I think that I talk too much sometimes. Keeping quiet will increase my status and make me more powerful.

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum.   Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.

productivity

Productivity

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

books

Books

Robert Greene is an American author of books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written six international bestsellers, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature.

Robert Greene

The 48 Laws of Power

Emotional Intelligence (1995) by Daniel Goleman highlights emotional intelligence's impact on various aspects of life and presents ways to improve it as an alternative to cognition-centered approaches of the human mind in psychology.

Emotional Intelligence (English)

Emotions play a big role in our lives, not just in romantic or physical situations. This book explains how emotions impact our decisions and interactions with others. It also discusses the importance of emotional intelligence in using emotions for positive outcomes and avoiding harm. The book also explores how emotional intelligence can be developed and why it's important for society as a whole.

🤑 What is in it for me?

Emotions are important because they help us learn from our experiences, interpret the feelings of others, and drive us to act.They allow us to remember past events and learn from them, understand the emotions of others, and react quickly to situations. Without emotions, we would lose these advantages and our lives would be less fulfilling.

🔥The Power of Emotions

Our emotions are important for understanding our environment, but they can also lead us to make mistakes. When we are overly emotional, our judgment becomes clouded and we may overreact to situations or act suddenly without thinking. Our emotions can also be influenced by past experiences, causing us to react irrationally to present situations. It's important to manage our emotions effectively in order to think clearly and make sound judgments.

🌥️Emotions Cloud Rational Judgment

To use the power of your emotions without being overwhelmed, you need emotional intelligence (EI). This means recognizing and managing your feelings. Recognizing and naming your feelings is the first step, followed by becoming aware of what causes them. Emotional intelligence can help you concentrate on achieving goals, such as managing feelings to focus on writing a paper for university. It can also help you defer gratification, allowing you to manage your workload effectively.

🎢Harness Emotions for Success

Managing your own mind is not enough for a happy life. Emotional intelligence is key to good social interactions and fulfilling relationships. It helps you understand others' emotions through nonverbal cues, and enables you to empathize with them and behave in a way that evokes positive reactions. Emotional intelligence can also help develop social aptitudes like teaching and conflict resolution, which are essential for maintaining relationships.

🧠Emotional Intelligence Guide

Our thoughts and emotions are connected through strong neural pathways. Damage to these connections can lead to deficits in emotional intelligence. For example, severing the link between the thinking and feeling brain can result in a loss of emotional capacity and self-awareness. The thinking brain also plays a role in regulating the feeling brain's response to stimuli, allowing us to think clearly in the face of perceived threats. Damage to these connections can make it difficult to regulate emotions.

🔥Balance Emotional and Rational Brain

Emotional intelligence is just as important as high IQ in leading a successful and fulfilled life. People with high levels of emotional intelligence are more likely to be successful and lead healthier lifestyles. Studies show that students with high levels of empathy and impulse control are more successful academically and socially. Managers who are more socially adept tend to be more persuasive. Emotional intelligence can also help mitigate the harmful effects of stress on health. Despite this, emotional skills are not emphasized enough in the typical school curriculum.

🏥Emotional intelligence boosts health

High emotional intelligence is beneficial for individuals and society, while low emotional intelligence can lead to negative effects. Studies show a link between poor emotional intelligence and increased crime rates, delinquency, and mental health problems. Children raised by emotionally intelligent parents display higher emotional competence. The emotional intelligence of children is crucial for the future of society, as they will become the next generation of parents, managers, and politicians.

🌟Children's Emotional Intelligence Shapes Future

Boosting emotional intelligence is possible through exercises like inner dialogues to enhance self-awareness and self-management. Mirroring another person's body language can improve empathy, while positive thinking and self-motivation can be achieved by changing the way you explain successes and failures.

🚀Boost Emotional Intelligence Now!

To use emotional intelligence in everyday life, consider how men and women deal with emotions differently. For example, when a woman complains, she may want validation, not immediate solutions. If you're upset during a conflict, take a break to calm down and avoid saying something you'll regret. And when criticizing someone, be specific and offer a solution to avoid making them feel devalued. Monitoring your pulse during an argument can also help you recognize when you need a rest period.

