Jackson Free Press

While driving Sunday morning, I saw a church sign that read, "Life is 10 percent how you make it and 90 percent how you take it." This reminded me of another technique I learned years ago to deal with stress - rational emotive behavior therapy, also known as REBT. REBT has to do with the theory that the way a person views a situation results in negative emotions, not outside forces. For example, instead of saying, "He made me angry," you would say, "The way I perceived his behavior made me angry." That way, you can change your inner dialogue before your emotions end up in the driver's seat.

I realize now that I need to use REBT a lot more often on my road to wellness. I allow too many circumstances to get under my skin, which is not healthy in the long run. I think that in addition to reaching my wellness goals, I need to take a step back every now and then to assess my view of life. This should keep me grounded and less frazzled.

Previous Commentsshow

It's intersting to hear you say that? I guess everyone needs to be the bigger person, but I just wish people were way more considerate! When it comes to driving, you always have that one person riding your bumper, when you already know you are going way faster than the law allows, but they still continue to stay on your bumper, even though you are doing 60mph in a 45mph zone! Or how about when your walking down an aisle in a grocery store and someone wants to take up the aisle with their grocery cart and you have to shout "EXCUSE ME" to catch their attention, even though they looked dead at you walking their way? Or you walk into the office and speak to everyone and your barely get an hello back? But I guess, what would be the purpose of living if we dind't confront these issues everyday! lol!!!! As crazy as it sounds, I guess the problems we confront everyday are what actually keeps us alive, because they make us think. What would President Obama be like, without the Tea Party and the radical right, better yet 90% of Mississippians!? Would some of us appreciate him as mush as we do? What would their existence be like without somebody to hate on? lol!!! As mush as we hate it, it gives us something to talk about and to move on to become better people, as a** backwards as that sounds? Cool blog though Sis. Willis.

Duan C.

Jul 26 2010

Thanks, Duan! Yes, I can relate to everything you brought up, especially the traffic thing. If I'm already doing 85 in a 70 and someone is riding my tail like they're trying to climb onto the rear bumper, it is annoying. Here's a bumper sticker I designed based on an old one my dad used to have on his truck. It sums everything up. :)

LatashaWillis

Jul 28 2010