The world is "going to hell in a hand-basket", or some say. What can we do about it? Dr. Baruch HaLevi and I have some ideas on how YOU can have a positive impact in these changes time.

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, or to sign up for YOUR SEARCH FOR MEANING go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast.

Almost 30 years... I did the math just the other day. I've been working in the mental health field, helping people, for almost 30 years now. Most of those years, I've worked as a psychotherapist with licenses in general mental health and addictions. In that time, I've been blessed to work with quite a few people struggling with a variety of issues. Even thought the individuals and issues are different, sometimes, good mental health comes from just a few choices or actions. So, in this episode, I share some of the things I've been sharing lately. Enjoy!

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, or to sign up for YOUR SEARCH FOR MEANING go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

Pop culture reflects real life - in some ways. And real life, healthy real life, is a long-standing tradition of archetypes, beliefs, and values. It is a balance of yin & yang, order & chaos, masculine and feminine. Until it is out of balance. And for some reason, it seems to me - to us - that there is something out of balance with one of the latest pop culture relationships - Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift.

In this episode of the podcast, B. and I dive into this relationship and how it relates to psychology, theology, ancient archetypes, and modern marketing. Enjoy!

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, or to sign up for YOUR SEARCH FOR MEANING go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

What do you do when you don't know what to do? How do you keep going, when you don't feel like going on? How do you pick yourself up after you fall down? What happens when you feel like giving up?

I. Don't. Know.

At least, I sure didn't feel like I did. I was feeling pretty low - so I went to my favorite Logotherapist and said, "help me out here." And he did. And that is what we talk about in this episode of the podcast. Hopefully you find it as meaningful as I did.

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, or to sign up for YOUR SEARCH FOR MEANING go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

Shiraz Siddique is the author of Well Done: A Passionate Pursuit of Purpose and the founder of CBHN - the Christian Business Harvest Network - but he's also just a fun man to chat with. And with you chat with you, you can hear that passion and feel that he has found his purpose. In this episode, we discuss Shiraz's life changing book, Well Done, as well as his ideas on discerning your Purpose in life.

To get your copy of his book - and I highly recommend you do - go to https://amzn.to/496lXVf

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

The University of Michigan just won the National Championship in football behind their start quarterback, JJ McCarthy. JJ is a great football player in a world of great football players - 100's of them playing in the NCAA. But what set him apart recently, was his focus and ritual - a ritual where he sits an meditates on the field of play, in front of all the tv cameras and fans, unapologetically.

He credits this ritual, among others, with helping him along the path to winning.

So why don't MORE of us men have spiritual or meditative practices? They have been in existence for thousands of years, and are proven to work in helping one to "win" at life. Yet, many of us don't or won't. Dr. Baruch "B" HaLevi and I discuss this, and provide tips for beginning your own practice in this episode of the podcast.

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

I've been reading a lot lately about the history of alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs - like the psychedelics ergot, psylocibin, & LSD - and their impact on the formation of modern civilization and the religions of today. Interesting, but heavy stuff. But not so heavy, that it doesn't impact the meaning of the moment in modern times.

Alcohol continues to be a problem for many - and many others are working on a "Dry January". Marijuana laws continue to be complex and perplexing. AND we are looking at several psychedelic substances coming online, FDA approved, for the treatment of many mental health concerns. What is one to think with all these changes!?

In this episode, B. and I sort through the potential meaning of these changes, and how you might choose to approach them. Enjoy!

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

Happy New Year!!

New Year, NEW YOU, Right?!?!

WRONG!!! You know we don't subscribe to that nonsense here at The Meaning Project or at The Viktor Frankl Meaning Academy.

What about, new year, TRUE YOU? Or, there are a multitude of ways to use the beginning of a new year as a launch pad for self improvement. Not that you have to wait for 1.1.24; and you certainly aren't "too late", if you go past 1.1.24. But it seems our culture does take the beginning of a new year as an imperative to start working on self-improvement. So what are you going to do about it?

I have a few ideas and some suggestions in the podcast. Enjoy!

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

I was thinking about this the other day - what if we took "Merry Christmas" with us into the new year? What if we saw people's genuine kindness and well-wishing in those words, rather than being offended they did not know our exact preference? What if we had more GRACE for each other in 2024. I walk my way through these ideas and more in this podcast.

And, if you are listening to it on the day it is released - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

In fact, if you AREN'T listening to it on the day it is released (December 25th), MERRY CHRISTMAS anyway!

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast

Why do we do what we do during the holiday season? How do we choose where to spend our time and energy - what do we do with the resources we are given?

Dr. Frankl wrote on the idea of 'traditions' - suggesting that traditions are diminishing and leaving us to feel meaningless. In this episode, Dr. B. and I discuss the importance of holiday traditions, and how to discern which ones are important, and which ones might need to change. Enjoy!

To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com or email me directly at [email protected]

To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/

To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/

And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and maybe even connect with Dr. Dan in different ways, become a Patron on our Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/themeaningprojectpodcast