Negativity Bias

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I've been dealing with the negativity bias concept a lot lately, which is also a normal mode of mind according to the experts. If we have evolved to be anxious and on our guard, what chance do we have to be happy? I seem to fear the tiger in the bush constantly to the point where I can never relax for more than a split second. Even thought I know this is bred into us, I didn't used to be this way to this extent. Even though things are going fine and I have no reason to believe that anything is really going to jump out and attack me, I am totally stuck in this place. This is in spite of the fact that I can go through my day and point to all the things I feared that didn't happen. I seem incapable of learning that things are most likely going to either be all right or they'll be fixable.And I'm beating myself with the comparison hammer, too. It's no fun. On both of these points, I seem incapable of seeing reason or learning. In spite of wholeheartedly agreeing that my current way of thinking is wrong and hurtful, I wake up every morning feeling this way and going throught the day in this manner. How can we break the negativity bias if it's part of our evolutionary make-up?Bruce I felt the same way, . It seems like almost anything can turn into a hammer to beat ourselves up with. Comparison game is especially a losing prospect and so insidious. I'm so glad Steve and others keep outing this stuff. terry > >>> > >>> ** > >>> > >>> [Attachment(s)<http://uk.mg41.mail.yahoo.com/neo/#1387ce7da951715a_TopText>from Bauer included below] > >>> Hi all, > >>> > >>> Attached are three PDFs. > >>> > >>> I've been thinking the past few hours about what is the efficacy of ACT > >>> and REBT and other therapies on different things and I've looked at several > >>> papers on this. I attached two studies here because they seem similar in a > >>> way and about the efficacy of ACT, Systematic Desensitization on math > >>> anxiety and one paper on efficacy of REBT on test anxiety. It's seems they > >>> are all work. Interesting that perhaps they work differently. I have > >>> quite a bit of reservation about all therapies, not just ACT, but other 3rd > >>> waves and CBT and REBT. And I have a little bit of skepticism about the > >>> studies. > >>> > >>> The other PDF attached is Kant on What is Enlightenment? In it he > >>> states "Have courage to use your own reason!". This is something I try to > >>> do. Spending too much time in conversation on this list on ACT/FC/RFT or > >>> reading and studying the ACT books or talking to a therapist can be counter > >>> productive. Better to act and live my life using my own reasoning. So > >>> instead of living my life according ACT/FC/RFT, I want to take what I > >>> learned in ACT/FC/RFT and incorporate parts of it into my own reasoning and > >>> philosophy and use that to live my life. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > > > > >