By: Kristin L. Roush, Ph.D., Guest Columnist
This series is intended to be a spoof, a lighthearted invitation to look at how we sometimes create our own misery. It is by no means intended to be disrespectful or minimizing of anyone’s true pain, particularly regarding depression and anxiety.
OK, here’s the thing. If you truly aspire to a miserable life, you must begin here. Low self-esteem is at the very core of misery. You must perfect an absolute commitment to self-loathing. You do this by taking advantage of three powerful tools:
1) grow up in the American culture,
2) create a belief system, complete with attitudes and automatic thoughts, that is devoted to negativity and cynicism (see last month’s column, Stinking Thinking: The Sweet Smell of Successful Misery, and
3) stay as far away from spirituality as you can get (organized religion might be just fine; use your judgment on this – no pun intended).
Continue reading “Column: The fine of misery – The fine art low self-esteem: How low can you go?”