The Huffington Post Inner Life
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Realtime conversations about
Inner Life
matthewchorne
Conflict requires two willing participants. A perfect oneness with yourself centered in an inner knowing properly aligns everything in life.
- matthewchorne about 4 hours ago
xnera
@feliciaday I feel like I need to do some leveling up in real life, too. Guess I have an inner Zaboo. I am now disturbed. (loved the ep!)
- xnera about 19 hours ago
AMDGomer
Theology of the Body: what my human body tells me about God's love, creation, life, sin, hope, grace and the inner dynamism of the Trinity.
- AMDGomer about 20 hours ago
melligans
Lunch with Alisha. I sometimes forget that people are important, and the Inner Life can be awfully lonely and sad.
- melligans about 633 days ago
bondooroo
♪ Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Inner Life feat. Jocelyn Brown - The Definitive Salsoul Mixes '78 - '83 -
- bondooroo about 788 days ago

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The Importance Of Taming Your "Inner Brat"



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- mandycat See Profile I'm a Fan of mandycat permalink

I'm not quite sure why expecting efficiency and competence from others is brattish. I'm constantly appalled at the inefficiency and incompetence of the businesses I deal with and every year it gets worse. My first job was for an insurance agency. It entailed typing on an IBM Selectric and churning out newsletters on what was known as a "ditto machine." (If I tell you that I frequently went home with my clothes smeared with duplicating ink, that will give you an idea.) We processed insurance applications and claims within two weeks or had to explain to management what went wrong.

I just completed a very simple and low-dollar insurance transaction with Aetna that began in early July and was only completed on November 18th, after many fruitless phone calls. And then I had to call them one more time on December 2nd to find out that the request was approved. We did better in 1965 with a tool set that was slightly more sophisticated than quill pens and parchment scrolls.

    Reply    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:43 AM on 12/03/2008
- New Alex Pattakos - Huffpost Blogger I'm a Fan of Alex Pattakos permalink

First, let me thank you for your comment. Now, I suggest that you re-read my post and pay particular attention to what I said about "expectations" in their entirety and context. To be sure, having expectations about efficiency and competency does not necessarily translate into "bratty" behaviors or stress. Moreover, such expectations can vary widely from person to person, situation to situation. Relatively-speaking (no pun intended), for instance, what one parent may view as "appropriate" child behavior may be cause for calling "Nanny 911" by another! In any case, we need to look carefully at both stimulus and response, as well as at the implications of the behaviors observed. To the extent that our expectations result in or contribute to dysfunctionality (another relative term) to ourselves and/or in relation to others, I'm suggesting that there are alternative paths to follow that will better serve our (and others) highest good.

Simply put, consciousness can be viewed as a relationship between the "observed" and the "observer." We can "shift" our consciousness by changing the observed (usually a difficult, if not impossible, task) and/or by changing the observer--ourselves! So while you may not be able to "change" how Aetna conducts its business, you are free to change your attitude about your job, seek to change your position within the company, or quit and find other employment! Whatever you may choose to do or not do, the capacity to shift your "consciousness" is within reach AND within you!

    Reply    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:11 PM on 12/03/2008

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