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Post 1704, Day 218 of 2016
- 2,044 days since I started this blog -
Diet Comment
Liquid Intake
- 2,044 days since I started this blog -
Daily Comment
I read something profound. I mentioned it in a note.
The receiver of my note didn't think it was profound. He found it stupid and useless.
What was it? "Don't believe what you think."
The negative statement of, "Just because you think it doesn't make it true."
That's something I believe, but of course, that doesn't make it right. But it resonates strongly with me, and I believe, rather than just some fortune-cookie phrase, it has practical value.
When we speak, when we act, when we think, when we have an emotion, and we check the source, it is all about our thoughts, and our thoughts, while they may be rational, aren't always based in fact or even experience/empirical reasoning.
Some thoughts are based on emotion. Some thoughts are based on things we know, that may not, themselves, be based on truth or facts. We have a lot of data in our heads, not all of which got there from reliable sources. Add in confirmation bias, and our thoughts are not reliable.
You can never be certain. Therefore, I have altered my behavior in a few significant ways:
First, I try not to make anything sound like it is absolute - I preface and qualify statements I make with, "I believe..." or, "In my experience..." or, most accurately, "It seems to me..." so that people don't have to assume anything about the statement that follows.
Second, I am ready to process new information, to re-think a stance or a belief or an accepted 'fact'.
It's like being a 'Fair Witness', which I think is admirable.
The receiver of my note didn't think it was profound. He found it stupid and useless.
What was it? "Don't believe what you think."
The negative statement of, "Just because you think it doesn't make it true."
That's something I believe, but of course, that doesn't make it right. But it resonates strongly with me, and I believe, rather than just some fortune-cookie phrase, it has practical value.
When we speak, when we act, when we think, when we have an emotion, and we check the source, it is all about our thoughts, and our thoughts, while they may be rational, aren't always based in fact or even experience/empirical reasoning.
Some thoughts are based on emotion. Some thoughts are based on things we know, that may not, themselves, be based on truth or facts. We have a lot of data in our heads, not all of which got there from reliable sources. Add in confirmation bias, and our thoughts are not reliable.
You can never be certain. Therefore, I have altered my behavior in a few significant ways:
First, I try not to make anything sound like it is absolute - I preface and qualify statements I make with, "I believe..." or, "In my experience..." or, most accurately, "It seems to me..." so that people don't have to assume anything about the statement that follows.
Second, I am ready to process new information, to re-think a stance or a belief or an accepted 'fact'.
It's like being a 'Fair Witness', which I think is admirable.
Food and Diet
Today's Weight: 201.6 lbs.
Previous Weight (8/4): 200.8 lbs.
Net Loss/Gain: + 0.8 lbs.
Diet Comment
Two in a row. Ooof! And bad behavior today, leading into the weekend. I have no expectations for Monday now.
Food Log
Breakfast
1:20pm:
 |
| Cauliflower and sauteed greens with scrambled eggs, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and Dal Tadka (lentil curry). |
Lunch
6:00pm: Cottage cheese, almonds, and a Quest bar.
Snack
9:00pm: A quart of Bittersweet Sinphony ice cream.
Dinner
1:00am: Pepperoni and cole slaw.
Espressos: 1; Coffee: 0 oz.; Tea: 16 oz.; Water: 98+ oz.
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and, even worse, people seem to believe what they feel
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