What I’ve been reading:
"Positive Disintegration" by Kazimierz Dąbrowski
In one of this year’s first Existential Espressos, I shared that I’ve been reading "Personality-Shaping through Positive Disintegration" Dąbrowski.
Dąbrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration proposes that psychological tension, anxiety, and all other sorts of internal distress that we view as exclusively negative are necessary for growth and personality development. The theory suggests that individuals must experience times of inner conflict and psychological disintegration as a way to develop a stronger, more integrated personality. Why Dąbrowski’s is so interesting is because it challenges widely accepted ideas of what mental (and spiritual?) health looks like.
"Personality-Shaping through Positive Disintegration" was supposed to be a more practical guide to applying the principles of the Theory of Positive Disintegration. Although I was fascinated with Dabrowski’s ideas and believe that this perspective on personality development is much needed in our society today, I cannot say that his "more practical" of the two books was really that practical or suited for the general population. So, I decided that if that’s the case, I might as well read the original book where he lays out his theory in detail. "Positive Disintegration" gives a full breakdown of Dabrowski’s theory. As expected, it’s not really a practical book, but it’s not really a dry or difficult read either.
Interesting idea from the book:
There is a stage of personality development that Dabrowski calls "Multilevel Disintegration." This stage is characterized by increased self-awareness and introspection, which lead to a conflict between one's current behavior and higher-level ideals and values. This results in psychological distress as the individual struggles to reconcile their current self with the vision of their ideal self. However, it is through this struggle that individuals can begin to develop their own unique personality, separate from societal norms and expectations. And you know what’s most interesting about this stage of personality development? The way Dabrowski describes the psychological distress of Multilevel Disintegration is identical to what most people who believe something is wrong with them say when describing their inner experience.
What I’ve listened to:
Urge Surfing explanation by HealthyGamerGG on YouTube
I first heard Dr. Alok Kanojia (Dr. K) on the Modern Wisdom podcast a week ago. I wasn’t aware of his YouTube channel, HealthyGamerGG, before that.
This week’s listening section of Existential Espresso could be dedicated to that channel as a whole, as I found a ton of valuable information presented in an accessible way on it. So I highly recommend subscribing and browsing through the whole channel. But to give a specific recommendation, check out the video on urge surfing.
You can watch it here.
What I’ve been thinking about:
“When a person's entire being is stretched in the full functioning of body and mind, whatever one does becomes worth doing for its own sake; living becomes its own justification.” - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
You don’t need to be an artist, a scientist, or an athlete to have your entire being stretched on a daily basis and achieve a fulfilling life.
You need to learn how to engage in the day-to-day activities of your life, as well as stay curious and make way for new, more interesting activities to become a part of your daily routine.
Embrace the attitude of playfulness and reject the idea that “normal” life needs to be boring.
Thank you for reading.
Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.
Free Resources:
My free ebook: The Lost Art of Reading
Paid Resources:
The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency
The Gold Pill: Timeless Ideas for a Life Worth Living
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Growth Through Distress, Urge Surfing, and Stretching Your Being
Magnificent recommendations 🫡
Great read!