🧠Emotional Intelligence in All Settings

The book emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in our lives. It explains that emotions are necessary for guidance and motivation but can also lead to irrational behavior. Emotional intelligence is a set of skills that enable us to recognize and manage our emotions. It is a better predictor of success than IQ, and we can develop it throughout our lives. For parents and teachers, encouraging children to discuss their feelings and praising their efforts and self-control can help develop their emotional skills.

💡Key Ideas

Emotional intelligence is perhaps the most important factor in helping us lead fulfilled lives.

#1 BESTSELLER • The groundbreaking book that redefines what it means to be smart, with a new introduction by the author “A thoughtfully written, persuasive account explaining emotional intelligence and why it can be crucial.”—USA Today Everyone knows that high IQ is no guarantee of success, happiness, or virtue, but until Emotional Intelligence, we could only guess why. Daniel Goleman's brilliant report from the frontiers of psychology and neuroscience offers startling new insight into our “two minds”—the rational and the emotional—and how they together shape our destiny. Drawing on groundbreaking brain and behavioral research, Goleman shows the factors at work when people of high IQ flounder and those of modest IQ do surprisingly well. These factors, which include self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy, add up to a different way of being smart—and they aren’t fixed at birth. Although shaped by childhood experiences, emotional intelligence can be nurtured and strengthened throughout our adulthood—with immediate benefits to our health, our relationships, and our work.    The twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of Emotional Intelligence could not come at a better time—we spend so much of our time online, more and more jobs are becoming automated and digitized, and our children are picking up new technology faster than we ever imagined. With a new introduction from the author, the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition prepares readers, now more than ever, to reach their fullest potential and stand out from the pack with the help of EI.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

parenting

Parenting

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

business

Business

Author of Emotional Intelligence and psychologist Daniel Goleman has transformed the way the world educates children, relates to family and friends, and conducts business. The Wall Street Journal ranked him one of the 10 most influential business thinkers. Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence was on The New York Times best sellers list for a year-and-a-half. Named one of the 25 "Most Influential Business Management Books" by TIME, it has been translated into 40 languages. The Harvard Business Review called emotional intelligence (EI) “a revolutionary, paradigm-shattering idea.”  Goleman’s new book, Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, argues that attention — a fundamental mental ability for success — has come under siege.

Daniel Goleman

Emotional Intelligence

Nothing is physically holding you back from being happy. Yes we may be in bad situations or even terrible ones, but I can tell you first hand. It’s your mindset that makes the difference! Not being delusional or crazy but simply having peace in your mind and being able to understand the reasoning behind the bad time. Having peace in your mind brings such happiness.

You Can Always Come Out Of The Dark

It’s not the destination; it’s the journey

Trust me,I know it’s hard. I know it’s drowning. I know the thought of not having enough money to provide or to take care of yourself is almost paralyzing. But does it have to be? Does it have to be the end? I know it’s not. I feel like you can turn this situation around In this day and age you can do anything! Rake yards, wash cars, blow roofs off, anything. You can adapt and overcome with that “can do” attitude. Doing something small like one of these options just a few times and you will feel so confident in yourself and ability to bring in money. This will open doors to new ideas.

Maybe You Lost A Job? Or No Way Of Bringing In Money ? 

This is an absolutely terrible feeling I would wish on no one! But if this has happened to you then arnt you glad you didn’t have to waste anymore time on that one person knowing now they wasn’t the one? Yes you do build a bond with people and when that’s ripped away it hurts but you have to pick yourself up. You have to give yourself love. You have to be strong for yourself. You matter way more than they matter!

Maybe You Just Got Dumped ? Or Cheated On? 

