The User's Guide to the Human Mind: Why Our Brains Make Us Unhappy, Anxious, and Neurotic and What We Can Do about ItYour mind is not built to make you happy; it’s built to help you survive. So far, it’s done a great job! But in the process, it may have developed some bad habits, like avoiding new experiences or scrounging around for problems where none exist. Is it any wonder that worry, bad moods, and self-critical thoughts so often get in the way of enjoying life? Based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), The User’s Guide to the Human Mind is a road map to the puzzling inner workings of the human mind, replete with exercises for overriding the mind’s natural impulses toward worry, self-criticism, and fear, and helpful tips for acting in the service of your values and emotional well-being—even when your mind has other plans. •Find out how your mind tries to limit your behavior and your potential•Discover how pessimism functions as your mind’s error management system •Learn why you shouldn’t believe everything you think •Overrule your thoughts and feelings and take charge of your mind and your life |
From inside the book
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... mean that our minds are working against us. To the contrary, their purpose is to keep us safe. I hold two assumptions ... means that even when we realize we shouldn't eat an entire box of cookies, some part of our mind believes it would ...
... means well. Admittedly, that's an odd way to look at things. Sometimes it seems to make more sense to believe that there's something broken about our minds. Why else would we overeat, get depressed, worry about the future, ruminate on ...
... mean that I am unworthy of love or respect. Catastrophizing: If they see me fail, they will view me as incompetent and I will be fired. Focusing on the negative: Because it is unacceptable for things to go wrong, and things often go ...
... mean we need to suffer. In a tugofwar against an immovable force, it makes sense to drop the rope. We'll be discussing how to do that. Before we move on, let's begin studying how your particular mind functions. Exercise: How Does Your ...
... means tolerating a lot of chatter. As researcher Chris Fields noted (2002), most of us talk to ourselves, silently, most of the time. Where does this voice come from? Why do we use it so much, and why can't we easily silence it? The ...
Contents
HAPPINESS IS NOT YOUR MINDS | |
THE MINDS SKEWED VIEW AND BIASED | |
VALUES AND ACTION | |
TRUMP CARDS AND DOUBLE STANDARDS | |
Staying Observant and Maintaining Distance | |
QUICK FIXES | |
Managing the Drive for Quick Fixes | |
WELCOME TO YOUR STATE OF MIND | |
Moving Toward Values | |
Increasing Psychological Flexibility for a Lifetime | |
of Waiting for Thoughts and Feelings to Change Take Your Mind with | |
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The User's Guide to the Human Mind: Why Our Brains Make Us Unhappy, Anxious ... Shawn T. Smith No preview available - 2011 |