Calling

     Some people believe they have a calling from God, usually referring to a religious vocation or a profession that is aligned with God's will.  Some feel called by patriotism to serve their country in the military or in politics. Others have faith in their own inner voice that leads them to choose an occupation or a position within society.
     Many people never hear a call from above or from anywhere else.  They do their best to find a way to develop their talents and skills in order to support themselves and their families.  Most people would like to enjoy what they do and get a sense of fulfillment from their efforts.  Unfortunately,  many people find themselves just working to make ends meet at low paying jobs, or worse yet, are unemployed.
     Young people need to discover their talents and strengths, their likes and dislikes, before they take on the responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.  They should get a good idea of what occupations are in demand so that when they finish their education and training, they will be able to find employment.
     We all need to listen to our call to contribute our talents and labors and find a satisfying way to support ourselves.  We may feel a calling that leads us toward our destiny, or we may just have to listen closely to our own voice and follow our dreams.

Flower or Fruit

     A flower is a reproductive system often attracting animals, birds, and insects to help with pollination.  The beauty of a blossom also attracts humans who are in awe of color, shape, and scent.  After pollination, fruit forms which can give sustenance to other creatures.
     Much of our life can be spent as a flower.  We want to sustain our outer beauty to be attractive to others especially the opposite sex.  Much time is spent on reproduction making sure our species continues through future generations.  We then focus on children and grandchildren helping them blossom.
     Perhaps we should spend more time being a fruit, developing our talents to create products and services that will benefit others beyond our own families.  Everyone should take responsibility to sustain and improve the environment and to improve the lives of those nearby and around the world.
     A flower's main objective is to be attractive and reproduce itself.  It's lifetime is important yet short.  The fruit takes much longer to develop and produces seeds for the next generation.  When fully developed, the fruit provides food for other creatures.  We all spend part of our lives being flowers, but at maturity, we need to become fruit.     
    

Domino Effect

     Dominoes, countries, and ideas may have something in common.  When the first one falls, the others may begin falling.  A properly aligned row of dominoes may all begin falling one after another.  Surrounding countries may be in danger when the first country falls to communism.  When an idea is questioned and seems false, many associated ideas may fall into question.
     Many people fear questioning their opinions and beliefs because of the domino effect; however,  one idea may be false without impacting the truth of associated ideas.  We should not be afraid of questioning our beliefs or the beliefs of others.  No person, opinion, or religion should be exempt from questioning.  Many religions, however, prefer us to relinquish our rights to question or disagree and instead wish us to accept the authority of church leaders and scriptures.  They want people to accept already established traditional doctrine based on faith.
     Some people don't want to ask the big questions because they feel secure and comfortable with predetermined truths.  Questioning almost seems sacrilegious and dangerous to them.  Doubt can be very uncomfortable. They certainly don't want to give up the perks of their religion including the Perfect Parent and eternal life.  When something is true, questioning should lead to enlightenment.
     Watching dominoes fall in a perfectly aligned design is entertaining.  Witnessing countries being in danger of encroaching communism is scary for the whole world.  Questioning our long-held opinions and beliefs can also be scary but may be a necessary step toward wisdom.
    

Triggers

     When a gun explodes, we know that someone has pulled the trigger.  When people have an emotional explosion of anxiety, depression, or anger,  they may blame someone else for pulling their trigger.  Unpleasant events or feelings of the past can resurface and exaggerate their thinking.  We need to be aware of and control our triggers, to be accountable for our reactions instead of blaming other  people and events for causing our behavior.
     Trigger warning labels often placed on movies (sexual content, violence, etc.) are now being considered appropriate for written works.  If the viewer or reader thinks that certain content will trigger unpleasant or traumatic memories, they will be warned.  These warnings are also useful to determine what will be appropriate for younger people or for those who find certain subjects objectionable.
     Sometimes, a trigger can cause positive reactions; something stimulates the imagination or stops procrastination so we can get moving toward a goal.  We need to develop ways to trigger ourselves toward beneficial behavior and control ourselves instead of blaming others for triggering negative behavior.  We also need to minimize triggering others who may not be able to control their reactions. 

Self-talk

     In the sports world, positive self-talk can be a powerful motivator when it comes to endurance.  The mind-over-fatigue concept using motivational phrases reduces the perception of effort and leads to optimum performance.  Positive self-talk in the face of defeat can cause an athlete to come from behind and win.
     Acting as your own cheerleader, you can tell yourself: "Drive forward." "Push through this." and "You're doing well."  Make up your own phrases or mantras.  You  have reserves of strength you may not be aware of.  This technique has been proven to work with athletes, and perhaps it can also work in the longest endurance feat ever - living a long, healthy life.
     We all can benefit when others act as our cheerleaders, but we must continually give ourselves positive, motivating messages.  When physical or mental fatigue creeps in, when we feel exhaustion of body and mind, when we feel defeated or ready to give up, we need to continue to work toward our goals.  Sometimes, we will alter our goals and take necessary steps to rest and recuperate.  We need to keep giving ourselves positive messages especially when those close to us may not be cheering us on.  Our finish line, the end of our game will come soon enough.  In the meantime, keep talking. 

