Authentic Men's Group podcast
Emotional Autonomy is about owning your emotions and managing them in a way that strengthens your relationship with yourself without harming others in the process. It's learning to take responsibility for what you feel and working through those emotions in a healthy, constructive way that respects both your well-being and the well-being of those around you. Autonomy involves having the freedom and capacity to act according to one's own principles, values, and interests while taking responsibility for the consequences of those actions. In essence, autonomy is about self-determination,...
info_outline The Vulnerability Myth (Part 1)Authentic Men's Group podcast
The Vulnerability Myth (Part 1) Let’s face it— dating and relationships can be a minefield for men. On one side, we’re told to open up, be vulnerable, and share our emotions. But when we do, the response isn’t always what we expect. Sometimes, it’s met with anger, confusion, or even panic. Other times, it feels like the person across from us wants to jump in and fix our problems as if we can’t handle them ourselves. It’s a tricky balance. Here’s the truth: being emotionally aware and understanding how to regulate our feelings is critical for men. But vulnerability alone...
info_outline Shadow Work & The Enneagram (Part 3)Authentic Men's Group podcast
What is “Shadow Work”? Shadow Work involves digging into the parts of ourselves we've hidden away because they seem too ugly, weird, or unacceptable. This survival tactic might help us through childhood, but it wreaks havoc on our adult lives, leading to inauthenticity. Shadow Work is about embracing your whole self – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and integrating these parts into your life. The Enneagram and Shadow Work The Enneagram is a powerful tool for understanding our personality and the shadow parts we hide. Each of the nine Enneagram types has qualities that...
info_outline Shadow Work (Part 2)Authentic Men's Group podcast
Shadow Work (Part 2) Today, we're diving into a topic that’s as crucial as it is uncomfortable: authenticity. Let me set the stage for this podcast. Picture this: a man finds his marriage on the brink of falling apart. He's convinced he's doing everything he "should" do to keep it together, yet he feels like he's constantly falling short. Growing up, he learned that showing certain emotions or traits of himself like being “too excited” or “too hyper” could jeopardize his relationships and get him in trouble with his parents – "boys don't cry," "toughen up," “Good...
info_outline Introducing The ShadowAuthentic Men's Group podcast
The Shadow is all those parts of ourselves we’ve shoved into the dark because we were told they’re unacceptable. This is what we call repression – unconsciously hiding these aspects to fit in and feel loved. And no shame. This helped us survive as kids. But as adults, we take it a step further with suppression – consciously choosing to hide these parts, leading to inauthenticity. Resources we mentioned to start engaging in your own shadow work: Book: Podcast:
info_outline Authentic Grief - Finding Meaning in Your After (Part 4)Authentic Men's Group podcast
Chapter #7 Suicide The word “”committed” is usually used in the context of crimes. 2016 suicide was ranked the 10thcause of death in the US. Pg 116 men die from suicide 4x more then women. Pain is a natural reaction to death but suffering is what our mind does to us. 118 Death by suicide is not a selfish act or even a choice. It’s a sign of a mind that needs help. 114 The path to freedom from the suffering caused by our minds is through finding meaning. Pg 118 There are many paths to meaning, and if you search for them, you will eventually find them. 119 Give the...
info_outline Authentic Grief - Finding Meaning in Your After (Part 3)Authentic Men's Group podcast
Authentic Grief: Finding Meaning In Your After In this series of podcasts we want to address the topic of grief. Grief is something we all experience so we want to take an authentic look at this shared experience. David Kessler wrote a book as a 6th stage of grieving titled Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. We will be recording this podcast series as an overview to this book and be inviting you to a conversation about grief and how we can approach it through meaning. What is Grief? Grief is the response to the loss of something deemed important or essential, particularly to the...
info_outline Authentic Grief - Finding Meaning in Your After (Part 2)Authentic Men's Group podcast
Authentic Grief: Finding Meaning In Your After In this series of podcasts we want to address the topic of grief. Grief is something we all experience so we want to take an authentic look at this shared experience. David Kessler wrote a book as a 6th stage of grieving titled Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. We will be recording this podcast series as an overview to this book and be inviting you to a conversation about grief and how we can approach it through meaning. What is Grief? Grief is the response to the loss of something deemed important or essential, particularly to the...
info_outline Authentic Grief (Part 1)Authentic Men's Group podcast
Authentic Grief: Finding Meaning In Your After In this series of podcasts we want to address the topic of grief. Grief is something we all experience so we want to take an authentic look at this shared experience. David Kessler wrote a book as a 6th stage of grieving titled Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. We will be recording this podcast series as an overview to this book and be inviting you to a conversation about grief and how we can approach it through meaning. What is Grief? Grief is the response to the loss of something deemed important or essential, particularly to the...
info_outline The Solution to Resolutions (Re-Release)Authentic Men's Group podcast
How effective are resolutions? Do they work?
info_outlineIntroduction
How effective are resolutions? Do they work?
