by Megan Sy, M.A., M.S.
Just like that, another training year has whizzed by! Among the things I’ve learned and practiced in the last two training cycles at the Albert Ellis Institute, my three biggest takeaways are as follows:
1) There’s only one thing we can control and it’s not the world or the people around us. Demanding that the world change or that others do as we want them to may seem productive, but in reality the only thing we can really change is ourselves.
2) Acceptance does not equate to stagnation or resignation. Self-acceptance and life acceptance involves acknowledging circumstances, while still allowing for change and growth.
3) Just do. One of my favorite Ellis quotes is, “Use your head, your heart, and your hands and feet!” While change involves cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effort, these may not always happen at the same time. Sometimes, just doing (despite negative emotion) is better than waiting around to feel okay.
My takeaways are also my take-home work. Rational living takes practice, after all. Besides, I can’t expect to leave the Institute without some homework!
