So how awful IS awful?
How terrible is TERRIBLE?
It is helpful to put events into perspective, To ACTIVELY and FORCEFULLY
expand our focus to see life realistically.
We often say something is “awful” and get a feeling like it is more than 100% Awful.
But how can that be?
We say we “Can’t Stand It!!!”…. But yet we do!
So lets take these facts and begin to MANAGE our thoughts and perspectives and as a result DIRECTLY MANAGE our feelings and behaviors as well!
We are not saying to “sugar-coat”…or even to minimize. There is real distress and discomfort in this world. Recognition of this real distress is important.
What we are saying is, while recognizing the real distress in situations, to also, AT THE SAME TIME, recognize very clearly and very factually, where it lies in the spectrum of distress,
and that we can stand it.
Here is the tool ——- To REALize reality
Make a scale starting at 0 and going to 100
100 ___________
90 ___________
80 ___________
70 ___________
60 ___________
50 ___________
40 ___________
30 ___________
20 ___________
10 ___________
0 ___________
1) First rate you existing situation
2) Secondly, ask yourself:
- How Terrible is It?
- Could it get worse?
- It is really as frequent as it feels ?
- How long will it really last?
- CAN I STAND THIS?
3) Now for a bit of perspective …
- Is it as bad as a hurricane or earthquake?
- Or say as a famine or war?
4) and Finally for antidote …
- ”Is there nothing occurring at this same time that is good?”
- ”Is there nothing I can do to make something good happen?”
It is in these simple and factual ways that we realistically manage and develop a reality based perspective on life.