Constructive Living, Power of Introverts, and Probably Correct Actions
Existential Espresso Vol. 38
What I read:
Constructive Living by David K. Reynolds
Constructive Living, as Reynolds describes it, is not psychotherapy. It is sound, practical advice for daily living. Nevertheless, Constructive Living is largely based on two Japanese psychotherapies, Morita therapy and Naikan therapy.
*Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has often been compared to Morita therapy, so you shouldn’t be surprised if some core ideas from Constructive Living remind you of what I said in last Monday’s Espresso about the book on ACT, "Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life."
What Reynolds suggests is that we should stop living emotion-focused lives because we cannot control our emotions. This doesn’t mean that emotions don’t matter, but simply that we shouldn’t think that every negative emotion needs to (or can) be "fixed" or thoroughly investigated. Instead, we should focus on our actions. Unlike how we feel, what we do is in our control. The goal of Constructive Living is to teach us that we can get done what we need to do in life even when anxious, nervous, scared, or angry.
"What I think you will find is that when you get good at doing what needs doing in your life, the feelings stop giving you such trouble. And even if your feelings become troublesome, when you are involved in constructive activity, they remain in perspective. Feelings cease to be the whole show."
(David K. Reynolds, Constructive Living)
This is a rather short book, and it has instantly become one of my top recommendations for those who want to read a psychology / mental health book that actually deals with their day-to-day lives.
What I listened to:
Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts and Loneliness on the Lex Fridman podcast
Susan Cain is the author of "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking." I recently stumbled upon it in a bookstore, and, as an introvert myself, I was intrigued by it. Then, I remembered why the author’s name sounded familiar: this episode of Lex Fridman podcast has been in my "watch later" playlist on YouTube for almost a full year. So before deciding whether to buy this book and give it a try, I decided to listen to Susan Cain talk to Lex about introverts and introvert-related topics. Don’t expect this podcast episode to be full of practical advice on how to navigate this often-too-noisy world as an introvert. Rather, it is sort of a celebration of introverts and the beauty that they add to the world.
You can watch/listen to it here or on any other podcast streaming platform.
What I’ve been thinking about:
Overthinking, overanalyzing, and overpreparing can give you a certain kind of satisfaction that keeps you from taking action in the real world. You may try to comfort yourself by saying that you are somehow more profound than those who take action and actually accomplish something in life. But that’s all that is - a self-comforting lie.
Start making some “probably correct actions” rather than waiting to figure out the “perfect actions.”
Thank you for reading. Have a great start to your week.
As always, stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.
Free Resources:
My free ebook: The Lost Art of Reading
Paid Resources:
The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency
The Gold Pill: Timeless Ideas for a Life Worth Living
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