Motivated Reasoning

     Thinking logically and sensibly, judging information, and justifying beliefs are all parts of reasoning, a mental process that leads us to see cause and effect and to distinguish between truth and falsehood.  We try to understand ourselves and our world.
     From birth on, we are persuaded to think a certain way.  Our parents and even generations of ancestors have presented us with both truth and opinions voiced as truth.  We tend to associate with like-minded friends and groups who reinforce our thinking.  Often our head is influenced by our heart; our reason is swayed by emotion which can color how "facts" are perceived.
     Sometimes, we are motivated toward reasoning that may be biased or false.  Our faulty reasoning may satisfy personal goals or contain some reward.  Instead of considering many points of view, people often seek out only information that confirms what they already believe.  They may have a strong emotional stake in conclusions already reached or may find it difficult to contradict family and friends. Self-delusion can feel good and at times motivate people to defend falsehoods.
     We need to analyze why people including ourselves are motivated to think the way they do.  Much of the reasoning may be true and the motivations may be pure.  In some cases, however, motivation may be influenced by emotion, bias, or self-serving goals.
     We also need to think about how we react to reasoning different than our own.  A good first step is to listen to the opposition, try to see if they have logical reasons for their beliefs, and detect their motivation.  After that, explain and defend your own reasoning.
     Effective reasoning uses logic and sound judgment without emotional interference.  Try to be aware of motivated reasoning in yourself and others.    

Inerrancy

     Many Christians believe in Biblical inerrancy, that men were inspired by God to write the Bible which contains no errors.  Some believe in the literal translation.  Two examples are that God created the universe in six days and created Eve from Adam's rib.  Other Christians believe that some parts of the Bible are not to be taken literally but are metaphors or legends.  Other religions believe in God but have their own holy scriptures other than or in addition to the Bible.   Still others believe the idea of God is an error in thinking.  They obviously believe that down through time, men have recorded history and invented the spiritual element.
     Conservative Christians believe they have the real truth and that others are in error.  More liberal Christians are inclined to accept scientific explanations which could not be understood by the writers of the Bible.  Liberals think the literalists are in error.  Agnostics believe proof doesn't exist in any case.  Atheists believe the whole concept of God and spiritual texts are inventions of human beings.
     Three types of faith exist: faith in God, faith in inspired scriptures, and faith in your own ability to know the truth.  Those who believe in Biblical inerrancy are confident they have the true story.  The rest of the population leaves room for the possibility of human error.

Massage

     Massage does a body good.  Through touch, pressure, push, pull, and stretching, a therapist or chiropractor can reduce stress, tension, and pain plus provide relaxation, flexibility, healing, and a sense of well-being.  As the body improves, so does the mind.  The reverse is also true: as we improve our mental and emotional state, our body will benefit.
     We need to learn how to massage our mind, get in touch with our thoughts and emotions.  Check how much pressure we place on ourselves and others.  Some pressure is beneficial to accomplish the necessary tasks of life, but excessive pressures need to be reduced or eliminated.  Sometimes we need to push ourselves to get what we want out of life.  Sometimes we need to pull back from overdoing and overextending ourselves.  Stretching our thinking, widening our perspective, and becoming more flexible will strengthen our mind.  Our emotional health should also improve as we relax, take life in stride, calm our reactions, and reduce frustration, worry, and anger.
     Research has shown that infant massage can relax and calm babies plus help relieve pain.  This touch can help all ages toward better health.  Getting in touch with our thoughts and emotions can have similar results.  Massage is good for both body and mind.
       

Critics

     Professional critics are experts who analyze and judge merits and faults of theater, movies, books, and even legislation.  The most effective critics keep an open mind and recognize what is good along with what needs improvement.  Criticism is frequently thought of as finding fault, but the goals of a good critic are to educate the public and help improve what is being judged.
     When hearing or reading someone else's opinions, consider the critic's qualifications and objectives.  The critic may have a hidden agenda to promote or to tear down something or someone.  Prejudice in favor or against can cause a critic to be less trustworthy.  Try to recognize a fair criticism when you hear or read one.  Be careful if you begin to prefer only opinions that align with your own preconceived ideas.
     When we wish to be critics, we should remember what good critics do.  Learn as much as possible about the topic, put aside prejudices, analyze the pros and cons, and present our opinions in order to inform and be helpful.  When we receive criticism, we should decide on it's validity and use suggestions we deem helpful. 

5 Ws + 1 H

     Journalists use this formula to get the complete story, so maybe we should do the same to get our own story.  Answer these questions: Who am I, what do I do, where, when, why, and how?
     Once we get beyond describing our vital statistics, history, relationship IDs (mother, brother, etc.) and occupation, we can begin to describe our personality, values, and opinions.  We can analyze what we do, where and when.  Next we need to think about why and how.  Understand who you are today.
     Next, think about who you want to be in the future, what you want to do, where, when, why, and how.  Plan your future. 
     This autobiography can help you understand yourself and your world.  Take the time to ask yourself these questions and take as much time as necessary to form the answers.  Write down your story, add to it when advisable, and keep it private or share with others.