EGO

Posted on January 21, 2025

Jay Shetty, in his Think Like a Monk, Chapter 8 EGO, offers,

In the darkness of the ego we think we’re special and powerful and significant, but when we look at ourselves in context of the great universe, we see that we only play a small part. To find true humility, like the firefly, we must look at ourselves when the sun is out and we can see clearly. (184) Our mutual task is to clear the clouds to see the sun.

As 2025 unfolds, a MUST READ for all Americans, whether Republican, Independent, or Democrat, is The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary by Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann. The introduction certainly nails what we have witnessed, are witnessing and will witness, “His ‘brand’…transgression-an id with no super ego.” (xiii) Simply, the impulsive part of the personality that is driven by pleasure and repulsed by pain, absent the judgmental and morally correct part of personality. Murray and Weissmann offer, “THE UNITIED STATES is venturing into uncharted territory with not one, but four, criminal indictments of a former president for crimes alleged to have been committed before, during, and after his presidency.” (xvi)

Partisan politics is a dangerous duel of limited and partial truths; and binds party sorted folks to fixed, literal or otherwise limiting beliefs and frames of minds. Political party sorted, addicted surrogates make obvious excuses for candidates and excuse the inexcusable with respect to virtue, morality, judgment, intent, behavior, actions, ethics, and laws. W. Edwards Deming remarked, “If a person is not performing as expected, it is probably because they are miscast for the job.” Michael Cohen offers, “No one ever tells Trump the truth about his behavior and beliefs, or the consequences of his conduct and ignorance and arrogance, in business or in his personal life and now in politics. Trump is the boy in the bubble, impervious to the thoughts and feelings or others, entirely and utterly focused on his own desires and ambitions.” Witness the current reality of self-serving, oligarchy work-in-process.

As a country, we need leaders who will lead the country, improve the country, and set the stage for future generations, not folks who will continue to deconstruct the many institutions that are the foundation and pillars of the America many Americans desire. America needs individuals with healthy ego, the conscious part of personality that mediates between the id and the superego and makes decisions that are in the best interests of the UNITED STATES.

PROGRAM THE SUBCONSCIOUS

Posted on January 11, 2025

The golf course has been a wonderful place to learn about and practice the art and science of mastering the self; health, wellness and well-being; and mind”full”ness, awareness and self-restraint. The game’s gifts reminds of General Douglas MacArthur’s words, uttered in the context of West Point, Black Knights of the Hudson football: “Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that at other times and in other places, bear the fruits of victory.”

A recent journey, inspired by the golf instruction to trust the subconscious mind to swing the golf club, has been into the wonders and world of the subconscious mind. Little did I realize that the subconscious mind touches everything we think and do; that our character, personality, mentally and magnetism are expressions of the subconscious mind; and that we receive back the programming we have consciously or unconsciously offered to the subconscious. A frequent question has been: Why didn’t I learn about the subconscious mind in school? Two answers that have emerged are that folks want to control the evolution of the lives of others; and that awareness and understanding of the subconscious are subjective and not scientific. Consequently, as humans we wake up, grow up and show up through the conscious mind where only 10% of who we exist. Unfortunately, we miss 90% of who we are.

Recent golf experiences with the power of harmony between the conscious and subconscious mind offers that trusting the subconscious to swing the club has resulted in playing golf that is the “funest” and “bestest” ever. The disposition and attitude about life and living are more positive, there is more patience, swing thoughts have become almost non-existent, and health, wellness and well-being have moved to the front of each day with mantras. A nice mantra is “Every day in every respect, I am getting better and better.” (Emile Coue’) If your desire and will are fired up and you are ready to learn more about the subconscious, Christian D. Larson’s The Great Within might work for you. Have fun, trust the subconscious and hit ‘em high and straight…be one with the environment, club, ball and target.

ADDICTION

Posted on January 4, 2025

Today it feels like we humans are stuck chin deep in the past, nurtured by a mental-emotional loop that offers more of the same predictable outcomes. A frequent judgement is that cultic-tribal addiction—political party sorting—is simply unresolved discomfort within the emotional body, or as offered in Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli, 2008, Boston, MA: Integral, page 41, 92-93),

…the shadow or dark side of the psyche, those aspects of ourselves that we’ve split off, rejected, denied, hidden from ourselves, projected onto others, or otherwise disowned…repressed unconscious…because we’ve pushed or pressed it out of our awareness, and unconscious because we are not aware of it…But the fact that we are not conscious or aware of the shadow does not mean that it has no effect: it just expresses itself through distorted and unhealthy means-or what is typically called neuroses…safety and security are sought by bonding together and identifying (fusing) with a tribe in order to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief…emergence of a sense of self (ego) distinct from the tribe, although it often acts impulsively on behalf of its favored group.

