i just completed this article for my self-growth website.
i first posted it in the main forum, but it is quickly being swallowed up.
the first few paragraphs are below with a link to the rest of the article.. -doug .
Hey Ex,
You are one hell of an observant fellow! lol
I wanted to post it in the Depression forum also. But now with the new format, it shows up under "Active" as well. Before, it wouldn't have. It will stay closer to the top in the Depression forum.
All my best!
Doug
i just completed this article for my self-growth website.
i first posted it in the main forum, but it is quickly being swallowed up.
the first few paragraphs are below with a link to the rest of the article.. -doug .
I just completed this article for my self-growth website. I first posted it in the main forum, but it is quickly being swallowed up. The first few paragraphs are below with a link to the rest of the article.
-Doug
-----------------------------
FIGHT OR FLIGHT? Coping with the Fear of Terrorism
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." — Franklin D. Roosevelt
THE YEAR was 1968, I was in third grade, and the United States and the Soviet Union were embroiled in a psychological tug-of-war. As a child of only nine years of age, I did not fully comprehend Cold War events—including the threat of nuclear holocaust—that undoubtedly spawned much fear across the nation, and even the world.
In the interests of preparation and preservation, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Stokes, instructed the class to bring a clean and empty Clorox bleach jug with us to school by a certain date. We did as instructed, and when the assigned day came, we filled our jugs with water, and labeled them with our names. I vividly remember going down into the lonely tunnels—serving as a makeshift fallout shelter—below Academy Park Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah. I can even still see the Principal putting a single drop of chlorine in each one of our jugs as we looked on in the dimly lit tunnel. Thankfully, we never had reason to make use of our stored water. I can only imagine how events of that era—along with fear and uncertainty of the future—undermined one's sense of personal security.
Then along came the '80's and the '90's, and the fear of doom and gloom from thermo-nuclear destruction gradually eased up.
Now here we are, nearly two months into the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and four Airliners. I doubt any of us will ever purge those vivid images of the airliner hitting the South Tower, and the subsequent collapse of both Towers. Indeed, these images have been burned into our national psyche. I cannot fathom the grief and agony the family and friends of those killed are facing, and my heart goes out to them.
On the heels of this tragedy—and without a moment to catch our breath—came the current and ongoing bio-terrorism threat, most notably, the anthrax scare. Around the world, and especially in America, people have been jolted from a state of relative peace and safety to a state of profound concern—fear—for their lives, and their way of life.
Alas, fear has tightened its tenacious grip once again.
(To finish reading, click on this link: http://empowerthespirit.com/Articles/fear.htm#on )
i just completed this article for my self-growth website.
i thought i would share it with everyone here.
the first few paragraphs are below with a link to the rest of the article.. -doug (freepeace).
I just completed this article for my self-growth website. I thought I would share it with everyone here. The first few paragraphs are below with a link to the rest of the article.
-Doug (FreePeace)
-----------------------------
FIGHT OR FLIGHT? Coping with the Fear of Terrorism
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." — Franklin D. Roosevelt
THE YEAR was 1968, I was in third grade, and the United States and the Soviet Union were embroiled in a psychological tug-of-war. As a child of only nine years of age, I did not fully comprehend Cold War events—including the threat of nuclear holocaust—that undoubtedly spawned much fear across the nation, and even the world.
In the interests of preparation and preservation, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Stokes, instructed the class to bring a clean and empty Clorox bleach jug with us to school by a certain date. We did as instructed, and when the assigned day came, we filled our jugs with water, and labeled them with our names. I vividly remember going down into the lonely tunnels—serving as a makeshift fallout shelter—below Academy Park Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah. I can even still see the Principal putting a single drop of chlorine in each one of our jugs as we looked on in the dimly lit tunnel. Thankfully, we never had reason to make use of our stored water. I can only imagine how events of that era—along with fear and uncertainty of the future—undermined one's sense of personal security.
Then along came the '80's and the '90's, and the fear of doom and gloom from thermo-nuclear destruction gradually eased up.
Now here we are, nearly two months into the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and four Airliners. I doubt any of us will ever purge those vivid images of the airliner hitting the South Tower, and the subsequent collapse of both Towers. Indeed, these images have been burned into our national psyche. I cannot fathom the grief and agony the family and friends of those killed are facing, and my heart goes out to them.
On the heels of this tragedy—and without a moment to catch our breath—came the current and ongoing bio-terrorism threat, most notably, the anthrax scare. Around the world, and especially in America, people have been jolted from a state of relative peace and safety to a state of profound concern—fear—for their lives, and their way of life.
