@Matt This article is super interesting. 
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Hmm I don’t know that I feel guilty about it. But rather that I will never really reach certainty on any issue. That things are fluid and they change. I like the process of learning and evolving. I think it allows me to have a open heart which I’d take over certainty any day 
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Guilty may not be the right term. 
So many people think that “being heard means being right”. Even though I think in shades of gray, I do have some opinions, but I also know there can be thousands of views. What makes mine right? Nothing. Unless I have actual, uncontested facts, absolutely nothing.
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I totally agree. I’m a very opinionated person but have always been good at putting myself in others shoes. ( debate team nerd ) I think the special thing about us “grey thinkers” is that sometimes we touch a binary thinker- and they say hey maybe there’s validity in the other side as well. They may not change their belief or mindset but it lets a bit of empathy or open mindedness in. We don’t have to all be the same to accept and love eachother.
I love this subject haha I could talk about it all day
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“ the colorless light that is our identity before it becomes refracted through our perceptions”
There’s the nail on the head right there 
Great article! It reminds me of a philosophy called “unity in diversity”: you can be united without being uniform. Each person brings their unique identity and colours to the harmony of the whole - like a garden.
We are drops of one ocean, waves of one sea, flowers of one garden: united in diversity.
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Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown, excerpt from the Introduction…
”Language speeds and lengthens in the brain when we are processing sensory information. But newer research shows that when our access to emotional language is blocked, our ability to interpret incoming emotional information is significantly diminished. Likewise, having the correct words to describe specific emotions makes us better able to identify those emotions in others, as well as to recognize and manage the emotional experiences when we feel them ourselves.”
How often have you struggled to communicate the emotions you’re feeling? The words are right there on the tip of your tongue, but you’re unable to get them out. I know that I’ve been there, and in the moment it causes a lot of hopelessness, frustration, and even anger.
My 5 year old granddaughter has Level 2 autism. (Yes, I’m a Mimi. 
) When she first began trying to process the tougher emotions but was unable, we made a communication binder containing pictures with descriptive words that she could flip through, find the emotion she needed to communicate, and then we could help her process it. This made a tremendous difference at those times when her emotions were overwhelming and she didn’t have the correct language to articulate her feelings. As you can imagine, there have been screaming fits, kicking and flailing tantrums, all due to the lack of ability to communicate her emotions.
I don’t think this is much different from the way we feel when we’re unable to grasp the words to describe our emotions. Of course, most of us have more self-control than falling to the floor, kicking and screaming. But it doesn’t mean we don’t want to rage. Having the right words gives us the ability to make sense of how we feel, to share it with others, and to manage those emotions productively.
The limits of our language equating to the limits of our world is very true. We have to learn to speak many other emotions that go beyond simply feeling sad, happy, or angry. Brené offers a list of emotions that we should familiarize ourselves with…
- Shame
- Disappointment
- Wonder
- Awe
- Disgust
- Embarrassment
- Despair
- Contentment
- Boredom
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Love
- Overwhelm
- Surprise
There are many other words that describe human emotions or experiences, but this is a good start. Knowing the right words, understanding exactly what we’re feeling, gives us the power to communicate with others and cope in positive and productive ways.
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I completely understand what you’re saying. 
So often my feelings have caused discomfort and frustration, and I’m learning how to think them through before speaking. Like you, I often process it on my own and there’s no need to try and articulate my emotions to anyone else. Which, when you have a partner or children, prevents a lot of heartbreak and misunderstanding.
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This has been of interest to me since there are SO MANY of us people who have had barbaric surgery become alcoholics AFTER the surgery. The mind gut has been questioned in this realm.
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That is really interesting. My ex-SIL had bariatric surgery years ago and she became addicted to painkillers… to this day. I can see this surgery playing a big role in that.
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Whenn I checked into rehab years ago, the nurse talking my history shook her head when I told her I had gastric bypass. She said that HALF of the people checking themselves in for alcoholism had gbs! Shortly after discharge, I started my research on it. Then I relapsed, for years and stopped. I also know a friend of the family who ended up passing away young from pain killer overdose after gbs. She didn’t have the problem before surgery. There are some studies but it’s not talked about much 
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It must screw around with the gut-brain axis. I don’t see how it wouldn’t affect it. If you learn any more about it, please share. I find it interesting. And I’m happy you’re beating the odds! 
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Same same! If you see anything, let me know!
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Wordsworth believed that nature plays the role of giving joy to the human heart, of purifying the human mind, and of having a healing effect on sorrow-filled hearts. I’ve found this to be absolutely true. We don’t need drugs or alcohol or any stimulants of the sort to find true joy and happiness. We can use what’s been freely given to us… nature and our imagination. 
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Dance, dance, dance!!! It’s great for your brain!
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“With meditation, your brain is effectively being rewired: As your feelings and thoughts morph toward a more pleasant outlook your brain is also transforming, making this way of thought more of a default… The more your brain changes from meditation, the more you react to everyday life with that same sense of calm, compassion, and awareness.” - Jessica Cassity
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“… drop your “I’ll Be Happy When” mindset. As soon as you notice yourself saying these words, stop and correct your thoughts. Find a reason to be happy right now.”
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This is so true. It makes me think of the wisdom of Yoda:
“A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. [Luke Skywalker] a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away…to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing.”
Be present. Be where you are - and find the value in that
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I like this article, thank you 
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I love that.
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