Ch8: Emotional Control

A web site dedicated to enhancing human happiness and self-development

From You Can Choose To Be Happy, Tom G. Stevens PhD
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CHAPTER 8:

"RISE ABOVE"
ANXIETY, ANGER, AND DEPRESSION: ADJUST YOUR EMOTIONS LIKE A THERMOSTAT

Contents: What is mental control of emotions? Mental control strategies:
1. CHOICE--replace or accept and convert the situation?
2. HARMONY of motives--resolve inner conflicts.
3. UNDERSTANDING--create a road map to success.
4. GOALS and EXPECTATIONS--adjust to keep the task optimally challenging.
5. OPTIMISM that you can be happy no matter what happens.
6. FOCUS--keep your "eye on the ball." (Think of "CHUG-OF" to remember the six strategies) (To read chapter sequentially, click on first topic above) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Chapter Epilog: Happiness is not caused by external conditions.
Happiness measures the harmonious functioning of our brain--
how optimally it is challenged and how much it is learning.
Overchallenge causes overarousal emotions like anxiety and anger.
Underchallenge causes underarousal emotions like
boredom and depression.
We can adjust our emotions like a thermostat
by adjusting the challenge level.
Belief in mental control seems like magic,
because that belief alone helps get control.
The six mental control strategies give you
basic tools to achieve mental control.
Learn how to CHUG-OFF
when you need to adjust your emotional thermostat.
CHOICE (Replace or convert the situation),
HARMONY (of motives through self-exploration),
UNDERSTANDING (the situation and creating a road map),
GOALS (To lower anxiety, set goals LAPDS--
lower, process, dynamic, alternative, simple),
OPTIMISM (that I can eventually be happy no matter what the outcome),
FOCUS (on the ball and ultimate concern).
Through strengthening your Higher Self and increased mental control,
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY.

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