One of the things that I think can make a big difference to people is when we find simple ways of teaching them important concepts. Recently, in preparing for a presentation, I came up with a simple way of teaching three of the most important concepts that I believe helps people to deal with their problems in the most effective way. I call it the Brain APP.
The idea is obviously enough using a simple metaphor of our brain as a device and possessing an app that enables us to do something. In this case, the brain APP is designed to help us change how we are thinking. It works through three questions.
APP stands for three concepts:
- Attitude
- Perspective
- Perception
By attitude I am referring to the way we think about our lives. By perspective I am referring to how important we evaluate aspects of our lives to be. By perception I am referring to how we interpret or take in information from the world.
1.Attitude
One of the biggest problems I found that people have is that they find themselves experiencing life as a victim. They continuously focus on what they cannot do and wallow in self-pity as they complain about everything that is outside of their control. The reality is that simply shifting how you think to focus on what IS in your control can have huge implications for your emotional and physical well-being. Having a locus of control in your mind means deciding to do whatever you can about whatever situation you find yourself experiencing. To change your attitude, my simple question is:
What CAN I do about this?
2. Perspective
Another issue that many people have is the struggle with problems that dominate our way of thinking. Little things become bigger the more we focus on them. We live in a world where, in an effort to protect ourselves, we can make dramas out of problems that really are not that bad. It is often only when we experience big problems that we realise that what we were stressing about was not that bad at all. To me, there is no need to only get perspective like this when we find ourselves dealing with huge problems. Instead, to change your perspective ask:
What is REALLY IMPORTANT right now?
3. Perception
Lastly, many people negatively interpret what happens to them in a way that makes them feel bad and they struggle to deal with the experience. Often it isn’t what happens to you that matters but how you interpret what happens to you and the meaning you give it. It is vital to find other ways of thinking about what happens so you have a choice in how you interpret it. In order to best change your perception of what happens to you ask:
HOW ELSE can I see this?
I believe that these three questions can be enormously helpful in allowing you better handle the problems you face in your life. Try them out and let me know how you get on.
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