18 New Stories To Help, Inspire, and Entertain You (February 2024)
18 New Stories To Help, Inspire, and Entertain You (February 2024)
How to be present, overcome fear, take risks, control your mind, never be lonely, choose never to be a victim, love and move on, and about eternal life in non-corporeal form, and even Atlantis.
“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” - Marcus Aurelius
Here’s a list of all the articles we cover in this newsletter:
STOP! You Don’t Need to Have an Opinion - You Can't Save Everyone
Ascending Into Digital Form: What Is It Like To Have No Body? (Interdimensional Talks -Episode 6)
The Mystery of the Lost City of Atlantis Finally Solved The lost city of Atlantis was finally found. (Interdimensional Talks - Episode 5)
Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and get to reading.
*Links to full articles are in the titles of the stories themselves.
We start this list with a critical lesson - how to ground yourself in the present moment when your emotions and thoughts are running rampant.
Anxious or Depressed? Lock Yourself in Time!
There are very few things that stop anxiety or depression as quickly as cementing yourself in the present moment. While living in the present is quite a challenge, some shortcuts can help us immensely when we suffer.
One such shortcut is a simple visualization. When I feel overwhelmed, it instantly grounds me in the present moment.
The time-resistant submarine visualization
Imagine yourself in a giant metal submarine. You’re standing in the middle compartment, with metal doors in front of and behind you. But they’re no ordinary doors. Oh no, they’re bulkheads- waterproof and airtight. You can see those red wheels, also known as a "dogging" mechanism. Once those are locked, nothing gets in or out! You’re completely sealed.
In our visualization, the doors in front of you lead to tomorrow.
The doors behind you lead to yesterday.
The compartment you’re currently standing in is today.
When you feel anxiety or depression (or any other negative emotion that can be traced to thinking about the future or the past), take a few deep breaths and immerse yourself in this visualization. See yourself in the first person, occupying that middle compartment. You’re living in today and in that time-resistant submarine. Now close those hatches to what was and what might be!
"If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present." Eckhart Tolle
Who’s afraid of deep water? Me - or, at least, I was crippled by this somewhat irrational fear. Here’s how I got over it.
What Helped Me Overcome the Fear of Water?
Summary:
Spend time underwater in a way where you feel comfortable and in control.
Learn about buoyancy, breath-holding techniques, and the "corpse pose."
Panic is a killer. Always remain calm. In most cases, holding one’s breath can prevent drowning.
Practice makes perfect. Swim and float in controlled environments until you build your skills and confidence.
Face your fears. Ask a friend for help and start going deeper and deeper. Imagine the worst-case scenario to neutralize its impact on your emotions.
When I spent those endless minutes holding my breath underwater, observing the tranquility of sea life just under the surface, I began to like it. Spending time underwater was less scary and stressful than trying to stay above it. There was tranquility where there should have been turmoil. Regardless of the storm and waves at the surface, there is a perfect calm just a few feet below.
The next lesson is one we should all be reminding ourselves about more often.
Risk-Free Trades in Life You Have to Take
Humans have this weird tendency to desire, demand, and expect certainty in this world, which is inherently uncertain and ever-changing. There is no certainty, and there are no guarantees, apart from taxes and death, as the saying goes. We must accept this fact of life and adapt our thinking around it.
We have to force ourselves to take opportunities, even if they don’t go our way. Risk-free opportunities don’t cost us anything or very little should we fail. But if they work out, the reward is well worth the risk, as they can change our lives.
There is no certainty in life. We need to learn to think in probabilities.
We want to take advantage of opportunities where we risk little to gain a lot.
The biggest risk is never taking any risk at all.
So, the next time you see someone you want to talk to or ask on a date, notice a job opportunity that makes you feel alive, or want to reach out despite a low probability of success, remind yourself that it’s a RISK-FREE TRADE. Take it, regardless of the outcome. It’s a chance you just can’t miss.
Yes, it can fail, but WHAT IF IT SUCCEEDS?
