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Recent Posts
- The Paris Olympics Excuse
- It’s Canada Day
- You Are Not a Robot
- I Am Not a Robot
- Happy Canada Day!
- This May Be Hard to Read – Part 2
- Update on New Year’s Resolutions
- This May Be Hard to Read – Part 1
- How Can They Believe That?
- Fake News
- Apologies That Don’t Work
- The Relaxation Response
- GAS and Coping
- The Stress Response
- Stress: Fight-Flight-Freeze
- Poly Vague – Huh?
- New Year’s Resolutions Anyone?
- Introduction to the Nervous System – Part 1
- What Is Hostile Language?
- The Art of the Apology – Part 1
- The Art of the Apology – Part 2
- The Art of the Apology – Part 3
- The Graceful Exit
- Let’s Have a Festive — Not Feisty — Holiday
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- December 2020 (8)
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Author Archives: Anne McTavish
The Paris Olympics Excuse
After worldwide condemnation for the Dionysus-inspired revelry of the Opening Ceremony in July 2024 for the Paris Olympics, Anne Deschamps, a spokesperson for the Paris Olympics, gave an excuse for the Opening Ceremony. Although tendered as an apology, her statement … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events
Tagged Anne Deschamps, apology, evasive, excuse, offending speech, offensive actions, Opening Ceremony, Paris Olympics, speech
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It’s Canada Day
On Canada Day, we have parades, gatherings, fireworks, and endless self-congratulatory speeches by politicians of all stripes and importance. All covered on television (and now the internet) so we can watch it all comfortably from our couches. After all, we’re … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events
Tagged Canada Day, Canadian, celebration, creative, inventive, ordinary, parade, respect, tolerance
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You Are Not a Robot
You are not a robot. You are a human being. You are amazing. You can do amazing things. You can achieve great things. Because you are human. You are unique. You’re not a duplicate of anyone else. You respond to … Continue reading
Posted in Concepts and Categories, Language, Musings
Tagged being human, censorship, control, I'm not a robot, worldviews
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I Am Not a Robot
I am not a robot. I am a human being. We human beings — people — are amazing. Each of us is unique. No two of us are the same. We may be similar, but we’re not exactly the same. … Continue reading
Posted in Concepts and Categories, Language, Musings
Tagged being human, censorship, control, I'm not a robot, not a robot, worldviews
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Happy Canada Day!
July 1st. A great day in history — not just for us Canadians, but for everyone. Because Canada is a nation that was born through peaceful means, not war. In contrast to our neighbours to the south, Canada did not … Continue reading
Update on New Year’s Resolutions
Like all New Year’s Resolutions, mine have not been perfectly implemented from Day 1, although some have fared better than others.
How Can They Believe That?
Years ago, I was privileged to take a summer course that included a brief introduction to political psychology. We were asked how the Chinese Communist Party (“CCP”) were able to change over 541 million people’s minds to accept communism within … Continue reading
Posted in Worldviews
Tagged change, fake news, perception, social pressure, worldviews
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Fake News
We can’t have, like, willy-nilly proliferation of fake news. That’s crazy. You can’t have more types of fake news than real news. That’s allowing public deception to go unchecked. That’s crazy. Elon Musk (1) A few years ago, I heard … Continue reading
Apologies That Don’t Work
Apologies are supposed to restore social relations. To repair the damage of an insult. To acknowledge that you’ve fallen short of what you promised. To acknowledge a wrong that you did or were part of, and start repairing the damage. … Continue reading
The Relaxation Response
We are not at the mercy of the Stress Response. Our system is designed for balance, for homeostasis. The Stress Response is designed to help us deal with all the challenges we face. The Relaxation Response is designed to get … Continue reading
GAS and Coping
The General Adaptation Syndrome Dr. Hans H.B. Selye, MD did a lot of the ground-breaking studies of stress. Dr. Selye described a three-stage response to stress which he called the General Adaptation Syndrome, or GAS for short.(1) Its stages are: … Continue reading
Posted in Language, Stress
Tagged adrenaline, appraisal, coping, cortisol, language, stress
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The Stress Response
The Stress Response is that set of physiological processes engaged when we face a challenging stimulus — a stressor. The Stress Response is commonly known as the Fight-or-Flight Response.(1) The stress hormones that are released energize your body to deal … Continue reading
Stress: Fight-Flight-Freeze
Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it. (1) Jane Wagner has a point. Stress. Hans Selye (2) described stress as “the wear and tear of everyday life”. It’s something we all know about. The … Continue reading
Poly Vague – Huh?
Polyvagal. As in Polyvagal Theory. A ground-breaking theory that has many practical applications. First published in 1994 by Dr. Stephen Porges, the Polyvagal Theory has major implications for how people feel safe, for social behaviour, and for emotional regulation. (1) (2) … Continue reading
Posted in Brain Works, Current Events
Tagged Covid-19, fight-or-flight, fight-or-flight-or-freeze, isolation, lockdown, polyvagal theory, safety
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New Year’s Resolutions Anyone?
Of all the thoughts swirling about in our heads at this time of year, the thought of making resolutions is enough to take the “Happy” out of “Happy New Year!” Might I suggest we think about New Year’s Resolutions a … Continue reading
Introduction to the Nervous System – Part 1
Our entire body is “wired”, so to speak. Every organ and muscle is connected to the brain. Our skin has many sensors that are connected to our brain. Our nervous system can be thought of as a communication system, with … Continue reading
What Is Hostile Language?
Hostile language is the hallmark of FistFull Language™. It stands out. The words stand out. The tone of voice stands out. And the body language stands out. Hostile language is highly personal. It’s you and I — or more accurately, … Continue reading
The Art of the Apology – Part 1
An apology is not about making yourself small or weak; it’s about restoring relationships. If you make yourself small or weak, this does not help the social group. If you restore the relationship, this helps the social group. There are … Continue reading