Any dark moment you may have or are going through is always for a higher reason. It will always turn around and you will always shine through the dark as long as you live yourself and remember who you are. You can smile when your sad. You can laugh when you want to cry. You can love yourself when no one is there. You can create your reality and shine through the darkness. Don’t give up on yourself or your life. You must keep pushing. You must keep fighting. And never forget the feeling of happiness. Never forget what you can do to shine your light.

My Point Being On Your Journey Of Life 

I love you all, and all I shall love. But I love ME most of all. And so shall you.

#SELFLOVE

“ never stop loving yourself and creating your own happiness

mentalhealth

Mental Health

loveandrelationships

Love & Relationships

Through the darkness! 

In a world where everything is oversaturated and there is a lot of competition for attention, how can an artist, stay true to their inner voice and not be in comparison, but also be willing to collaborate, and see success in others, and be OK with it?I think by staying out of it; by not participating in that game, that is someone else’s game. I would suggest that you play your own game. When you’re playing poker, you can’t just play any cards: you play your hand, based on the cards you’ve been dealt. If you embrace your part, it’s your best chance of being true to yourself.

Saying ﻿“those people over there are getting popular doing this other thing. I don’t really like it, but it’s really working for them; maybe I could try that”, that’s the recipe for disaster.

“Stay out of it; don’t participate in a game, that is someone else’s game. Play your own game.”

🔔 Subscribe for more great content: https://www.youtube.com/lewishowes  Listen to this episode on the go!🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/po...

communication

Communication

creativity

Creativity

videos

Videos

Rick Rubin: Artist, Play Your Hand

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞.

𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭

𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰...

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

The Power of Positive People

Self-Concept: How you see yourself - your skills, qualities, and personality. It evolves as you grow.
- Refers to the beliefs and perceptions an individual holds about themselves.
- Shapes thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
- How someone perceives and evaluates their own abilities, qualities, and characteristics.
Why it matters:
- Crucial for personal growth.
- Influences actions and behavior.
- Impacts thoughts and emotions. 🧠♥️

Understanding Self-Concept

- Self-Identity: The recognition of oneself as a unique individual with a distinct set of characteristics.  - Self-Esteem: The overall subjective emotional evaluation of one's own worth and the feelings associated with that evaluation. - Self-Image: The mental picture or perception one has of their physical appearance, skills, and abilities. - Social Identity: How an individual identifies within various social groups, such as family, friends, or cultural affiliations.

Components of Self-Concept

- Social Interactions: Interactions with others, feedback, and social comparisons play a significant role in shaping self-concept.  - Cultural and Social Influences: Cultural values, societal expectations, and norms contribute to the development of self-concept.  - Personal Experiences: Life experiences, achievements, failures, and challenges influence the way individuals perceive themselves.

Formation of Self-Concept

- Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Individuals may act in ways consistent with their self-concept, influencing the outcomes of their actions.  - Motivation: Self-concept can impact a person's motivation and drive, influencing their goals and aspirations.

Impact on Behavior

- Childhood to Adulthood: Self-concept evolves over time, with significant changes occurring during different life stages.  - Identity Crisis: Adolescents often experience identity development and may undergo identity crises as they explore and define themselves.

Developmental Changes

- Self-Concept and Mental Well-being: Low self-esteem or negative self-concept can contribute to mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.  - Body Image: How one perceives their body can significantly impact mental and emotional well-being.

Influences on Mental Health

Cognitive dissonance is when a person has inconsistent beliefs or actions, causing feelings of discomfort or stress.To reduce cognitive dissonance, it is important to:<ul><li>challenge your beliefs and try to understand the opposing viewpoint</li><li>make small changes in your actions, rather than trying to change your whole belief system</li><li>acknowledge and accept that it is natural to have conflicting thoughts and feelings at times</li></ul>Acknowledging and addressing cognitive dissonance can lead to personal growth and a more open-minded perspective.

Cognitive Dissonance

Self-concept plays a crucial role in personal growth and development. <ol><li>Awareness and Reflection</li></ol>  - Self-Reflection: Developing self-awareness is a key aspect of personal growth. Understanding one's self-concept involves reflecting on beliefs, values, strengths, and areas for improvement. 2. Setting and Pursuing Goals  - Goal Alignment: A positive self-concept can align with setting and pursuing meaningful goals. Believing in one's abilities and worth contributes to the motivation to strive for personal achievements.

