Tag: Psychology
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The Shovel and the Sword: A Jobsite Story About Grit, Labor, and Respect
Part 1: The Shovel — When the Day Starts With a Grudge I showed up on the jobsite for the umpteenth day in West Denver — same foundation we’ve been prepping for over a month. It’s hot. The work is back-breaking. The gravel is heavy, and my entire body is still sore from yesterday. I…
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Why Life Is Like Concrete: The Power of Patience, Effort, and Rebuilding
I was sitting at my desk this morning thinking of all the ways that concrete correlates with life. It might seem like a nonsensical analogy, but once analyzed a little bit deeper one realizes that concrete can be a powerful metaphor for life in several ways, as it’s a material that represents strength, resilience, and…
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The Impact of Infrastructure on Daily Life: A Personal Journey
I live in Denver, Colorado, one of several major cities in the United States. I drive my car about 50 miles every day for work and I’ve always been a little bit irritated by the strict enforcement of traffic laws and street ordinances in the city. It all seems authoritarian, and the frustration doesn’t stop…
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Finding Middle Ground: Action and Reflection
Are you a “doer,” or are you a thinker? What is the value in each of these dispositions? And does leaning too heavily in one direction necessarily present drawbacks or weaknesses in the other? Is it possible to be somewhere in the middle, or to have qualities that attribute both to being reflective and action…
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Exploring the Meaning of Genesis 3:17-19: Condemnation to Work and the Power of Choice
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake;In toil you shall eat of itAll the days of your life.Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,And you…
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Finding Opportunity in Adversity: A Personal Journey
It was dreadfully cold in December as I stepped down into the snow covered trench and started to dig. Every muscle in my body was sore and it was difficult to move. Condensation freezes on the handles of all the work tools. When you use them, from the heat of your body, the ice melts…
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The Quest for Meaning: Embracing Life’s Purpose in Work and Daily Life
In the labyrinth of human existence, the search for meaning often stands as a profound, yet elusive quest. Whether in moments of intensive labor or amidst life’s tumultuous challenges, the question of finding sufficient meaning resonates with all of us. In today’s blog we’re going to talk about finding the meaning in our day to…
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ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD: REDEFINING BELIEFS AND IDENTITY
What happens when everything changes? What happens when connections are severed to the things we used to know? If the connection was with your favorite pair of shoes that were destroyed on a camping trip, well…there may be some frustration and dismay proportionate to the time and energy spent on finding those exact shoes in…