INTRODUCTION Beliefs don't tend to be consciously chosen or rationally decided upon. Instead, much of our beliefs are the result of our upbringing, life experiences, environments and social contexts. This is not to say that beliefs do not provide value, or have a purpose. Rather, beliefs play an important role in how we navigate our lives. They feel necessary: humans dislike epistemic groundlessness, and belief makes things simple and reduces cognitive load. Yet the fact that beliefs are largely involuntary raises a question: Are they necessary? Research in psychology and cognitive science has demonstrated that our perceptions, thoughts and expectations can shape biological processes.

The aisle seat is better than the window seat; I’m never going back. I’m fully committed to reserving aisle seats on long plane rides from now on. This is coming from a former window seat person. I wanted to be able to look out the window and see the plane taking off, the beautiful puffy clouds, the sunset or sunrise. I also wanted to be able to rest my head on the wall of the plane, because it’s so hard for me to fall asleep and stay asleep on long plane rides.

One thing I think people may not understand about my traveling escapades is that I am actually really scared. I think the whole thing is me trying to do things even though I am afraid. I really don't want to be limited by my anxiety. It makes me feel weak, vulnerable, sensitive, fragile; and sometimes I am some of those things (especially sensitive). But I shouldn't have to stay home in fear of venturing out into environments and circumstances that cause my discomfort just because I will experience anxiety. And let me tell you - it's strong anxiety.

This is going to be very biased, opinionated, and somewhat cynical, because over the years I have stopped finding it “fun” to play the philosophy game. Of course I still love questioning, sound reasoning, and thinking about the world, but I no longer feel any strong need to compete, or use the same words as everyone else. I may not get into a prestigious grad program, but I may make a good teacher. So, let’s define the Hard Problem as, “explaining how physical brain activity gives rise to subjective experience”.

I am writing this in preparation for a talk that I'm going to give at my Alma Mater. There is going to be a workshop in the Fall for Philosophy students who are considering their career options post-graduation, and the Philosophy Department has asked some alumni to come and talk about their experiences after graduation. First off, I just want to say that I loved majoring in philosophy. My parents wanted me to study computer science or nursing, but after my first philosophy class that I took as an elective, I was insatiable.

Over the years, I have imaged myself in certain scenarios that I think would bring me the most joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction. These are the items that I currently have on my Bucket List. Traveling abroad The places I most want to visit right now are Nepal, India, Bhutan, Tibet, Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan. I have been to Asia twice (a month and a half in Sichuan province, China and ten days in Chiang Mai, Thailand) and both times I have really cherished my time there. Publishing my writing I have always had a knack for writing and envisioned myself traveling the world and writing about my experiences.

To put it simply, I started listening more closely to my hunger and fullness cues. If I am hungry, I eat. When I start to feel full, I stop eating. Our stomach gets full faster than we realize! Thi…