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Following Examples
[ 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 Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca who stated, “Let us also produce some bold act of our own—and join the ranks of the most emulated [that to which one strives to eq
Deric Hollings
Nov 3, 20256 min read
GTFOH
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Nov 2, 20259 min read
White Horse: You Got to Be a Bitch
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Nov 2, 202511 min read
Putting Too Much Weight in Strangers' Opinions
[ DISCLAIMER ] Photo credit , meme maker: Thankyoumrdata , property of Paramount Television, fair use With my daily practice of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I sometimes visit the social media platform Reddit. At times, I’ll discover content regarding serious topics. At other times, I’ll find subjectively humorous information. The current blogpost regards the latter. Recently, I came across the meme above that reminded me of a time when I used to watch the
Deric Hollings
Nov 1, 20259 min read
Must I Kick a Curse to Be Rough Enough?
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Nov 1, 20259 min read
Mill's Trident
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I invite people to consider thinking and beliefs which are rational (in accordance with both logic and reason ). Because I don’t assume that people know specific terms, allow me to define them. First, censorship is the institution, system, or practice of censoring—examining in order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable, as self-censorship is the act
Deric Hollings
Nov 1, 202512 min read
We Must Seize What Flees
[ DISCLAIMER ] There’s a line on lyricist Murs ’s song “ Woke Up Dead ”, produced by Jesse Shatkin and from the album Have a Nice Life (2015), that states “gettin’ older as my life gets shorter.” It’s the sort of message that at first may seem like a throwaway line. Of course, we get older as our lives get shorter. Still, I wonder about how often (or not) people contemplate their own mortality. With each passing day, they grow older while their lives get shorter. All th
Deric Hollings
Nov 1, 20256 min read
Circular Argument
[ DISCLAIMER ] Photo credit , fair use When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I invite people to consider thinking and beliefs which are rational (in accordance with both logic and reason ). Because I don’t assume that people know specific terms, allow me to define them. First, it may be worthwhile to distinguish between thoughts and beliefs. A thought is an individual act or product of thinking . A belief is a state or
Deric Hollings
Oct 31, 20258 min read
Best to Live Your Life to the Fullest
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Oct 31, 20259 min read
Depression and Reasoned Choice
[ 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 Epictetus who stated, “Where is Good ? In our reasoned choices . Where is Evil ? In our reasoned choices . Where is that which is neither Good
Deric Hollings
Oct 31, 202516 min read
I Don't Agree With Everything That Anyone Says
[ DISCLAIMER ] I don’t agree with everything that anyone says. “Anyone?” you may ask. Anyone! Taking this proclamation a step further, I don’t agree with everything that even I’ve ever said. “What?” you may respond. After all, I’m able to change my mind when considering additional information. Therefore, there are many positions I’ve historically supported that I don’t currently advocate. Personally, this approach to rational living is how one may achieve what Stoic a
Deric Hollings
Oct 30, 202511 min read
Your Life's Worth More Than Mine
[ DISCLAIMER ] Within my blog, I make no secret about the fact that I was once a stepdad to a little girl who I helped raise from when she was six-months- to a five-year-old. Although things didn’t work out between her mom and me, I remain grateful for the experience of having helped to raise a child. Given this context, I appreciate the song “ Vertebrae ” by Canadian lyricist Dan-e-o from his fifth solo album, The Day It All Changed , an ode to his daughter, Melina, w
Deric Hollings
Oct 29, 202510 min read
Ya Better Back Up!
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Oct 29, 20257 min read
Self-Reliance
[ DISCLAIMER ] Years ago, when employed in the field of nuclear security, a coworker buddy of mine asked for help with constructing an at-home concrete walkway. In effect, he expressed reliance (the state of being reliant—having dependence on something or someone) on me for the project. It wasn’t that my friend spoke of an inherent need (a condition requiring supply or relief), as he could’ve completed the walkway on his own. Nevertheless, reliance on me for the project
Deric Hollings
Oct 29, 20256 min read
Expressive Individualism and Religion
[ DISCLAIMER ] It’s no secret that the late psychologist Albert Ellis , who developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), was an atheist (a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods). As a psychologist, Ellis apparently preferred science to religion, as he stated (page 33): To devoutly believe in any of the usual religions, therefore, is to be unscientific, and we could well contend that the more devout one is, the less scientific one tend
Deric Hollings
Oct 28, 202514 min read
Beauty in Excellence
[ DISCLAIMER ] Photo credit , fair use I performed an artificial intelligence (AI) image search query for “beautiful” (the quality or group of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or the mind ) and the above image was revealed. Personally, the AI individual in the photo above isn’t beautiful. While I acknowledge that there’s no unified objective standard of beauty to which all people are held, there remains plenty of evidence in support of th
Deric Hollings
Oct 28, 20257 min read
Suicide and Suicide Attempts: Jumping Out the Window
[ DISCLAIMER ] Photo credit , photographer: Brian McElhiney , property of Stars and Stripes, fair use When serving as military police (MP) while stationed aboard Camp Kinser , a major logistics base for Marine Corps Forces on Okinawa, Japan from 1997 to 1999, I responded to an emergency call at the Kinser towers (on-base military family housing). The crisis call related to an attempted suicide in-progress. Regarding this matter, the American Psychological Association (A
Deric Hollings
Oct 27, 20258 min read
Give Me What I Need!
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Oct 27, 20258 min read
I Want What I Want
[ DISCLAIMER ] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs ). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness . For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Oct 27, 20258 min read
Protesting May Feel Better, Though Do Things Actually Get Better?
[ DISCLAIMER ] In my blog, I make no secret of how I once unwittingly worked alongside intelligence officers of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) when serving diplomatic posts in South America. Once my ignorance was remedied, I was promptly sent back to the United States (U.S.). Years later, I began using Instagram (IG) as a blogging platform while others were posting vapid content (e.g., photos of what they’d eaten on any given day). For a while, I amassed a diver
Deric Hollings
Oct 27, 202514 min read
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