A metaphor for how we respond to negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, sadness. When the struggle switch is on, one emotion leads to another in a cycle. For example, feeling anxious then worrying that your anxiety is going to get worse is essentially being anxious about anxiety. When the struggle switch is off, we observe the negative feeling using mindfulness and taking action on what we can control. This helps disengage from the negative emotions and avoid the struggle.
See also:
- The Struggle Switch video on YouTube
- “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional”
Links to this note
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To Be Offended, You Must Value Their Opinion
Being offended and caring what others think about you go hand in hand. If you are offended by someone, a part of you values their opinion. Similarly, if you don’t care what others think, you won’t be easily offended.
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Do the Hard Work, but Remove the Struggle
I tend to work hard and take my work seriously. When things aren’t working exactly as planned, I take it personally. When the work is difficult I internalize it and it becomes more difficult.