In my opinion, personalizing practice increases self-responsibility.
How? When I add the word MY, I make it mine – I own it. I’m responsible for it. It holds me more accountable for what I’m thinking, and how I’m feeling.
Samples:
Temper causes tension, tension causes symptoms
Better: MY temper causes MY tension, MY tension causes MY symptoms
Temper blocks insight
MY temper blocks MY insight
Anger is intellectual blindness to the other person's point of view
MY anger is MY intellectual blindness to the other person's point of view
This is trivial, a triviality
This is a triviality compared to MY mental health
Nothing is more important than mental health
Nothing is more important than MY mental health
Self-appointed expectations lead to self-induced frustrations
MY self-appointed expectations lead to MY self-induced frustrations
Humor is our best friend, temper our worst enemy
MY Humor is MY best friend, MY temper is MY worst enemy
This is trivial, a triviality
This is a triviality compared to MY mental health
Comfort is a want and not a need
MY comfort is a want and not a need
Excessive sense of responsibility
MY excessive sense of responsibility
Features and gestures speak
MY features and MY gestures speak
An insincere gesture of friendliness is more beneficial than a sincere gesture of hostility
MY insincere gesture of friendliness is more beneficial than MY sincere gesture of hostility
Knowledge teaches you what to do, but practice shows you how to do it.
MY knowledge teaches me what to do, but MY practice shows me how to do it
Endorse for effort not the outcome
I endorse for MY effort not the outcome
Muscles re-educate the brain that there is no danger
MY muscles re-educate MY brain that there is no danger
Nervous fear is the fear of discomfort
MY nervous fear is MY fear of MY discomfort
‘Making it mine’ moves the mental fitness tool from the realm of being simply a general statement, and reminds me of the fact that if I want to feel better, it’s MY thoughts I need to change. Because? No one else can do it for me.
© 2012 Rose VanSickle ~ All rights reserved