Undoing and reintegrating this repressed and denied unconscious to improve our psychological health is process, is not easy, and can be painful and scary; however, the work can free energy that has been spent shadowboxing with the self, most often since we were kids. An initial step is simply passionate intent and a sense of openness and a commitment to face everything and fear nothing. Just sit in the flames of unresolved discomfort and evolve with sparkling, energized presence in a quantum universe. And because we harbor emotional junk does not make us bad folks, it simply shows up as stress, sucks our energy, harms our relationships with others, and the body keeps the score.

Dr. Joe Dispenza, in Becoming Supernatural, offers,

Integral to this process is not squandering our energy by emotionally reacting to leaders or people in power. When they capture our emotions, they capture our attention, and thus they have captured our energy. This is how people gain power over us. Instead, we must make a stand for principles, values, and moral imperatives like freedom, justice, truth, and equality. When we achieve this through the power of the collective, we will unite behind the energy of oneness rather than be controlled by the idea of separation. This is when standing up for truth is no longer personal, but through unifying and building community, becomes personal. (Pages 321, 322)

Quality, common good, compassion, and virtue can indeed become partners. Recent digging deep with a quantum healing coach has been quite challenging. Learning to coach perfectionist Little John has orchestrated the reflection juices, the sitting turbulence, the mental gymnastics, and the emotional canoe in the ocean absent a paddle. At times it has been difficult to simply take a time out, listen to pineal activation music, and just be present. Recent curiosities have been what “happy” feels like and whether the current path is just another adventure on the awareness journey. Dispenza contends, “To stand up for justice and peace, then, you must first find peace within yourself. You must then demonstrate peace to others, which means you can’t make a stand for peace or be peace while you’re warring with your neighbor, hating your co-worker, or judging your boss.” (Page 321) Choose peace starting with peace-of-mind! It might just offer a sparking, energized star in a quantum universe.

AWARENESS and CARE

Posted on December 28, 2024

Happy New Year!! Let’s get the year off to a good start by making a commitment to dampen these troubling, chaotic, evolving, and divided times. Growing our awareness and care can certainly help. Simply Big Mind, Big Heart, an expression of integral ethics.

Listening to mind chatter, reflection, sitting, and reading about integral ethics have surfaced that expanding personal awareness and the circle of care and help invites one to take a helicopter perspective of what it means to practice goodness in our everyday lives. Integral ethics “…provides a framework for thinking about how we live and for making the best moral decisions we can. It also makes sense of people’s different ethical structures by using…AQAL distinctions-quadrants, levels, lines, states, and types.” (Integral Life Practice, 255) A quick peek at some of the terms…

AQAL: all quadrants, all lines. An integral life practice perspective has four quadrants, individual inner, individual outer, collective inner, and collective outer.
Individual inner: conscience, depth of self-reflection, emotions, repressed unconscious, mind chatter, thoughts, etc. (266)
Individual outer: exercise, diet, appearance, use of drugs, plastic surgery, behaviors, etc. (266)
Collective inner: friendships, partners, family, relationships, mutual understanding, etc. (267)
Collective outer: government, institutions, health system, economic system, technology, environments, etc. (268).
Each quadrant has levels, lines, states, and types.
Levels: higher or lower altitudes, stages or waves of consciousness. (74)
Lines: streams of development, cognition, needs, self-identity, values, worldview, emotions, aesthetics, morals, interpersonal relating, kinesthetic, spirituality, etc. (81-82)
States of consciousness: elation, boredom, fear, irritation, curiosity, etc. (100)
Types: types of music, gender, language, hair color, etc. (106)

Some associated integral ethics terms…

Leadership: an attribute of an individual’s brand; and is an earned, trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader, other leaders, and followers who intend ethical and moral change that mirror common purpose. Good leaders have been good followers and/or can be good followers.
Virtues: behaviors that demonstrate Examples: gratitude, trust, hope, honesty, courage, integrity, compassion, and prudence.
Values: goals and ideals that guide one’s actions. Examples: adaptability, dependability, family, empathy, and generosity.
Guiding principles: a set of core values and beliefs that influence a person’s or organization’s behavior and decision-making. Example: Quality, common good, authenticity, and virtue in all we are and all we do.
Awareness: depth or degree of perception, knowledge, consciousness, and realization…Big Mind.
Care: to have concern or interest…Big Heart.

