You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to uncover clues that our country is going through difficult times.  Most recently, the unfolding drama on Wall Street looks like a scene from “Extreme Makeover” and does little to instill public, let alone investor, confidence in our financial and regulatory institutions.   Fuel prices, which skyrocketed over the summer, continue to create both pain and panic at the pump.  The cost of groceries is also rising at an alarming rate, making it more difficult... Read Full Story

I received a lot of inquiries over the last week from people who described some kind of existential angst or sincere concern about "midlife."  What, we may ask, is "midlife" and why should we even be concerned about it?  If I ask you to tell me the first word that comes to mind when I say "midlife," what would you say?  More often than not, the word "crisis" would pop up as being most closely associated with the word "midlife."  And when we describe people who appear to be experiencing a... Read Full Story

Here is a link for the trailer to the movie, "The Lazarus Project" (the title was changed from "The Heaven Project") that requested to use Prisoners of Our Thoughts as featured set dressing and in which the theme of being "prisoners of our thoughts" takes on new meaning: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3693805593/ Alex Pattakos, Ph.D., is author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work.  For more information, please visit... Read Full Story

As an "expert" on Peoplejam, a self-improvement web site, I conducted an interview at the Peoplejam offices in Santa Monica, California, on the topic of my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, and my meaning-centered perspective on life and work with one of Peoplejam's co-founders, Robert Tercek.  This interview has been edited into a series of video clips or segments, seven of which are now posted under the name of "Dr. Alex Pattakos" on YouTube. Here are the respective, hyperlinked... Read Full Story

We have the Baron Pierre de Coubertin to thank for bringing back the ideals of Olympism and for giving us the chance to experience one of the most universally recognized events and symbols of peace in the world. As we experience the final week of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, it seems important to remember the meaning behind them described in the fundamental principles in the Olympic Charter. "Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the... Read Full Story

Running daily for the entire month of August 2008, Dr. Alex Pattakos is being featured as the first "Author of the Month" on Basil & Spice, www.BasilAndSpice.com, the #1 Site for Syndicated Author & Book Views on a Healthy Life.  Basil & Spice has been named one of the Top 100 Blogs at BlogBurst, is an Official Google News Source, and received the "Excellent Award" from fellow bloggers, Whole Food & More.  During the month of June 2008, just Fox News views of Basil & Spice content boasted 2... Read Full Story

Welcome again to the PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS conversation series. In this 2008 review, so far we have explored three of Viktor Frankl’s core principles: ---- Exercise the Freedom to Choose Your Attitude ---- Realize Your Will to Meaning ---- Detect the Meaning of Life’s Moments If you missed these posts, I invite you to review them and add your thoughts!  I think you will benefit from the review as we move on to the fourth principle. PRINCIPLE 4: --- Don’t work against yourself Avoid... Read Full Story

A close friend of mine, Jeff Pasternak, who is a songwriter, artist, and son of legendary Hollywood film producer Joe Pasternak, just released his new music CD, Double Cover. I'm both honored and humbled to say that Track #3 on this CD is a song ("Brave Heart") that was inspired by my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts! The story behind this song reveals Jeff's inner struggle with "doubt" and demonstrates how he was able to overcome being a "prisoner of his own thoughts." Both the lyrics and... Read Full Story

Welcome to the PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS conversation series.  I'm glad to "see" you if this is your first visit --- and I welcome you back if you have been here before. We have already worked on the first two of Viktor Frankl’s meaning-centered principles, Exercise the Freedom to Choose Your Attitude and Realize Your Will to Meaning, that I introduce in my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts.  If you missed these posts, please take the time to review them.  I think you will benefit from the... Read Full Story

Although a lot of attention has been focused on the relationship between Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama, including the presumed influence that Wright may have had (and may still have) on Obama’s values and orientation, I must say that I’m more concerned about the influence that the “First Lady” in waiting, Michelle Obama, may have on her husband. Let’s face it: Mrs. Obama doesn’t appear to be a happy camper!  She always seems angry and disillusioned... Read Full Story