Statistics tell us that on average between 64-80% of New Year's resolutions are abandoned in the first 3-weeks of committing to the resolution.
In this podcast we talk about comparison to others and comparison to ourselves versus compassion for self and compassion for others.
Often New Year’s resolutions can often turn into dissolutions, good intentions can turn into frustrations and aspirations can turn into deflations.
The word resolution if you break it down is re solution - It means I have to come
up with another solution because the first solution didn’t work.
Time Magazine tells of the Top 10 Failed Resolutions. The top five of these are ones I think we can all relate to….
However, there are pivot times in lives. The New Year can give us a new start. Our birthdays give us a fresh approach. An anniversary can initiate change.
These can be helpful to pause and reflect and then project hope but if we are setting ourselves up for failure, we may want to rethink making resolutions.
If resolutions don’t work, what is the solution?
Thesis: If we change our focus from comparison to compassion, we may set ourselves up to live by our commitments as a lifelong expression of our health not just a temporary resolution.
Resolutions find their origin in comparison; transformation finds its way in compassion.
There are two ways in which we compare 1. We compare ourselves to others and 2. We compare ourselves to ourselves.
We compare ourselves to others
Social media sets us up for this. We have a tendency to compare ourselves with others best posts.
One of the guys in AMG said the social media is “Air B & B” It is the place that people air either their bitching or their bragging.
Posts either are complaining about others or congratulating oneself.
They are either about being the victim or being the victor.
Illustration - Comparison of finances
People who are making $30,000 were asked how much more would make them happy and they said if they could make $50,000
People who are making $100,000 said $250,000 would make them happy.
We compare ourselves to ourselves.
This can be a very cruel process and we can find ourselves really being hard on ourselves.
There is a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt = we have done something bad, shame = we are bad. We compare our present self to ourselves of the glory days of the past or the ideal self of the future.
Resolutions usually are accompanied by the measurement of more. The words ‘more’ and “need to” come into play:
How many more pounds do I need to lose if I am dieting? or
How many more pounds do I need to add if I am weightlifting?
How many more miles do I need to walk or bike to be in better shape?
How many more podcasts do I need to listen to be more informed?
How many more lessons do I need to take to be really good?
How many more times do I need to attend church to be more spiritual?
How many more dollars do I need to make to be content?
How many more promotions do I need to have to be successful?
How many more pounds, miles, podcasts, lessons, times, dollars, promotions… the list of measurements goes on and on.
The word measurement - me assuring myself it meant something
We can become hard on ourselves for not being where we once were or for not arriving at the place we could be. Measurement keeps us from being in the present moment with ourselves. It is always about comparing the present to what was or what could be. We are always comparing another time other than the present
Resolutions are based on comparison, either comparison to the success of others or comparing to the vision of our “perfect” selves.
Such resolutions do not work. So back to the original question, “What is the solution to resolutions?”
The solution is not found in comparison but found in compassion again two types of compassion but in reverse order 1. Compassion for self and 2. Compassion for others.
Compassion for Self
We cannot help but compare that is why we need compassion.
Compassion doesn’t sound very manly, valiant, macho or ballsy when we first say it but if we really stop and think about the word compassion does stir something deep inside of us.
We actually need two types of compassion (present compassion and intentional compassion)
If we give ourselves compassion, we will find that we would not be so hard on ourselves
If we are kind to ourselves, we will have the kind of life we desire.
If we love ourselves, we will find ways to express this love in what we do.
Instead of measuring the results look for ways that are pleasurable expressions.
Transform Obligation To Inspiration
Compassion for Others
Transform Getting into Giving
Just stop for a few seconds here and focus inside on the word ‘compassion’...
(Hesitate for a count of 5)
It stirs something in us doesn’t it. Something inside of me starts to look outward for someone in need.
It is like we are summoning passion. Come passion
Transform getting acknowledged into giving acknowledgment to others.
We can’t give what we don’t have.
If I have compassion for myself, I will have compassion for others. If I love myself and then love others. The key to loving others is to love myself. The key to having compassion for others is to be self-compassionate.
Some would say that this will lead to narcissism. Actually, just the opposite is true because true self compassion and self-love will always overflow into relationships for it cannot be contained. Narcissism is about keeping it all for self. Self-love cannot be contained.
Instead of comparison we realize that we are all fellow strugglers on our own journey.
Conclusion
Compassion is not an arrival point. It is a resolution every day.
Commit to this solution by stating:
I will make commitments that are not about comparisons to others or to my perfect self. Instead, I will live in compassion and self-love. I will give that compassion and love expression to myself and to others. This is the solution to resolutions. It is not about being more or achieving more. It is about giving expression to who I already am.