The more I have reflected on integral ethics, the more the concept appears to touch on every aspect of our lives. We can nourish the depth of personal awareness and care via the flexibility of processes found in Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Wilber et al, 2008, Boulder, CO: Integral, 255-285).

PLATINUM RULE

Posted on December 21, 2024

The Platinum Rule: “Treat others as THEY would like to be treated.” (Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening, Ken Wilber, Terry Patten, Adam Leonard & Marco Morelli, 2008, Boulder, Colorado: Integral Books, page 259):

Who are THEY? That is a fantastic question! What about the Golden Rule?

Initially, perking, reflection, reading, and sitting have offered that THEY are humans and include the Self and others…partners, moms, popps, kids, grandkids, family, relatives, uncs, aunts, community members, friends, work associates, golf partners, bowling buddies, gym associates, teammates, et al. An interesting perspective is offered in Integral Life Practice,

The ability to take wider (evolving awareness) and deeper (evolving care and compassion) perspectives may lead you to higher expressions of traditional ethical dictums. For instance, the Golden Rule, recognized by most religious traditions, essentially says “treat others as you would like to be treated.” Yet when you take another’s perspective you may discover that the way you would like to be treated differs from the way the other would like to be treated…The Platinum Rule honors the rich diversity of human sensibilities and structures of awareness by asking advanced ethical practitioners to take the perspective of another and act from that awareness. The philosopher Karl Popper articulated the Platinum Rule when he said, “The Golden Rule is a good standard which is further improved by doing unto others, whenever possible, as they want to be done.” …New awareness expands my circle of care and compassion. Care demands new awareness. Awareness grows, care grows, awareness grows, care grows. (259)

Additional perking, reflection, sitting, and reading have surfaced that expanding the circle of care invites one to take a helicopter view of a specific THEY and explore respective ways of showing up in the world…

Individual inner: conscience, depth of self-reflection, emotions, repressed unconscious, mind chatter, thoughts, etc. (266)
Individual outer: exercise, diet, appearance, use of drugs, plastic surgery, behaviors, etc. (266)
Collective inner: friendships, partners, family, relationships, mutual understanding, etc. (267)
Collective outer: government, health system, economic system, technology, environments, etc. (268)

Enjoy the Holiday Season with Big Mind-Big Heart…simply embrace taking the perspective of another and act from that awareness.

BIG MIND-BIG HEART

Posted on December 17, 2024

Gosh! It’s the Holiday Season and what could be more important during these troubling, chaotic, evolving, and divided times than awareness and care. Simply Big Mind, Big Heart, and expression of integral ethics.

From Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Ken Wilber, Terry Patten, Adam Leonard & Marco Morelli, 2008, Boulder, Colorado: Integral Books, page 272):

Awareness and Care

Awareness and care are two of the primary themes of Integral Life Practice. Awareness expresses Big Mind while care expresses Big Heart.

Integral Ethics

Involves sincerely bringing as much awareness and care as possible to the moment.
Shows up as behaviors animated sincerely by our greatest available awareness and care.
Serves to increase the awareness and care we and others will be able to bring to future moments.

Thus, ethics is not just the cultivation of care and compassion. It is also the cultivation of awareness. I can only care for what is in my awareness. If my care is sincere, it asks for continual expansion of my awareness.

New awareness expands my circle of care and compassion. Care demands new awareness. Awareness grows, care grows, awareness grows, care grows.

The Platinum Rule: “Treat others as they would like to be treated.” (259)

Enjoy the Holiday Season with Big Mind-Big Heart…simply embrace taking the perspective of another and act from that awareness. (259)

LEADERSHIP 101

Posted on December 14, 2024

Political headlines remind of little kids who are desperate for approval and have never been told that bragging is obnoxious; and that lying, cheating, name calling and using other people’s money for self-serving outcomes are not ethical and moral. Where are the political leaders and leadership? They have been replaced by actors, entertainment, and showmanship.

