The Happiness Advantage

by | Jul 7, 2020

book - The Happiness Advantage
The Happiness Advantage.

It’s a book I just finished reading and it’s been a game changer for me.

There’s a concept in it you will find helpful, and it’s as simple as your ABCs + add a D.

ABCD = Adversity Belief Consequence Disputation

I had a patient this morning who didn’t want to cross her right leg over her left because she had a belief that it would injure her back.

The Adversity began four weeks ago when her big dog accidentally knocked her over and she fell on her backside. She went to the doctor a week later because of pain, and her x-ray revealed a fracture on her L2 vertebrae… but doesn’t know if the fracture is new or old.

Her Belief is now that pain in that area means she’s injuring her back. And she really doesn’t want to reinjure anything (understandably and rightfully so).

The Consequence of that belief is she is afraid to move and scared to cross her right leg over left. As a result, her hip and back are becoming stiff and tight. She’s not working out, concerned about deconditioning, feels flabby and gross from not exercising… making her self-talk negative, creating more knotty muscles, more shallow breathing, as the internal biochemistry drifts further and further from her indwelling healing green tree circuits…

ENTER… the Disputation.

The Disputation is a challenge to the belief. To provide a disputation, I presented some questions to challenge her perspective:
u

What if...

the tissues are healing and movement is actually good for her?
u

What if...

she’s not reinjuring herself when she feels pain or crosses her leg?
u

What if...

that pulling sensation in her back simply means her muscles are working to move her thigh?
u

What if...

she can feel that pain and notice afterwards that she’s still ok – that she survived it, she made it, and she’s actually not experiencing what she thought she would?
About forty minutes into our session… she was able to easily, freely, and readily cross both her legs without any assistance from her arms. And it didn’t injure her! Success!

Give the ABCD concept a try. Here’s a great article with more detailed instructions:
https://www.becomingwhoyouare.net/blog/master-abcds-happiness

Looking for a Guide to help you through this process?

We are here to help you shift into Green Tree living. Schedule your FREE consultation today…

Written By Renee Ostertag

Clinical Scientist. Body Intelligence Speaker. Physical Therapist. Renee is obsessed with the nervous system and how it affects pain, healing, and quality of life. She strikes a balance with work & life by playing with her Bernedoodle puppy and Improv Theater.

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