Checking in.

[hannah]

Today at the gym someone asked me how I was doing; I said I was trying to figure out which of my current sources of stress were under my control and that I could do something about. He laughed and said most people don't think about things that way. It seemed to be positive, but I'm still a little puzzled. I'd have thought most people would think about things that way, and be better able to focus themselves and their lives, with the ability to prioritize being a desirable trait.

That said, I know I use it as a coping mechanism to help manage anxiety and keep it from being overwhelming, but then I'd think that's what most people do in their lives to one degree or another.

Comments

[karalee]

FWIW, it's certainly what I've started doing in the last few years, and it's made my mental health immeasurably better. Being metacognitive FTW!

[glinda]

I'm sure that's what lots of people do naturally, they probably just don't think about it as doing that, at least wouldn't be able to articulate it as clearly and succinctly as that. I suspect that most people that are conscious of that being how they manage things internally are aware of it because they didn't do it naturally and had to actively learn how to do it - for managing anxiety and the like.