices ). My personal experience with Anxiety For a very long time I was of the mind set that people who experienced it were just…well, stressed. Being self employed, going through a diovoce and raising two kids on my own 100% responsibility had it’s moments of stress. But I never really thought I experienced anxiety. I tried to keep ducks in a row, and sort of knew where all the stress was coming from. It was fairly predictable some days, some days not so much. If anything I would experience what felt like a biological fight or flight, but no accompanying thoughts. This attack of panic would make me go hmm at best, and sometimes I’d check and say “Nope, all good.” Sort of like just having too much coffee—the effects are felt, but there was no fighting or fleeing. But my stress could be your anxiety. How do you cope with Anxiety? As I mention in BeCAUSE! , there is an underlying foundation of directives that have helped you and hindered you. These directives can certainly cause you to avoid something like the plague or move towards things that make you happy. And if you don’t lknow what’s causing it, then it just “happens out of nowhere.” The first step is getting to the root, and interestingly, the root can be a smell from your childhood, the tone of voice someone uses, or an unfortunate avoidance of something most people would not—because you never developed the resiliency to deal with it. Something as simple as reframing a thought can help. Things like yoga, meditation or the over-used buzzword of “mindfulness” can actually help. Breaking things down into smaller componets (which is a lot of what the AFL coaching is about) can allow things to be in digestable bites. You can listen to this episode on the book Three Voices and this one about how our Second Voices talk to us and others . The Anxiety Psych Charm Anxiety is represented by a lightning bolt because it can appear suddenly and be very intense. As with all the Psych Charms the icon was something I developed to be universal, easy to understand and color-independent. It can also represent something other than Anxiety. Whatever it speaks to you is your relationship with it. Alternate meanings: Remind you to live in the moment and not live so fast Take your time with eating (eating too fast is a leading cause for excess lbs and other issues) That inspiration can strike at any time You’re an electrician You’re a storm-chaser You can always go to alchemyfor.life/charms for the latest news on them and grab one, or two. Remember, regardless of whether you grab a charm, you are seen. There are a lot of people out there quietly suffering, and I don’t like that. I want you to know you are seen. The post Psych Charm: Anxiety first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

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Gamification, Iconization and Tangibility. 8:41

32 weeks ago8:41

8:41

Gamification, Iconization and Tangibility Those are some crazy words. They’re fun and I like saying them. But what do they mean? My history I have always enjoyed looking at things as a system . It was only relatively recently that I realized that was what I was doing. it was so natural and innate that I didn’t give it much thought. Previous to giving it that name, i thought I was just gamifying things—but that’s a different thing. Seeing things as a system is passively viewing what is in place to understand the interconnectivity between the moving parts. It is understanding the system in plce and how it works. Gamifying is taking a system, a process, a procedure, and then making it a game. Many years ago I created two pen and paper role playing games, designed, molded an d produced three 12 sided dice to handle skills and combat. Gamifying is typically taking something in real life (usually something you want to accomplish, or something that’s mundane) and making it fun. You can gamify anything from getting your kids interested in doing chores, to creativity, to motivating employees, to exercising and losing weight. Making a “game” out of something does not mean you disrespect the underlying seriousness of what you are trying to accomplish . On the contrary, gamification can be used for some of the most serious things in life. It is a way to enlarge texture, to see things more clearly, and to give things a shape that otherwise would have none. Iconization This may not be a word, but it is now. iconization is my term for taking something and literally making a recognizable icon out of it. Sure, the icon for the messaging app is a speech bubble, the icon for file manager is a manilla folder, and the icon for TikTok is a musical note. But what’s the ‘icon’ for autism? You’re just talking about logos, Mark Well, the puzzle piece came to be a representation of autism, as the person who originated it said it was a “puzzling affliction.” But that doesn’t go over too well with a lot of those in the autism community. But what about anxiety? Depression ? Hypersensitivity? Not everything has a symbol or an agreed-upon symbol. And some of the symbols are over-complicated and rely on a specific color (or colors). My cafe epiphany I was at a cafe and noticed the girl behind the counter had a punctuation tattoo on her wrist. “Oh is that a writer thing? Are you a writer?” She explained that it is the symbol for those who have been affected by suicide—whether personally or knowing someone who went through thoughts on the subject or who took the ultimate permanent solution. I was taken aback in my blissful ignorance. It was a way for her to be reminded, comforted, and was a talking point for those she interacted with. But not everyone gets a tattoo. So I got to thinking… What if there was a way for you to carry a tiny reminder of something like that with you? What if you could be reminded and comforted? What if there was something that you could look at that told you it was ok to be different, that your sensitivity to sound might not be shared or understood by others and it would give you more stamina to be tolerant? What if it reminded you that with the downs eventually come the ups? That your ADHD gives you a million ideas but picking one might be a challenge, and that’s OK. Enter Psych Charms So I created little colorful charms that you can put on your keychain . They range from Anxiety to ADHD to Dyslexia to just being a very positive person. And I created a special charm for depression of all forms. Some of these psychological states of being either don’t have an icon that goes with it, or has a symbol that is too complex or color-dependant or don’t have one at all. So I invented a few. And I’ve created them in different colors, which is one of the advantages of not having a color-dependent symbol. The Charms series I’m going to focus on one for each episode. I have touched on some of these states of being in the past, but this will be a series that you can follow along with. I hope you enjoy the episodes, the charms, and truly feel that you are seen. Because you are. The post Gamification, Iconization and Tangibility. first appeared on Alchemy For Life .…

Alchemy For Life

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Creativity as a skill 11:10

34 weeks ago11:10