Embracing the Midlife “Opportunities”
The midlife years have long been associated with the notion of a “midlife crisis,” a period marked by upheaval, uncertainty, disorientation. But midlife is also chock full of opportunities for growth, fulfillment, and positive change. Let’s consider some of the pathways to personal development, reinvention, and happiness during this life stage. Rediscovering Passion and Purpose […]
Becoming Whole in the Second Half of Life
At or after midlife, you may have noticed a change in the way you respond to the world around you. Maybe you feel a vague emptiness when you rise in the morning. When you least expect it, a quiet melancholic yearning may seem to lie like a blanket over your outlook. Perhaps you find yourself wondering […]
Why Individuate?
C. G. Jung coined the term “individuation.” The aim and purpose of individuation, for Jung, is the fuller development of who you uniquely are. Who are you? You may find it difficult to answer that simple question. Most people answer it by referring to outward manifestations: their age, the place of origin, their career. They might […]
Are You Too Busy to Grow?
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are. “ Carl Jung Amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we may seldom ask this crucial question: Am I too busy to grow? Our personal growth—the self-actualization of unique personality — is among the preeminent purposes of life. Staying busy may develop our “resume virtues” but […]
The Virtues of Living in Modest Houses
The billionaire investor and partner to Warren Buffet, Charlie Munger, lived in a relatively modest house for 70 of his 99 years. It was no accident; it was an intentional choice: He chose happiness. He noted that he and Buffet (who also lives in a modest house) “. . . watched our friends who got rich build these […]
Unprejudiced Objectivity
We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses. I am the oppressor of the person I condemn, not his friend and fellow-sufferer. — C. G. Jung Both C. G. Jung and Jesus of Nazareth advocated non-judgment as a pathway to empathy. For Jesus, it was a willingness to consider the log […]
Unifying Unique Personality
Personality transcends mere genetic endowments. The distinct personal variations between identical twins affirms that genetic code alone does not engender personality. While genetic code forms the essential elements of our physical being — heart, lungs, limbs, skin, brain, and perhaps some innate ego orientations — personality is a transcendent quality that sets humans apart from […]
Find the Work You Love
Surveys of people at work indicate that well over 50% of the people consistently report that they are unhappy with their work. They are likely living out of alignment with who they were born to become. The path to discovering your passion and purpose can begin with simple self-awareness. Consider these three questions: 1. How […]
Embracing the Midlife “Opportunities”
The midlife years have long been associated with the notion of a “midlife crisis,” a period marked by upheaval, uncertainty, disorientation. But midlife is also chock full of opportunities for growth, fulfillment, and positive change. Let’s consider some of the pathways to personal development, reinvention, and happiness during this life stage. Rediscovering Passion and Purpose […]
The Relationship of Ego & Shadow in C.G. Jung’s Psychology
Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of analytical psychology, C. G. Jung, made significant contributions to the understanding of the human psyche. Among his many groundbreaking concepts, is the notion of the “ego” and the “shadow.” In Jungian psychology, these two concepts play a pivotal role in the individuation process — the self-realization and psychological wholeness […]