Alas, fear has tightened its tenacious grip once again.
(To finish reading, click on this link: http://empowerthespirit.com/Articles/fear.htm#on )
*ahem* i take this moment to interrupt the usual in-fighting, cat calls, horrible insults, and general sniping to introduce a brief spelling lesson:.
it's loser!
that is how you spell someone who is not a winner.
One word: Spell Chek and PRUFE REED!
WAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
FreePeace at Last!
TruthQuest: http://beam.to/truthquest
Who Am I? -How to Reinvent Yourself After Leaving the WTS
http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com
our grand illusion of life.
doug kelley august 2001. i want to know who you really are; what is really inside you.... each one of us lives an illusion of life.
deep inside us dwells a person that is real and alive, but far removed.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for your kind words! Yes, I and FreePeace are one in the same. I use my real name on threads dealing with personal growth, but goofed on my last reply.
I appreciate what you said. It is always encouraging when another person gets something positive from "stuff." I have more stuff at http://www.empowerthespirit.com if you are interested.
Have a great day!
Doug
Doug Kelley, CSL
Please Visit http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com for personal growth articles.
my father was rushed by ambulance from his rest home to st. marks hospital in salt lake city, utah friday, but i only just heard about it.
i received a call from the floor nurse and she told me he is not expected to live.
his lungs are filled fill up with fluid and are continuing to fill u with more fluid: he has pneumonia.
Dear Doug,
Please accept my deepest sympathies. I remember staying with your dad and mom many years ago, along with my younger brother and sister. It was just before we moved to Denver, and my folks went to find a house. I was only 11 years old then. That was 31 years ago. Jesus.
I last saw your dad and mom in 1979 or 80, when they visited us in Spearfish, South Dakota.
I too am glad you had the opportunity to say what you needed to say. That is important.
I wish you all my best my friend, and my sincerest sympathy.
Doug
FreePeace
Doug Kelley, CSL
Please Visit http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com for more personal growth articles.
our grand illusion of life.
doug kelley august 2001. i want to know who you really are; what is really inside you.... each one of us lives an illusion of life.
deep inside us dwells a person that is real and alive, but far removed.
Hey Expat!
What?! You can't read my mind?
You raise some excellent questions, and I am very happy you did so!
But I'm interested in your view of where the line is drawn between realising our dreams, and indulging in selfishness. Where do duties and what is "right" fit into the picture? When does personal responsibility become social irresponsibility?
I added to the end of the article above to address your questions. In my own mind, I did not mean to imply that one should cast aside one's moral obligations simply to indulge in selfishly chasing his/her dream. Of course, since people can't read my mind , I needed to be clearer on this, and I appreciate you helping me.
In my humble opinion, "personal responsibility become social irresponsibility" when a person neglects the moral obligations he/she has taken on, such as children.
I do not believe that an adult necessarily has a "moral obligation" to another adult when in an unhealthy relationship. This, of course, is a personal decision that each person must make.
Again, I really appreciate your comments (and yours too Dana!). It always helps when I get "called" on something I've written. It helps me to improve.
I have heard many good things about you from Tracy and Dana. I hope to meet you one day!
Doug
Doug Kelley, CSL
Please Visit http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com for more personal growth articles.
our grand illusion of life.
doug kelley august 2001. i want to know who you really are; what is really inside you.... each one of us lives an illusion of life.
deep inside us dwells a person that is real and alive, but far removed.
Our Grand Illusion of Life
Doug Kelley · August 2001
I want to know who you really are; what is really inside you…
Each one of us lives an illusion of life. Deep inside us dwells a person that is real and alive, but far removed. We may sense that person, but few others truly see the person we are deep within.
After you peel away the layers of personality cover-ups; the layers of walls and shields we all project; you may find a quivering, frightened human being, desperately trying to feel needed, and seeking his or her place in the greater reality.
Who are we really? I mean, really? deep inside? Peel away the layers of religion and beliefs; peel away the delusions we operate under; peel away the face we show to the world, and for many--if not most--what we have left is the pain of who we really are; the pain of not knowing the true reality; the pain of dreams unfulfilled; a feeling, perhaps, of no belonging.