The Impact of Self-Concept on Personal Growth 🌱

3. Overcoming Challenges  - Resilience: A healthy self-concept provides a foundation for resilience. Individuals with a positive self-concept are often better equipped to face challenges, bounce back from failures, and learn from setbacks. 4. Embracing Change  - Adaptability: As self-concept evolves, individuals become more adaptable to change. Embracing change and viewing it as an opportunity for growth can be facilitated by a flexible and positive self-concept.

5. Cultivating a Growth Mindset  - Openness to Learning: A growth mindset, which involves seeing challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, is often associated with a positive self-concept. This mindset encourages continuous learning and improvement. 6. Interpersonal Relationships  - Healthy Boundaries: Understanding one's self-concept helps in establishing and maintaining healthy interpersonal boundaries. It enables individuals to communicate their needs and expectations effectively.

7. Building Resilience:  - Coping Mechanisms: A positive self-concept contributes to the development of effective coping mechanisms. It provides a foundation for handling stress and adversity in a constructive manner. 8. Authenticity  - Being True to Oneself: Personal growth often involves becoming more authentic and true to oneself. A clear and positive self-concept supports individuals in expressing their true identity and values.

9. Increased Self-Efficacy:  - Belief in Capabilities: A positive self-concept is associated with higher self-efficacy—the belief in one's ability to accomplish tasks and reach goals. This, in turn, enhances one's capacity for personal growth. 10. Lifelong Learning:  - Curiosity and Exploration: A healthy self-concept fosters curiosity and a willingness to explore new experiences. This openness to learning contributes to ongoing personal development.

Our perception of ourselves can greatly impact our lives. Here are some examples of positive self concept:
<ul>
 <li>Self-Confidence: Believing in yourself and your abilities can boost your self concept and help you achieve your goals.</li>
 <li>Self-Acceptance: Recognizing and accepting your flaws and imperfections can help you develop a more positive self concept.</li>
 <li>Self-Love: Showing love and compassion towards yourself can increase your self-worth and improve your overall well-being.</li>
</ul>

  Examples Of Positive self concept

Benefits of a positive self-concept include:<ul><li>Increased self-confidence</li><li>Better decision-making</li><li>Healthier relationships</li><li>Stronger sense of self-worth</li></ul>

The Power of a Positive Self-Concept

Develop a positive self-concept by:
<ul>
<li> Practicing self-love and affirmations 🌻</li>
<li> Surrounding yourself with supportive people ❤️</li>
<li>Setting achievable goals 🌟</li>
</ul>

How To Develop A Positive Self-concept

Practicing self-love and positive affirmations can help us build a strong and positive self-concept. It is important to treat ourselves with kindness and love, just as we would with others. Here are some tips on how to do so:<ul><li>Start each day with positive thoughts, such as "I am enough and capable."</li><li>Take time to appreciate and celebrate our own achievements, big or small.</li><li>Surround ourselves with positive and supportive people.</li><li>Practice self-care activities that bring us joy and relaxation.</li><li>Forgive ourselves for mistakes and focus on growth instead.</li></ul>

Self-Love & Affirmations

Our understanding of self affects how we grow and develop as individuals. Our experiences and self-reflection influence our self-concept, which shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behavior.Understanding of our self allows us to make positive changes and improve ourselves. Our self-awareness evolves through facing challenges, receiving feedback, and reflecting on our life journey.

Understanding Self-Concept for Personal Development

Your self-concept is your most valuable possession. It dictates who you become."

The way you think about yourself determines your reality."  "Your self-concept is the compass by which you navigate the landscape of your potential." "In the mirror of self-concept, see the reflection of your strengths, resilience, and untapped capabilities." "The way you perceive yourself shapes the world you create; nurture a positive self-concept." "Your self-concept is the canvas; paint it with the colors of self-love, confidence, and authenticity." "Embrace the power of your self-concept, for it is the cornerstone of your confidence and growth."

