Hello, my name is Samantha. I am a professional columnist. The purpose of my work is breathe life into hearts and pages.

White Belly (A Hero’s Journey)

No one is coming to save you. In a society filled with instant gratification embodying the hero of your own life hero is a brave and sacred journey.It is a  warrior who perseveres through tough times because they know it will not last. This is how resilience is built. It is about venturing into the unknown and embracing and learning from chaos. This leads to personal growth, self-confidence and or personal development. A true hero is one that integrates their potential for evil and self destruction and using it as medicine for a higher good. A hero of one’s life comes back on the other side with profound wisdom and understanding that can better ones self and the world around them.

Genetics and habitat influence. This is also known as gene-environment. Genetics refers to the inherited traits that are passed down in the family line and is included in the DNA and included in your genetic code. Genes are similar to a set of instructions. Genetics are also included in your predispositions. Predispositions can cultivate self-awareness and therefore take more proactive actions in one’s life.A predisposition is an ingrained illness, tendency or attitude. These tendencies are genetic and can be influenced by environment. Examples of predispositions are anxiety, and addiction. Predispositions does not mean a condition will occur. It simply means one will have a higher risk to developing it. Factors that are included in these tendencies are environment , access to nutrients(diet),sunlight, and access to emotional and financial support.

If you are aware of your predispositions then it is helpful to take a dose of its antidote. Genetics and environment play a role in human potential especially in new and taxing experiences. This will unlock genetic possibilities by activating new genes and exciting new neural structures. For empathetic people with sensitivity to negative emotions (commonly known as neuroticism) one can take a 'dose’ of engaging in new environments, foods, or people. This can aid in balancing a more healthy response to environments and change. Each of us hold a medicine.

The medicine that is needed to grow into your own hero is usually not the medicine that you want. If your personal remedy is stability, comfort ad security, the prescription that is needed for growth is a dose of unknown, chaos and unpredictability. If you embody the medicine of lavender you likely have qualities of relaxation, comfort or wound healing. You offer the world peace, tranquillity and softness. However, too much lavender can can cause adverse affects such as depression, lethargy and loss of coordination. Peppermint can counteract too much lavender.

Peppermint is known for its cooling properties and can increase alertness, attention and boost mood. The medicine of peppermint offers the world reduced sensations of overwhelm, mental clarity and enhance concentration. Every dose of medicine allows us to be more inclines to take particular action based on thoughts, triggers and or sensations.

A hero's journey requires actions lining up with values. Values and beliefs are part of integrity. Upholding integrity increases life satisfaction and quality of life. Personal integrity is part of becoming your own hero. It is not only the alignment of actions and values but also upholding honesty and truth with yourself and others.

Personal integrity invites self-reflection,accountability and living through moral code. Personal integrity prioritizes intrinsic values and higher self-appraisal over external validation.Take responsibility for your actions requires self reflection. The psychology of action involves all actions are intentional even when they are subconsciously taken. Every action serves as a purpose but not always beneficial. One can hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their actions by identifying triggers( a disproportional amount of emotion or impulse to a relatively small incident), challenging belief system that "holds this trigger' and make a plan to change actions by noticing patterns. Taking responsibility is part of living a meaningful life. The more responsibility you take for your life the more engaging and meaningful life will become. A meaningful life that is engaging and satisfying will require a new identity.

The hero will have lived through many identities. Identity never goes away. Multiple previous Identities are just encapsulated or boxed and will always be included in you. An identity is a collection of beliefs, ideals, standards and lived experiences that create an ‘self’ or ego over time. Identity is not a fact. Identity is what you have attached to or confirm as 'you’. Conflicting information that goes against the ego and change that goes against your identity will cause immense fear. To allow a new identity to emerge, beliefs must change shift. It is natural response when 'shifting' new identities that fear and mental resistance will take place. Fear is included in growth. Fear is just data or the unknown. Push through mental resistance. A hero's journey requires reframing stories and failures and discovering their capabilities.

One can reframe their stories in two categories. One can reframe their stories into a victims mentality or a growth mentality. Victims mindset lives through a set of beliefs that are occupied by sensations of powerlessness ,self pity and avoidance. While a growth mindset lives through beliefs accumulated by sensations of embracing challenges as opportunities for personal expansion, learning from constructive criticism and adapting to change. A hero's journey constitutes living through a growth mindset and using challenges as tools. A victims mentality will not aid in crossing over unknown inner landscapes to a new horizon. Growth mentality allows one to push forward and challenge limiting beliefs. A hero's journey is about facing the unknown despite the obstacles or crippling of unknown . It is pushing through the voices that say:

"There is nothing good on the others side."

"This is all there is to you."

"If you stay with me l will keep you from danger.”

A hero's journey is about pushing through the grappling emptiness of not living up to one’s fullest potential. It is toying with the idea that one can make the choice to stay willfully blind and naive verses a forced choice to face dark personal truths of one’s self. A hero's journey involves facing the shadow that only few of have the courage to embrace. Being the hero of you own life is about reminder yourself that you have the potential to be evil and destructive. However, one takes the path of responsibility, hard work and consistency to create a life that is desirable for one’s self  and the world around them. A hero embraces the void and emptiness as part of the utility for change and personal expansion. It will be a lonely journey at times but hope always prevails. A hero's journey is the receipt for lasting change, inner peace, integration and a chance of a fulfilling  life.

Psychology of Halloween

     Halloween. It was originally a Pagan holiday but now a fun and frightful day to experience new characters. Various teachers have explained that Halloween is the holiday about human biology and instinct (especially fear) and sheds light on our fight-or-flight response. Halloween can be a safer approach for individuals who struggle with continuous fear or apprehension. Halloween can be a confined space to have apprehension and enjoy the unknown. Halloween not only represents death and rebirth, but can also represent a human's unconscious mind.

