Page 127 - Taming Your Gremlin A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way (Rick Carson)_Neat

unintentionally curt and sometimes downright rude to her coworkers.
Sharon quickly discovered that she had incorporated this behavior by
observing her mom, who believed that a woman’s value was tied solely to

the degree of activity she was engaged in, and that having too much to do
and suffering about it was somehow noble. Sounds like our old friend the
Grim Reaper, profiled in chapter 2, was on the scene. Sharon told me she
wanted to make an effort to give up this behavior and the concept on which
it was based.

I suspect that Sharon will be quite successful at modifying her tendency
toward a helter-skelter mindset. After all, she’s already brought it into her
awareness, activating the Zen Theory of Change you and I discussed earlier,

and she can expedite the change she desires by simply noticing her
tendency to scurry about as the tendency manifests in her actual workday.
She can simply notice the “I have to produce to be worthwhile” concept
playing in her head and give it whatever power she chooses. She can even
accentuate this notion or her harried state to the point of absurdity. And she
can change for a change, exploring such options as modifying her

breathing, slowing down and smoothing out her movements, focusing on
one issue at a time, and taking the time to come out of the world of mind
long enough to notice the sensations within her body and to notice the
world around her.

You can use the information you have gathered from reflecting on your
parent to enrich your life and fashion your style of being. Focus on one
characteristic for two or three days. Clearly decide what part you want the
characteristic to play in your life. You might decide to embellish it, lessen

it, or eliminate it entirely. The keys to effective change using this method
are to:

Stay conscious of what part you want the characteristic to
play in your life.
Simply notice the characteristic as it pops up in your own
personality.
Be at choice and play with options.