Page 25 - SB-Newton and the Needy Newts

EXERCISE
This is an exercise to help you deal with the naturally occurring Needy Stinky Thinking of humans. First, let’s defined the term: Needy Stinky Thinking is what you tell yourself to do or say, to get the attention and/or approval of others, even though what you do or say is against your best self-interest.
You can probably think of a lot of foolish, silly and possible dangerous things you have done to impress others, even when you knew that you should not be doing those things. The problem with this type of thinking is that it happens so fast that you may not even be aware you were having Stinky Thinking until it is too late. Because it is so normal in humans to be needy, you will see others doing the same thing you are doing and then tell yourself, “If others are doing it, then it must be okay.” Which of course is wrong, wrong, wrong.
One of the ways we suggest that you unlearn bad habits of thinking and behaving, is to get help from some trusted friends or classmates. By trusted, we mean that they will not avoid telling you the truth, even if it makes you uncomfortable and they will not exaggerate the bad, just to hurt your feelings. If you can select such partners, this is how this exercise will work.
Each of you will take the form that is below and write your name and the name of your partners in blocks “A.” Then in blocks “B,” you will write about a situation in which you observed the others being needy or were aware that you yourself were behaving in a needy manner. In blocks “C” write down what you were thinking when you were acting needy or what you suppose they were thinking when they acted needy and finally, in block “D” write why the thinking in “C” is Stinky Thinking. Compare your forms and discuss them with each other. This is one way to learn how not to be a Needy Newt.
A
EXAMPLE
BCD
Jimmy did not do his homework and got angry when I would not let him copy.
"Tommy is my friend. He should let me copy. I can't do all this homework every night."
Jimmy can do his homework as well as anyone else. I am not responsible for him.
Example: Tommy
22