EP 01
The Origin Story
Whenever I come across someone with a clear message, I’m always interested in where they got it and how it has impacted their own life. I don’t want to buy a program. I want to hear the juicy details and meaningful takeaways from real experiences. With that in mind, I couldn’t possibly put the ideas of the well-being project out into the world, without first telling you my story. And so, without further ado, here is my story, and how the wellbeing project came to be.
I have few clear memories of my mom. My dad dominates the scenes I do remember.
click to continue
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In his book, The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck writes:
Frequently… the essence of a patient’s childhood and hence the essence of a patient’s world view is captured in the “earliest memory.” It is probable these first memories… are remembered precisely because they accurately symbolize the nature of the person’s early childhood… The flavor of these earliest memories is so frequently the same as that of the patient’s deepest feelings about existence.
In my earliest memory, I was probably two years old. I am sitting in my highchair in the kitchen and what appears to be an enormous spoon (probably a tablespoon, but I was a baby) is coming at my face. I feel panic and desperation, my body is rigid with resistance, but I am buckled in and have no option but to let the spoon be forced into my mouth. Cod liver oil.
For years I thought it was amusing that I could see and feel my baby self’s perspective. I chuckled at the baby revulsion to the taste of fish oil. It wasn’t until I read Peck’s writing that I realized how the significance. It wasn’t just revulsion at the taste, it was the terror of being trapped and forcibly entered. Any health benefits that cod liver oil contained were far outweighed by the indelible experience of being overpowered and invaded.
Frequently… the essence of a patient’s childhood and hence the essence of a patient’s world view is captured in the “earliest memory.” It is probable these first memories… are remembered precisely because they accurately symbolize the nature of the person’s early childhood… The flavor of these earliest memories is so frequently the same as that of the patient’s deepest feelings about existence.
In my earliest memory, I was probably two years old. I am sitting in my highchair in the kitchen and what appears to be an enormous spoon (probably a tablespoon, but I was a baby) is coming at my face. I feel panic and desperation, my body is rigid with resistance, but I am buckled in and have no option but to let the spoon be forced into my mouth. Cod liver oil.
For years I thought it was amusing that I could see and feel my baby self’s perspective. I chuckled at the baby revulsion to the taste of fish oil. It wasn’t until I read Peck’s writing that I realized how the significance. It wasn’t just revulsion at the taste, it was the terror of being trapped and forcibly entered. Any health benefits that cod liver oil contained were far outweighed by the indelible experience of being overpowered and invaded.
EP 02
This is where you come in.
Well-being is flourishing, thriving, living your best life. That’s what this is about. It is not about fixing problems or treating conditions. It is about re-orienting your life so that it grows more and more healthy every single day. click to continue
What does it take to experience that? Well, that’s what you’re about to find out over the next few episodes. But if you want a quick answer, First, you need to understand your needs and how to meet them. Then you need regular contact with people who understand and support you. That’s honestly what it boils down to.
EP 03
We all want the same thing.
Concepts 1-3
We assume well-being comes from the satisfaction of our desires. Since we all have different desires, the path to well-being seems different for each person.
Human desire is not meant to be satisfied. Click to continue
Human desire is not meant to be satisfied. Click to continue
Think of it this way, do any of us eat a meal expecting it to be the last time we are hungry? We understand that hunger (desire for food) is a part of being alive. If we stopped desiring food, we'd know something is very wrong.
Unfortunately, we don't realize that desire for things (tangible or intangible) is a part of human existence. If we ever found complete contentment, we would have little motivation to keep living.Hunger is to the body, what desire is to the being.So well-being isn't found when we acquire or achieve our desires.
Unfortunately, we don't realize that desire for things (tangible or intangible) is a part of human existence. If we ever found complete contentment, we would have little motivation to keep living.Hunger is to the body, what desire is to the being.So well-being isn't found when we acquire or achieve our desires.
EP 04
There is a map to your purpose.
