Consider a Media Blackout

Ahhhhh, it's quiet here in my brain. Peaceful. Why? Because I am late in Day 3 of a media blackout.

What's a media blackout? It's a practice of fasting from news. For me, it means not watching the TV news, not reading the newspaper or news-magazines, and especially not reading news websites and blogs.

Having worked a presidential campaign in 2004, I am a bit of a political news junkie. And with the economy doing its tricks, it's been hard to turn my head away from the news. But when you look at it closely, you start to see a few things about "news":

1) It's mostly bad

2) It's mostly things out of my control

3) It's mostly things that don't help me to know

4) It mostly makes me anxious, sad, or depressed

So I am off it. Not sure how long I will do it. But I can tell you my head already feels like a much quieter, more peaceful place to be. And I've suddenly got more time on my hands (added benefit) to do things that I can control, that are good and creative, that make me happy.

I am off to go do them now. All the best, Your Grateful Guy

Watching Your Media Intake

Hi folks,

Well, this post was oddly inspired by watching M. Night Shymalan's movie "The Happening" - which was a good scary movie and freaked my wife and I out a bit. I don't think I'm giving away anything by saying the protagonist happens upon someone who doesn't have TV, radio or internet. The woman has cut herself off from the news of the world, and in doing so, there are pluses and minuses. One of the pluses is the peaceful state she can be in.

I was speaking with my wife's uncle on Thanksgiving. He's from Spokane, and I asked him how the economy was there. His answer: it would be OK if people would stop watching the news. Apparently the local economy is fine, but people are freaking out when they see the national news about the bailout, etc etc.

These lead me to re-consider something I did at the start of the Iraq war - a media diet. For a week, I stopped watching news, surfing news sites on the web, and reading newspapers. Instead, I read books, I gardened, I exercised, I meditated and prayed. And it was really great. My anxiety level went down and my experience of Peace increased greatly.

In these times, where we can't control the national economy ourselves, it might be a good idea to reconsider your media diet. Instead of taking in bad news, keep your head down, keep moving forward in your practice, keep feeding your own soul and doing good in the world. Focus on what you can control and what you can do, and do it.

I sincerely wish you the best!
Your Grateful Guy

In a Changing Economy....

Folks, one of my teachers spoke on Sunday, and I thought I'd share the gist of it with you, as I thought it was important. It can be easy to get caught up in fear and anxiety right now.

One way of looking at what is going on right now is the collapse of smoke and mirrors - the end of things built on debt, the end of things being rewarded even though they bring no real value, the end of an unsustainable way of being.

What that means is the re-valuing of those things that are important. And what we do as therapists is important. People want peace of mind. They crave a relief from suffering. They need help keeping their marriages going. These are the real centers of people lives - not cars or stuff. And so, if you are a therapist who creates value in people's lives (and health and wholeness is valuable), you will continue to get business.

You may need to re-work how you discuss your business to focus more on results. You may need to help people work with their insurance (whether in or out-of-network). You may need to market more. But do not think this is the end of counseling business. It isn't.

More coming on this very big topic..........best, Your Grateful Guy

Why Therapy Is A Growth Industry: Presence vs Technology

(This is one of a continuing series on why therapy is a growth industry)

Worried about making a living in the future as a therapist? Don't. We are going to be more and more in need. Why? One word - Presence.

As the world becomes more complex, and specifically as we allow technology to be an intermediary in more and more of our personal dealings, people are going to both thirst for, and meanwhile have a harder time with presence.

To me, presence is the very basic human act of being with someone. Listening. Hearing. Witnessing. Undivided. On all levels - physical, mental, emotional. It's something we all need. It's the core of good parenting, good friendship, and especially of good therapy.

But I experience in my own life, and witness all around me, the fracturing of presence (by multitasking, by busy-ness, by too much sensory input) and the lessening of being present with one another (by iPods, laptops, HDTV screens, Blackberrys, etc.).

While there have always been people who have intimacy problems, I am finding many couples (especially) are finding it "weird", "odd" or "awkward" to just be together (I'll call it anxiety-producing).

You will be a success by giving people what they need and thirst for:
Be the Presence of Love.
Be the Presence of Acceptance.
Be the Presence of Peace.
Be the Presence of Wisdom.
Be the Presence of Spirit.

Namaste! Your ever-grateful guy.