"Craft over status; art over praise." Mike Slavin, HEx Dialogues #6 The core HighExistence team members, Mike Slavin, Eric Brown, and Jon Brooks are back with another roundtable discussion. Lockdown restrictions are easing and it's time to reflect on all the craziness that's been happening in the months prior. Four topics that seemed to interlinked during this prolonged period of social isolation are placed, flow, social skills, and depression. Play is a vital form of expression that helps one keep their sanity, enter into flow state, ward off depression, and bond with others. Social skills are just that, "skills" and the worsen when we are not practicing them. When we are out of practice we struggle to flow and we lack a childlike playfulness. Flow is when the challenge perfectly matches the skill level, and this state is vital for good mental health. Depression has many causes, one of the most common being a build up of stress that overwhelms the system. Such stress can be relieved by play, flow, and social relationships. In this discussion, the team explores the intersection of these topics to spark new ideas and provide guidance on how to make sense of the world. WHAT WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: The impact of coming out of the Covid lockdown The idea of the upward vs. downward spiral The medicinal power of video games How to use emotional reward to increase productivity How competition can increase bonding The fact that being alive is worth a celebration The Stoic approach to being successful The secret to being a great friend How to handle neediness and rejection TONS MORE...