We try so desperately to fit in; so desperately to show a face of confidence in our surroundings and ourselves. But could it be that each one of us is really just a frightened child? What happened to our dreams? our hopes for the future? What happened to our innocence? to what we wanted to become? Somehow, when we were born as adults, we died as children. No longer do we fantasize about our hopes and dreams for the future; of what we were going to be and do. The concept of "what could be," passed away. Indeed, for some, perhaps there was no true childhood at all.
Somehow, we got sucked into this giant swirling vortex that robs us of our most precious possession--our humanity; our humanity--with all the wonderful plans; all the wonderful innocence; the pure and noble. Most of us live deep within a self-imposed illusion of life; growing up and adapting to what is socially and culturally acceptable in society. And in so doing, we quickly enmesh ourselves in the enslaving constraints of life, job/career, and financial obligations. Moreover, these are like a ball and chain that we drag around for decades (or life), never realizing all we could be.
All that we had once hoped and dreamed is now discounted as childhood fantasy. Instead, we live the life of illusion. Humanity has lost itself.
But why? Who decided that we should live lives of quiet desperation? We did. Society did. Humanity did.
But there is one hope; one glorious sparkle of redemption: As adults and human beings, we have the magnificent gift of Free Will; the choice to accept personal responsibility for where we are at right now and where we are going next…or not accept it; the choice to change and grow within, which in turn changes our life, which in turn, changes our world. (For more on personal responsibility, see the article, "Wisdom in the Mirror" at http://www.empowerthespirit.com/Articles/wisdom.htm ).
If you are just beginning to make your way into the world as a young adult, then choose your future wisely—now, before you find yourself unwittingly encumbered by circumstances that you did not actively design and intend.
On the other hand, what if you find yourself in a life-situation or circumstance that is holding you back from realizing your dreams? First, answer the "Why?" question: What decisions, mindsets, or behaviors got you to this place in life? Educate yourself on these, and then correct them. Next, explore all possible solutions that will result in forward momentum.
Of course, you must act responsibly in your endeavors, not casting aside moral commitments, such as family obligations. To be certain, any noble work results in a win-win outcome, even if it is painful to accept. Apart from this, do what you must to realize your potential!
When we begin to make forward movement toward our dreams, our long-held and closely guarded Grand Illusion of Life then evaporates, revealing the Grand Reality of Life--our life! Then we find meaning, belonging, and fulfillment--not in an illusion--but in the limitless possibilities of "what could be."
So, how about it? What's your choice? Remember: It is never too late to find yourself and be all that you wanted!
———————————-
For more on attaining your dreams, read the E-Book, "The Science of Getting Rich," by Wallace Wattles, available free at http://www.empowerthespirit.com/ezine.htm .
Doug Kelley, CSL
Please Visit http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com for more personal growth articles.
what things in life are the most important to you individually?.
please rank the following in order of importance to you.
i realize that several things may rank close to, or exactly the same, but please rank them in order.. if you wish to remain anonymous, please email your answers to [email protected].
Nelly,
The reason for the survey is curiosity about what people are interested in most. I appreciate the responses so far.
It is interesting to see that with few exceptions (actually one excepton), people are not interested in being millionaires. There are also other interesting aspects, but I want to collect more data first.
I wish there was a way to do HTML polls on this board, but haven't found a way yet.
Anyway, I'd love to hear your response.
Thanks,
Doug Kelley (FreePeace)
Doug Kelley, CSL
Please Visit http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com for more personal growth articles.
what things in life are the most important to you individually?.
please rank the following in order of importance to you.
i realize that several things may rank close to, or exactly the same, but please rank them in order.. if you wish to remain anonymous, please email your answers to [email protected].
WHAT THINGS IN LIFE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY?
Please rank the following in order of importance to you. I realize that several things may rank close to, or exactly the same, but please rank them in order.
If you wish to remain anonymous, please email your answers to [email protected]. Privacy is assured.
Once the Poll is finished, I will post the results. Thanks for your input!
[ ] Family Related, Including Family Relationships
[ ] Career Related, e.g., Satisfaction, Achievement, Promotion
[ ] High Wealth—Being a Millionaire
[ ] Practical Wealth—Ability to Reasonably do What You Want, When You Want
[ ] A Hobby
[ ] Relationships, Friends
[ ] Performing a Service to Humanity
[ ] Personal Growth, Self-Discovery, Mental Wellness
[ ] Peace With Who You Are
[ ] Personal Freedom
[ ] Other (Please feel free to specify if you wish)
Doug Kelley, CSL
Please Visit http://www.EmpowerTheSpirit.com for more personal growth articles.
