Photo credit, property of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, fair use
There’s a scene in the 2008 animated adventure comedy film Bolt in which a hamster named Rhino becomes excited by his beliefs about the prospect of adventure. Expressing his enthusiasm, Rhino thrice states, “Let it begin!”
Wait. I realize that to those who are unfamiliar with rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), the manner by which I propose Rhino’s excitement occurred may seem a bit odd. What do I mean when saying he “becomes excited by his beliefs about the prospect of adventure”?
REBT theory maintains that when an unexpected Activating event occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the undesirable circumstance that causes unpleasant emotional, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.
Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that is used in place of an unproductive self-narrative. With the ABC model, a person learns to stop needless suffering which is caused by unhelpful assumptions.
Given this framing of Rhino’s situation, the animated hamster becomes excited by his beliefs about the prospect of adventure. This is a belief-consequence connection, as opposed to the suggestion of an action-consequence connection whereby the adventure itself causes excitement.
With this understanding, I’m excited by my beliefs about the 2024 United States (U.S.) presidential election, as today is Election Day. For full disclosure, regarding which many people may self-disturb with unproductive beliefs, consider what I stated in a blogpost entitled Civic Duty:
Voting is merely accepted as a civic duty, simple as. We can agree to disagree. I choose not to vote and others can choose to label me however they like due to this fact.
For the record, I want to be clear. I’m not implying that anyone shouldn’t, mustn’t, or oughtn’t to vote. I’m not the moral arbiter of the universe, nor do I care if a person does or doesn’t vote.
I genuinely couldn’t care any less than I currently do about who upsets themselves with unhelpful beliefs about my decision not to vote. That matter of disclosure aside, I’m enthusiastic from my beliefs about the prospect of adventure in regard to election time.
This is because I’m provided with an opportunity to practice REBT in my personal and professional life unlike any other time of the year. To make a U.S.-specific comparison, consider the matter of the Super Bowl as an annual championship game played by two teams.
All year, these teams attend practices and scrimmages, compete against other teams, and hone their skills for an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. This is partially how I view my approach to REBT.
Annually, I try to help clients improve the quality of their lives through advocacy for the ABC model and unconditional acceptance. Election Day is akin to the Super Bowl, in that it allows for one’s REBT skills to be put into practical application rather than merely practicing the modality.
Pompous celebrities who in another era would serve as little more than mere court jesters to entertain a royal court now sit upon their precious positions of privilege and lecture U.S. citizens about for whom to vote. Their behavior provides an opportunity for the employment of REBT.
Condescending politicians lambaste voters and non-voters alike for unrealized political gain. This is done despite the fact that U.S. politicians supposedly represent the citizenry and not special interest groups. Such behavior affords people a chance to put REBT tools to the test.
Fellow citizens turn on one another, unhelpfully blaming those with diverging sociopolitical interests for the woes of our nation. Their behavior provides an opening to dispute unfavorable beliefs while practicing acceptance without unhelpful conditions.
Intelligence agencies, law enforcement entities, and paramilitary groups take up arms in preparation to support or oppose local, state, and federal authoritarian government actors against the interests of the citizenry and in opposition of the Constitution. It’s REBT time at that point.
Friends, family members, loved ones, neighbors, coworkers, school peers, strangers at the supermarket, people online, and others go into all-out delusional outrage mode when proselytizing about partisan matters. What better time is there for REBT than this?
When contemplating this matter, I’m reminded of the 2023 song “Let It Begin” by hip hop producer Maticulous and featuring rapper Breeze Brewin of the Juggaknots. Lyrics include, “You a chump, frontin’, and you pay the cost. On some Trump, talkin’ ‘bout, ‘Hey, I lost!”
Breeze Brewin’s line presumably references the notion that Donald Trump likely won the 2020 U.S. presidential election, though due to questionable circumstances he wasn’t allowed to ascend to the 2020 presidency. Regarding this matter, I said in a blogpost entitled Information Overload:
Uncertain about the likely shenanigans which occurred before my very eyes, I wondered how it could be that results were possibly altered as drastically while I slept during the 2020 election night.
I maintain a healthy degree of skepticism regarding the 2020 U.S. presidential election results. Still, I don’t engage claims of unfalsifiability which maintain that Joe Biden didn’t win the election, given that I can’t accurately identify all manner of shenanigans which were said to have taken place.
Likewise, I’ve no interest in entertaining counterfactual claims regarding what may or may not have occurred had Trump won that election. Moreover, I’m not self-disturbed with beliefs about the potential for more shenanigans occurring today and throughout this week.
Bear in mind that in a blog entry entitled Concern and No Concern, I stated, “Personally, I suspect there’ll be violence within the [U.S.] regardless of which candidate is victorious in the upcoming presidential election. Of this, I’m concerned.”
Maintaining concern about that over which I have no control or influence is a logical and reasonable manner of living, as opposed to becoming anxious, fearful, angry, disgusted, sorrowful, or otherwise in relation to unhelpful beliefs. Mine is a method of rational living.
It’s with this understanding that I remain excited and not self-disturbed in association with my beliefs about Election Day. For me, this is the Super Bowl of REBT use. And with that, I say, “Let it begin! Let it begin! Let it begin!” Bring on the adventure!
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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