Curt's Example
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This triviality happened a few weeks ago in my C++ programming class. I could not understand what the instructor was trying to get across. Furthermore, I was so confused I did not know what to ask. This is when I began to work myself up. I thought that I was the only one that must be confused otherwise how come no one is asking questions. I was angry at the instructor for not writing things down and giving examples. Also he seemed to get off the subject often. My temper was causing lack of concentration which made matters worse. I was thinking of dropping the class. I thought that this instructor does not want to teach this class and doesn't care about whether the students learn or not. Then it occurred to me that I must begin spotting. I realized that it's average to not understand something and to be confused. I realized that I'm not wrong for being confused. I lowered my standards for myself and realized I didn't have to be perfect. I also lowered my expectations of the instructor realizing that he is average and it's also his first time teaching this class. And it could be that the reason other's didn't ask questions is that they were just as confused and just like me could not think of what to ask (or perhaps had some fearful temper as well). I know that I do not know what the instructor's attitude was and that I did not need to know. I saw this triviality as a chance to practice my Recovery techniques. My mental health is a business compared to this triviality for without it I could not do anything else. Before my Recovery training, I would not have spotted my temper and would have given it free rein. I would have worked the temper up into a vicious cycle and then I would have felt down because I could not control myself. Now I know that it is merely temper that causes me to feel the way that I do and that I can control my temper by spotting it when it occurs...thanks to Recovery. Further Spotting! Ann--I spot fearful temper when Curt said he thought he must be the only one that was confused in the class. I also spot that he had angry temper at his instructor for the way he was teaching the class, but he was able to spot his temper and drop it. Bob--That is so important too, since then he can prevent that vicious cycle from starting up, as it did in his former days. This is hard to do because at that moment I'm sure Curt was feeling pretty strongly about the whole thing. George--I liked the way he lowered his standards. That doesn't mean we have to be extreme in this, it just brings us down to a manageable level of expectations which are not looking for perfection or having things the way we at least think they should be. What does that mean? Spotting--This is when Curt recognizes (spots) that he is sabotaging his mental and begins to practice the Recovery method.
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