Re: Buddhist quote--self-esteem

[Guest guest]

I've been kinda behind reading posts because my new school year has begun, I

teach elementary special education. Your message, Grant, really resonated with

me and some of my daily struggles in my job. My mind loves to tell me the

messages like, " I must control these kids " , " I must know how to correct all

their behaviors and keep them moving in the right direction " . Then I go into the

thoughts of " You know better than that, you shouldn't think this way " . So, the

anxiety cranks up. I want to concentrate on the value of helping the kids, but I

get kind of stuck here. I am better about being compassionate with myself for

having the thoughts but I still think a " good teacher " would feel more confident

than me. So, I just need some of your valuable opinions to help me see the ACT

approach when I crank this up.

> >

> > > Defusion techniques facilitate the loosening of the

> > > death grip of these thoughts. One thing that comes

> > > out of that is the ability to notice whether a thought

> > > is useful or not. But watch it....you can become fused

> > > with the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY of getting the sorting

> > > done right.

> >

> > & Bill et al,

> >

> > I think the writing has done (Mindfulness For Two,

> > Things Might Go HT Wrong, etc.) speaks to this in another

> > way, too - i.e. the ambiguity and uncertainty which is

> > inherent in the world, and to which " minds " often react

> > (well, mine sure does) by attempting to set up rules, seek

> > and hold onto consistency without noticing when consistency

> > has become rigidity and no longer tracks with the world, etc.

> >

> > And I'm reminded of something Steve wrote on this list

> > a few months ago about life - something that comes back to me with

> > increasing pertinence:

> >

> > " This is not about being a good boy and getting a gold star. "

> >

> > Small words, big implications.

> >

> > -Randy

> >

> >

> >

> >

>