The Daily Stoic – Lt. David Carey Uncovering Our Own Capacity To Get Through Anything

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily Stoic” podcast, former POW Captain Dave Kerry shares his experiences and insights on stoic ideas. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, group therapy, and creating a safe space for emotional processing. The speakers also discuss the power of shared experiences and the contrast between the moon landing and being imprisoned. They highlight the significance of maintaining faith, not letting doubt consume you, and finding meaning in difficult situations. Overall, this episode explores the capacity of individuals to overcome adversity and choose growth.

Main Takeaways

Lessons from Lt. David Carey’s POW Experience

• Captain Dave Kerry, a former POW in Vietnam, shares his experiences testing stoic ideas in the laboratory of human experience
• Kerry emphasizes the importance of not closing doors with people and not saying things that can’t be unsaid
• Kerry’s book, “The Ways We Choose: Lessons for Life from a POW’s Experience,” is available for purchase

The Power of Group Therapy and Emotional Processing

• Kerry discusses the benefits of group therapy, including having a purpose and mission
• The speakers discuss their newfound appreciation for counseling and journaling as a tool for processing their thoughts and emotions
• Writing down their thoughts helps them gain distance and perspective on their experiences
• The speakers emphasize the importance of creating a safe space for sharing and processing emotions, whether with a counselor or within a group of peers

Bonding, Shared Experiences, and Self-Expression

• Despite their difficult experiences, the speakers did not feel a lot of hate towards their captors, instead describing their feelings as transient or dread
• The speakers highlight the power of bonding with others who have shared similar experiences and the importance of being able to express oneself freely without shame or self-doubt
• They reflect on the contrast between the moon landing and being stuck in a 19th century prison

Maintaining Faith, Resilience, and Finding Meaning

• The importance of maintaining faith and not letting doubt consume you is highlighted
• Some soldiers did not feel anger or resentment about being sent to war because they were focused on their love of flying
• Each of us has a reservoir of adversity or fortitude, and just because we haven’t been tested doesn’t mean we’re not capable of incredible things
• The ancients wrote about going through trauma and we should avail ourselves of that wisdom
• Meaning in life is essential and can be found in various aspects of life

Summary

Exploring Resilience and Emotional Processing

In this episode, Captain Dave Kerry, a former POW, shares his experiences and insights on stoic ideas. He emphasizes the importance of not closing doors with people and not saying things that can’t be unsaid. Kerry’s book, “The Ways We Choose: Lessons for Life from a POW’s Experience,” provides further lessons and reflections from his time in captivity. The speakers discuss the benefits of group therapy, counseling, and journaling as tools for processing thoughts and emotions. They highlight the power of creating a safe space for sharing and processing emotions, whether with a counselor or within a group of peers. Despite their difficult experiences, the speakers did not harbor hate towards their captors, instead describing their feelings as transient or dread. They reflect on the contrast between the moon landing and being stuck in a 19th century prison, emphasizing the importance of maintaining faith and not letting doubt consume you. The speakers also discuss the resilience and capacity for incredible things that lie within each individual. They encourage exploring the wisdom of ancient texts and finding meaning in various aspects of life.

Supporting Service People and Choosing Growth

The episode also touches on the support system for service people coming home from war and the importance of not giving them the message that they will be permanently damaged. Instead, it is essential to recognize their resilience and ability to come back from trauma or pain with support and resources. The speakers emphasize the significance of giving ourselves the gift of how we will feel about the experience in the future and the courage to ask for help and utilize available resources. They draw parallels between past experiences of separation and defense and timeless stories that can resonate with people. Ultimately, dealing with problems, pressure, and situations is a matter of choice. It is important to respond to difficult situations with a sense of humor, growth, faith, and responsibility. Finding meaning in life and revisiting texts and quotes can provide new insights and perspectives. The episode concludes by highlighting the availability of “The Daily Stoic” podcast on various platforms.

Conclusion

This episode of “The Daily Stoic” podcast delves into the experiences and insights of former POW Captain Dave Kerry. It emphasizes the importance of resilience, emotional processing, and creating a safe space for sharing and processing emotions. The speakers highlight the power of bonding with others, maintaining faith, and finding meaning in difficult situations. They encourage individuals to recognize their capacity for incredible things and the importance of supporting service people. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes the power of choice in dealing with problems and situations, and the value of revisiting texts and quotes for new insights. Listeners are invited to explore the wisdom of stoic ideas and discover their own capacity to overcome adversity and choose growth.