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17-06-12, 10:53
Hi guys, I just wanted to share an interesting article that was in the Guardian magazine yesterday. You should be able to find it at http://m.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/15/happiness-is-being-a-loser-burkeman?cat=lifeandstyle&type=article
The quote that made me think the most was:
'Consider how we normally seek to assuage worries about the future: we seek reassurance, looking to persuade ourselves that everything will be all right in the end. But reassurance is a double-edged sword. In*the short term, it can be wonderful, but like all forms of optimism, it requires constant maintenance: offer reassurance to a friend who is*in the grip of anxiety, and you'll often find that, a few days later, he'll be back for more. Worse, reassurance can actually exacerbate anxiety: when you reassure your friend that the worst-case scenario he fears probably won't occur, you inadvertently reinforce his belief that it would be*catastrophic if it did. You are tightening the coil of his anxiety, not loosening it.'
That certainly rings true with me and my quest for reassurance. I found the rest of the article interesting and helpful too. See what you think...
Take care xx
The quote that made me think the most was:
'Consider how we normally seek to assuage worries about the future: we seek reassurance, looking to persuade ourselves that everything will be all right in the end. But reassurance is a double-edged sword. In*the short term, it can be wonderful, but like all forms of optimism, it requires constant maintenance: offer reassurance to a friend who is*in the grip of anxiety, and you'll often find that, a few days later, he'll be back for more. Worse, reassurance can actually exacerbate anxiety: when you reassure your friend that the worst-case scenario he fears probably won't occur, you inadvertently reinforce his belief that it would be*catastrophic if it did. You are tightening the coil of his anxiety, not loosening it.'
That certainly rings true with me and my quest for reassurance. I found the rest of the article interesting and helpful too. See what you think...
Take care xx