Sometimes if I miss someone I will reach out to them by giving them a phone call. That sounds crazy, right? Talking to people on the phone for good conversation seems to be completely outdated as our world’s societal system of communication continues to develop at a faster rate. Therefore, it affects everything.

Texting is a cheap way of communicating, and it has slowly become a detriment towards the way humans interact with each other face to face. Typically now when we call someone, it is for favors, questions, demands, and for someone to get the door for the pizza guy.

No one uses doorbells either, and DVD players. What is a CD anyway?

Handwriting a letter seems like a complete fabled folklore now.

Here is something to munch on:

It would have been terrible to have been wealthy as a Roman, Egyptian, or Mongol because if you had a message to give to someone you would have to send a messenger to deliver it.

Yes, you would have a human being run all the way to another human being in order to communicate. That is if you could afford it.

 

 

The greatest example of this is the story of Pheidippides, one of Ancient Greek’s fastest messenger runners, who ran from the battle of Marathon to Athens in order to send the message that the Greek’s had defeated the Persians. After running 26 miles to send the message, he screamed “Nikki” (victory), and then died. Yes, that is the story of why the marathon got its name and why it is 26.2 miles long.

But after many advancements thanks to Samuel Morse, and Alexander Graham Bell, we could finally communicate virtually without using pidgeons or humans. Virtual-Voice-to-Voice communicative interactions between humans were then created and developed throughout the history of mankind.

Now, we don’t even like voice to voice contact now. Facetime, Skype, and many video platforms are now the norm to conversate with people, and I hope that this is the norm from now on. But those mediums are not being used as much as people email, text, and photo share.

But, whatever happened to phone calls?

My Mom says that I never call to talk and that I only call if there are problems or need something. Well, then I say, right back atchya, Mama. Just kidding.

Phone calls are now becoming sentimental, just like receiving a handwritten letter.

I had a friend call me a week or so ago and I hadn’t heard from him in a few years and we spoke for over an hour.

 

 

It simply made my day.

Occasionally, I’ll randomly call someone. But, I do not do it enough. The world is moving faster, and we simply do not have that kind of consideration for such an outdated concept.

Texting and other forms of communication are taking off not only in terms of efficiency but in technological advancements as well. Now, there is Facetime audio and it sounds way better than the reception on the phone. It is so hard to hear on the phone that it makes it so unbearable to talk. That is a downside, isn’t it?

If the world erased everyone’s phone numbers, and the means of communication through talking on the phone, we would all survive because there are now better, less awkward, and less social anxiety induced ways of communication.

Just like writing letters and postcards, talking on the phone is now replacing those as the symbol of sentimental communication. Due to the evolution of communication, I want to make an effort to call someone every month, no matter how long it has been that I have talked to them for.

Now, calling someone that you are out of touch with is terrifying, sort of like going up to the beautiful girl at the end of the bar and telling her that she is the most beautiful girl that you have ever seen right in front of her three girlfriends. The worst part is that it is over the phone. But, if there is a connection between both parties and if you have time to talk then it always makes a good time. It slows down daily life and brings new perspective catching up with someone that you haven’t heard from in a long time. Moreover, if I were to receive a handwritten letter from my childhood friend Jorge, whom I haven’t seen or heard from in 15 years, then it would make my day. But, in this day and age, a phone call would be just as meaningful.

Our lives are so fast-paced and talking on the phone disrupts that rhythm. Pick up the phone and call someone that you haven’t heard from in a long time. If I knew where I could get a hold of Jorge, then I’d call him right now. But, maybe Reuben in New York City would like to hear from me. So, I’ll give him a call this month.

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

If you want to support my writing and for me to be able to create more content you can make a donation to either of these links:

Venmo or Patreon

Here I present to you a four-part series where I share with you my journal from my travels. I travel a lot, so I thought I would start seriously blogging about it. Here we go! This is the third installment of this series. If you didn’t read part 1, click here for the link.  Also, here is the link to part 2 as well.