Directed mass communication and social media efforts to manipulate, discredit and dismantle; deliberate, vindictive attacks of media; election interference; politically inspired chaos, violence, distractions and divisiveness; loss of truth to power; deception and fake news intended to manipulate and nurture egos; emergence of fringe political organizations and activist groups; and undermining international coalitions, these headlines portray boiling, turbulent, conflicted and partisan times. An analytical glance establishes the least common denominator to be nothing more than a manifestation of the reality of our individual and collective human condition—everything human can be reduced to entertainment that can be branded, that manifests competitive spirit and that can be marketed and sold as a commodity. Of notable interest in our Western culture has been the transition from politics with leaders and leadership to politics with politicians who are actors and entertainers who love showmanship and ego aggrandizement: a long-term, global worldview has been replaced by short-term entertainment snippets that are divisive and attract human ego’s thirst and greed. The glaring need is to grow leaders who are students of the human condition and leadership; and who have a track record of leadership successes with measurable accountabilities.

LEADERSHIP is an attribute of an individual’s brand; and is an earned, trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader, other leaders and followers who intend ethical and moral change that mirror common purpose. Some key qualities are as follows:

INTEGRAL ETHICS: The concept of integral connotes comprehensive, whole, balanced and “best of the best” and the concept of ethics is sincere private commitment to doing what it takes to grow into a life of full integrity: “walk the talk” in every area of life and “model the way” as individuals; in relationships; and when skillfully helping and supporting others. It is an opportunity for happiness and freedom and embraces 100% ethical responsibility for cultivation of care, compassion and awareness in the world and the globe: the range and depth of ethical choices that includes conscience, intra-psychic ethics—health, wellness and wellbeing, behavior, cultural relationships and systems and the environment. Ethics includes the full spectrum of morals, values and principles and is the art of being a good person and practicing goodness in everyday life. It includes all ways of being truthful, intelligent, authentic, and courageous that constitutes integrity: coupling intentions, promises and commitments with actions and behavior. The fruit of everyday ethics is humility and deep self-respect, a meaningful and lasting integrity that frees the person from living in denial, self-division, and self-contempt. Good leaders provide clarity about institutional ethics, morals, values, and guiding principles and behave consistently with these organizational beliefs. Ethics can also be the common values of a specific group.
MORALS: Judgments made by an individual and concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness and badness of human character.
VALUES: Determine what a person pays attention to and how the person acts. Examples: trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honesty; caring; compassionate; moral; health, wellness, and wellbeing; financial viability; leadership; hope; and peace-of-mind.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Core values that are articulated. Examples: Do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and acts in the best interests of the people and organization being served. Committed to the concept of 100% responsibility: life happens because of me and not to me. Does not blame others, learns from one’s own experiences in an intentional and self-directed manner and applies that learning to new challenges. Sets a good example for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, spiritual awakening, ethical behavior, and integration of hidden, denied, and repressed reflections manifested in the world. I am a student of life. I am silent self alone. I do everything with love. No matter what I am experiencing, it is arising in the awareness I am-the Universal Self.
PURPOSE: Reason for existence. Examples: Exemplary student of life. In the service of global health, wellness, and wellbeing, to embody, celebrate and study the ever-greater depth of awareness, humanity, and life.
FOLLOWERSHIP: The actions of someone in a subordinate role. The intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergistic interchange between the follower and the leader. Team play.
INTEGRAL VISION: Comprehensive, compelling picture of a desired future state. Leaders create and communicate a world centric vision, strategies and direction for the organization and persons led. Articulate a worldview for the Nation and the globe and possesses an integral understanding that allows the leader to be aware and understand other persons thus opening greater mutual understanding and openness to innovative, harmonious resolution; and more intelligent and appropriate responses to conflicts faced.
MISSION DRIVEN: Peace-of-mind with purpose and connections built on a foundation of compassion. Has a bias for action, for trying new things and for getting things done. Aggressively pursues objectives and sets high standards for self and others. Takes calculated risks and makes personal sacrifices to get things done.
EXECUTIVE MATURITY: Acts appropriately in business, social and political situations. Displays control in complex, ambiguous or stressful situations. Identifies with people, shares their values and beliefs and is comfortable with them. Works toward mutually carved-out, worldview goals.
HUMAN NEEDS SATISFACTION: Is “in-tune” with mental and emotional needs of others, cares about people and puts action plans in-place to create an environment to improve the quality of life and personal productivity that is beneficial for persons. Links recognition to accomplishment and shows appreciation and expresses pride in the team’s accomplishments.
INTEGRAL THEORY and PRACTICE: Student of integral theory and integral life practice—physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, and spiritual awakening—that includes a pluralistic and multicultural composite map of the human territory and ways to include all of the important dimensions of being to enable growth, awakening and development to fullest capacities. Integral theory does not dictate how to practice or how to live. It offers new perspectives on practice and life, new possibilities, and new horizons; and it opens minds, thus hearts, to a more inclusive and compassionate embrace of the Cosmos and all its inhabitants. Leaders who push the edges of their discipline do so by taking perspectives with more depth and more span than most others.
INTEGRAL COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MASTER: Integral communications translates the way an individual speaks to others’ perspectives while still being an authentic self. Simply keeps persons informed and creates communication forums and diverse coalitions to give and receive information and ethically manage perceptions. The spectrum of communication expertise: intrapersonal, interpersonal, person-to-persons, mass media, social media and associated technologies that optimize communication needs and strategies.

