According to Dictionary.com, their word of the year is "Misinformation."  Defined as "false information that is spread," misinformation occurs "regardless of whether there is intent to mislead."

Misinformation, and its brother, disinformation, can be harmful.  Clearly.  Though much of the current state of discussion around this concerns external affairs.  Much of what we are responsible for at least begins internally (how we respond and engage).

Aligning our thoughts, beliefs, and behavior with reality- what's true and realistic- is a crucial "mechanism of action" that helps facilitate positive outcomes.  This is particularly true in the method of therapy I use- CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), 

We know that cognitive distortions [click for pdf list] only prevent us from succeeding and growing.  These errors are harmful especially when they are consistent approaches to thought, such as All-Or-Nothing Thinking (I missed my workout today; I might as well skip this week), Mental Filtering (I know they said they enjoyed meeting me, but they must not like me because they talked more to other people), and jumping to conclusions (I just know that she got off the phone quickly because she thinks I'm an idiot!).  The deeper these go, the more impactful they are and harder to break.  

So in a world of misinformation, make sure you first tell yourself the truth, whether it's difficult or comforting.  In this time of the year that is special, wonderful, challenging, or downright awful for some, what can you do?

Be realistic.  Tell yourself the truth, and to others.  Align your thoughts, beliefs, and actions with commitment, purpose, and meaning (and if you're not sure what yours is, find it with help!), and try to get as close to what's honest and accurate.  Be a good researcher (humble).  Don't get snowed by misinformation.  Give the gift of realistic, truthful thinking.  Your brain will thank you (and probably everyone else will, too).  

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

Yours truly,
~Justin

Most people think I’m an extravert.  They see me being sociable, laughing, communicating- and the consensus is, “There’s NO way you’re an introvert.”  My friends have confused being outgoing with being extraverted.  In fact, even in counseling, the average person I work with believes that extraverts are outgoing and communicative, introverts shy and introspective.  And though this can apply, it is not actually the technical definition- nor the most helpful definition of what it means.

Simply put, think “Recharge” when thinking Introversion / Extraversion (I / E).

I will spare you the extensive history of folks like Jung and the modern day Myers-Briggs test, and there are many wonderful resources available on our topic we are considering- so feel free to consult my friend, “Google,” for more on the topic.

I have come to believe that, at least in terms of personality psychology, understanding and application of this domain is one of the most significant for personal success.

I am an introvert.  Most of my life I have tried to be an extravert.  Most days now I accept how I function, but I still find myself expecting I will magically change this.  I find myself around groups of people almost all day for several days in a row, and I wonder, “Why am I getting so edgy, tired, and experience a pressure to just want to go home and get away?  I want to just be able to power through!”  Ohhhh yes.  That’s right.  I’m a mid-level introvert.  

Many claim that our world rewards extraverts.  Maybe that’s true.  But I know that if you are an extravert, your success is not handed to you on a platter.  In fact, some of the hallmark characteristics of the introvert include abilities that many with extraverted tendencies desperately want. 

The best way to think about I / E is, “How do I recharge?  Where am I most focused (the external world or the internal world)?  How do I get energy?  In what capacity do I restore and recharge my batteries?”  If your answer is a clear, “With people!” or “Alone!” you may have a more obvious answer.  If it’s a mix of the two, you may be more in the middle, or an “ambivert.”  (There’s testing you can do to figure this out better, such as the MBTI or five factor model testing (FFM)/”Big Five”)  But the answer to this question is pivotal to how you approach life- and frankly, how you NEED to approach life.  No one questions the merit in stopping to eat a meal or getting a good night’s rest.  But, how easy it is to question the way our own body and mind gets its energy back!  For me, I question myself usually because I want to be more “productive,” able to knock out more things to be “successful.” But getting more stuff done is not necessarily a good thing in many circumstances.

When dealing with buried emotions with clients, I often say a phrase my supervisor taught me: “Emotions buried alive never die.” We therefore have to deal with these emotional “undead.”  So it is with how we recharge.  Our needs will eventually come up, and if we haven’t been nurturing them in a reasonable way, they will come up with a vengeance, ready to threaten burnout and exhaustion.

One of the keys to the application of one’s recharge style is how to work within a system of an infinite number of variables, styles, and circumstances.  Put another way, we must learn to function both independently and dependently in the system with which we find ourselves.  Extraverts, you will need to find ways to connect with others, but have to be disciplined (and usually work harder) at resting and reflection.  Introverts, you will need to find ways to be alone and collect your thoughts, but have to be disciplined (and usually work harder) to make sure you stay social.  “Ambiverts,” well, you’ve got it all together.  :)  All joking aside, ambiverts will need to find ways to connect and be alone, but have to be disciplined to have a foundation that allows them not only to “go with the flow,” but to make choices for both ends of the spectrum rooted in their own convictions.

My personal journey with I / E will always be evolving as life changes and I transition through different stages. It is nice, now, to not have to waste energy in being the “vert” I want to be and focus on living faithfully with the reality that is.

~Justin
​{And just for the record, my writing of this blog was 90% introversion, 10% feedback from others.}

You may have just gotten an activity tracker over the holidays, or maybe you’ve already jumped on the bandwagon of wearable tech.  Not only do activity monitors like Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Spire track steps, heart rate, sleeping, and more, you can turn your tracker into an ally for mental health.

Here’s how.  

Being able to track and monitor your thoughts, mood, emotions, symptoms, and sensory experiences is arguably one of the central tenets of most schools of therapy.  It is nowhere more prominent than in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where awareness of internal processes is a first step to changing outcomes.  For years, techniques such as journaling and monitoring have been used, but this new technological age adds a few extra tools that can be a boon for awareness.  But you also have to build the emotional intelligence and discipline to catch what’s going on and translate that into meaningful action.  Following are some tips.  (Remember that some people will have more stress by using a monitor- if so, practice these same tips without help from Mr. Fitbit).

1. Be aware.  Occasionally throughout the day, check in with yourself (or a buddy!)  Ask if your heart rate, breathing, sleeping, thoughts, or mood fits the goals you have (see #3).  Pay attention to little details.  Was my heart rate elevated over the holidays because of my activity level, or stress?  Did I sleep less last week because of something planned, or because of insomnia?  Was I irritable at work?  Did I feel anxious around people?  If you want to change something, you have to identify what you’re working with first.  Allow yourself to take note without spending too much time on any one thing.  
2. Let an external tracker add to your awareness.  Utilize the unconscious observations your tracker makes to correspondingly assist in your own mindfulness.  Those of you who have had the helpful feedback of a trusted support can attest to the value of observations made outside of yourself.  I, for one, appreciate the occasional fashion police!  :)
3. Identify the goal.  What are you trying to accomplish?  Better sleep?  Getting less stressed at work?  Being clear about this in a reasonable way gives you a target to aim for- and helps you see if you need extra resources in getting it done.  (See my Setpoints resource to help further.)  
4. Identify solutions.  Once you have tracked your experience and know the goal, then you can apply solutions.  Heart rate at 110 while sitting at work?  Try some deep breathing and a de-stressing activity.  Notice you’re not taking many steps?  Take 3 minutes to get up and move.  Sleep getting off track?  Develop some sleep hygiene techniques.  And so on and so forth.  
5. Be social.  Whether you are extroverted/introverted or outgoing/shy, connecting in some way with others is essential to your health.  Trackers give lots of options to do this in fun, cute, and challenging ways.  

Make it fun, and happy healthy tracking!  Sincerely,

Justin