Comments on: Expecting Surprises http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/ Exploring Healthy Psychotherapy Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:18:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Sarah Jenkins http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-12929 Sarah Jenkins Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:29:21 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-12929 Also consider the fact that fear is, by nature, a part of the human experience. For example, Fight, flight, or freeze is a natural part of our physical being and can come in response to what we are afraid of. It helps to ensure our survival. Therefore, when it comes to "change," fight, flight, or freeze can also kick in as well. It will depend on your history with change and if you have had any experiences that also elicited fear along with it. Therefore, for many, change can be a trigger for the past, especially when it was not a positive experience. Also consider the fact that fear is, by nature, a part of the human experience. For example, Fight, flight, or freeze is a natural part of our physical being and can come in response to what we are afraid of. It helps to ensure our survival.

Therefore, when it comes to “change,” fight, flight, or freeze can also kick in as well. It will depend on your history with change and if you have had any experiences that also elicited fear along with it. Therefore, for many, change can be a trigger for the past, especially when it was not a positive experience.

]]> By: Kimber http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-12749 Kimber Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:12:45 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-12749 I have felt like this many times. We get into our comfort zone because that is what we are familiar with. I don't like change, even tho I know it is sometimes for the better. I think change does us good as you said, it lets us grow and reach out to what we are not used to. The feeling of accomplishing something new is always rewarding to me. I have felt like this many times. We get into our comfort zone because that is what we are familiar with. I don’t like change, even tho I know it is sometimes for the better. I think change does us good as you said, it lets us grow and reach out to what we are not used to. The feeling of accomplishing something new is always rewarding to me.

]]> By: Kelly http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-12373 Kelly Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:32:39 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-12373 I am the same way Ashleigh. Surprises do nothing but throw me off kilter. I am the same way Ashleigh. Surprises do nothing but throw me off kilter.

]]> By: Ashleigh http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11813 Ashleigh Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:22:08 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11813 Surprises can just throw too much of a kink into the life plan sometimes. I am way too organized and anal to love the surprise- I have no way to plan for that! There are some people who can deal with those kinds of changes in their lives- I just do not happen to be one of those people. I wish that I could do better and learn more from these but I have not yet found a way to make that happen yet. Surprises can just throw too much of a kink into the life plan sometimes. I am way too organized and anal to love the surprise- I have no way to plan for that! There are some people who can deal with those kinds of changes in their lives- I just do not happen to be one of those people. I wish that I could do better and learn more from these but I have not yet found a way to make that happen yet.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11647 Shannon Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:30:11 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11647 Yes I too am one of those people who does not do well with surprises. :( I like for things to be planned out and done in a certain way. When there are those little unexpected surprises along the way I have to admit that I sometimes see those as more than minor inconveniences but as major roadblocks. But I am trying to work through all of that though. I am trying to teach myself that little unexpected surprises are often some of the best gifts that life has to offer- we just have to be able to open our eyes and see them for the gifts that they are indeed intended to be! Yes I too am one of those people who does not do well with surprises. :( I like for things to be planned out and done in a certain way. When there are those little unexpected surprises along the way I have to admit that I sometimes see those as more than minor inconveniences but as major roadblocks. But I am trying to work through all of that though. I am trying to teach myself that little unexpected surprises are often some of the best gifts that life has to offer- we just have to be able to open our eyes and see them for the gifts that they are indeed intended to be!

]]> By: Zoe http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11399 Zoe Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:04:38 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11399 You are right- getting started is sometimes the hardest part! You are right- getting started is sometimes the hardest part!

]]> By: Samantha http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11335 Samantha Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:35:17 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11335 I can say someone just put pen and paper to my fears. I am bad with starting anything new. I am still sitting here in front of my laptop deciding to take driving lessons. I can add joining the gym too. I think I am more worried about my "look" at the gym than the doing weights part. Perception matters and something that came to my mind was the song in Sound of Music, "I have confidence in confidence alone, besides which you see I have confidence in me." I can say someone just put pen and paper to my fears. I am bad with starting anything new. I am still sitting here in front of my laptop deciding to take driving lessons. I can add joining the gym too. I think I am more worried about my “look” at the gym than the doing weights part. Perception matters and something that came to my mind was the song in Sound of Music, “I have confidence in confidence alone, besides which you see I have confidence in me.”

]]> By: Jeanette http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11251 Jeanette Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:17:47 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11251 I am a big chicken and freely admit this. Everything new always frightens me a bit. I am printing this article though to keep with me, hoping it will keep me strong and resilient. Thanks for the insight. I am a big chicken and freely admit this. Everything new always frightens me a bit. I am printing this article though to keep with me, hoping it will keep me strong and resilient. Thanks for the insight.

]]> By: Sarah Jenkins http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11181 Sarah Jenkins Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:24:31 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11181 Maggie, Thanks for your comments. I'm glad that you connected with this article, especially about facing fears. Yes, being a afraid of the unknown is so common, especially because it can be about "I can't control this." What ever that triggers, plus the part of our brain that knows about survival says, "Nope, not doing it." The catch is to allow the fear, acknowledge it, and try it anyway. Of course, there are legitimate threats that we should be cautious of. Nevertheless, we should also remember that some things in life that we are afraid of, are not actual threats, they just "feel" like they are. It is just our perception of them being so that restricts us, not the reality itself. Maggie,

Thanks for your comments. I’m glad that you connected with this article, especially about facing fears. Yes, being a afraid of the unknown is so common, especially because it can be about “I can’t control this.” What ever that triggers, plus the part of our brain that knows about survival says, “Nope, not doing it.” The catch is to allow the fear, acknowledge it, and try it anyway. Of course, there are legitimate threats that we should be cautious of. Nevertheless, we should also remember that some things in life that we are afraid of, are not actual threats, they just “feel” like they are. It is just our perception of them being so that restricts us, not the reality itself.

]]> By: Maggie http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expecting-surprises/comment-page-1/#comment-11167 Maggie Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:11:12 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=763#comment-11167 What a great article and illustration of something we all face on a regular basis. No not the 100 degree yoga class but the variances in life that are not at all what we expect and then the decision making time that comes there after. There are times when you have to hunker down and roll with the punches and I happen to think that this can be a good life lesson for people. We all stay too afraid of the unknown but why? Why not try something new and broaden our horizons? I think we would all be better for it and ultimately feel better about ourselves in the long run for facing our fears head on and trying something new! What a great article and illustration of something we all face on a regular basis. No not the 100 degree yoga class but the variances in life that are not at all what we expect and then the decision making time that comes there after. There are times when you have to hunker down and roll with the punches and I happen to think that this can be a good life lesson for people. We all stay too afraid of the unknown but why? Why not try something new and broaden our horizons? I think we would all be better for it and ultimately feel better about ourselves in the long run for facing our fears head on and trying something new!

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