Empathy is an exercise. A rep of this exercise is considering another person’s point of view, and attempting to wear their shoes, and feel their pain. We’d like to think we are the empathetic type, that we can easily feel the pain of others. But the exercise of empathy works deeper muscles. We can only practice empathy when we disagree, or have a different view, than the person with whom we are empathizing.

It’s almost an add on, sometimes. Wipe the swings down, just for peace of mind. Get your locks changed, just for peace of mind. Pay for this life insurance, just for peace of mind. It’s not just nice to have. We can act for peace of mind so that we don’t have to be low-grade anxious about unlikely and unwanted circumstances. For me, peace of mind is a priority.

+++ title = “11” date = 2020 +++ The Untethered Soul is a wonderful book on spirituality by Michael Singer. Apparently it resides next to Oprah’s bed. Here are 3 things I learned. Life will unfold, and the best we can do is to allow it to do so. The more we resist, the more we keep negative energy within us. “The inner roommate” is a great way of referring to the monkey mind, the voice that speaks and tells us how worthless we are.

Whether it’s Meyers-Briggs or simple astrology (I’m a pisces), people love personality tests. Sure, it’s possible that if you believe in them hard enough, any result, even a random one, would make a person say “yeah, that’s me.” Although some personality tests may have merit, most of what they do is organize our messy mask of a persona into a simple narrative. What a gift.

…is like looking for your reflection in the oven. It’s there, but it’s distorted. It isn’t a reflection at all, really. The oven isn’t built for that. The oven is built for transformation through intense levels of heat. And I believe the internet works in the same way. Though it is advisable not to eat everything that comes out.