13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
I have to admit, lists rankle me, especially when they are lists of shoulds .* But Amy Morin wrote a list of should nots . The book, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do, pulled me in, just like Where Have I Been All My Life , life coach Cheryl Rice's biography, last week. Love those book tours.** The good news is that the list of don't isn't as focused on avoidance as it leads on. That's good, because avoidance isn't generally therapeutic. In fact, it can be anti-therapeutic. Just don't ___ (fill in the blank), never works, not for very long. Humans are far too willful, prone to habit and addiction. Therapy is a process, an examination of the whys and the wherefores of pain--the opposite of avoiding problems. We even suggest that patients lean into problems. Don't avoid. " Bring it up in a safe place " (before leaning in in vivo ). Enough focus and we get sick of feeling sick, leave it for awhile. Remember what th...