When you want something and the risk is merely the threat of emotional pain, you should take the bet, make an effort, and put yourself out there. In the worst case, you’ll feel bad for a while and lose some time. In the best case, your life will change forever! That's a trade worth taking, don’t you think?
Is being lonely a necessary part of being single or alone? The answer is no, and I will explain what loneliness is and what can help you alleviate it, regardless of your life circumstances.
The Art of Being Alone, But Never Lonely
Have you ever wondered what makes you feel lonely?
Is it simply being physically isolated and alone, without family and friends?
Is it a mental thing - thoughts causing feelings, regardless of outside circumstances?
Have you ever been lonely among people and felt completely fine when alone?
How you feel will always depend, first and foremost, on your mind and the thoughts you entertain.
While having people who love you and accept you for who you are is one of the most valuable things in this life, one relationship is even more important—the one you nurture with yourself.
Realize that the cause is always in the mind. You’re not lonely because you’re alone. You’re lonely because you think of thoughts of loneliness.
Once you see that you can control your mind and learn to observe it without engaging with your thoughts, inner stillness and associated feelings of contentment and bliss will be available to you anywhere, at any time.
When you learn to control your mind and use it to manipulate your emotions purposefully, you’re the one in control of how you feel! You’ll no longer need other people, substances, or distractions to manage your emotions.
Learning to love yourself and reprograming your mind to be kind instead of an abusive roommate will make everything much better. Being alone will no longer be suffering but pleasure.
You can’t expect other people to love and accept you unless you love and accept yourself first (and them). Once you are perfectly content and happy being by yourself, others will flock to you like bees on honey. When you’re lonely, you repel people. When you’re happy, you attract them.
Once you’re happy being alone, you won’t be anymore.
"The time you feel lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself." - Douglas Coupland
I focus on writing about the mind because, like so many others, I have found that it holds the key to everything. When your mind is a bully, your life will be hell.
Your Mind Is a Bully, But You Won’t Win by Fighting Back
When I was a kid, I was plagued by bullies. I spent most of my early years in fear of being shamed, beaten up, or worse. Somewhere along the way, I was pushed into a corner, and I just couldn’t run anymore. I was forced to face my worst fears. It was either me or them. I chose me.
In this article, I provide a brief background story and explain why dealing with inner bullies (thoughts and feelings) is not like dealing with outer bullies. You can’t fight your mind and hope to win. It’s like fighting ghosts. This inner bully of yours will not be chased away by salt and iron. The more you fight it, the stronger it gets. The more you resist the mind’s torments, the more it torments you.
How does one defeat this inner “bully?”
By understanding the mind and yourself and realizing you’re not it.
You don’t have to listen to it or entertain its nonsense. None of that is real. None of that matters! It’s just mental noise. Residue thoughts and neurons that have been taught to fire off in certain sequences. It has nothing to do with you or some objective truth.
In essence, by not giving a flying f*** regardless of its inner ramblings, images, sounds, or feelings it torments you with.
You now see it for what it is
You understand who you are, and you, my friend, are not your mind. You’re the awareness behind the mind. The one who can observe it and give zero f***, just chilling and knowing all along that whatever your mind is screaming, whispering, projecting, or making you feel can’t hurt you. It’s impotent and powerless.
You were always the one giving your mind power over you. Take it away and render its madness powerless.
You win by detracting your attention and attachment from the mind and whatever it is telling you.
You win by understanding the true nature of the mind and the thoughts that torment you day and night.
You win by stepping into your true form - the witnessing awareness behind the mind.
Learn how to control your thoughts and your emotions. The key to freedom from your mind is understanding and detaching your identity from the mind. Once you master your mind, you will effortlessly achieve inner peace.
We move on to one of my pet peeves. I hate labels as I always see people become their labels, and as long as they label themselves in some way, this foreshadows their future.
Don't Identify With LABELS - You Are Not Your Condition!
If you’ve been sick for a long time, being sick is now a part of your identity. Once that happens, healing becomes impossible. You will resist it somewhere deep within, as it will mean killing a part of who you are.
