We Need a New Psychology
chapter 1
Suppose you could ask all the people in the world who are not hungry, sick, or poor, people who seem to have a lot to live for, to give you an honest answer to the question, "How are you?" Millions would say, "I'm miserable." If asked why, almost all of them would blame someone else for their misery - lovers, wives, husbands, exes, children, parents, teachers, students, or people they work with. There is hardly a person alive who hasn't heard the sayings, "You're driving me crazy .... That really upsets me .... Don't you have any consideration for how I feel? .... You make me so made, I can't think straight." It never crosses their minds that they are choosing the misery they are complaining about.
[the above is the first paragraph of the book]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I find this premise interesting - it means [to me, at least] that I am not a victim; I cannot blame others; I am responsible for myself.
What do you think? ... or do you?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* HarperCollins Publishers in 1998
ISBN 0-06-019109-0 [hardcover]
Suppose you could ask all the people in the world who are not hungry, sick, or poor, people who seem to have a lot to live for, to give you an honest answer to the question, "How are you?" Millions would say, "I'm miserable." If asked why, almost all of them would blame someone else for their misery - lovers, wives, husbands, exes, children, parents, teachers, students, or people they work with. There is hardly a person alive who hasn't heard the sayings, "You're driving me crazy .... That really upsets me .... Don't you have any consideration for how I feel? .... You make me so made, I can't think straight." It never crosses their minds that they are choosing the misery they are complaining about.
[the above is the first paragraph of the book]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I find this premise interesting - it means [to me, at least] that I am not a victim; I cannot blame others; I am responsible for myself.
What do you think? ... or do you?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* HarperCollins Publishers in 1998
ISBN 0-06-019109-0 [hardcover]
2 comments:
People have a choice to react how they want to. We can make ourselves victims or not. We have that power. When you say that someone else is making you miserable, although there may be some truth to it, you have the power to let it get to you or not. Sometimes when my children tell me that they can't stand someone, I tell them problem is not the other person, but how they choose their reaction. The other person doesn't have a problem with themselves. They don't always like that, but I hope it makes them think.(Usually they want sympathy) People have more power than they think. By changing your attitude you may find wonderful people where you may have found someone who was annoying.
deb,
for a lady that mothered so many kids, you sure have a level head about you - too many mothers dote over all the injustices their kids have to suffer at the hands of others.
are you still popular around the home front?
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