Posts Tagged ‘mental health’
The underdog of decision making: choosing to wait
In a day and age when information travels at warp speed and lives can be irrevocably changed by one photo or a single tweet, there is something poetic about the speed of the 2020 federal election. All the bandwidth and technology in the world can’t move this along any faster than it’s going to go.…
Read MoreYour Life Purpose Isn’t Always What You Think It Is
I went for a walk this morning like I almost always do when I’m home in Nevada. My house is tucked up against the rolling desert, with trails zig zagging through the sagebrush. A small creek flows through the valley, prompting cattail to grow in the damp soil and mountain bluebirds to sing in the…
Read MoreHow to Begin Healing from Depression
Back during my days of deep depression, one of my unconscious coping techniques was to put down the little things that brought other people joy. The phrase “that’s stupid” fell out of my mouth like a tick. Nothing and no one was safe. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Stupid. Just donate money without the attention.…
Read MoreHow to Use Breathwork to Relieve Stress & Anxiety
No fate is worse for those with anxiety than the act of doing nothing. But there is one tool you were born with that can help calm your mind and body when the weight of a situation becomes too much: your breath. I am an XPT certified breathwork coach. Often, with my clients going through…
Read MoreBreathwork With Taylor Somerville of Symmetry
“The calmer and quieter you breathe, the larger your blood vessels open, enabling better circulation and distribution of oxygen throughout the body, including the brain. Oxygenate the brain—breathe less.” – Patrick McKeown, author of The Oxygen Advantage In 2018, two years after I’d taken my last antidepressant, I found myself still struggling to remain steady in an…
Read MoreThe Drowned Man
A parable, borrowed from the religious but relevant for the atheists: A man is alone in his home when the storm comes. The local news channel tells him to evacuate, to move to higher ground, but instead, he shakes his head and says, “I will pray to my God and he is going to save…
Read MoreChuck it in the Fuck It Bucket
To my favorite group of humans on the planet, this blog post is a little different because it exists just to tell you about my new favorite thing I’ve made: The Fuckit Bucket™. Tee hee hee. The Fuckit Bucket™ was born out of sheer delight. A friend of mine, embroiled in the world of C…
Read MoreMedicating Normal Documentary
Happiness Is A Skill was created as an outlet for me to reach the kind of people who email me every day. Ever since my Washington Post Article, “I spent half my life on antidepressants. Today, I’m off the medication and feel all right” became the #1 read piece on WaPo National the day it…
Read MoreWhat are you running from?
Over the past six months, I have watched a curious trend develop amongst the people in my circle. Faced with a clear threat — COVID-19 — two courses have emerged. First is the group that follows whatever rules and precautions that exist where they live but who also generally accept that COVID is a part of life. These are…
Read MoreThe easiest way to change your life? Just ask.
Happiness Is A Skill is 10 weeks old today! Such a wee milestone in the grand scheme of life, but in internet years, HIAS is entering its awkward teenage years. I’ve been at it just long enough to know it needs some tweaks, but not so long that I know what those tweaks are. And…
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