The Resource Library

Graphic promoting exploration of a blog archive, featuring a lightbulb icon, a computer screen displaying 'BLOG', and a microphone symbol.

Over the years, this space has grown into a living body of work — reflections written in real time and in retrospect, across seasons of change, clarity, disruption, and growth. It now also includes links to my SilverDisobedience® Perception Dynamics™ podcast interviews.

Feel free to scroll or use the search bar to choose a topic that reflects where you are right now and explore at your own pace.

There’s no order required. No finish line. Read or watch whatever meets you where you are.

Essays explore how perception — consciously and unconsciously — shapes experience, decision-making, emotional response and self-trust. They also address timing in life, trade-offs, internal alignment, and the often unspoken pressures behind big choices. Many posts look at how to separate fear, urgency, and outside influence from true readiness. Some tackle awareness of our nervous system, maintaining emotional steadiness, and returning to center — especially during periods of uncertainty, conflict, or fatigue. Plenty examine interpersonal perception, unspoken cues, boundaries, loyalty, projection, and the subtle mechanics of influence — both personal and professional. Others tackle leadership as an internal state, not a title. Topics include presence under scrutiny, decision-making in high-stakes environments, and maintaining integrity while operating in complex systems. I explore personal evolution, self-trust, and the quiet courage required to outgrow old identities — without abandoning yourself in the process. You can also expect to find posts about space for grief, patience, waiting, and the uncomfortable middle — when clarity hasn’t arrived yet, but something is clearly shifting. Basically you’ll find thoughts about the entirety of the human experience.

Enjoy! Thank you for visiting. I hope you find the content valuable. If you ever need to go deeper, I offer private consultations.

  • Before the Storm: Getting In Front of Workplace Conflicts Before They Escalate

    Before the Storm: Getting In Front of Workplace Conflicts Before They Escalate

    Most workplace conflicts don’t erupt out of nowhere. They send clear signals — if you know what to look for. A shift in tone. A clipped response. Someone who suddenly stops asking questions. Break room conversations that end when certain people enter. These aren’t random behaviors — they’re early warning signs that most leaders miss. Not because they’re careless. Because they were never taught how… Keep reading →

  • The Executive Brief

    The Executive Brief

    How Elite Leaders Win When the Stakes Are Highest When decisions shape careers, reputations, and market trust, perception isn’t a side factor — it’s the hidden driver that you’re either harnessing to your benefit…or missing at your detriment. For more than three decades, the 6‑Layer Perception Stack™ and 4P™ Perception Model have quietly empowered leaders through moments that define organizations and careers. From boardroom showdowns… Keep reading →

  • From Philosophy to Psychology: Understanding Society’s Fascination with Disturbing Themes with Jordan Conrad, Ph.D., LCSW

    From Philosophy to Psychology: Understanding Society’s Fascination with Disturbing Themes with Jordan Conrad, Ph.D., LCSW

    In an interview with Dr. Jordan Conrad, key themes emerge about the appeal of “death game” narratives like Squid Game. The discussion links these stories to societal issues such as wealth disparity, social media’s influence, trauma repetition, and the effect of AI on interpersonal skills. Various challenges in therapy and relationships are also explored. Keep reading →

From Philosophy to Psychology: Understanding Society's Fascination with Disturbing Themes with Jordan Conrad, Ph.D., LCSW Silver Disobedience® Perception Dynamics™ with Dian Griesel: How People Think, Lead & Create Success

Why ‘Death Game’ Shows Hook Us: Wealth Gaps, Social Media, Trauma Loops & AI’s Impact | Dr. Jordan Conrad@SilverDisobedience host Dian Griesel interviews psychotherapist and philosopher Dr. Jordan Conrad about why “death game” stories like Squid Game and Hunger Games draw massive audiences. Conrad connects the genre to widening wealth gaps, the way incomprehensible riches distort perception, and social media’s click economy that pushes people to commodify themselves and chase status through risky or cruel behavior. They discuss Goodhart’s Law (when measures like money or clicks become targets), how groupthink and desperation make participants believe they can survive, and how dystopian class-warfare themes reflect alienation. The conversation shifts to art and life’s “looping effects,” how repeated personal stories can reinforce trauma schemas, why people struggle to express wants in relationships, concerns about AI outsourcing critical thinking and social skills, ADHD diagnoses and the factory model of education, and risks of therapist self-disclosure and political gatekeeping in psychotherapy.Learn more about JORDAN CONRAD, Ph.D., LCSW here:https://www.lexingtonparkpsychotherapy.com/Please SUBSCRIBE!I’m Dian Griesel and in November of 2017 I began blogging as @SilverDisobedience on my website and @SilverDisobedience on ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ and @DianGriesel ⁠X⁠ Career-wise, I am a perception analyst, counselor, hypnotherapist, author of 16 books and a Wilhelmina model. For 30 years, via owning an investor & public relations firm, while being in private practice, I have helped my clients to achieve greater understanding as to how perceptions impact everything we do whether personally or professionally. A couple of years ago I added a podcast. Episodes are unscripted, with plenty of no-holds-barred revelations from fascinating, accomplished guests living diverse lives. Intimate stories about work, play, psychology, relationships, pop culture, trends, B.S. + more are unpacked through thought-provoking questions that spark honest revelations, pivotal moments, and unguarded insights — stunning even the boldest guests with their own “aha” truths. ✨🔗 YouTube Channel Spotify i❤️podcasts 🍎podcastsLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/diangriesel/⁠ SHOW RUN: 00:00 Why Death Games Hook Us01:26 Meet Dr Jordan Conrad01:58 From Late Reader to Philosophy03:58 Emotions as Moral Perception04:57 Therapy Practice and Bioethics05:49 Wealth Gap and Big Numbers09:35 Clicks as Currency13:12 Goodharts Law and Metrics15:51 Influencer Illusions17:24 Squid Game Groupthink19:21 Class Warfare Dystopias21:37 Art Imitates Life Looping24:59 Trauma Stories and Identity29:18 Everyday Schemas and Space31:37 People Pleasing in Relationships32:50 Surprise Guessing Game33:17 Why We Don’t Know34:23 Do Opposites Attract36:00 Self Focus and Growth38:38 AI and Identity Loss42:57 Therapy Needs Boundaries46:04 ADHD and Novelty Brains50:05 Factory Model Schools52:50 Therapist Self Disclosure57:35 Politics in Therapy01:00:06 Wrap Up and Goodbye
  1. From Philosophy to Psychology: Understanding Society's Fascination with Disturbing Themes with Jordan Conrad, Ph.D., LCSW
  2. Revolutionizing Auto Insurance: The Roadzen AI Advantage
  3. Divorce, Mediation Versus Litigation with Joe Dillon
  4. The Future of Heart Health, AI & Innovation with Dr. Ami Bhatt, FDA Chair, Digital Health Advisory Committee
  5. Exploring Bioenergetics with Dr. Sue Morter