     The unconscious mind represents all previous experiences and instincts. These can include our buried sensations, motivations, and feelings we are not aware of but included in our everyday choices. This is our survival part of our brain. Another portion of our brain is the amygdala. This part of the brain plays a major role in the emotion fear. Some fears are part of our biological makeup. While others are more exciting to experiences. Our brain likes to pays attention to things that are more scary than pleasant because of our need to survive. Halloween is appealing to many individuals because it plays off of these instincts. The brain and body are naturally drawn towards like what it can relate to.

The six instincts are often presented in Halloween themed movies and costumes (part of basic human make up) are:

Rage

Fear

 Pleasure

 Creativity 

Hunger

Action

One of the most powerful instincts is to seek. Humans are made to move forward. 

Dopamine is the messenger responsible for wanting to seek or pursue. We need to seek water, food, shelter, or a mate to keep the human species. We can seek or hunt for new opportunities or gather new information for the benefit of ourselves, families and communities. Many times we seek the above because it is in our blood to fight for a good cause. We experience joy in food to continue to eat and nourish our bodies. We create and express to be seen in our community and take action to feel like we are.

Ego and identity is how we have constructed ourselves in the mind. Pasted lived experiences develop and refine it. Identity is formed within one of multiple archetypes. An archetype is a pattern of thinking or blueprint within the psyche or the soul. It shapes our perception and behaviors. We can identify with an outer archetype and an inner archetype. Examples of of common archetypes are:

Magician

Outlaw

Explorer 

Sage 

Innocent 

Creator

 These above archetypes play a role in our worldly perceptions and deepest desires. They also play a role in our unconscious mind and identity.Identity tells us what we like, dislike, and our main ‘personality’ that we present to the world. However, there must be room for contrast. Our unconscious holds what we might be. It holds our deepest instinctual desires. This is part of the thrill of Halloween. People are wearing and dressing up as their alter ego or what their sense of self or identity rejects.

   Halloween is a symbol of the shadow. The term is very popular in the spiritual and psychology fields. As it refers to the counterparts of our persona. The shadow or shadow self (inner archetype) is the part of ourselves that we do not show to the world. This archetype is the part of ourselves that society would reject or would go against our morals and values. Halloween could be a representation to explore these parts of ourselves in the means to not be afraid of them but also not act on our impulse. Whatever is in the conscious mind is in the light. Therefore, it cannot control us blindly. 

Persona (outer archetype) is the blanket around our ego or what has gotten us the most acceptance in this lifetime. This is the assumed image of a person but not the real authentic person. Many individuals like to dress up as their persona to enhance what how they would like to be viewed in the world. However, our persona, identity and unconscious mind are not all there is to being a human.

We need a deeper purpose in the greater picture of our lives. A sense of purpose is needed in a human being. Identifying with a job, career, or relationship status will not be enough. The best way to find purpose in one's life is to develop an inner moral compass while maintaining responsibility in everyday life. Everyone needs a sense of urgency, agency, and responsibility in life. Part of having a sense of responsibility is facing fears directly.

Responsibility will ground you when life times get tough. You must take responsibility for your life and the values you have even if living through your truth makes you uncomfortable at first. Each of us has a shadow and a conscious mind. Each of us has a responsibility to not allow our shadow to take over. We can integrate it or make it included within us but not act on it. The safest people are the ones that are aware of their shadow or blind spot because they actively seek awareness.

Our shadow selves hold our highly driven emotional motives. Halloween can be both celebrated or revered. It is a symbol of death and rebirth and motivates us to take responsibility for our faults or shortcomings. Without responsibility and awareness in one’s life, we can be sure to diminish ourselves into the realm of impulsiveness, aggression, and violence.

However, you would like to identify with this year for annual festivities. Remember, you are a mosaic of multiple selves living in mind. Your persona, ego, identity shadow self, conscious and unconscious mind are included as a living being. Your continuous actions, intentions behind those actions, sense of responsibility and your power of conscious choice ultimate defines you as human. Allow all portions of you to be included in you and learn about the ebbs and flows of what it’s like to be a human being.

Yin

I crave a soft life.

One with spaciousness and ease.

I do not crave an easy life.

I crave a life with chapters titled ‘Give and Take.”

One where I can grow in self-love.

One where I can nourish and be nourished.

I wish to create a life of true connection and joy.

One where I can feel people included in myself.

Where I am included in others.

I can learn from others and others can learn from me.

I shall accept experiences that are painful.

They will always be included within me but I will no longer dwell in them.

My dwelling place is in growth, nourishment, sunlight, empowerment and empathy.

My holy place is learning what it is to have a community.

I can thrive in this place forever and have boundless information and influence.

I can learn to integrate and view myself as a mosaic. I am both dark and light.

Here in this place I will learn grace for myself and grace for others.

I Do Not Care

I do not care about the car in your driveway.

It does not interest me how many items of clothing you have.

Did you revive the broken?

Did you eat the desert without feeling guilty?

How many people you slept with is not important.

How many times a day do you notice the micro expression on people’s faces?

How many regrets have you gone to bed with?

When do you say “you are pretty?”

When have you held space?

It does not interest me what you do for a job or how expensive your rings are.

I really admire people who hold a zest and tenacity for life.

They are marvelous in their vulnerability and uniqueness.

They revive life and make it anew.

They create unlimited stories that could never be created in a bar or liquor store.

Their depth and uncanny ability to reveal their own scriptures inspire others to start looking at their own.