Day 3 of my trip was a lot more of a slow paced day. I always tend to have a manic explosion of excitement and exploring of a city on the first day. Mainly during day one, I walked the entirety of the city to see what I liked and disliked. I do this in order so that I can emphasize and focus on what I like doing on the next day. But, I had not explored Northwest Portland yet, which was a neighborhood full of singles, bars, and fun shops.

Full disclosure, Portland is not a popping party city. It is a cultural experience, full of counterculture, nature, breweries (150 of them), strip clubs, homeless people, hipsters and homeless hipsters. Even for the Trailblazers playoff games, none of the bars were packed. While walking the streets at night alone meant that I was alone. It was so quiet and empty that it was quite spooky. Whenever I saw someone on the streets, I had to put my guard up right away because if anything went down there would be no witnesses. Overall, despite subtle paranoias, I didn’t have to worry much about my safety.

Getting back on track, I was not really impressed with the scene in Northwest, Portland because there was simply not enough people to celebrate the beautiful day that they had. Maybe it is the Minneapolis in me that urns for packed rooftop bars, boat parties, and packed parks. I was really unimpressed with this neighborhood. Maybe it was bad timing. Afterall, I was there at one in the afternoon, so do not listen to my judgment on this too heavily.

Next, I proceeded to walk down to Tom Mcall Park, which is a huge park that hugs the riverside. Boy, there is something about being along the water that gives you a primitive comfort that is wired into our DNA as humans.

After this relaxing, spiritual, splendid experience along the riverside, I decided to go brewery hopping. This plan lasted for about an hour as the only brewery that I went to was the Rock Bottom Brewery. It was a really nice brewery with a big space, but it wasn’t packed with people hanging from the rafters. Food was excellent, beer was delicious, and service was terrible. As a former bartender, I’d get you menued, greeted, water, and your drink almost immediately. One brewery had 8 bartenders behind the bar and it took me 20 minutes to get a drink while I was seated at the bar. Every brewery that I went to in Portland was clueless in terms of service. Seriously, how does it take 10 minutes on average per bar to get a drink when the place isn’t even packed?

Anway, I got a phone call from this guy named Isaak of whom I met the day before when I was getting some writing done at Starbucks. This guy is a barista and a musician who is native to Portland. Isaak took me around nature filled parts of Portland, introduced me to some other natives, and he also took me to his house on the Northwest outskirts of Portland.

As we overlooked the river looking into the city, there were boats traveling off the river into the sunset, and we broke out musical instruments and we started to jam along with his roommates. One of them asked me if I wanted to audition as a drummer for his band. Having played drums 3-5 times before in my past, I said yes. Why not? Say “yes” to new experiences, right?

Now I can say that I jammed in Portland with local musicians and auditioned for a local band. How cool is that?

Life is about energy, being Epicurious, and becoming so epistemic. I thirst for knowledge, life experiences, and the subtle interactions towards the intangibles that we fail to see every day. This is why we are all encouraged to travel. I have found my style of adventuring, and you may have yours, but it is important to remember as we manifest our way through the world that we need to have an open mind when we are on the road. The only thing that you really need to pack in your bag is a good attitude and a sense of humor, which is a great recipe for a good time.

Life is too long to live on one song, so let’s burn like a beacon, and then we will be gone.

Stay tuned for the last part of my journal from my trip, for I have a formula for finding adventure, that you all should really learn about.

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

If you want to support my writing and for me to be able to create more content you can make a donation to either of these links:

Venmo or Patreon

Therapists are amazing. Whether it is online therapy or face to face therapy, it is just so important to talk to someone who is professionally trained to listen to your thoughts. Mental health disorder or not, having professional help for life consultation is extremely helpful for the mind and soul.

A lot of people say, “I can tell my mom anything”. Well, no you can’t. Could you muster up the courage to tell your mother about anything seriously disturbing? I don’t really think so. You see, this is why therapists are so important to today’s society where the human brain is now developing at a higher rate than it was 100 years ago.

I see a therapist once a week, and maybe sometimes twice a week. I have been seeing her for close to four years, and she has been a major part of my success towards handling my mental health.

