Why You Say Things You Don’t Mean
The last argument I regret was not a character flaw; it was a hijacking. My brain literally took my mouth hostage.
This is called emotional flooding, and what I need to understand is that it is not weakness; it is biology.
When flooding hits, my heart rate rises, my breathing becomes shallow, and my brain shifts into survival mode. In that moment, my intellect goes offline, and anxiety takes over.
Jerry Clark
Apr 271 min read
Insight Is Instant, Change Is Slow
There are times when I know exactly what I should do differently, and yet I still find myself doing the same thing. I have come to understand that the gap between knowing and doing may not be a character flaw as much as part of how I am wired. For years, it has been my job to read others' emotional states with care.
Jerry Clark
Apr 241 min read
Old Patterns Return
I have noticed that I can feel discouraged when old behaviors return. In those moments, it is easy for me to assume that I have lost progress. But I now understand that when stress rises, my brain naturally moves toward familiar patterns.
Jerry Clark
Apr 221 min read
Progress, Not Perfection
Today, I am choosing to measure my progress differently. Instead of asking myself whether I handled everything perfectly, I am asking better questions. These questions help me see growth in a more honest and encouraging way.
Jerry Clark
Apr 201 min read
When I Feel Fully Alive
I have noticed that when I ask myself when I felt most alive, the answer is almost never about accomplishment. It is about connection. It is about moments when I am fully present, not replaying the past or worrying about what is ahead.
Jerry Clark
Apr 171 min read
Practicing Joy
What if the reason I feel exhausted by Thursday is not my workload, but that my brain is doing its job too well? I have come to understand that my mind naturally focuses on problems because it is built to notice threats. That is not a flaw. That is biology. The challenge is that joy does not demand my attention the way problems do, so it quietly slips past me each day, and I don't realize what I am missing until I begin to track it. At the end of each day, I take a moment to
Jerry Clark
Apr 151 min read
Joy Needs Emotional Space
Joy needs emotional space, and I am learning that it rarely appears when I am rushed or anxious. When my anxiety rises, my mind begins scanning for problems. Even good moments pass by unnoticed because my attention is fixed on what might go wrong.
Jerry Clark
Apr 131 min read