Overcoming by Going Around
The other day I was walking down our driveway which had become icy as a result of sleet, freezing rain, a warm sun, and then cold frigid temperatures. One large segment of the driveway was like a skating rink. Even if you walked very carefully, it was almost impossible to cross the ice without slipping and falling. So I decided to simply go around the ice by walking alongside the driveway where there were still several inches of crusty, hard snow. By going around the ice, I was able to continue my walk without confronting the ice directly.
This is the strategy Morita therapy offers for dealing with the challenging feeling-states we all face from time to time – depression, fear, anxiety, despair, frustration and even anger. We are generally taught that we must . . .