Seeing someone on a weekly basis makes you slow down and recollect your thoughts that you cannot share with others. A lot of people live monotonous lives and need that release from a platform where you can just be yourself. I highly recommend seeing a therapist on a set day of the week and then occasionally seeing that person on another day during that week. This is due to the fact that you are a different person on a Saturday afternoon than you are on an early Monday morning. This way, your therapists can see different sides of you.

I have seen my therapist hungover, on no sleep, drunk, after I smoked some green beans, and basically under any sort of mindset. You name it. I have done this so that she can learn every single little facet of my brain activity. But, this was all by coincidence but the outcome was very productive, as she knows me under all states of mind.

Since I have major trust issues with women, I got a therapist who is a woman. This has really helped me develop trust for the opposite sex in the last four years. She has tracked my cycles, mood swings, and has helped me talk through solving all of my problems. If you are a woman who has trust issues with men, then get a therapist who is a man. That is my two cents on that subject matter. So, take from that and apply it to what your situation is in order to find the right therapist.

There is a misconceived notion that therapists give input and advice due to pop culture’s portrayal of therapists. In Silver Linings Playbook, the therapist is constantly giving Patrick advice. The reality of therapy is that you are being observed versus being advised. When I am in therapy, I talk for about 90% of the time. Five percent of her time is devoted towards interacting with me, two percent is for connecting, and the other two percent is asking questions, and the last percent is about getting feedback and advice. Whereas, the flip side of the coin is that 90% of the time she listens.

My therapist lets me talk the entire time. I always hit a point where I say, “Are there any questions, concerns, thoughts, and advice that you want to bring up”. That is one percent of my therapy sessions. This is the reality of therapy.

I am blessed to be able to afford a therapist. But, there are other options like online therapy. An amazing resource to have your questions answered about therapy and how to begin is an online platform for people to find aid is called BetterHelp.com.

Click this link right here for more information: https://www.betterhelp.com/start/

Personally, I have many friends who have had great experiences with online therapy. It is easier on your wallet and you can schedule your sessions more conveniently than most other therapists that you see in person.

Most importantly, it is crucial that you are able to trust your therapist. People give up on therapy very easily because we have this idea that they are supposed to fix us. Remember, the only person who can do that is you. These are trained professionals who are there for guidance and support.

Therefore, when you are starting out with your therapist, make sure to give them a chance for a month or two. It is imperative to be patient and to have a good attitude and open mind. If they aren’t working out for you, shop around for another one and start the process all over again. Remember, this is your mental health or personal life issues that you are trying to solve.

Therapy is an investment towards an overall better life, to understand yourself, other people, how the world works, and to create major coping and problem-solving skills to make life a better experience.

Life is a process, and if no one is listening to you then it makes the process very difficult. This is why we should talk to someone who makes everything focused on issues that are about you because we all have a voice that needs to be heard.

You cannot get that from your best friend or your mother.

If you would like to learn more about dealing with mental health, life problems, and finding resources for help, I am willing to help you so feel free to email me at d.zosel27@gmail.com.

Be sure to check out my book about my journey with prescription medication for Bipolar Disorder as well on Amazon. Click this link here to purchase.

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

If you want to support my writing and for me to be able to create more content you can make a donation to either of these links:

Venmo or Patreon

It is very important to understand yourself when you have a mental health disorder. As I have been working very hard on balancing my moods for Bipolar I disorder, I have discovered how to get back to equilibrium to finding balance in my mood.
This morning I woke up very manic, I can generally tell when this is happening when I am going to the bathroom a lot, which is due to the high manic stress levels, and most importantly how sleep affects it. When I go to bed at 3 am and then wake up at 6 am while being completely wired, I know that the following steps are needed to be done by me in order to have a good day.

This is only effective if you know yourself well enough to foresee your manic cycle that is about to happen. If you follow these steps then you are taking the right procedures to stopping a manic episode from happening. Moreover, if you are not bipolar, everyone experiences manic symptoms so this can really help anyone in general.

First things first, I wake up and drink a big glass of water. Mania tends to make us forget to eat or drink. Eat the smallest breakfast possible so that you have something in your stomach. When you are manic, you want everything done right away so that is why it is hard to eat.

For me, it is peanut butter toast and one cup of coffee. Afterward, take your prescribed medication if you are prescribed anything.

