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The Paradox of Change and Personal Growth

What allows us to change something in our lives? How do we change some aspect of ourselves that we don’t like, such as a habit, physical quality, or life circumstance? The first step may seem counter intuitive. Our initial tendency when we don’t like something about ourselves is to either avoid thinking about it or to actively criticize ourselves for what we are doing or not doing–almost as a means of forcing the negative feeling out of ourselves. Therein lays our error in thinking. Most things we don’t like about ourselves have to do with the refusal to accept and love ourselves, just as we are because we feel we cannot accept/love ourselves as long as we have or do this thing we hate. In other words, our self-love and acceptance is contingent upon an inner ideal of perfection. Whether it is a physical attribute or a personality characteristic, our refusal to love and accept ourselves seem linked to  the idea that; “if I  have what I want or look the way I want, then and only then I could feel ok”. The problem with this way of thinking is that it is not the way the heart and mind […]

By |August 23rd, 2013|Dr. Dave's Blog, Personal Growth|Comments Off on The Paradox of Change and Personal Growth

Internet Addiction Interview with Dr. Greenfield on Wisconsin Public Radio

On July 2, 2013, Dr. Greenfield was interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio, WPR, on the subject of Internet Addition. You can listen to the recorded interview here:

http://wpr.org/ideas/noteslist_idcall.cfm?noteslist=163440

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MP3 Audio Recording

 

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Windows Media Audio Recording

By |July 16th, 2013|Internet Addiction|Comments Off on Internet Addiction Interview with Dr. Greenfield on Wisconsin Public Radio

The Bliss of Boredom

How many times have parents heard the oft said phrase, “I’m Bored” from their child? Well it seems boredom has gone the way of the typewriter, record player, and the dial telephone. Boredom is now a vestige of days gone by and is at risk of extinction.

It’s not only that we avoid boredom, but we actually find numerous ways to eliminate its’ even brief existence.   With the advent of the Internet and digital media technology we have managed to eliminate any need to ever be bored. No longer do we need to stand in line at the grocery store or at the bank idly passing time, or wait for a bus or train just thinking, day dreaming, or having a real-person conversation. We don’t even have to lie down to go to sleep and review our day because we have some type of tech media device at our bedside, in our pockets, or on our person all the time to draw our attention and occupy all our waking moments.

So now that we have relegated boredom to near-extinction, and  as long as we have a digital gadget that can do just about anything, (and most Smartphones can these days) we never […]

By |July 16th, 2013|Multitasking, Stress, Unplug|6 Comments

The Paradox of Change and Personal Growth

DG head shots 111What allows us to change something in our lives? How do we change some aspect of ourselves that we don’t like, such as a habit, physical quality, or life circumstance?

The first step may seem counter intuitive. Our initial tendency when we don’t like something about ourselves is to either avoid thinking about it or to actively criticize ourselves for what we are doing or not doing–almost as a means of forcing the negative feeling out of ourselves. Therein lays our error in thinking.

Most things we don’t like about ourselves have to do with the refusal to accept and love ourselves, just as we are because we feel we cannot accept/love ourselves as long as we have or do this thing we hate. In other words, our self-love and acceptance is contingent upon an inner ideal of perfection.

Whether it is a physical attribute or a personality characteristic, our refusal to love and accept ourselves seem linked to the idea that; “if I have what I want or look the way I want, then and only then I could feel ok”. The problem with this way of thinking is that it is […]

By |June 11th, 2013|Dr. Dave's Blog|Comments Off on The Paradox of Change and Personal Growth

Electronic Etiquette and Conscious Computing in the Digital Age

 


DG head shots 111We as a society have not as of yet decided how to deal with the incursion of portable digital technologies into our everyday public life. I believe that we are only beginning to address the intrusion these devices create in public places and spaces, and we are just starting to develop new social norms on how and when we use them. The problem with all these portable technologies is that the freedom and opportunity they afford to us in unfettered access, creates the public statement that: “Where I am and what I am doing now is not where I actually am or want to be”. A rather odd feeling is communicated indirectly when we are in a public space, but connected elsewhere. I believe this unconsciously violates psycho-biological safety and survival mechanisms and produces a feeling of ill-at-ease when around people in the public electronic netherworld (e.g. we cannot fully be prepared and safe if we can’t really be clear what someone is dong in a public space).  These technologies shift time and space and in so doing covey a rather mixed message to our real-time social world…..that […]

By |May 8th, 2013|Dr. Dave's Blog|Comments Off on Electronic Etiquette and Conscious Computing in the Digital Age

How to be Smarter than your Smartphone….

The first part of reclaiming real-time living is to take control of your phone use.

Try to do other things besides mindlessly and automatically staring into and surfing your phone.

The beeps and buzzes your phone emits are indicators to your nervous system that a possible reward (Dopamine) is around the corner.  Conscious use is your only antidote. Become aware of the neurochemical habit that has you conditioned to reflexively look at your phone and consciously resist that habit.

When you notice you are using your phone in an unconscious way do something different. Read a book, take a walk, talk to real person stand/sitting next to you. Untether that automatic twitch to check your texts or email for the 79th time that day…this will help to create new neurological pathways for your habit which may take a month or two.

Yes, there is an OFF button on your Smartphone! Begin to take control of your use and that means turning your phone off for a while.

By |May 8th, 2013|Dr. Dave's Blog|Comments Off on How to be Smarter than your Smartphone….