"Define yourself by the beliefs you hold about your own potential; your self-concept is the architect of your destiny." "In the garden of self-awareness, let your self-concept be the seed that blossoms into a flourishing, confident identity." "The script of your life is written by your self-concept; pen a narrative of strength, resilience, and self-belief." "Your self-concept is the storyteller of your journey; ensure the tale is one of self-empowerment and growth." "Cultivate a resilient self-concept, and watch as it becomes the sturdy foundation upon which you build a fulfilling life."

mindfulness

Mindfulness

habits

Habits

 Self-Concept quotes 

The current perception of gender is that it is an apparent truth whether that be through self affirmation or diagnostic.Gender is seemingly infinite with a myriad of labels, pronouns, and identities all individualized to one's personal experience The current path sees us continuing to broaden and expanding upon itself.

Current Perceptions of Gender

(Gender is)...he apparatus by which the production and normalization of masculine and feminine take place along with the interstitial forms of hormonal, chromosomal, psychic, and performative that gender assumes.”

If one is to free themselves from the violence of gender (such as misogyny and surgeries forced upon intesex bodies) they must destroy the apparatus of gender entirely.

Gender Nihilism 

Antihumanism is the rejection of the essential. This belief sees that there is nothing inherent to being a human.The concept of "Man and Woman" dont exist as labels for essential categories of being rather they are discursive, social, and linguistic symbols which are evolve and change. Their existence is contingent on power and subjugation.

Antihumanism

Liberal Feminism<ul><li>when saying “I am a woman” they mean they are spiritually, ontologically, metaphysically, genetically, or any other modes of “essentially” a woman.</li><li>there is an unawareness or dismissive attitude towards the relationship of power and gender.</li><li>Views gender as a way of legitimizing themselves and performing it proves they can operate within it</li></ul> Gender Nihilism:<ul><li>when saying “I am a woman” that means that they are located within a certain position in a matrix of power which constitutes them as such.</li></ul>

Liberal Feminism Vs Gender Nihilism 

Gender nihilist Continued:<ul><li>they consider themselves gender abolitionist due to gender as a system being inherently violent </li><li>appealing to power is a trap and one must refuse to legitimize themselves.</li></ul>

Liberal Feminism Vs Gender Nihilism Continued 

Antihumanism does not deny the lived experience of those who have a deep connection to gender, rather it acknowledges that such an experience of gender was always already determined through the terms of power. The idea of “woman and man” do not exist within us as a stable truth, but references the discourses by which we are constituted.

Clarification of Antihumanism 

My agency does not consist in denying this condition of my constitution. If I have any agency, it is opened up by the fact that I am constituted by a social world I never chose. That my agency is riven with paradox does not mean it is impossible. It means only that paradox is the condition of its possibility

"Gender is a frame, a subset of language, and set of symbols and signs, communicated between us, constructing us and being reconstructed by us constantly."The apparatus of gender operates cyclically; through our behaviors and norms thus this realization allows for movement against the cycle. Although, as time progresses normalization may occur so that, nefariously the counter gender action is then naturalized, accounted for, and subsides the resistance.

Gender Abolition

One may think that assuming a nonbinary identity would be praxis in the abolition of the binary, but that isn't the case. By taking on an identity that uses binary as a point of reference it reinforces and replicates the same issues.The identity itself normalizes and neutralizes revolutionary friction while still not agitating the system.