Concept 4
The fourth concept is all about the storyline, or map, that humans have been teaching their children for as long as we have records of what humans have been doing. Click to continue
Joseph Campbell, a professor of literature and comparative mythology, is one of many scholars who dedicated his life to researching all the religions, belief systems, and mythologies of human history. His writings explained how they all outline a similar plot. He called it the Monomyth, also known as The Hero’s Journey. Synthesizing the stories into one is not intended to reduce or minimize them - they are sacred teaching to all who honor them.
The intention of using a common narrative is to show the significance of what we share. Inevitably, belief systems diverge as we get deeper into specifics. In fact, within each religion and sect, there are endless divergent doctrines and convictions.
Our goal here is to recognize common language and ideas that help us to understand ourselves and one another in a broader context of our shared humanity.
The Hero’s Journey is the human journey. It shows where we start, where we have the opportunity to go, and what we experience along the way. It's demonstrated in the lives of every prophet and teacher.
The intention of using a common narrative is to show the significance of what we share. Inevitably, belief systems diverge as we get deeper into specifics. In fact, within each religion and sect, there are endless divergent doctrines and convictions.
Our goal here is to recognize common language and ideas that help us to understand ourselves and one another in a broader context of our shared humanity.
The Hero’s Journey is the human journey. It shows where we start, where we have the opportunity to go, and what we experience along the way. It's demonstrated in the lives of every prophet and teacher.
EP 05
There is a method to undo madness.
Concept 5, pt 1
"There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot." Plato
Anger is said to be a secondary emotion. The most common source of anger is when our needs aren't met. Physiological needs for survival. Safety needs. Belonging needs. Esteem and respect needs. Freedom, autonomy, justice needs. The potential range of needs is vast. Click to continue
Anger is said to be a secondary emotion. The most common source of anger is when our needs aren't met. Physiological needs for survival. Safety needs. Belonging needs. Esteem and respect needs. Freedom, autonomy, justice needs. The potential range of needs is vast. Click to continue
When we look around, after fear, anger seems to be the most common emotion on public display. Activism, the desire for changing our social systems, seems to be a sea of anger. Which makes sense. If society members feel their needs are being neglected, anger is a natural response.
In schools, students are displaying unprecedented levels of anger and aggressive behavior after two years of pandemic isolation. On airplanes, at events, in our communities, the statistics related to anger, aggression and violence are exponentially higher than pre-pandemic years. People big and small are raging.What is going on?
In schools, students are displaying unprecedented levels of anger and aggressive behavior after two years of pandemic isolation. On airplanes, at events, in our communities, the statistics related to anger, aggression and violence are exponentially higher than pre-pandemic years. People big and small are raging.What is going on?
EP 06
Undoing more madness
Concept 5, pt 2
If I didn’t eat for several hours, I’d be very hungry. If I didn’t eat for a day or two, I’d be unable to focus on much else. Any longer and it would massively impact my ability to function and keep up with the responsibilities of my life. Same goes for sleep. If I miss a night of sleep, I can usually manage the next day, though with some serious lag in my brain. Two nights without sleep and I’m struggling to function. Any more than that and I’m done. Click to continue
If I don’t move and exercise my body gets stiff, and my muscles atrophy. If I try to exercise without having eaten or slept, I’m not able to put energy into my workout.
All of this is pretty obvious. Our bodies need different types of maintenance by the hour, day, and cyclically. When it comes to tending the needs of the being, it works similarly. The being needs to be nourished, rested, exercised every single day. When was the last time you thought about a meal plan or specific nourishment for your being?
All of this is pretty obvious. Our bodies need different types of maintenance by the hour, day, and cyclically. When it comes to tending the needs of the being, it works similarly. The being needs to be nourished, rested, exercised every single day. When was the last time you thought about a meal plan or specific nourishment for your being?
EP 07
The way to make the world a better place...
Concepts 6 + 7
The reason we haven’t eliminated injustice and inequity in our world is because we have been on a very slow progression under a primitive paradigm. Click to continue
We treat ourselves and others as bodies. Beautiful or ugly, tall or short, light or dark, rich or poor, male or female, heteronormative or not. These are the actual spectrums by which we access resources and power. They have nothing to do with the actual nature of humans - the immaterial being that animates each physical body.
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© 2024 Rachel Bulkley / The WellBeing Project