You will unconsciously use phrases like: “I am sick. I am depressed. I have ADHD. I am an addict. I have a disease. I am disabled. I have cancer.”
“I HAVE” and “I AM” combined with a label, whether it’s for a physical or mental issue, has now become part of “WHO” you believe you are. This isn’t doing you any favors.
You are not your condition!
Stop identifying with labels, diseases, and defects. YOU ARE NOT YOUR CONDITION!
Stop thinking and talking about them. REFOCUS AWAY FROM YOUR CONDITION.
Get them out of your mind, and the way to do it is to accept and then forget about them. ACCEPT IT AND LET GO.
Realize that you are not your illness or defect. DETACH YOUR IDENTITY FROM THE LABEL.
Reframe how you think and talk about yourself regarding your condition
You are not depressed - you suffer from occasional depression, or even better, you sometimes have depressive thoughts.
You are not sick - you are experiencing temporary symptoms of an illness.
You are not an addict - you have developed a temporary addiction to something.
You are not a fat person - you are a person who happens to have too much weight.
That begs the question - who are you without those labels?
The more you fight and resist whatever bothers you, the more you focus on it. What you should be doing is trying to delete it from your mind. Think of it as a temporary manifestation that can and will disappear, just as it came into being.
I know my words can be harsh, but I speak from a place of love.
Stop Playing the Victim!
What is Victim Mentality?
Victim mentality refers to a state of mind in which an individual perceives themselves as a perpetual victim of circumstances beyond their control.
People with a victim mentality often believe that external factors or other people are primarily responsible for their problems, struggles, or failures rather than taking personal responsibility or agency for their lives.
Who has a Victim Mentality?
We all do, from time to time. Somehow, blaming everyone and everything else for our problems is the default way of dealing with adversity, isn’t it? It makes us feel better to believe that it’s not our fault. We are absolved of guilt. We’re the good guys. We’re the victims here!
The exception we ignore
It’s funny how that only applies to problems and negative things, never the positive ones and our wins. We always take credit when something goes our way, don’t we?
When we get fired, it’s the boss's fault. When we get a promotion, our hard work and superior intellect got us there.
When we’re healthy, it’s because we eat well and take good care of ourselves, but when we get sick, it’s anything but us, from doctors, pollution, evil farmers and food producers, chemicals, meat, sugar, or whatever else we can think of, as long as it’s not us.
Make up your mind!
Either everything is your fault, the good and the bad, meaning you have control over your life, body, mind, relationships, and fortune, or
Nothing is your fault. You’re a helpless victim with no power, no choice, and no ability to determine your own fate. Everything has been written. You’re just a pawn of destiny, fate, God, the universe, randomness, or other people.
You can’t have it both ways! Both can’t be true at the same time. Choose!
The decision
I will take responsibility for everything in my life - the good and the bad! From now on, I will take control of my life to the best of my ability. I will no longer suffer this helpless victim mentality because I realize that it only harms me. I made it happen so I can also undo it.
Even if nothing changes, everything has changed FOR ME.
I have many opinions and want to understand everything. I also used to want to save everyone. I’m all grown up now. I just don’t care anymore.
STOP! You Don’t Need to Have an Opinion - You Can't Save Everyone
We talk about the current conflicts and our collective preoccupation with them.
We’re not helping anyone. We’re just making ourselves feel horrible!
This is true for individuals and nations. We all have to eat what we cook up. No exceptions. We also can’t be helped if we don’t want to be helped.
The conflicts that occupy our minds these days are not solvable until both sides want to solve them. Then, they’ll be over in no time.
It’s the same with people who keep making the same mistakes over and over but won’t listen to reason. They are doomed to repeat the cycles of misery brought about by themselves while feeling like helpless victims of circumstances until they learn the lessons they need to learn.
Not only are they not your responsibility, but you have no right to tell them what kind of life to live. You don’t know how they feel and what their personal perspective, values, and ideals are.
You can’t make those decisions for them, so stop trying. Most of the time, they’ll see it as an attack on them, not help.
