The Self-Directed Daily Inventory

It is tempting to think that a "good" or "bad" day results from a single event. Although a particularly wonderful event can buoy one’s spirits or an equally upsetting experience result in sadness or emotional upset, most days tend to be typical, the result of a series of events or experiences…some “good” and some “not so good.”

Individual events that become the exclusive focus of one’s attention can impact we evaluate a given day. When assessing a given day as “good” or “bad,” considering an isolated event or series of events restricted to a narrow focus of experience during that day can result in frustration if not depression. This is especially likely if several such “bad days” occur in a row. Such experiences foster what professional counselors and therapists refer to as “negative self-talk” or what those familiar with A.A. call, stinkin’ thinkin’.

The purpose of the exercise outlined here is to increase the likelihood of considering the “big picture” when evaluating a typical day. The Self-Directed Daily Inventory (SDI) is a daily activity designed to help one slow down their thinking, step back to consider multiple variables that affect mood, and look at the “big picture.” In doing so, it is possible to realize that things are not always the way they appear to be when considering just a “snapshot” of events in one’s day to evaluate it.

When employing the SDI, identifying specific categories of experience that YOU view as important in evaluating your day and then considering them independently to assess how “good” or “bad” your day was in each of those categories provides a more objective and therefore accurate assessment of one’s true experience. Using a set of evaluating criteria you establish for each of these categories facilitates this “stepping back” to consider the bigger picture. For example, identifying a minimum of five and a maximum of seven key assessment categories you deem important areas in your life and then evaluating your day in each category provides a more realistic overview of that day. Averaging the individual scores assessed for each of these 5 to 7 critical areas then yields a more accurate “score” regarding the day.

Specifically, use a simple “1 to 5” scale to evaluate each category. Describe the criteria that denote the lower and upper ends of this scale for each category with conditions or experiences you believe describe “bad” or “good” for that category. Next, total the scores for each category, find the average score (the total of all daily scores divided by the number of scores), and post this average on a graph to view progress or “change” on a daily basis.

This simple technique “forces” consideration of the “big picture” when determining progress or improvement in regaining personal control in one’s life.

To create your own step-by-step set of instructions, using 7 sample categories. You will need to choose your own important life categories and define the scale used for evaluation for this exercise to be effective. You can find a sample set of worksheets and instructions at https://tinyurl.com/S-DDaily-inventory

3rd Person Self-Talk and Self-Directed Behavior Change; How to Talk Sense to Yourself

Has a friend or family member ever approached you seeking advice on how best to deal with a personal issue or approach an important personal decision? If you are like most humans, the answer is yes. And when approached, were you able to proffer an opinion or provide the requested advice? Again, the answer is likely yes. This is because most of us are relatively good in such situations because we view ourselves as “detached” from the situation. Because of this detachment, we are more objective and offer reasoned advice.

 

Ethan Kross, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, has published research that finds that when individuals conduct their self-talk in the 3^rd person, that is referring to themselves by 1^st name or as he/she, him/her we can achieve that same degree of psychological detachment that enables us to provide more logical and rational advice to ourselves. Consider this example:

 

Instead of thinking, I can lose the weight needed to look good on the beach this summer, I say to myself, Robert, you can lose the weight needed to look good on the beach this summer.

 

Thinking in the 1^st person is a habit that is difficult to break. Why? Because we have likely been doing it for decades! However, when finding myself thinking in the 1^st person, I can “translate” those thoughts into the 3^rd person easily by simply inserting a 3^rd person pronoun or my first name, a nickname I go by, or my last name if that is how others generally refer to me – think “Gibbs” on NCIS – and create that psychological detachment that brings added clarity, reason, and logic to my thinking.

 

This can be a very helpful aid to accomplishing self-directed behavior change. Engaging in 3^rd-person self-talk about losing weight, quitting smoking, drinking less, or exercising more can help prevent self-doubt from derailing a change plan.

 

Before dismissing this idea by saying you do not want to sound like Dobby the House Elf in Harry Potter, remember we are talking about "self-talk" here...that is $10 psychobabble for "private personal thoughts," the ones no one hears except you :)

 

Robert – remember that willpower is a skill that you develop with practice rather than, I don’t have the willpower necessary to succeed; I’ll never be able to change.

Change is an inside job, Robert; one that you can accomplish because it is more about attitude than effort rather than, Change is just too hard for me; I will never be able to do this.

 

What do you think?

 

To read more about 3^rd-person self-talk as an aid in stress management, ending negative self-talk, or quietening anxiety, CLICK HERE.

 

Dr. Robert

Looking for a Bit of Good News

Let’s Look for a Little Good News

© 2022 Robert J Chapman, PhD

 

Preoccupation with tracking the latest on the pandemic has caused me to overlook that COVID is neither the only nor the most persistent pandemic we should be worried about. Our tendency to think in binary terms, that either–or way of thinking, where anything outside, beyond, or different from my view of the world is, at best, wrong and, at worst, dangerous. Binary thinking requires living in an "us and them" world, where to protect "our" view of what is right and to defend against "theirs,” we fall into many cognitive biases that tend to sabotage our capacity for rational thought and therefore hinder our ability, if not willingness, to show compassion and embrace our innate humanism.

 

Confirmation bias and the availability heuristic are two common biases that foster much of the negativism, doubt, and suspicion experienced when considering “them” and their attitudes, values, and beliefs. The result is the frequent display of contempt that shows itself in disregarding authority, distrusting those who differ from our thinking, and the civil and political strife that afflicts our planet in the 21^st century.

 

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out information that supports my beliefs and represents "the truth" while ignoring any argument or evidence that contradicts them. The availability heuristic—where “heuristic” is simply a fancy term for a mental shortcut—supports cognitive bias by making what we see and hear most often seem like reality. When these two biases happen together, I tend to look for evidence that backs my views on the truth and makes yours seem wrong or even dangerous—creating plenty of “available” information that strengthens my beliefs. 

 

As tough as the times we live in can be, there's good news and more than just a hint of hope: a sort of

vaccine to protect against these cognitive biases. To support this bold claim, I share a couple of my favorites as examples.

First, Playing for Change. This project records music performed by street musicians and people from all walks of life around the world, then edits them into very moving and uplifting covers of some of the most memorable 20^th-century songs, especially those with lyrics of hope and love. Two of my favorites are the 1960s Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4UWvcZn5U and Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM. To hear more examples, search "Playing for Change" on YouTube.

 

For good news about current events, visit the Reasons to be Cheerful website: https://tinyurl.com/27w7zs6v. This site curates stories from around the world that showcase the good in the world and promote a sense of hope, if only we seek it.

 

Humans tend to fall prey to many of the cognitive biases mentioned above. To prevent these common pitfalls, we need to seek information beyond our usual sources. Note that none of the hopeful examples cited above relate to politics, religion, or any specific ideology. Each one focuses on highlighting our potential as humans to move toward a celebration of "we the people” and a “both-and” approach to thinking.

 

In conclusion, watch any episode of John Krasinski's Some Good News on his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/SomeGoodNews) to, once again, boost your sense of hope and reaffirm that some people are trying to do something to counteract the negativity, gloom, and catastrophizing that "seems" so widespread in the world today.

 

What do you think?