Recent posts
  • Before the Storm: Getting In Front of Workplace Conflicts Before They Escalate

    Before the Storm: Getting In Front of Workplace Conflicts Before They Escalate

    Most workplace conflicts don’t erupt out of nowhere. They send clear signals — if you know what to look for. A shift in tone. A clipped response. Someone who suddenly stops asking questions. Break room conversations that end when certain people enter. These aren’t random behaviors — they’re early warning signs that most leaders miss.… Keep reading →

  • The Executive Brief

    The Executive Brief

    How Elite Leaders Win When the Stakes Are Highest When decisions shape careers, reputations, and market trust, perception isn’t a side factor — it’s the hidden driver that you’re either harnessing to your benefit…or missing at your detriment. For more than three decades, the 6‑Layer Perception Stack™ and 4P™ Perception Model have quietly empowered leaders… Keep reading →

  • Power Play

    Power Play

    Almost twenty-five hundred years ago Plato wrote: ‘You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.’ With insights like that it’s no wonder the guy is still a philosophical rock star today. Without play, we become dull, tired and worn out. Sometimes we resist the idea… Keep reading →

  • Turn the Page

    Turn the Page

    Whether it’s Bob Seger’s original song or Metallica’s cover, whenever “Turn the Page” comes on the radio, my mood gets infinitely better…while painfully to the ears of others, I start singing along 😉 In life, there always comes a time, sometimes many times, when you have to choose between turning the page or closing the… Keep reading →

  • Grateful

    Grateful

    Thank you (in no particular order) for: Health. Mind. Parents. Children. Brothers. Sisters. Family. Friends. Laughter. Work. Education. Peace. Love. Reading. Sleep. Process. Freedom. Mistakes. Relationships even when they are Challenging. Food. Coffee. Clothing. Seasons. Beds. Wine. Safety. Security. Our Armed Forces. A Home. Medicine. Scientists. Meditation. Jokes. Entrepreneurs. Sunshine. Musicians and Music. Artists and… Keep reading →

  • Ordinary vs. Extraordinary

    Ordinary vs. Extraordinary

             Ordinary: Plain; undistinguished; of no special quality; common; average..          Extraordinary: beyond what is usual; strange; exceptional; noteworthy; phenomenal; amazing; curious; fantastic; marvelous; odd; outstanding; particular; rare; singular; special; surprising; terrific. The difference…only a little “extra”…that you’ve already got! Tell me all about your “extra”! Add your photo… Keep reading →

  • Calendar Smalendar

    Calendar Smalendar

    Calendars have nothing to do with your age. Calendars are handy when it comes to reminding you what date it is — but being too vested in the days, weeks, months and years of chronological age may prevent you from being open to untold opportunities.  A few years ago when I was co-writing the book… Keep reading →

  • Old is an Attitude

    Old is an Attitude

    Yesterday for an hour on X (Twitter) I hosted a poll.  I asked if “old” was the result of age or attitude. My takeaway is this: Don’t let your attitude age you. Would love to hear your thoughts!  Also, if you’d like to make your opinion heard in future polls, please follow me on X… Keep reading →

  • Believe in Others

    Believe in Others

    Disclaimer: I know this is going to inspire a lot of emotion—both positive and negative. I look forward to reading each and every comment. When I think of youth, I think of innocence. That time in our lives when as children, we believed whatever we were told. Children tend to approach others with openness and… Keep reading →

  • F.I.D.O.

    F.I.D.O.

    Once in awhile I see a bumper sticker that really captures my attention with its brief message simplicity.  Sometimes, I have to be real careful to not hit the car in front of me when I’m trying to read those pithy little bits of wisdom. One of my favorites said, “F.I.D.O”  and in very tiny… Keep reading →