The Mountain Is You

ASK FOR HELP, BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW

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EVERY THING
We live in a specialized society.
People go to school; they apprentice and train to become very skilled at one
task. They then market and sell this task in exchange for purchasing other
people’s expertise.
You are not supposed to know everything.
You are not supposed to be a financial expert; that’s why you can hire one
to do your taxes or advise your investing.
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You are not supposed to be a master chef; that’s why you can buy a
cookbook or ask your mother for help. You are not supposed to be a world-
class trainer; that’s why you can book an appointment with one and learn.
You are not supposed to understand the complexities of mental health and
neuropsychology; that’s why you can visit with a psy-chotherapist and learn
how to get better.
You are not supposed to know everything. You’re not supposed to be good
at everything. This is why you have people whom you can hire or learn
from. Cut yourself some slack, and focus on what you are proficient in.
Outsource everything else.
KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW, AND STOP FALSE

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DICHOTOMOUS THINKING
The main reason that people sustain anxiety is due to long-term thinking in
either/ors, otherwise known as false dichotomies.
This is a cognitive distortion in which you eschew an entire field of
possibilities in favor of one or two polarized outcomes, neither of which are
likely or reasonable.
If I lose my job, I am a failure. False.
If this relationship ends, I’ll never find love again. False.
If this scary thing happens, I won’t be able to go on. False.
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Anxiety is caused by logic lapses, where there’s a breach in your reasoning
skills. You jump from one event to an unlikely conclusion, and because it
makes you feel something strongly, you assume it to be true. Ultimately,
you start thinking in dichotomies, which are not only ineffective, but also
spook you so much that you are rendered incapable of actually handling
your life.