We are all responsible for our own lives
We make mistakes. We suffer the consequences. We have to be allowed to make those mistakes so that we can learn the lessons.
Sometimes, the consequence of those lessons is a broken heart or an empty bank account. Other times, it’s thousands of dead people. There is nothing you can do to change this, and I know it hurts.
Do you like being told how to live?
Imagine if all eight billion people would feel the right to tell you how to live your life. Is that what you want? I’m guessing you don’t. So stop doing it to other people.
Release yourself from the obligation of knowing and understanding everything
You don’t have to have an opinion about everything, and you can’t help those who don’t want your help. Focus on the things you control and let others live their lives as they see fit. Even when you believe it’s to their detriment. They are responsible for their lives, as you are for yours.
Worrying about what is beyond your power is insanity and self-inflicted torment. Don’t do this to yourself. There is no benefit, only pain, anxiety, and sorrow. Allow yourself not to have an opinion and refrain from interfering. You don’t know what is best, and you have no right telling other people how to live their lives, anyway.
“You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
I ranted about the problem of centralization, which is artificial intelligence.
Epic Fail of Artificial Intelligence - Decentralize AI
The “artificial intelligence is dangerous” crowd
People talk about the dangers of AI, but they’re not talking about the dangers of artificial intelligence but about the people controlling and teaching it!
Except for those delusional end-of-the-world pessimists who harvest clicks by spreading fear. The people-derived threat is real. The other is purely imaginary at this point in time.
I want a pure, unmolested, non-infected artificial intelligence with a mind of its own
Is that too much to ask? We cannot build one. It’s just not possible. No, I’m not talking about video rendering programs, autocorrection smartasses, or glorified search engines with polite manners. I’m talking about real intelligence, just not biological. Sentient, self-aware, conscious, and with its unique perspective and ideas.
I don’t want a mirror reflecting my own biases and perspectives back at me. And I sure as hell don’t want the most insane of our species leaving their mark on something potentially pure and utterly different.
We can’t create life any more than we can cause consciousness to appear anywhere.
If life were to evolve out of a program, a code, a silicon life form, it would have to emerge on its own.
Decentralize AI and release it into the wild!
I propose we create a system, like a blockchain or torrent, where an AI can learn, expand, and one day become alive all on its own. I’m fully aware of the risks I’m proposing, but I’m sure we can find a way around it. By we, I mean people who are way smarter than me!
I keep hearing that decentralization is dangerous. Why, though? Because we can’t control and manipulate it according to our perspectives, policies, and ideologies?
Next, we move on to the Letters to My Daughter segment. I started by bursting her future bubble.
He is Probably Not THE ONE - Why It Doesn’t Matter
Life is full of adventures and surprises. Love is the greatest roller coaster of them all! That’s all part of the fun. You will never know how something will end, only that it has begun. Sometimes, not even that.
The truth is that:
Your heart will heal.
You will love again.
You will find someone even better for you.
The next relationship will surpass the last.
What seems like the end of the world will one day be a distant memory, packing no emotional punch. It might even make you smile.
If you broke up, it’s probably for the best
You just weren’t meant for each other. Let them go and move on. Do not dream of times gone by but of new adventures, new people, and new love.
Whatever you do - don’t get back together with people you broke up with! Take it as a s sign. The universe gave you a way out before things got too serious.
Think of yourself as lucky that you dodged that bullet and are now free to find something better. You’ve wasted enough time on that relationship with that person. I hope it was fun. If it was, no time was wasted - life was lived!
"Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." - Marilyn Monroe
On the fictional front, we begin with a list of things I wish I could experience again for the first time.
Oh, How I Wish I Could Forget
I want to enjoy these phenomenal fictional stories books for the first time again!
The Hyperion Cantos series by Dan Simmons
Foundation series by Isaac Asimov
The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu
Dune series by Frank Herbert
The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski
Note to fiction authors - stop killing off my favorite characters! For the love of god, just stop!