Since your brain is spinning at an insurmountable rat, it is vital that you are able to slow it down. Reading and writing really help me heal, but a very simple thing that you can do is to read the newspaper or the news on the phone. Reading helps your mind slow down and since it keeps you at the moment, the delusions of mania will nullify itself.

Going to the bathroom often is a major thing with bipolar mania. Make sure to eat a lot of fiber and to eat foods with probiotics. Try to take probiotics at 50 billion strands because it helps settle your stomach, boosts your immune system, and severely lowers your manic stress level. Overall, it helps your mood a lot, making you feel better and in more control. If your stomach is controlled, so will your thoughts. If you have a rumbling stomach that is confused on what it is going, it will seriously induce mania. This is why it is so imperative to incorporate probiotics into your diet.

Contain yourself because if you stay within yourself, your mind will start to come down. There are two forms of containment. The first being physical containment, where you do not leave the house, drive your car or have any contact with anyone. Stay in your house and focus yourself or on something that you are passionate about. For me, I remodeled my kitchen and shot a feature-length film once. Then there is emotional containment where you are out in public and are interacting with people. These people should only be trusting people within your circles that understand you. This will bring you comfort and it is important to never talk about yourself. It is important to listen to others and how their day is going because no one cares about your manic self. This makes you stop and focus on one thing, and that is being in the moment with the other person, rather than being delusionally narcissistic about your manic plan to take over the world.

Containment is key. But, tread cautiously because if you overdo it then you can really go berzerk.

Last, put on your headphones and go for a walk while listening to your favorite artist. Sometimes I walk over five miles, and with that, there comes exercise. So, you can kill two birds with one stone. Exercise is vital, therapeutic, and very good for the chemical imbalances that are going on in your brain.

There you go! This is a quick fix in taking care of your subtle hypomanic episode to prevent a bigger manic episode. If you follow these small guidelines then you should be able to take on the world with a clear mind.

This right here is a small sample size of things that I do to combat mania. If you would like to learn more about dealing with Bipolar Disorder, I am willing to help you so feel free to email me at d.zosel27@gmail.com.

Be sure to checkout my book about my journey with prescription medication for Bipolar Disorder as well on Amazon. Click this link here to purchase.

 

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

If you want to support my writing and for me to be able to create more content you can make a donation to either of these links:

Venmo or Patreon

Here I present to you a four-part series where I share with you my journal from my travels. I travel a lot, so I thought I would start seriously blogging about it. Here we go! This is the second installment of this series. If you didn’t read part 1, click here for the link. 

Changing lanes, my homecoming to the west coast was over. It was on to Day Two.

Being in Portland, I walked along the Pearl Neighborhood along this famous strip called Alberta where I was staying. Here is what I saw to sum this up, if you have seen Portlandia, that is an unrealistic depiction of what Portland is. My first real glances of Portland was in a major tourist area. Shops, dives, bars, coffee shops, dispensaries, and food trucks. This is the food truck capital of the world. There are so many food truck areas all over this city, as well as homeless people, strip clubs, and of course, there were plenty of hipsters.

The hipster scene is so very different than the one in Minneapolis. But, that is a whole other set of articles that I can write. In a nutshell, Austin, Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and Portland are the hipster meccas of the US, and all of them are different in distinct ways. In Brooklyn, there are a lot of hardcore hipsters that devote their time to making a living in an alternative lifestyle through their artistic/entrepreneurial medium. There is a major split there between trust fund hipsters and grungy surviving artist hipsters that congregate for a great scene. Minneapolis is much very like this, but on way smaller scale because we are the Minnie Apple. Hipsters in Minneapolis wear nicer designer hipster clothing, glasses, have the nicest Apple computers, cameras, and have cool trust fund kid jobs like sitting in coffee shops doing graphic design and going to shows at night. This is not a generalization because this is just what I see in the world. Although I have not been to Austin yet in my 20’s, I saw that Portland was a gathering of misfit hipsters who possibly failed at being a hipster. The culture in Portland is very alternative, grungy, dirt baggie, and it is awesome. This is quite inspirational because very many people walk the line in society, wanting or needing certain material items. It was awesome to the point of enlightenment because it brought a lot of perspectives that I had never had before. Moreover, the biggest difference between cultures is that Portland had a lot of homeless people, and a lot of them were hipsters who were avoiding many societal norms.

