Found in 2 comments on Hacker News
allhailkatt · 2018-02-02
· Original
thread
Try working through the DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) handbook. It's designed to build skills to lessen the impact of anxiety, depression, and other chronic mental illnesses, and draws a lot from Stoicism.
Particularly, there are exercises meant to help you find your values, then figure out how to do more things you find valuable in your life.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/DBT%C2%AE-Skills-Training-Manual-Seco...
That phrasing, "wouldn't let me complete this", is a self-defeating way to talk to yourself.
Switching it up a bit can make a significant difference, for example: "That first try was a struggle, it might take some practice for me to improve".
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In case you or other HN friends are curious and find this technique intriguing, it stems from the philosophy suggesting healthy thinking can reduce distress and promote well-being. The field of study is called Cognitive (or Dialectical) Behavioral Therapy, aka CBT / DBT. Millions of people have found it an effective framework and strategy to permanently improve the way we speak to ourselves and relate to the world.
Here's the book I liked most (but there is an ocean of them):
DBT Skills Training Manual by Marsha Linehan
https://www.amazon.com/DBT%C2%AE-Skills-Training-Manual-Seco...
While you're alive, you might as well live your best life.
Sincerely, your buddy Metadat
p.s. sorry for the medium-length text wall, I didn't realize this would take be more than a sentence, but after initially posting only the first sentence, it was downvoted and it was apparent some explanation would be more helpful.