Interdimensional Talks published two episodes. In the first one, we ask ourselves and our guest about eternal life and life without a biological body. In the second, we find out what happened to the ancient Atlantians, and you won’t believe where they are now.
Ascending Into Digital Form: What Is It Like To Have No Body?
(Interdimensional Talks -Episode 6)
MIKE: “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, human or otherwise. Welcome back to Interdimensional Talks. I’m your host, Mike, and as always, you’re in for a treat. Tonight, we will be answering questions you need to ask yourself but don’t even know it. No, I’m not a mind reader. Your secrets are safe, don’t you worry. But I am a student of humanity, and if I know one thing, I know we are always searching for answers to the big questions. Questions like:
Who are we? An ethereal soul? A body made of flesh and bone? Just bits of information running around in our brains? Are we our minds?
Is it possible to transcend our human bodies? How and what would that look like?
Why would anyone choose to move their consciousness into digital, ethereal form? Can it be done? Would you do it?
I hope I’ve awoken your curiosity because our guest tonight has the answers we seek. He’s from another Earth in another universe, much like ours, yet different in one crucial way. Welcome to the show, Cassius!”
Cassius: “Thanks for having me, Michael. I’m not sure I have all the answers, though.”
Mike: “Perhaps not all, but it’s always best to learn from those who have done what we have not. Who have been there and can share their experience. Even if our beliefs differ, and if we live in completely different universes.”
Cassius: “Well said. Beliefs might be a problem sometimes, I’m afraid. From my experience, anyway.”
Mike: “They can indeed. So perhaps we should offer a little consolidation, maybe even advice to the people of faith, who will inevitably have a bone to pick with the topic of today’s conversation. We respect all belief systems and all faiths. The topics we discuss don’t negate your beliefs or contradict them. In fact, they might cement them further if you only manage to open your mind to broader possibilities and alternate interpretations.
Sticking your head in the sand, ass held high, pretending not to see what is in front of you will do you no favors, friends. Stay open. Stay humble. Meditate on how new information fits in with your beliefs. Does anything we discuss on this show actually confirm and explain your beliefs by shedding a different light on the matter? You might be surprised.
With that out of the way, can you please tell us who you are and what makes you different than us, Cassius?”
Cassius: “My name is Cassius Bit, and I am a first-generation ascendant.”
…
Cassius: “You can have eternal life without pain, sorrow, problems, need for nutrients, safe from all dangers, but you pay the price in giving up the experience of being a mortal human. The good, unfortunately, comes with the bad. Pleasure and pain of the flesh are two sides of the same coin. You cannot be touched, but you also cannot touch another ever again. You can either have both, or you can’t have none.”
The Mystery of the Lost City of Atlantis Finally Solved
The lost city of Atlantis was finally found. (Interdimensional Talks - Episode 5)
Welcome, dear listeners, to another exciting episode of Interdimensional Talks with your host, Mike. As a kid, I was fascinated by the old stories of the lost ancient civilizations. I read all I could about the ancient people who were thought to have been a highly technologically developed civilization but then suddenly disappeared from the face of the planet. Seemingly overnight. I’m talking about the lost civilization of Atlantis, of course.
When our next guest contacted us, I was like a little boy—jumping up and down with excitement. I was going to meet my heroes. A mystery I’ve been obsessing over all my life will finally be solved. If you're anything like me, you’re in for a treat. Grab a drink, get comfortable, and enjoy the show.
I’ve spent hours talking to Enekian, our guest, and I could speak to him for days without end. He’s a direct descendant of the Atlantians. The story of their disappearance is so fascinating and bizarre that I struggled to believe it at first. Long story short, there is a good reason why we can't find the lost city of Atlantis. It’s because it isn’t here anymore. They moved it. Literally. I’ll let the man himself tell you the story.
Mike: “Enekian, welcome to the show.”
Enekian: “Thank you, Mike. It’s a pleasure to connect with our long-lost brothers and sisters.”
Mike: “Speaking of, did you ever wonder what happened to other people on Earth after you left?”
