The Ramblings of the Titanium Don

Why Is It So Hard to Just Be Yourself?

Nobody is at fault or to blame, but neither does anyone tend to teach you this. Two of the most distressing things that dominate our society are the expectations of others and the “shoulds.” Early in our lives, before we’re even scientifically capable of self-awareness, our parents and other family members guide us. Eventually it moves from guidance to direction. Instilling good habits in the young is very useful throughout life. Brush your teeth twice a day, fasten your seatbelt

How Deep Does Your Subconscious Mind Go?

The depths of the subconscious mind are nearly unfathomable. Every human being is of 3 minds. The unconscious mind is not in our control in any way, shape, or form. It is via the unconscious mind that your heart beats, neurons fire, internal organs do their thing, and so on. While breathing is part of this, your control of it is through a conscious act (and for some, the ability to speed up and slow down their hearts). The conscious

Have I Really Got This or Am I Just Fooling Myself?

The answer is yes – and wholly dependent on me and my actions. As I’m writing this, I’m preparing to take my annual trip to the gargantuan medieval event in SW Pennsylvania. However, leading up to this point has been quite probably one of the craziest years I’ve experienced in a long time. Let me sum up 2023: At the start of the year, I was recovering from COVID; we learned my mother-in-law had a terminal brain tumor; and my

Changing Your Life Is Only as Difficult as You Make It

How difficult do you make it? When it comes to finding the best ways to complicate my life, I’m an expert. This tends to come from overthinking things, overanalyzing, self-doubt, uncertainty, fear, and similar factors. Why? Sometimes it’s because of the idea that if it looks too good to be true (or too easy) it probably is. Other times because I’ve long believed that nothing worth having is ever easy. Then there are external factors like the opinions of others,

How Is Empowerment So Easy/Why is It All So Hard?

Creating and/or finding empowerment can be so easy…but why is it also so hard? One of my all-time favorite books is Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. If you have not read this book – I can’t recommend it enough. I don’t know that it matters what genres you typically read – this book is just amazing. The central premise is the idea of living every day with purpose – and finding your way even when the way is blocked. This is

How Does Mind over Matter in Mindfulness Actually Work?

Mind over matter is a challenge many people struggle with. I firmly believe that consciousness creates reality. This process occurs through the active practice of mindfulness – conscious awareness, here and now, of that which you control. Specifically – your thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions. Working with mindfulness, you can make choices and decisions to actively, consciously create reality. I’ve done this. More than once. Thus, I know that it’s not some pie-in-the-sky bullshit. However – neither can conscious reality

What is The Ego and How Does It Control Your Life Experience?

The ego is an almost conscious entity in and of itself. The concept of the ego, as most people are familiar with, originated from Sigmund Freud in 1923. In his paper, The Ego and the Id, he laid out what has become a major foundation for psychoanalysis that’s still applied today. To summarize (probably poorly), Freud’s concept of the ego was focused on the self – between the fun-loving and impulsive Id and the spiritual and ethereal Superego. Freud’s take

Did You Know That Your Identity Is Largely Artificial?

Your identity is labeled via artifice mostly tied to your egoic self. Identity is complex. How you identify yourself varies depending on circumstances and situations. Student. Parent. Child. Friend. Lover. Coworker. Boss. Man. Woman. No matter which of these apply, they seldom apply all at once. And what’s more – all of them are artificial. Additionally, your identity will change constantly. Some of that change is wholly under your control. But much of it will be viewed and commented on

How is Positivity Not the Same as Positive Thinking?

Because genuine, non-toxic positivity isn’t just thought. In my quest to better myself and live my life as fully as possible. I’ve listened to and read numerous self-help, empowerment, manifestation, and similar books, audiobooks, podcasts, and the like. I’ve read, analyzed, and even absorbed a wide range of information – both useful and less than useful. My studies have included the spiritual, philosophical, psychological, educational, scientific, and everything in between. A key trope I’ve seen over and over again in

Can The Path You’re Taking Ever Be the Same Path Again?

Are we taking the same path we might have taken before? There are nearly 8 billion people on this planet. Each and every one of us have our own paths to choose from in this life. At a minimum, that means there are 8 billion paths. Given that we all have more than one path to choose from, that number is probably exponentially higher. There are more likely billions upon billions, if not trillions of paths to choose from. Some

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