MSI Press Blog

  We often use feelings and emotions interchangeably, but they aren’t quite the same. And both are shaped — sometimes quietly, sometimes fiercely — by what we believe. 🧠 Beliefs: The Lens Beliefs are the mental frameworks through which we interpret experience. They tell us what matters, what’s safe, what’s true, and what’s possible. They’re not facts — they’re filters. When a belief is strong, it colors every emotional response that follows. Example: If you believe “I must always be in control,” then uncertainty feels threatening. If you believe “Life unfolds as it should,” uncertainty may feel like curiosity instead. 💓 Emotions: The Body’s Language Emotions are physiological — they rise and fall like tides. They are the body’s immediate response to perception. Fear, joy, anger, sadness, surprise — each is a signal, not a verdict. Emotions tell us something is happening , but not always why . They’re raw data. Beliefs interpret that data. 🌿 Feelings: The Story We Tell About Em...

  Recently, Learning to Feel (Girrell), reached #196 on the Amazon bestseller list of psychologist biographies. Book Description:  Learning to Feel, Second Edition, teaches readers how to gain choice and authority over their emotional states. Feelings and emotions are reactions to the deeply held beliefs and experiences of our lives. In order to become fully emotionally intelligent - that is, to be able to know what is yours, what comes from the others, and how best to respond to those others - we must connect first to those core experiences and often re-interpret the meaning they have held for us. Learning to Feel is such a journey, intended to be a set of trail blazes for anyone who wishes to up their game in the realm of emotional intelligence. (Edition 1 was selected for the Independent Press Distinguished Favorite Award and a Literary Titan gold award.) First Edition Book Awards Literary Titan Gold Award Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite/Psychology For more ...

  Ilene Berns-Zare, author of  You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late , was recently interviewed by Michelle Chappell on Your True Calling podcast: The Power of Resilience . Book Description Designed as an accessible 52-week companion, this inspiring guide invites Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to reimagine aging with confidence, vitality, and purpose. Drawing on research-informed tools and practical reflections, it encourages readers to tap into inner strengths, embrace meaningful shifts, and discover everyday “ah-ha” moments that spark renewal. Whether you seek greater wellbeing, deeper meaning, or renewed fulfillment from midlife through older adulthood, this uplifting resource reminds us that aging well is an active journey—and that the best chapters may still lie ahead. Keywords: midlife transformation; aging with purpose; positive aging book; Baby Boomer wellness; Gen X wellbeing; 52‑week self‑growth guide; midlife reinvention; aging well strategies; vitality after 50; per...

Every perception is a meeting point between the world and the self. We think we see reality , but what we actually see is filtered through the lens of our own inner landscape—our history, our hopes, our wounds, our temperament. The world is not simply “out there.” It is refracted through who we are. This truth carries profound significance for our relationships. Perception as Projection When we look at another person, we are not seeing them in isolation. We are seeing them through the prism of our own emotional vocabulary. If we carry unresolved fear, we may read distance where there is simply quiet. If we carry shame, we may interpret kindness as pity. If we carry trust, we may perceive openness even in silence. Our inner state colors the meaning we assign to others’ words, gestures, and absences. In that sense, every relationship is partly a mirror—reflecting not only the other person but also ourselves. The Emotional Lens The phrase “We see the world as we are” reminds us that perc...