Artificial Intelligence: The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence-visual perception, speech recognition, decision making and translation between languages.

QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS and INFLUENCE: Develops, uses, and sustains strong, cooperative relationships with persons. Uses effective listening and interpersonal skills to achieve mutual trust and respect. Accomplishes tasks and objectives by resolving conflicts and influencing the actions of others. Is seen as a change agent; and makes a difference when involved.
STAFFING and STAFF DEVELOPMENT: Attracts and selects people with innate talents and learned skills. Assesses the short and long-term needs of the institution and develops plans to improve the overall structure and talent and skills strength of the institution.
TEAM LEADERSHIP: Achieves results by motivating and inspiring a unified, winning team. Builds commitment to common goals by communicating a sense of mission and by energizing the team. Creates an environment where differences are valued, where systems work equally well for all and wherein people can retain uniqueness and contribute at their full potential.
BUSINESS and FINANCIAL SAVY: Has a worldview perspective and is aware and understands the implications of changes in the globe. Has “street smarts,” sizes-up situations quickly, is practical, and knows the right things to do and when to do them. Plans, communicates, monitors, and controls, establishes risks, solves problems, and makes sound decisions concerning economic and financial performance.
HANDLING COMPLEXITY: Analyzes and solves complex problems. Deals effectively with large amounts of data, changing conditions, incomplete data, or uncertainty. Understands how seemingly unrelated issues interact and affect one another. Gets to the essence of complex issues quickly, generates a variety of alternative courses of action and makes effective decisions.
IDEA LEADERSHIP: Open to input, change and new ideas. Implements breakthrough and innovative ideas, programs and processes that make a genuine difference.
INTEGRAL POLITICS: is aware and understands the inadequacies of political parties because of limited and partial views that do not address the complex issues facing the world today.

Individuals matter, leaders matter and leadership matters. If democracy is to prevail, we must select good leaders and hold them accountable for high quality leadership!! The evolution imperative of wholeness and inspired, growing awareness of the human condition, coupled with helping others, can change the daily headlines from an underlying sense of fear, chaos, and domination to love and freedom. Leaders can be grown who create a vibrant civil society where people continue to be free, to live as they choose, to speak their minds, to organize peacefully and to have a say in how they are governed.

WOODY and BIRDIE

Posted on December 8, 2024

Ever since teeing up that first golf ball with Mom and Dad at the age of seven, golf has been a patient life coach; and as the years have sped by, the sport continues to coach and counsel. Recent experiences have offered that if open and psychologically ready for the infinite messages, “simple” in golf and life can be discovered beyond sport and life’s complexities.

Christian Larson’s (The Great Within) message is clear: we are reflections—thinking, personality and character—of the language we live-in. As Abel Leighton Allen contends, “Our todays are the result of our past thinking, our tomorrows the result of our present thinking. We have been our mental parents, and we shall be our own mental children.” How would Woody and Birdy Ball, Golf as Guru, use this taste of philosophy on every shot or putting stroke on the golf course? “Too complicated for us: Just learn to program and trust the subconscious to hit the #$@% golf ball to an intended target.”

Step One: Create a clear, conscious vision of the ball at the desired target; and feel what is required to place the ball at the target: body mechanics, club mechanics, swing motion and ball position.

-Club required.

-Immaculate set-up.

-One piece take-away.

-No hurry to transition for full torque turn.

-Smooth transition.

-Accelerating forward swing and release.

-Club face square to ball-target line at impact.

-Extension of club to target.

-Complete finish.

Step Two: Go to the breath and program the subconscious with the vision of the what and the how—breathe it, think it, deeply feel it, see it, taste it, smell it, and touch it. Ball at the target.

