There is ancient precedent for believing that disordered feelings often arise because of prior problems in thinking and behavior. For example, the desert fathers in the tradition of Christian monasticism often taught that the way to address problems in one’s emotional life is to attend to what is happening in the realm of thinking and behavior. Even before them, the 1st century Stoic philosopher Epictetus taught that our interpretations of events have a greater impact on us than the events themselves, so that the way to avoid unnecessary suffering is to engage in correct thinking.

The basic idea is that there was a web of multiple reciprocities between how we think, what we feel and the way we behave.

On one level, this is common sense: it doesn’t take a PhD in psychology to know that because we are whole people, a change in one aspect of the human ecosystem will have an impact in other areas. However, psychology hasn’t always traded in common sense, and for much of the discipline’s history too little attention was given to the notion of changing maladaptive feelings through addressing thoughts and behavior. Continue reading →

Complaining is one of those things we do without even thinking about it. Some researchers have suggested that during an average conversation we complain to each other about once a minute.

From a health perspective, this should be concerning. When we complain, stress hormones are released that harm healthy neural connections in the brain. This also occurs when we aren’t actually complaining ourselves but are exposed to someone else grumbling.

In his book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life, Trevor G Blake shared some Stanford studies showing that being exposed to 30 minutes of complaining each day physically damages the brain by peeling back neurons from the hippocampus (the part of the brain used for problem solving and higher cognitive functions). Over time this can actually lead to the hippocampus shrinking, resulting in decline in memory and adaptability.

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Constant lack of motivation or distraction could be a sign that boredom-induced stress has taken over your ability to thrive in EPPP test prep. These signs also point to burnout but, when paired with disengagement or frequent avoidance of your EPPP study materials, it could also mean that it’s time to rediscover the joy of learning.

A classic example of how boredom can override the ability to focus is with elementary aged children. Have you noticed the excitement of a child preparing for his or her first year of school? Learning is associated with discovery and newness. Any hesitation to go to that first year of school is often rooted the fear of being separated from parents. At some point in some children, a shift can be made from excitement towards learning to being unmotivated to complete school work.

Perhaps you have similarly felt disengaged with your EPPP test prep materials or constantly find yourself procrastinating what you have set out to do on your study schedule. Continue reading →