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Josh Misner, PhD

Mindful Living in a Distracted World

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Exactly How Distracted Are We? Understanding the Scope of the Age of Distraction

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Ten years ago, a new word was added to our vocabulary: Nomophobia, or the fear of being without one’s phone.

The term was coined as a result of a British study in 2008, which found that slightly more than half the UK population exhibited signs of this fear. For several years, this term was tossed around as a joke. Most people, myself included, rolled their eyes when they heard it, filing it away in their minds with other irrational fears, like coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. Continue reading “Exactly How Distracted Are We? Understanding the Scope of the Age of Distraction” →

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My (first) TEDx Experience

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Allow me to start this reflection with some context.

I’ve been teaching communication, which includes as my bread and butter, intro to public speaking, better known as the dreaded college speech class, for the better part of 11 years.

Prior to that, I was a budding communication major who enjoyed the challenge of public speaking, but about 16 years ago, I walked into a speech class for the first time full of dread. I tried everything I could to get out of that class. Can I test out of it? “No.” Can I substitute it for a writing class? “No.” You get the idea. Continue reading “My (first) TEDx Experience” →

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Everything I Know About Forgiveness, I Learned From My Dog

Allow me to begin this story by emphatically declaring that I am much more of a cat person than a dog person. I’ve always identified with the following quote from Robert De Niro’s character in Meet the Parents:

You see, Greg, when you yell at a dog, his tail will go between his legs and cover his genitals, his ears will go down. A dog is very easy to break, but cats make you work for their affection. They don’t sell out the way dogs do.

I genuinely admire the way I have to earn a cat’s love and affection. In fact, I have a cat at this moment who did not warm up to me for at least a few years, but once I earned her trust slowly and methodically, I became her best friend (until I rub her belly, and then all bets are off). Continue reading “Everything I Know About Forgiveness, I Learned From My Dog” →

23 Father’s Days, and These 7 Lessons Are All I Have to Show For It

A dozen years passed between the first time I witnessed the birth of one of my children and the last time I cut an umbilical cord. I was a mere 19 years old the first time, blissfully ignorant, arrogant, and ready to take on the world, while at 31, for my last child’s birth, I had grown, changed, and matured considerably. In fact, I was barely the same person.

This Father’s Day marks the 23rd time I’ve claimed my right to the holiday, and although my entire world changed between the first and last birth, even more has changed from the last birth until today (almost exactly a decade). Continue reading “23 Father’s Days, and These 7 Lessons Are All I Have to Show For It” →

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12 Dads, an 84-Mile Walk, and 53 Gallons of Blood

An Indian writer named Shakuntala Devi once stated, “Numbers have life; they’re not just symbols on paper.” The numbers in the title above represent much more than a headline designed to build a reader’s curiosity; they represent life, laughter, and above all else, life-altering opportunity.

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In early July, 2016, one dozen renowned writers and fathers from all over the United States (from the Pacific Northwest, to the heartland, to the eastern seaboard) will embark on an epic journey, leaving their home country to cross the Atlantic and heading for England. Continue reading “12 Dads, an 84-Mile Walk, and 53 Gallons of Blood” →

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Today

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Today, I saw a man infected with rage.
Shaking his fists with furrowed brow
Belying his cry of war.

Today, I taught my children peace.
In war, there are no victors.
Anger spreads only the disease of hatred. Continue reading “Today” →

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