Step three: Proceed with the pre-shot routine and ritual for the desired shot or stroke.

Step four: Celebrate!

As Birdy offers, “Yes! We are thinking, personality and character reflections of the language we live in. Let’s live in the language we desire! Not the swing thoughts and whims of the monkey mind that keep us mired two shots from insanity.”

CHAOS and CONFUSION

Posted on November 30, 2024

“The most dangerous time in the life of nations is the time between systems-when the old ways are discredited, but new habits and new institutions have not yet taken shape.” (Michael Novak)

An impression being communicated by the incoming regime is…

June 19, 2023, PATRIOT, Alexi Navalny,

We are afraid of you. We are afraid of what you will say. We are afraid of the truth.

This is an important confession. And it makes practical sense for all of us. We must do what they fear-tell the truth, spread the truth. This is the most powerful weapon against this regime of liars, thieves, and hypocrites. Everyone has this weapon. So make use of it.

We are in the NEUTRAL ZONE…

It is quite clear that the United States has been undergoing chaotic government changes; and, post-presidential 2024 election, it is clearly unfolding that “We the people…” will be witness to overwhelming changes and chaos in government…players, policy, goals, objectives, strategy, technology, and culture…simply change, reorganization, and redeployment. Perhaps several three-ring circuses and varied sideshows of planned and organized chaos, too. All too many of these changes will be discussed behind closed doors, or simply implemented, with little concern for how they will affect people or for what people will have to do to make them work. Examples: massive deportations, tariffs, and revenge messages. It will simply be assumed that if the changes are necessary, people will adjust to them. But experience suggests that the psychological process that change initiates is more like distress and disruption than adjustment. (Dr. William Bridges) And yet, the intent may be to simply have planned CHAOS and CONFUSION to undermine the “freedoms from” and “people strengths” uncovered in the history and traditions of the United States of America…all in the name of power for a select few.

A net result is that most changes will take longer and cost more to implement; and many of the changes that are meant to strengthen organizations-like our government-will weaken it…folks will be resentful, demotivated, puzzled, angry, overly excited, irritated, stressed, afraid, self-absorbed, skeptical, bundles of mind chatter, distracted, and confused when commitment and creativity are essential.

Each change has an ending, a period of transition, and a new beginning. Typically overlooked by change agents is TRANSITION, the psychological reorientation people go through when coming to terms with change. Transitions goes on inside people, typically takes longer than the change, starts with an ending, and is finished with a new beginning.

What can change agents do?

Tell the truth!
Identify the transitions.
Manage the endings and the losses.
Lead people through the neutral zone…the time between the endings and the new beginnings.
Use the neutral zone creatively.
Orchestrate, manage, and support new beginnings.
Assess, enhance, and manage transition resources.

Simply, empathetically and compassionately, help and care about the people moving through the changes…the endings, the transitions, and the new beginnings. Misdirected and hastily mismanaged transitions grow GRASS…guilt, resentment, anxiety, self-absorption, and stress.

“We think in generalities, but we live in detail.” (Alfred North Whitehead)

Let’s make change work for us!

RESOURCES

Bridges, William. Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes.

Drucker, Peter. Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Dyer, William. Strategies for Managing Change.

Handy, Charles. The Age of Unreason.

Peters, Tom. Thriving on Chaos.

Tichy, Noel. The Transformational Leader.

VETERANS’ DAY 2024

Posted on November 9, 2024

The civil war of 2025 will reveal principles, strategies and tactics of words and actions to deconstruct democracy, move forward with oligarchy, and install autocracy. Continued strategies of the GOP will be to divide the country, retain white supremacy, deliberately fan the fires of racism, sow fear, and to suppress voting rights of minorities through the tactic of voter suppression legislation in 43 states. Other intentional tactics are lying, working problems, blocking improvements, creating chaos, deconstructing, dismantling, bickering, sowing hate, and dividing.

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” (Y. Berg) We are the intrapersonal, interpersonal and person to persons language we create; and a person who controls the message of words has tremendous power over others.