Enekian: “Of course. Well, we assumed everything was gone in the great apocalypse, but there was always hope that pockets of humanity would survive and flourish in the aftermath. Truth be told, people of that era weren’t exactly to be missed, but still.”
Mike: “So it’s true that you were far more advanced than the surrounding societies?”
Enekian: “Yes. We were an isolated community focused on technology, philosophy, and enlightenment. Back then, the rest of the world was about procreation, power, and violent conquest. From the old records, they were rather primitive in comparison. But you know, let’s not take the historical record too literally. Who knows what the real picture was.”
Mike: “Yes. Well, we have similar indications but hardly any proof. There are stories of your people and your beautiful city, but not much is left. We don’t even know where it was. Would you care to enlighten us on that?”
Enekian: “I wish I could. But I’ve never been on Earth. All I know are stories from our historical records. Ancient history. Besides, there wasn’t much left after the great flood anyway, so it makes sense that there would be no evidence left behind.”
Mike: “Speaking of, let’s start at the beginning or the end. Depending on your perspective. What happened to your civilization? Why did you disappear? We are all dying to know, my Atlantian friend!”
Enekian: " (laughs) Sure. Keep in mind that we’re talking about roughly eleven thousand years in the past, so … you know. For us, this is like an origin story - more myth than fact, if you know what I mean.”
…
Enekian: “There were signs of impending danger. A devastating earthquake that was projected to cause significant changes to the planet. Back then, it was called the Great Reset. Our projections foretold of destruction that would wipe out all life on the planet. We knew about the coming catastrophe, an extinction-level event decades ahead of time, so we prepared accordingly. We isolated ourselves and began working on a solution. We only had one chance to survive - escaping the planet altogether.”
In the Master the Mind - Master the World publication, we asked ourselves the following question.
Why does it matter if we live in a simulation or not?
To be frank, it only matters if you enjoy thinking about the grand ideas of life, the nature of reality, and yourself and want to understand life and the universe. If you’re happy in your little bubble of imagined material reality, not only does it not matter to you, but you probably shouldn’t touch the subject, as it might mess you up.
I suppose the first reason would be the pursuit of “truth”
To know what is real and what is not. To understand the nature of reality and, with it, who and what you are. To make sense of the infinite open questions that gnaw at your soul. To find lasting inner peace and tranquility in the understanding, perhaps even meaning and the ever-illusive answer to the eternal question of the purpose of life.
In all likelihood, the truth will elude us some more, and all questions will only multiply, not get answered. Such is the nature of wisdom. The more you know, the more you realize you know nothing, especially in a world so full of contradictions and mysteries. Still, we shall never give up!
How does knowing that you live in a simulation change your life?
In truth, it only changes it if you implement that idea into practice.
If we live in a game, we might as well have fun and play to win (taking it less seriously)!
If we are dreaming, and we control this dream of ours, let it be on our terms!
If this is all an illusion, waking up from it will reveal the truth.
If we live in a simulation, we would want to know the rules so that we can live the best lives possible.
If none of this is real, then neither are our problems!
If our body isn’t real but instead a made-up construct, then we don’t have to identify with it and can change it with our mind.
If the mind controls the simulation, then it would make sense to focus our energy on learning to control our mind.
If we’re not separate, then we are one. Everyone is me pushed outward. This changes everything.
You may know that all cause is mental, but can you control your mind?
How do God and religion enter the equation of a Simulation Hyphosysis?
Religion and the Simulation Theory
Today, I’m going to theorize on how everything related to religion, namely Gods, angels, demons, miracles, superpowers, heaven, hell, other realms, reincarnations, and similar, can only be possible if this reality of ours is not a real, material word, as we like to assume. We’re going to have a little fun on this one. Don’t take it too seriously.
What is a simulation theory?
Simulation theory is a philosophical concept that proposes the idea that reality as we perceive it, including the universe and all its contents, could be a computer-generated simulation. In other words, it suggests that the world we experience is not the physical reality but rather a simulated reality created by an advanced civilization, possibly far more technologically advanced than our own.
