Page 43 - ALIVE CODE

DARE TO BE A.L.I.V.E. - DON’T BE A D.A.S.H.

In order to reduce the intensity, duration or frequency of your feelings,
practice the following steps:

(a) See that you have self-defeating feelings (like panic, depression, and rage)
and carefully identify the irrational Beliefs (iBs) with which you are creating
and maintaining these feelings.

(a) Look for your basic musts, shoulds, oughts, and demands and also the
inferences and attributions that accompany them such as your awfulizing, I
can’t-stand-it-itis, damning of yourself and others, and exaggerations and
over generalizations.

(c) Forcefully Dispute your irrational Beliefs and come up with Effective New
Philosophies to replace them.

(d) Change your behaviors—such as procrastination and addictions that
encourage you to think illogically and to feel upset. Thus, if you are
maintaining your rage against someone by acting vindictively and thereby
reinforcing the rage, force yourself to stop your vindictive acts and even force
yourself to do something kind for this person.

Identifying the Behavior

So far you have focused on your disturbed feelings (C), but you haven’t done
too much about your destructive actions and behaviors. (These behaviors, as
well as feelings, comprise the C in the ABC’s of previously described in the
book.

Behavior describes what you are doing or how you are acting. Just as feeling
is one way you respond to your Activating Events, behavior is another way.
Just as you focused on your feelings, you can now focus on your behavior.

ALIVE CODE
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