As 2025 unfolds, political choices will be revealed, and more than likely many choices were driven by family tradition, ego or words pontificating past results and popular actions. A spectrum of positive words that create the stories, emotions and feelings for each of us…freedom, prosperity, security, facts, unity, truth, order, respect, harmony, poise, receptivity, peace, tranquility, positiveness, team effort, teamwork, childcare, guardians, self-mastery, integral life practice, health, non-partisan, wellness and well-being, mindfulness, awareness, self-restraint, values, equality, fairness, globally respected, quality, guiding principles, ethics, peace, clean air, allies, non-partisan, value in diversity, safe schools, no debt, sincerity, trustworthy, believable, passionate, disciplined, generosity, wise, direct, open, nice, 100% responsibility, apology, loving-kindness, patient, tolerant, compassionate, humanness, beautiful, smiling, et al.

An array of negative words that create the stories and emotions for each of us…lies, lynching, deception, casts, spins, obstruction, abuse, conspiracy, human scum, traitors, chaos, entertainment, dynasty, autocracy, racism, above the law, divisiveness, partisan, war, bombs and bullets, street shootings, smoke and mirrors, impeachment, corruption, fear, abuse of power, obstruction of justice, cult-like, tribal, business failings, pay-offs, porn stars, partisan vulgarity, broken promises, scandals, low character, bad judgement, failed policies, cover-ups, low intellect, disruption, conflict, deconstruction, selfish, narcissist, demagogue, cruel, fraud, short-sighted, chaotic, et al.

The psychology of spoken language is powerful gift and the paradox of choice is clear: an America for Americans that is inspiring and visionary for generations to come—freedom for, love, hope, happiness, peace-of-mind, purpose, and connections created on a foundation of compassion and good; or an America for Americans that is evil and dictatorial for generations to come—pay-back, fear of, hate, vindictive, intimidation, economic insecurity, casts, racism, decay, and global disrespect. Christian D. Larson offers, “So long as we continue to resist or deny evil, we will think about evil, and so long as we think about evil, evil will be impressed upon the subconscious, that the subconscious will reproduce and bring forth into personal life.” When there is only one power which decides who is right and who is wrong, and who should be punished and who not, we have a form of…dictatorship. (James Heiser). The mission is quite clear: to merge with others to co-create, transcend, and include others, and evolve democracy for “We the people, by the people, for the people…” The strategic objective is not to create oligarchy for a select few who govern the many. Let history record that the deepening civil war of 2025, the strategies and tactics of the language and actions we each are, won votes to deconstruct a legendary democratic republic. The change and transition has been brutal and will become worse before it gets better. Will the outcome be democratic republic or autocracy?

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD J. TRUMP

How one chooses to “show-up” in the world can be critiqued by researching, examining, and witnessing talents, skills, and experiences; making observations; and scrutinizing character, personality, mentality, and interests. Let us take-a-look at President-Elect Donald J. Trump.

Talents, Skills, and Experiences

A narcissistic drama-seeker who covers a fragile ego with a bullying impulse and has taken democracy to the brink. (Maggie Haberman, Confidence Man, 506) Life’s goal has been to gain and maintain position power, at any cost. Witness a track record of business and government failures, investigations and numerous lawsuits and absolute chaotic disasters: most consequential president in history; puppet of Vladimir Putin; foreign policy bullying, badgering, and destroying; abandoned allies; personal business endeavors with several bankruptcies; North Korean nuclear weapons stockpile doubled; pandemic management and leadership was non-existent, dereliction of duty, passed buck off to governors who became blame targets; enlisted foreign interference in elections (Russia and China); several obstruction of justice charges; impeachment proceedings; insurrection; multiple legal cases lost and pending; accepts payoffs for positions; and has numerous Trump party cronies who are lost souls in search of a tribe and chief. No decisions are made based on strategic plans, strategies, goals, and objectives; makes decisions on how he feels at the time; can handle small projects and sign executive orders; not able to lead projects large in scope; selection of judges, deconstruction of government entities, environmental deregulations and deconstruction of institutions may be his legacy; and immigration policy is inhumane. Is a master at using neuroses [The dark side of the psyche: denied, repressed, disowned and projected subconscious aspects of the Self.] to create stories (“fake news”) that strategically move the “lightning rod” from the Trump Party to others to trigger the psyche of perceived “enemies” and his base. Others become the personification of the wrongs and inexcusable of the Trump Party: Russian interference, Ukraine, racism, nativism, gloating, tax cuts for the rich, Supreme Court justices, bullying, outrages, fake news, etc., etc. As Bernie Sanders has eloquently noted, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs.” Accepting responsibility for anything is not his cup of tea. Blaming others is his ballgame. Just take him Diet Coke, wash his dirty laundry and witness a confusing story narrative, throwing sand in the eyes of the onlooker, claiming that transparently implausible stories were true unless proven otherwise, and denying the obvious truth.