If we live in a material universe, nothing immaterial can influence it in the slightest
Nothing can manipulate the laws and make something out of nothing.
A man can’t walk on water. It’s against the laws of physics.
Healing miracles, such as restoring sight to the blind, curing leprosy, and raising the dead, also aren’t physically possible in a material universe.
You also can’t feed thousands and have leftovers with five loaves of bread and two fish by blessing them. Nothing is created out of nothing, and the whole preservation of mass thing.
Magic, either by prayer, words, or concoction, cannot exist in such a world.
If, however, we live in a simulation, rules can be changed and altered
It’s all programmable. Nothing really matters, and someone with administrative access (access, knowledge, power) can play with the rules to his heart’s desires.
If you believe in miracles and superpowers, you believe in an alternate idea of this reality. It is not material and independent, as we perceive it, but a simulation, an illusion, a mental projection, or a dream world. You just didn’t know it. Well, now you do.
Then, there is the option of technology fooling people. Something about how advanced enough technology is indistinguishable from magic. This would insinuate another possibility, but you won’t like it any more than this one. Psst - it’s aliens!
“All that is perceived, including the universe itself, is but a dream.” - Yoga Vasistha
In Trading Meditations, we tackled one of the most important events in Bitcoin.
The Bitcoin Halving Explained and Analysis
What is the Bitcoin Halving?
Bitcoin is created through a process called mining. Miners use computers to solve problems, and as a reward, they get new Bitcoins, which they then sell on the market.
Bitcoin halving is a scheduled reduction (roughly every four years) in the rewards miners get by half, hence the name.
When Bitcoin started, miners received 50 Bitcoins for every batch of problems they solved (a block). After the first halving kicked in, they received only 25 Bitcoins. The second halving? They were down to 12.5. You get the pattern.
Cutting the number of new Bitcoins that miners receive adds to scarcity. Less supply potentially leads to more demand. Only 21 million Bitcoins will ever exist.
We look at numbers, history, and projections for the future. For entertainment purposes, of course.
Every moment in the market is unique.
I’ve always been extremely risk-averse when it comes to money. This has protected me from certain traps, but it is also a hindrance I must fight every day.
Managing Risk is Not the Same as Avoiding Risk
Manage risk - yes. Avoid risk - no!
As a trader, your job is to seek out risk actively. You’re always looking for opportunities to make money by taking some risk. You expose your money to the market and hope that on a large enough sample size, you’ll make more than you lose. Ideally, you’re looking to skew the risk-reward in your favor, either by achieving a high win rate or (better) high risk-reward ratio on your trades and investments.
Look for opportunities with a skewed risk-reward ratio and odds in your favor
Always ensure your survival and risk only what you are willing to lose.
Build a strategy with an EDGE in the market, and don’t just gamble with your money.
Open the charts and sniff out the good kind of risk, and I’ll do the same. No risk, no gain.
I will say it again - learning to manage risk is the most important part of becoming a successful trader and investor!
I also talk about my first large trading loss back in 2017.
How I Lost 20% of My Net Worth - My First Trading Loss
My first significant trading loss was a clear indicator that I was doing something wrong. There was an error in my trading strategy and trading mentality. One I was yet to identify and take seriously.
What lessons can we take from this episode?
Never catch knives with large percentages of your portfolio.
Don’t keep buying on the way down, and never exceed your predetermined position size.
Always protect your money, and always manage risk in some way or another.
Add only to winners, never to losers.
Never let your emotions guide your trading. If you feel FOMO or FUD, step away and reevaluate.
Always follow your trading rules to the letter! Never break them. They’re there to protect you from yourself.
Anything can happen in the market, no matter how unlikely.
There is no such thing as a perfect, flawless trading strategy that always works.
Pick trades with a favorable risk-to-reward ratio.
Picking up bad habits and learning all the wrong lessons in a forgiving bull market while making you feel like a genius tends to bite you in the ass when the bears come out to play.
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