Nonbinary isn't Abolition 

Trans and Nonbinary people are not a fault for reinforcing gender and are often those who are most hurt by gender.This is why subjectivity reliant on labeling is problematic. There's a greater pressure to perform the nuance of each part of your personhood that you forget that struggle of power you're fighting against. It works as a domesticating agent

Identity Politics

One might read this cry for the gender abolition as an attempt to recategorize people based on sex as a lesser form of violence. This is not true at all! Sex is just as discursive as gender and is the perpetrator of just as much violence against non-compliant bodies.A return to a simpler and smaller understanding of gender will not help in achievingliberation. It is the very normative grouping of bodies in the first place which is to be pushed back against. Neither contraction nor expansion will fix the problem, only destruction of the apparatus

Sex Based Gender Theory

Complete negation is a terrifying concept. There is no "true self" to return to. What comes next is unknown but that calls for a new found eagerness and excitement.

Radical Negativity 

For if we are to criticize their own normative underpinnings in favor of an alternative, we only fall prey once again to the neutralizing power of normalization. Thus we answer the demand for a clearly stated alternative and for a program of actions to be taken with a resolute “no.” The days of manifestos and platforms are over. The negation of all things, ourselves included, is the only means through which we will ever be able to gain anything.

The piece at time of publishing neglected a few key things such as:<ul><li>context</li><li>an explicit address of race</li><li>an articulation of gender as a colonial product</li><li> a clarification as to the nature of the piece itself. </li></ul>A further exploration on this is available in the text:Beyond Negativity: What Comes After Gender Nihilism?

Addendum

Alyson Escalante's critiques of the trans community's reliance on gender essentialism and a proposal for a radical negation as the solution to gendered alienation and oppression. To be included in the upcoming anthology Fuck Your Gender Neutral Prison! A Nihilist Insurrection Against Gender. Note that this version has been augmented with an excerpt from an addendum by the author which addresses some limitations of the original.

philosophy

Philosophy

politics

Politics

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

Gender Nihilism: An Anti-Manifesto - Alyson Escalante

Our personal adaptations are the ways in which we have learned to respond and adapt to our environment, based on our genetic predispositions, life histories and events, and cultural contexts. For instance, taking off our shoes before entering our house, going to the gym after work, or feeling anxious in social settings are all examples of personal adaptations.

What Are Character Adaptations?

UTOK, the Unified Theory of Knowledge, identifies 5 different character adaptation systems. A system is an interlocking network of parts that function as a whole. It turns out that we can divide the ways people respond and adapt to their environment via 5 primary systems of adaptation: the habit, the experiential, the relational, the defensive, and the justification systems. This is called Character Adaptation Systems Theory (CAST), and knowing about it can help us see more clearly the patterns by which we adjust, adapt, and act in the world.

The Character Adaptation Systems Theory (CAST)

Here is a diagram that represents CAST. On the left, it shows the three broad contexts of development (i.e., biological, psychological, and social). On the right, it lists the five systems of adaptation.

The Contexts Of Development And The Systems Of Adaptation

The habit system works by chaining together stimuli with responses toward some result that is expected or rewarding. The habit system works pretty automatically; that is, we don’t need to think about it; we just do it. When we do things repeatedly, they get “downloaded” into our habit system. For example, if tying your shoes comes naturally to you, it is because now it is part of your habit system. Habits play a crucial role in our lifestyles, and it is important to cultivate healthy habits regarding our sleep, eating, exercise, sexual patterns, and substance use.

System 1: The Habit System

This is our “on-line” system of subjective conscious experience that integrates our senses into perceptions and orients our attention. In addition, it includes our drives and feelings about what is happening and what we want to happen. Learning how to direct our attention in a responsive and mindful way is key to mental health, which is why meditation is so relevant to mindfulness and well-being.

System 2: The Experiential System

Also, effectively processing our emotional reactions by being aware and attuned, while also adaptively regulating them, is key to mental health. Holding your emotions this way, by being aware and attuned on the one hand and adaptively regulating them on the other, is called the “emotional sweet spot ” in UTOK.

The “Emotional Sweet Spot”

You may have heard of the attachment system or attachment style. That is where the relationship system starts. It also includes drives toward status and affiliation. In particular, our relationship system tracks the amount of social influence we have and our felt sense of relational value, which is the extent to which we feel seen, known, and valued by important others. In UTOK, the key dimensions of the relationship system are mapped by the Influence Matrix.

