Author: Dr Anderson
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On Hatred
We rarely invite hatred into our lives. It’s an emotion we know intimately, one that makes us shift uncomfortably. Yet it arrives uninvited—when an old wound is reopened, in the venom we reserve for betrayal, or in disdain for entire groups we’ve never truly known. Hatred settles like fog, obscuring vision and chilling the heart.… Read more
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Hearing Without Listening—
You NEVER listen to me.” “You only hear what you want to hear.” “How do you always turn it back on me?” “I might as well be talking to a brick wall”. These complaints echo through countless relationships. Paradoxically, the closer we are to someone, the worse we often listen. We bring our most attentive,… Read more
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Why We Think the Way We Do
Imagine you’re a pilot on the tarmac at Salt Lake International, Prior to takeoff, your mind is not on last night’s dinner conversation or problems at home. Your full concentration is on running your checks, talking to the tower, assessing external conditions. Throttling down the runway, your mind is absorbed in the moment. You lift… Read more
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Will I See You at the Top?
KEEP ON CLIMBING—THE 5 TIERS OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT On the last day of high school, my classmates and I swapped yearbook signatures, scribbling heartfelt goodbyes before scattering into the world. As a starry-eyed teen, I wrote “Keep on Climbing” in each, adding a clumsy stick figure scaling a mountain. Decades later, despite being weathered by… Read more
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The Interplay of Physical & Mental Health
Mental and physical health are often treated as separate entities, yet they co-exist within the same body. Poor health can have profound effects on emotional well-being. A life-threatening diagnosis, like cancer, instantly shifts priorities, making everything else seem trivial. Accidents or injuries causing incapacitation, disfigurement or chronic pain have an emotional impact that lingers for… Read more
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AMOR FATI: Love the Tracks You’ve Laid
The Weight of Fighting Fate Life’s a one-way track—with its twists and turns, crashes and burns, victory laps and daily concerns. There are no do-overs. “Forever” love sometimes is but a chapter; dreams get shattered; death blindsides. We haul “if only” regrets and lifelong grudges—life is heavy, indeed. Amor Fati—loving your fate without wishing to… Read more
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The Peril & Poison of Anger
Grandpa’s Wisdom: A Dream Revisited A few years ago, my Grandpa appeared in a vivid dream, replaying a tense moment from 1989. It was my first year of grad school amid my parents’ divorce. I was living in my grandparents’ basement when a sharp exchange with Grandma occurred. She criticized Mom beyond what I could… Read more
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Resolutions: Past & Present
What is a Resolution? A resolution is a firm determination to do or not do something. Unlike a goal, which focuses on specific outcomes like losing 30 pounds or graduating by 2026, a resolution is a persistent commitment toward daily improvement. It requires persistence in our aim to convert a new behavior into a lasting… Read more
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Attitude of Gratitude
Recent Road Trip A few months ago, I took a rare solo road trip to visit an old friend. I’ve always loved long drives—they offer uninterrupted time to reflect, free from life’s distractions. As a teen, I asked my mom for a Farrah Faucett poster. But instead, she gave me one with an Irish Proverb:… Read more
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The Power of Positive Thinking-Revisited
Introduction Adolescence is often a time for building self-esteem through relationships, sports, academics, etc. My path was different. I spent my teens devouring self-help books and audiotapes, contemplating the teachings of many great minds. These authors were essentially my mentors. I believed that grounding my life in the principles and attitudes of success would lay… Read more