Moving on,

then I walked all the way to the Moda Center and explored that area, which wasn’t anything to write about. Therefore, I will not write about it. Next, I hopped on a train for free, cause I didn’t pay. I had 280 dollars left in cash for my trip. This train took me to Chinatown because I wanted to go to a brewery, but when I saw it was Chinatown, it was in my DNA that I had to explore. As I wandered more in this neighborhood, I ran into Voodoo Doughnuts, on the way to some pho at a place called Pho TNT. The pho, well it was dynamite. Comfort food is the way to go in a different city on your first day. Then I met some 420 festival goers, and a beautiful girl and her dope boyfriend that gave me two extra tickets that they had to this Tipper concert. I had no idea what it was, so I just said yes to this situation.

Keeping an open mind and saying yes to new situations always makes a great adventure.

The show was an amazingly artistic spiritual, uplifting experience. Probably one of the best in my life. But, more on this later.

 

 

Then after getting the tickets, I went to Deschutes
Brewery and I talked to an 80-year-old man for about an hour at the bar. When eventually two random girls separately sat at the bar to the left of me. Then once the three of us all engaged conversation with each other, I ditched the old man, and it was like he was never there.

Sorry, but people my age doing travel and work stuff sounds way more fascinating than talking about WWII. Just kidding, he was a cool dude. But yeah, that is what he talked about most of the time. But, I got a lot of good intel about the city of Portland while I spoke with him. That is why it is key to talk with every local that you meet in order to get the lay of the landscape.

So back to the girls.

One of the girls was from Minneapolis, so that ignited the aura for all three of us to become best friends for the next two hours.

Turns out Brianna is a local Minneapolite musician and lives in my neighborhood. She just released a new album, and I got to go to her release party at Ice House after my trip was over. The show was fantastic and you should definitely check out her new album, which is here under this link.

Changing lanes,

the girl from Vancouver that I met was hungry so we scavenged the city for a food truck tent. On the way there I bought a funky shirt.

There could have been 35 food trucks in this parking lot? It was really cool because of the sedative sensory overload that it gave me. They had food from all over the world, yet I couldn’t find any ice cream.

All I wanted was some ice cream.

She later drove me back to my friend’s house. How nice was that and how awesome that her name is Spencer? I know a girl named Spencer, and you probably don’t so be jealous.

When times are tough, I always remind myself that my life is awesome because I have a diverse set of friends and most importantly a friend named Spencer who is an online auctioneer from Vancouver. If you can match that then you are probably cooler than me.

When I got home I told my friend Shepard that I had two free tickets to a show at the famous Arlene Schnitzer Hall. Then we went later that night, and it was one of the most influential artistic and spiritual experiences that I had ever had. Tipper was amazing, and at the craziest part of his show, while everyone was sitting down and chatting, I stood up. Then everyone cheered and others joined me. The whole theatre stood up. It is crazy what a small inkling like that can do. A small chain reaction happened and I got to control a few thousand people for two minutes by getting them to stand up during an amazing show.

Later that night Shepard and I got on a bus and went for a ride. It was beautiful, we got to see the whole city on a bus by ourselves. The best part was that this bus took us directly to Shepard’s house.

In your travels, it is better to remember the positive experiences rather than the dwelling on the hassles. For instance, I lost my charging cord twice during my trip. It was very frustrating and untimely but, I still had to move on. If I would have dwelled on this, which is something that I am known for, then my trip would have been a bad experience. Charging cords are not cheap.

Moreover, when everyone stood up with me during the show, it always makes me forget that I spent 60 extra dollars on charging cords. Now, who cares! I now have extra cords, and positive thinking trumps everything.

Getting back on track, Shepard and I embarked on a nightly journey riding the bus back from Arlene Schnitzer Hall all the way back to the Alberta strip. The ride was a straight shot, and most importantly it was a beautiful 45-minute tour of the city. The bus driver was amazing, giving us intel about the sites and scenes of the city. He let us ride the bus for free because we were good company and seemed like lost puppies to the city. After we got off, he gave us two free bus passes for the next day.

