The world is not a stressful place assignment #2

Jason Davidson

1. We have two inherent tendencies: To grow or expand, and to stay comfortable. Explain what these two conflicting tendencies have to with fear.
These two conflicting tendencies have to do with fear because the thought of fear inhibits us from expanding or growing and the thought of fear promotes a person to gravitate towards their comfort zones. Both result in being stagnant or even digression. To grow you have to leave your comfort zone and to leave your comfort zone you have to get over or face your fear.

2. List, and then describe in your own words, the six aspects of fear.
The six aspects of fear are: 1. Nothing in the world is inherently fearful, This means that fear does not exist on its own, it is created in our thoughts. A person cant call rock climbing scary. It is not the rock climbing that is scary it is the thought the person has about rock climbing that is scary. The thought that the person has is about injury and or death and that is scary to them. I rock climb and it does not scare me. So if rock climbing is not scary to me than rock climbing cannot be inherently scary. 2. We do not have genetic predisposition to fear- fears are learned, We as humans are not born into fear of something. We learn to be afraid through our own experiences in life and also through the experiences of others. We have seen results to experiences and now associate pain to them, causing us to have fear regarding said experience. 3. If a fear is learned, it can also be unlearned, Fear can be unlearned because fear is a choice. I know it is a choice and can be unlearned because I have over come fears myself in my own life. If I can do it that means anybody else can also over come any fear that they might have.

4. There is no real pain in our discomfort zone, You can follow anything that is perceived as fearful to you and walk yourself through it step by step. Upon doing this you will realize that at no point during the event there was a reason to be afraid. No single incidence occurred that threatened your life. 5. We can handle the situations that we fear, We all know that we can handle the situation that we fear because we have all over come fears in the past. Our past experiences serve as witnesses that we can handle present fears. 6. The only way to overcome our fears is by facing them, Fears will never go away on their own. If a person decides to suppress or avoid their fear, it will pop up again in their life. The same fear will keep coming back again and again until it is resolved. I think if we as people realized that we are missing out on such great opportunities for growth and development and happiness that fear would never get in the way of living life ever again.

3. Explain what you learned about your own fears as you contemplate

these six aspects of fear.

I realized that I am just as guilty of not going for things that I might want because of fear as anybody is. I have a lot of room for improvement, but am encouraged and motivated to not let fear be a deterrent in my life. I know that I have been successful in overcoming fears in the past. I can quantify this now having read these six aspects of fear. I have known that certain fears exist in me but dont seem to be as big of an issue when I read these steps. I am excited to move forward with some things and apply my fearless attitude.

4. Thoroughly, and in your own words, describe what our "rules" have to do with the emotion of anger.

Our rules have to do with the emotion of anger because we as people set guidelines and parameters on how we think things should be. We have rules in our minds that govern our personal universe. When these rules are broken by others or even our selves this elicits the feeling of anger. The most interesting thing about our rules is that they are not real rules. Our personal rules do not exist in the natural world. Our rules are exactly that, our own, they exist in our heads only. The stronger the commitment we have to our rules the more anger will be elicited when that particular rule is broken. Anger is not the only emotion attached to our rules; other emotions include, jealousy, irritation, frustration, resentment, and disappointment.

5. What is the ONLY reason why we ever choose to be angry toward anything or anyone.
The only reason we choose to be angry with anyone or anything is because someone or something broke one of our rules.

6. Describe some of the differences between the conscious and the subconscious mind.
Some of the differences between the conscious and the subconscious are that the conscious mind is in charge. The conscious mind is in the drivers seat of our minds taking in data, analyzing it, and making decisions. Our subconscious mind does none of the duties of the conscious mind. The subconscious mind carries out orders and does exactly what it is told to do by the conscious mind. The subconscious is like the private in the army who does not think for himself, he only knows to do what he is told.

7.What is the main reason why it is so important to be able to affect the subconscious mind?
The main reason it is so important to be able to affect the subconscious mind is because the way we can use this to help a person manage stress. Our subconscious knows no limitations and being able to communicate with the subconscious will help us over come some of our current limitations that we may experience.

8.List and describe three powerful ways to connect with and positively

affect the subconscious mind.

Three powerful ways to connect with the subconscious mind are guided imagery, self-talk, and affirmations. Guided imagery is using your imagination to create a mental picture of you doing something great or performing at a high level. Imagining yourself doing this will result in you actually doing that thing at a high level. Self-talk is a focused control on our thoughts. We have many thoughts every second of the day and self-talk is a practice of focusing on the positive thoughts and saying, stop to the negative thoughts. Affirmations are statements or assertions that we believe are true about ourselves, like Im fat.

9. List and describe the suggestions given in the book for how to create effective affirmations.
The three suggestions given in the book for how to create affective affirmations are first; speak using positive statements like, I am a great skier, or I am a straight a student. Affirmations should not be said using not or dont. Second, speak in the present tense. The subconscious will believe what you are saying to be true even if you have never done it. Third, trust your subconscious to complete the talk that you are giving it.

10.Explain the importance of the statement, "The subconscious mind does not know the difference between a clearly imagined event or an event that we actually experience."
The importance of this statement is very significant. The fact that our subconscious does not know the difference between imagination and actual experience is what allows people to do miraculous things. To go out and compete at a high level in sports or academics. This statement is what allows people become something that they presently are not. This can also work in reverse and be the demise for some people who dwell on and imagine horrible things. Imagined or truly experienced it does not matter; its all the same to the subconscious mind.