Overcoming Frustration and Embracing Positivity

Facing Frustration in the Morning

The morning sun is sneaking through the gaps in the kitchen window curtains. It is 5:48. After a week of nothing but rain, you appreciate the promise of a dry day. You have been up since 3:30AM after waking to go to the bathroom, only to realize, as you stumbled back to bed, your mind has decided to kicked on, full-throttle, picking up where you left off when you crawled into bed last night. Feeling wide awake, and unable to go back to sleep after a futile 34-minute attempt, you have been at the kitchen table nursing a mug of warm milk. Warm is a relative term. It is room temperature now. It has not been “warm” for the past hour. You are disappointed were not able to go back to sleep. You wonder, What kind of day am I going to have now? How am I going to function on 4.5 hours of sleep? You look down at the table where you have been writing a list trying to clear your mind– -Go for 30-minute walk before kids get up -Make lunches -Find dry-cleaning stub -Put recycling out -make grocery list -put wet clothes in dryer -think about my goals and how I can move towards them each day -what are my weaknesses that are holding me back -how much do we need to plan retirement – only $200 in savings -did I pay the credit card? You drop the pen, feeling aggravated. Thinking… I’ve been sitting here for nearly 1.5 hours. Why am I writing a list? I should be organized enough that this stuff is taken care of. If I took care of things instead of “thinking about them” I would not be worrying about it. Maybe I should have made the lunches instead of writing this list…. the kids wake up at the smallest of noises. So, I’ve been stuck here, being quiet. You snort, If the “love of my life” gets up at 6:30 I can sneak out for that walk. Then you hear the small voice of your 5-year old son. You knew it. The smallest of noises. The thudding of the pen on the notepad must have woken him. You think, No way I can go for a walk now. You go to your son’s room and tell him all is ok, go back to sleep. Seeing you he smiles, grabs his Teddy bear and snuggles in – but his eyes are wide open. He knows you are up. Hoping he will stay put, you go to the computer to check work email. Your boss wants you to read and edit a memo a coworker wrote yesterday. Ugggg. Why you? It seems every time this coworker writes a memo you are called upon to edit and correct the plethora of errors made. This coworker usually has great ideas, but has a lot of difficulty composing memos and other office communications. This morning is no different. The significance of the message to the recipient is high. You think to yourself; I am going to blow my morning fixing this document instead of getting MY work done. WHY ME? What is their deal anyway?... I may as well get started on it now. Again, so much for that walk. You are frustrated. Looking at the clock, it is somehow 6:45. Nope, not going to get an early start on this memo either. You haven’t started breakfast, made lunches for everyone, or put recycling out yet. As this thought passes your mind, the recycling truck wizzes by – no can – no stop. Again, UGGG… It seems like the day is destine to be a grind, with the constant sensation that you are behind the curve…Bed …If only you could just crawl back into bed… Questions: Question 1. In this scenario, what emotions and moods are expressed? Question 2. In what way are goals playing a part in the mental and emotional experience? Question 3. What attribution style is depicted in this scenario? Part 2 For Part 2, for 9 points, you will rewrite the scenario, creating moments that hold the potential to create broaden and build effects. Use what you have learned from the Weeks 1-3 lessons to rewrite the scenario. As you do so, demonstrate what the scenario looks like when you thinking about the undoing effect of positive emotions. show the broaden effect moments of positivity can create show the building effect those positive moments potentially create Part 3 Questions: In the new scenario you have created -- Question 4. What emotions are important in the new scenario you have created? Question 5. How are the emotions discussed in your Question 4 response, responsible for the broaden or build effect you depict? Question 6. In what way has the outlook on goals changed in the new scenario you have written?  Question 7. What part of the brain is activated by one of the emotions demonstrated in the new scenario? Identify the emotion the relevant part of the brain that is activated. Question 8. How has the psychological wellbeing outlook shifted, from the original scenario, through the application of positivity? Question 9. What are the benefits of optimism generated in your new scenario? Be specific, using concepts from the course learning materials.