Observations

President-Elect Donald J. Trump is a genius at networking and using the media to recruit, retain, and fire, at will, addicted surrogates, circles of friends, admirers, celebrity hangers-on, and wannabes who savor and long for safety and security sought by bonding together and identifying with a tribe to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief and clan. Mystical signs, conspiracy, and desires of powerful spirit beings must be followed for the continued safety and well-being of the tribe. Years of behaviors reveal the following:

Does not understand duty, honor, and country.
A cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a predator, a con man.
Racist, incendiary, toxic, casts hate, disruptive, name caller, and divisive, unfit for political office.
Repeatedly has disparaged the intelligence of service members: Americans who die in war are “losers” and “suckers.”
Disrespect for the history, traditions, and legacy of Arlington National Cemetery.
Deny, deny, deny; accuse, accuse, and accuse. The magic formula: D cubed—disease, disaster, division; and he continues to escape responsibility and being held accountable for anything by anybody.
Tax cuts were a corporate “boondoggle.”
Vision for country is merely to fix what his administration undermined, agitated, deconstructed, or destroyed during his time in office. Examples: intelligence, FBI, CIA, U.S. Postal Service, voting integrity, Supreme Court, and CDC.
Stokes fear, celebrity, and brand building; and show-photo opportunity is the foundation for his rhetoric. Is a stand-up comic.
Staff selection of addicted surrogates has been a disaster and revolving door; and demands loyalty even if unethical, yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir; or you are fired.
Surrounded by fixers and “yes men;” encourages rivalries and thrives on personal attacks.
Protected by political party sorted, partisan, power worldview associates of the Federal government institution he and his cronies choose to deconstruct and destroy.
Conspiracist (example QAnon) and guilty of political cowardice, blaming, passing the buck, and dereliction of duty; shirked constitutionally mandated duty and rewards misconduct.
Sexist and multiple lawsuits and misconduct behaviors.
Racist: a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
Dishonest, arrogant, and narcissist; uses position and financial power for personal gain.
Creates martyr complex, irrelevance, and distractions; misleads, boasts and is egotistical, promotes blamelessness of self, never wrong, and anxious to criticize.
People mistakes and poor interpersonal relations skills.
Lies, denies, blames, and spins; egotistical and self-serving; unqualified for the position.
Having been President and playing golf reveal the real person: you cannot hide. Read Commander-in-Cheat.

Character, Personality, Mentality, and Interests.

Low functioning includes persons who “… do not exhibit polished and polite behaviors as a mask for their manipulations…may lack the education or interpersonal skills to control and deceive. Instead, they might use threats, coercion, or intimidation to achieve their desired outcome.” (Source: Dr. Timothy J. Legg, “What Is a High-Functioning Sociopath?”, 5-28-2019, https://www.healthline.com, 1-3.)
Narcissistic sociopath: one form of antisocial personality disorder and is the result of environmental factors such as a child or teen’s upbringing in a negative household that resulted in physical abuse, emotional abuse, or childhood trauma. (Sources: Mary L. Trump, Too Much and Never Enough, 2020, Simon & Schuster; https://psychcentral.com, Dr. John M. Grohol, “Differences Between a Psychopath vs Sociopath,” 5-20-2020, 1-5; Dr. Tarra Bates-Duford, “Psychopath vs Sociopath: 16 Key Differences,” 9-7-2018, 1-3; https://www.health.com, Rosie McCall, “9 Ways to Spot a Sociopath,” 10-4-2019, 1-7.
Gangster, corrupt, and behaves as if above the law.
A stale, nasty breath of death, hate, narcissism, chaos, fear, conspiracy, norm erosion, “dark,” institutional deconstruction, and neo-facism.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump is a power-hungry gangster who is unfit to occupy the Office of the President of the United States of America. Examine and deeply reflect on his profile. As a country, we need a President who will lead the country, improve the country, and set the stage for future generations, not one who will continue to deconstruct the many institutions that are the foundation and pillars of the America Americans desire. Read The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary by Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann. America needs an individual with healthy ego, the conscious part of personality that mediates between the id and the superego and makes decisions that are in the best interests of the UNITED STATES. From this veteran’s perspective…12 years of service, including two years of combat…this country deserves better. A convicted felon should not be Commander-in-Chief of the military services.

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