Hi all!

Several of you have mentioned a problem or two you would like to work on. Now, make use of the quote that Perna found: "Every problem has five parts or levels: (1) the behavior involved, (2) the emotions experienced, (3) the skills you may need, (4) the mental processes involved (thoughts or self-talk, motivations, self-concept, values, and expectations), and (5) the unconscious forces that may contribute to your troubles." http://www.psychologicalselfhelp.org...2/chap2_2.html

Describe your problem to us again using the five parts that are involved in almost any problem. When some people do that let's see if the problem becomes more clearly described and see if it might become easier to find ways to deal with the problem. Do we have any volunteers? If not, I'll give an example I'm facing.

Example: My blood sugar is getting a little high. The problem described in 5 parts: (1) simple--eating too many sweets, (2) feeling stressed by piles of work to be done right in front of me; using sweets to settle down, (3) need better writing and organizational skills involved in pulling massive information together, (4) believing a brilliant integration of info is possible and that I should do it alone--without help, and (5) unconsciously thinking that I am as able as I was 50 years ago & being afraid that my memory is declining.

That is short but you can see that a more complete description of the problem (more than high blood sugar) might lead to new ways of coping. Of course, figuring out the self-help approaches and applying them may take weeks or months.

Time to go to bed...that usually clears my thinking!

Clay