Psychology, in general, has always piqued my interest. You can learn a lot about people if you sit back and observe them. As you come to know them, you can see how events in their lives have shaped them into the people they are now. Whether a person wants it or not, their environment will influence their mental state. Even if they have achieved tremendous success in business or in life, someone who has felt ostracized may appear angry. They are nevertheless very motivated because they may have received respect in one area of life but are not receiving it in the one they sincerely believe they require.

This is quite common in persons who identify with their ethnicity or gender rather than the person they are. If you identify with a group, everything someone says about that group, even if it isn’t accurate, reflects on you. This is why we must exercise extreme caution while allowing thoughts into our minds. A single thought can and will alter you, and there are many ideas available right now, whether it’s racism, medical phobia, wealth/income disparity, or any of the imagined phobias, such as homophobia. All of these have one thing in common: they put one group against another.

This is then played out, and no one side triumphs; it merely serves as a distraction and a means for people to “prove” one group is superior to another. If we opt to group think or enable individuals to be divided into groups and then assign a value to each group, we will all be fighting until someone or some group is wounded. The most straightforward technique I’ve discovered to overcome this is to sit down and figure out what we believe and why.

We all can sit down and reflect on who we want to be. What are my fundamental beliefs? What are my firm no-no’s? Why do I behave the way I do? What considerations I will utilize to select my actions is my favorite question. I’d want to say I work with children and young adults on this, but the truth is that I work with folks in their 40s and beyond. No one has ever sat these people down and said, “Let’s talk about what you value and why.”

If you cannot answer the above questions in detail, I recommend you sit down and begin assessing yourself to find out why you feel the way you do. This is crucial, so dig deep. With so many people confused about life, religion, economics, and everything else, we need more people who are not clinging to the notions given to them. People are starting to believe things like Jesus was a socialist because things have become so awful, and people have so little comprehension of things.

So, if you haven’t already, answer these questions and go in depth. I advise you to go deeper if you have answers but only on a surface level. You will not be sorry for investing in yourself. I would also encourage you to involve others in your journey because we all need things clarified.

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Dr. Matt Chalmers

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. Before taking any action based on this information you should first consult with your physician or health care provider. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions regarding a medical condition, your health, or wellness.