Mind Inclined

If you had asked Ralph Waldo Emerson, he would have told you he was a genius.  If he sounds like an arrogant guy, I should add that Emerson thought everyone was a genius — or, at least, could be. It's a tantalizing proposition, one that might have a lot of resonance today, nearly two centuries after Emerson presented it in his magnificent essay "Self-Reliance." Was he right?

I have been writing a lot about literature and history over the past few months.  This week, I'm reveling in my other true love: words.  If you enjoy this column, I invite you to check out "What's Your Favorite Word?" from the August 24, 2024, issue of Mind Travel .

Lewis and Clark were men on a mission — and not merely in the playful way we use the phrase today when we're heading to the camp store to pick up ingredients for s'mores. Subscribe to have these episodes sent directly to your email inbox! ⁠https://mindinclined.substack.com/

Subscribe to have these episodes sent directly to your email inbox! https://mindinclined.substack.com/

Whether you want to take on an epic journey or just run a successful staff meeting, you can learn something about preparation from Lewis and Clark.  Throughout the month of May, the anniversary of their launch in 1804, we will be looking at their expedition and takeaways we can use to be "Ready for Anything."  We begin this week with the importance of learning.

Let's explore how Frederick Douglass chose to focus on what he could control.

What would your neocortex do? Use your brain effectively to help you with difficult situations and people. Last week, we explored the value of "playing it out." This week, we continue in a similar vein, using physiology and Benjamin Franklin to guide us in using our brains effectively—particularly when facing difficult situations and people. Science on the amygdala: https://my.clevelandc...

Let's look at Franklin's instructive response to a petty annoyance.  In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin tells the story of getting into a pickle with his co-workers in a print shop when he was a young man.  He was expected to pay something called a " Bienvenu , or Sum for Drink."  Franklin had already paid it when he worked in one part of the printing house, but then he was...

The story goes that a woman posed a question to Benjamin Franklin after he left the Constitutional Convention of 1787.  “Well, Doctor," she asked, "what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"  Franklin's response has become famous: “A republic, if you can keep it." Franklin's words are worth remembering at a time of year when many of us have made New Year's resolut...

New Year's resolutions typically focus on a what, but you're likely to fail without a how — a method . This week, we continue getting "Better with Ben" as we examine the value that Franklin put on method.  I hope you can apply this idea to your New Year's resolutions.  By the way, I will have more to say about Franklin's insights into self-improvement in my free Zoom lecture on January 17 (Frankli...

What's the first thing you need before you change yourself for the better? Belief in yourself.

Words can be profoundly inspirational, leading individuals and whole nations to do great things, from changing themselves for the better to changing the course of history.

If we all strive to use positive language instead of negative language, I think we can not only lift spirits, but also guide conversations and actions to be constructive rather than destructive. #positivity #yes #diction #words #language #communication #communicationskills #communicationmatters #communicationmastery

Every day, we speak or write words , often dishing them out or dashing them off without thinking much about our choices. Let's give those choices more thought.

Frederick Douglass can serve as an inspiration as we strive to prepare and act in the new year.

New Year’s Day is still a month away, but it’s not too early to start thinking and acting to make the most of 2025. Literature can help. This week at Mind Inclined, we reflect on some of America’s great autobiographies and consider the question “If you wrote your autobiography, what would it say?”

If you’re going to change your life, why not start now? This guide provides strategies for achieving an elevating winter arc with a “locked-in” mindset. For more practical tips and inspiring thoughts to help you elevate yourself and your world, visit MindInclined.org , home of free resources such as Ring the Bell: A Podcast for a Better You and a Better World and the Mind Travel newsletter.

Let's get a head start on the New Year. Call it what you will—a “Winter Arc” challenge, an “Old Year’s Resolution,” or something else—making a commitment to some form of self-improvement before the New Year arrives is a smart way to increase your chance of success. For the rest of November and all of December, we will be featuring podcasts that can help you prepare to make the best of 2025. We sta...

In this reflection on my time in Paris recently, I discuss the history of literary cafes including notable writers (Hemingway, Sartre, etc.) who visited places like Les Deux Magots, Le Procope, and Closerie des Lilas.

I recently learned some lessons from ancient artists who painted the walls of Niaux Cave. What if we could just plunge into some artistic expression -- a story, a movie, a painting -- and feel it authentically? What if we could just . . . believe?

I invite you to listen to my recitation of “The Raven” before you listen to this episode. Listen to "The Raven" here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/markcanadaphd/episodes/The-Raven-recited-by-Mark-Canada-e2qd169

I invite you to listen to my recitation of “The Raven” before you listen to my final episode of “Poe-logue to Halloween.” I hope you enjoy learning about the genius and legacy of “The Raven.”

Poe seems to have made special use of his "right brain." Listen to this episode to hear the evidence and draw your own conclusions.

One of America's most influential authors, Poe not only inspired countless authors and artists, but also invented one of our most popular genres. If you want to dive deeper into Poe's life and literature, I invite you to attend a Zoom lecture at 7 p.m. (Eastern) on October 29 for a free live presentation, " Puzzling Poe: America's Dark Genius ." Learn more and register here: https://forms.gle/FaaG...

There's much more to Poe's work than meets the Evil Eye. Use these keys to unlock doors to Poe's meaning and effect. If you want to dive deeper into Poe's life and literature, I invite you to attend a Zoom lecture at 7 p.m. (Eastern) on October 29 for a free live presentation, "Puzzling Poe: America's Dark Genius." Learn more and register here: https://forms.gle/FaaGxNYipJjnFk256