Personal Happiness – Dr. Walter J. Matweychuk
In my view, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy is as much a way of living or a philosophy of life as it is a form of cognitive-behavior psychotherapy. I have tried to distill the main ingredients of this liberating philosophy to as few fundamental tenets as possible for dissemination. I could have added others like having a social interest, but my intention here is to zero in on what I consider some of its most essential ideas for achieving personal happiness. I have practiced this philosophy for twenty-nine years and continue to find more in-depth ways to understand and apply it. Here is my provisional list of fundamental REBT ideas for achieving personal happiness:
1. Unconditionally accept yourself, this is the greatest gift you can give yourself. It is the foundation of emotional health and happiness.
2. Hold yourself responsible for your emotional reactions, personal happiness, and your life’s path.
3. Think for yourself.
4. Keep your wishes and wants, but do not convert them into demands.
5. Control what is under your control. Let go of what is not under your control. Influence is possible, but controlling others is impossible.
6. Accept reality. Denying reality does not work well for very long.
7. Push yourself out of your comfort zone.
8. Accept uncertainty. Take calculated risks.
9. Strive to do better, not perfectly well.
10. Remember, you, mainly you, will profit from your willingness to do what is hard. You also will be the one to suffer the pain of taking the easy way out.