Having the reactions to things you *wish* you had....

[sqwook]

instead of the reactions you *do* have.

Very interesting conversation on irrational emotions and ways to think about them.

Comments

[sqwook.livejournal.com]

Note A: I realize "irrational emotions" is quite the concept but couldn't quickly think of anything better.
Note B: I'm certainly not calling otterkin irrational!

[pumaviking.livejournal.com]

thanks for pointing back to that - i saw the beginning but hadn't seen the later comments. :)

[extrastout.livejournal.com]

The post comes up as protected.

Oh, by the way, it looks like I have finally found an orginizational system that works of me. It's David Allen's 'Getting Things Done Fast'.

It's based in solid cognitive psychology, gets to theory but is centered around actual implementation. Beautiful stuff.

[sqwook.livejournal.com]

Interesting!
And here, since that post was protected, are some of the comments from jocelmeow, removed from the context that rendered the post protected:
"I'll tell you what I try to do in these sorts of situations in case it might be helpful. I won't say I always accomplish this, but this is what I try to do.

"I studied an acting discipline at NYU called Meisner Technique. It's best summed up in a phrase as "living truthfully under imaginary circumstances." Rather than putting the focus primarily on character development, actors work toward being present, involved and focused on their partner in the scene, and letting the emotion be driven by their partner's actions.

"It's hard to explain how you study this for two years (it's simultaneously the easiest and hardest academic work I've ever done) and why it works in a couple paragraphs, but here's the best way I can explain it:

"Most acting training focuses on getting emotion to the surface in preparation for a scene. In Meisner, instead of trying to summon up anger by abstractly remembering a time you were angry when something bad happened to you in the past, you are focused on what your partner actually does, and you let that make you angry. Everything she does in the scene, everything she says, angers you. It's very realistic. It's just as in your experience here - every specific thing about this person makes you angry. Her ---! Her ---! Her -----! Her invasion of your space! It all fills you with genuine, unspeakable rage. If she cooked you a delicious batch of kale, the way she cooked kale for you would probably *still make you angry*!

"The thing I try to do in situations like this is change what in Meisner Technique is called your "intention." Instead of letting everything the person does anger me, or distract me, or make me feel inferior, I decide (as best as I can) that everything she does will fill me with happiness, or that talking with her will make me feel competent and in control.

"Now I am certainly not saying this is easy, but it is a good deal of how I stayed sane while working at ------------ for five years with people constantly draining my emotional energy. "Where's the mozzarella?" for the 73rd time today? I let it fill me with joy, as best I could."

She also suggested this book.