System 3: The Relationship System

The justification system refers to our language-based system of propositional beliefs and values. It is at work when we ask and answer questions, when we tell stories about what is happening, and when we are reasoning and giving reasons for our behavior. The world of justifications is what makes the world of persons different from the world of primates, and our justification system is the system that helps us navigate what UTOK calls the “Culture-Person plane of existence”.

System 4: The Justification System

This system is the hardest to see directly. The reason is that it emerges between the self-conscious systems of justification and the subconscious processes of inner images, feelings, and drives. As Sigmund Freud realized, those subconscious processes often involve content that is socially problematic and must be repressed or rationalized for the system to maintain equilibrium. The defensive system is the system that signals when there may be danger or inconsistency between the feeling portion of your mind and the justifying portion, and it tries to resolve the tension.

System 5: The Defensive System

We share 3 of the 5 systems of adaptation with other social mammals, like dogs and apes; 2 of the 5 are unique to us as human persons.One way to remember these 5 systems is with the acronym “HER-DJ,” as in, “Her DJ played great music at her wedding.” The “HER” portion (i.e., habit, experiential, relational systems) stands for the character adaptation systems we share with other social mammals. As such, we can say they make up our core, primate self. The “DJ” (i.e., defense and justification systems) stands for how we adjust to our environment as socialized persons.

HER DJ - Mammals And Persons

The systems of adaptation do not always produce the most adaptive behavior patterns. Sometimes problematic habits, like excessive drinking or binging and purging, can develop. Sometimes we cope with our emotions by blocking them, only to have them come back and flood us and get us acting impulsively. Sometimes our relationship system causes us to project past injuries on present relationships. And sometimes we develop faulty beliefs about ourselves, the future, or the world that results in us making unwise decisions.

Adaptation Systems, But Maladaptive Patterns…?

Much of psychotherapy is about identifying maladaptive patterns. Indeed, the major schools of psychotherapy tend to focus on different systems of adaptation. The behavioral school focuses on habits, how they are formed, and how we can shape new ones. Humanistic and emotion-focused therapists focus on how we process our feelings and teach us the difference between adaptive and maladaptive emotional processes.

Schools Of Psychotherapy And Adaptation Systems 

Interpersonal therapists and therapists who emphasize attachment, focus on the relationship system. Psychodynamic therapists, in the tradition of Sigmund Freud, focus on helping us understand our defenses. And, cognitive therapists and narrative therapists focus on the justification system, and how to develop adaptive ways of reasoning about our lives and the world we are in.

Mental health is about adapting to the environments we are in over time. Learning about the 5 systems of character adaptation can help us see the different domains of adaptation and identify where we are healthy and where we might be able to enhance our adaptive living potential.

Knowing the 5 systems can help you understand yourself better.

meditation

Meditation

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

The 5 Systems of Character Adaptation

No one knows everything. It's okay not to know everything because what we know may not be entirely true. One thing is for sure, we can always learn something new every day. Don't let our ego get in the way of our growth. 
<ul>
<li> We may know nothing, but we can learn everything. </li>
<li> Don't let our pride stop us from learning. </li>
<li> Admitting we don't know something is the first step to learning. </li>
<li> Keep an open mind and embrace new knowledge. </li>
</ul>

Everyday is a chance to learn and grow 🌱

Always open to learn, unlearn and relearn.

Learning should be a continuous process. It doesn't matter how old you are, there's always something new to discover.
Here are some reasons why it's important to keep learning:
<ul>
<li>Helps keep your mind sharp 🧠</li>
<li>Opens up opportunities for growth and advancement 🌱</li>
<li>Allows you to gain new perspectives and understanding 🌎</li>
<li>Develops new skills and increases knowledge 🚀</li>
</ul>

Never Stop Learning 📚

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn"

The future belongs to those who learn, unlearn and relearn

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Rick Rubin: Artist, Play Your Hand

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Self-Concept quotes

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It's time to
Read like a Pro.