Isn’t an adventure amazing when you mix in meeting great people like that? Having an open mind is a very hard thing to master, but once you do, then the possibilities of life are sort of endless.

Stay tuned for the other two parts of my journal from my trip, for I have a formula for finding adventure, that you all should really learn about.

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

If you want to support my writing and for me to be able to create more content you can make a donation to either of these links:

Venmo or Patreon

After a separation, things change. Either for the better or for the worst, the transition period is still very difficult. Being away from your ex and on your own is a very emotional experience, regardless of what the stipulations of the break up are. Everyone is different, but for some, it is hard to get over someone, and for others the transition period is difficult. Last, we all want to come out of these times becoming a better version of ourselves, or at least we should have that mentality. This separation time and anxiety can last one hour to one month, maybe a year. I want to write more about relationships, as I have been heartsick my entire life. Here are some effective methods that I have discovered that can shorten that transition period that will set you up for a triumphant success, further becoming your best self.

1. Re-connect with old friends.
While in relationships, we tend to be more stuck on each other and in a lot of cases we forget to stay in touch with our closest friends. This is a major exception for “ghosting”. Moreover, make more time for friends, and rebuild a positive community of people around your life.

2. Exercise.
Running, lifting, physical activities, and competition releases powerful endorphins in your brain that relieve stress, anger, anxiety, and is good for your overall mental health. When separated from your ex, make it a goal to go to the gym 12 times a month.

3. Do different things.
Monotony is a bad habit that we can fall into, especially during a longterm relationship. We either stay in this routine or forget to do so because we are very depressed. Staying in a monotonous routine can easily reignite sensory signatures in your brain that reminds you of your ex-partner. Create a strategy and start a new lifestyle that will excite you. Here is one of my previous articles that expands more on this topic. 

4. Go on an adventure.
This is one of my favorite ones to do after a breakup because the sky is the limit on this. You can find something fun to do at home or abroad. Vacation is vital in our lives. It gives us something to look forward to and is also perception changing because of all of the adventure that it ensues.

5. Change your routine geared towards chores and errands.
Seriously, if you aren’t doing the dishes and taking out the trash, or incorporating more productive things into your daily routine then there is no way you can have the satisfaction of those small victories.

6. Go and hit on someone as a confidence boost.
When you are ready and the time is right based on your own judgment, go and put yourself out there again so that you can take those tiny baby steps of moving on. Who cares if you fall on your face. As for me, I always do this with someone out of my league because it helps me get over a lot of fear in my life.

7. Treat yourself (one time only pass).
This method can be abused so play this card wisely. Give yourself a one time pass, and purchase something that you have always wanted that you know will make you happier. Limit yourself to a budget and to one thing. Usually, I purchase a pair of Air Jordan’s because wearing them makes me feel like an absolute baller.

8. Dress better.
That is right, you’re new on the market. So, it only makes sense to impress by the way you dress.

9. Start a passion project (I write).
Since there is a void in your life, you need to fill it fast. That is why it is so effective to substitute that with something that you will always love and be there for you. No, not pizza. For instance, nothing can stop me from writing. This is a period where I am the most productive and I write close to 5,000 words a day. After my biggest breakup, I wrote 31 blog posts about movies in one month.

10. Do not try to have sex with someone right away.
Use this time to work on yourself. We all need to heal. Once you are ready, it will be right. If you go and do this right away, there is really nothing good that will come out of it. It only will make you feel worse and unveil your greatest insecurities.

These ten things that I have discovered, need to be accomplished in the first 14 days of being single. If you do not act on this, then your suffering of the heartbreak will be worse. After you do this method during the first two week period, you will feel a lot better and it may cure you right away of that broken heart. Overall this will set you up for success in becoming the best you.

Resilience, that is the key.

If you are having troubles with your marriage, partner, or with your relationship and want to find a fix, visit https://www.regain.us/advice/therapist/ for the best relationship counseling and advice. 

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

If you want to support my writing and for me to be able to create more content you can make a donation to either of these links:

Venmo or Patreon