operate your brain

[wolfgang]

Check this out:
http://www.nickpagan.com/blog/wp-con...fectly-v10.pdf

The write up talks about how negative emotions are manageable by noticing your desires and then how much your desires mismatch reality will dictate how much you are overwhelmed by emotions.

At first it sounded, to me, like lowering your expectations of your desires will temper your feelings. I don't think that's what the author meant. If you red the article - what did you get? Or how would you summerize the ideas? Do you see it as useful to apply?

I also was reminded of the idea of our emotions being "an emotional guidance system" which is to be some sort of feedback from the universe about how out of sync with your true nature you are.

So then I wonder that there are two sources for big feelings. One is based on our brain and habitual behaviour. Like seperation anxiety for a child that had a hard time going to summer camp. That anxiety can be a big emotion that effects adult life. It is an emotion pointing at desires to be home and with family - but could get triggered by anything that wishes for more security (I think). It may currently not be needed to feel that way, so then how does one keep that habitual behaviour to desire to be home from showing up in emotions? Because to follow these types of emotions as thinking you need to solve that desire, may not actually work. You can't always find more security or good home situations or you might actually be home and safe but don't feel like you are.

The other type of big emotions could come from being well aligned to your true nature. This is what the spiritual side of you is nudging you along with. It may be a desire too that just seems to be unfolding for you. This is where the emotions are there to show you the way or to pull you along into what really works for you. I don't think one should diminish these feelings. It's ok to be in the grip of these emotions, perhaps.

Interesting stuff so dig in, if so inclined.

[Sunnybayes]

I love it so far. Its consistent with my understanding of how things work.

What I get out of it, is if you don't feel like doing some huge task, for me, this is a 30 page physics lab, then don't think about the endstate in your mind at the moment. Because in the next instant of moment, say 5 minutes, there is no way that you are going to have it done and so anything you try is going to fail at this goal of having the huge goal done, so that is where all the resistance comes from. Instead it says only ask yourself in the moment "what can I do right now?", and so then you can actually complete the endstate that your mind achieves.... and so you don't get resistance from feeling failure, and you get a little boost from being able to complete the thing that you can actually do... and well he explains it much better than I do.

[javamannen2]

Inspiring article(s).

Reminds me of the Divide-and-conquer method used in software development (but applicable to any problem that seems insurmountable).

- It's time to get out of bed!
- But I'm too tired. Let me sleep.
- Just sit up in bed then.
- I'm too tired for that too.
- Just move your leg over the edge of the bed then.
- No, even that's too hard for me right now.
- Just move your foot outside the blanket then.
- No, it's so warm and cozy in here.
- Just move you toes outside the blanket then.
- Well... OK then. But that's it.
- OK, you managed that. How does it feel?
- A bit chilly, but the discomfort is manageable.
- Maybe you're ready to try moving out the whole foot now?
- OK, I'll try, but that's it. No more.
- OK, so you managed that too. Not too hard, was it?
- I'll survive.
- Maybe you're ready to move your leg now?
- All of a sudden it doesn't seem all that impossible.
And so on...

Basically, divide the problem into sub-problems. If the sub-problems are too big and scary, divide them into sub-sub-problems. If the sub-sub-problems are still too big, divide them into sub-sub-sub-problems, and so on... until you reach the level of "- Well, wiggle your pinky then. - OK, maybe I can do that at least. YES! I made it! I'm unstoppable!"

[Sunnybayes]

lol. I've done that before...

[LauraC]

thanks wolfgang for the article, I loved it. great recommendation