[DISCLAIMER] In spring 2025, I saw a social media post that addressed The Modern Day Knight Project (MDK). Of this matter, one source states, “Men who say they struggle with self-esteem issues can pay $18,000 for a three-day course of water hosing, truck pulls and hand-to-hand combat.” Regarding MDK and similar hyper-masculine endeavors, I stated in LARPing as Military Personnel, “Given my subjective view, it’s personally distasteful when people live action role-play (LAR

[DISCLAIMER] The Trials We Face, and a Distinction between Justice and Injustice As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca, who stated, “To bear trials with a calm mind robs misfortune of its streng

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. Consider that Seneca stated, “In all things we should try to make ourselves be as grateful as possible. For gratitude is a good thing for ourselves, in a manner in which justice, commonly held to

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who stated, “Everything lasts for a day, the one who remembers and the remembered” (page 390). Regarding this matter,

[DISCLAIMER] When enlisted in the United States Marine Corps (1996-2007), assigned to Marine Corps Base Quantico when undergoing Marine Security Guard training (1999), I saw a Marine wearing a t-shirt with the phrase The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves. According to one source, the etiology of this phrase is inconclusive. Additionally, another source states of the expression: Wikipedia explains the well-known slogan like this: ‘The beatings will continue

[DISCLAIMER] When recently providing professional services for care of mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I recently stated to client X, “Have you considered that I’m not going to be around forever, or perhaps for much longer, and that I’m going to die one day?” Client X responded, “It didn’t even occur to me that you could die, because I’ve been so focused on the possibility of me dying.” This verbal exchange afforded us an opportuni

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. I invite you to consider a time when you’ve overworked your mind (i.e., function of the brain), and what your experience was like once receiving some much-needed rest. With this consideration, the

[DISCLAIMER] As neighborhood children played outside our residence on Sunday mornings during my fifth grade year, my dad sat with me in the living room of our home to teach tenets of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith, using a Bible textbook entitled The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. I was particularly interested in learning about an ancient Israel king, Solomon, as 1 Kings, chapter 3 addressed how he received knowledge, wisdom, and understanding directly from Jehovah. My

[DISCLAIMER] Photo credit, property of Universal Music Group, fair use Contemplating the matter of life (the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body) and death (a permanent cessation of all vital functions), a neo soul song comes to mind. And while the artist to whom I’m referring isn’t of the hip hop genre, she influenced it! On her debut studio album, Baduizm (1997), singer-songwriter Erykah Badu—from Texas, just like legendary music pro

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. Coming closer to finishing The Daily Stoic, I’m glad. Although I’ve taken some useful lessons from the book, I’ve often disagreed with the perspective outlined by its authors. For instance, aside

[DISCLAIMER] Despite his many foibles (minor flaws or shortcomings in character or behavior), as he was little more than a fallible human being—as am I, my dad taught me many meaningful lessons about life. Paramount among them, from a very young age, my dad taught me about death. His teaching opened my impressionable mind to knowledge, wisdom, and understanding about the inescapability of what the American Psychological Association (APA) defines as “the permanent cessatio

[DISCLAIMER] When providing psychoeducational lessons on mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I often find it useful to define terms. Therefore, I invite you to consider that the American Psychological Association (APA) thusly defines self-concept: [O]ne’s description and evaluation of oneself, including psychological and physical characteristics, qualities, skills, roles and so forth. Self-concepts contribute to the individual’s sense

[DISCLAIMER] Not long after having graduated from Amarillo High School, Atlanta, Georgia hip hop group the Goodie Mob (comprised of lyricists Big Gipp, Khujo, CeeLo Green, and T-Mo)—members of the Atlanta music collective Dungeon Family—released their debut album Soul Food (1995). The anthology was released not long after Dungeon Family duo Outkast (comprised of lyricists Big Boi and André 3000) won an award for New Group of the Year at the 1995 Source Awards. For those w

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca, who stated, “Death lies heavy upon one who, known exceedingly well by all, dies unknown to himself” (page 379). Regarding the matter of people n

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. The Stoic Epictetus stated, “I tell you, you only have to learn to live like the healthy person does . . . living with complete confidence. What confidence? The only one worth holding, in what is

[DISCLAIMER] Because of his religious beliefs, my dad saw fit to teach me about death before I ever attended school. Then, as my late mom maintained physical custody of me, subjecting me to frequent traumatic events, it was in second grade that I first wanted to die. At that time, she taught me how to effectively commit suicide. Having studied nursing for a period of time, my mom apparently learned which way to cut one’s wrists, how deep to go, in what environment, and un

[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. The authors quote ancient Stoic Marcus Aurelius, who stated, “Soon you will die, and still you aren’t sincere, undisturbed, or free from suspicion that external things can harm you, nor are you gr

[DISCLAIMER] If wishcasting was anything other than an irrational affair, I’d wish that I could revisit the era when classic Texas hip hop group the Geto Boys (lyricists Scarface, Willie D, and the late Bushwick Bill) released the album The Resurrection (1996), one of my favorite by the group. The anthology featured the track “Time Taker”, which was produced by the talented Mike Dean, and subjectively served as a thought-provoking topic about life and death, as I transiti

[DISCLAIMER] Photo credit, fair use The Story of Indra Because I’m religiously agnostic, I don’t subscribe to the tenets of Hinduism. Nevertheless, I enjoy hearing and sharing tales associated with Hindu mythology. As an example, I shared with client X a video link from the documentary Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth (1988). It was originally broadcast as six one-hour conversations between the late mythologist Joseph Campbell and the late journalist Bill Moyers. A

[DISCLAIMER] *Friday (1995) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of New Line Productions, Cube Vision, and New Line Cinema, fair use When the classic hip hop buddy stoner comedy film Friday (1995) was released months before I graduated high school, I was ignorant (lacking of knowledge, education, or awareness) about the distinction between bravery and dignity, and what it meant to be dignified. Herein, I’ll address each of these concepts, as they relate to