Dr. Ethan Kross

And so in comes perspective, like we could change the way we think about our circumstances when we're looking at it. Now, this can be sometimes a very tricky thing to do. One of my favorite recent experiences with close friends happened several years ago. We were driving home from dinner one night and a buddy of mine was just really struggling with something at work.

And so in comes perspective, like we could change the way we think about our circumstances when we're looking at it. Now, this can be sometimes a very tricky thing to do. One of my favorite recent experiences with close friends happened several years ago. We were driving home from dinner one night and a buddy of mine was just really struggling with something at work.

And so in comes perspective, like we could change the way we think about our circumstances when we're looking at it. Now, this can be sometimes a very tricky thing to do. One of my favorite recent experiences with close friends happened several years ago. We were driving home from dinner one night and a buddy of mine was just really struggling with something at work.

It was really bringing him down. He was telling us about it in the car. And his wife looks over to him and says, why don't you just focus on the positive? Just think about the bright side. And he pauses and he looks at her and goes... Yeah, easier effing said than done. And it was just like I smiled.

It was really bringing him down. He was telling us about it in the car. And his wife looks over to him and says, why don't you just focus on the positive? Just think about the bright side. And he pauses and he looks at her and goes... Yeah, easier effing said than done. And it was just like I smiled.

It was really bringing him down. He was telling us about it in the car. And his wife looks over to him and says, why don't you just focus on the positive? Just think about the bright side. And he pauses and he looks at her and goes... Yeah, easier effing said than done. And it was just like I smiled.

I wrote about it in the book because it was so powerful, which I think captures this experience that all of us have at times. We know. We totally know. That, yeah, if only we could think about this a little bit more constructively, everything would be better.

I wrote about it in the book because it was so powerful, which I think captures this experience that all of us have at times. We know. We totally know. That, yeah, if only we could think about this a little bit more constructively, everything would be better.

I wrote about it in the book because it was so powerful, which I think captures this experience that all of us have at times. We know. We totally know. That, yeah, if only we could think about this a little bit more constructively, everything would be better.

This is the basis of the intervention that you just went through or that you're going through now, CBT, how to change the way you think, to change the way you feel. But it's not always easy to do that. And so how can you do that? Let's go back to distancing because this is where getting some psychological distance can often be a difference maker.

This is the basis of the intervention that you just went through or that you're going through now, CBT, how to change the way you think, to change the way you feel. But it's not always easy to do that. And so how can you do that? Let's go back to distancing because this is where getting some psychological distance can often be a difference maker.

This is the basis of the intervention that you just went through or that you're going through now, CBT, how to change the way you think, to change the way you feel. But it's not always easy to do that. And so how can you do that? Let's go back to distancing because this is where getting some psychological distance can often be a difference maker.

This capacity to step back and look at our experiences from a zoomed out perspective can often be very, very helpful. And the cool thing here is that there are many different tactics that exist for reflecting on ourself and our circumstances from a distance. They don't come with the user's guide, but once you know it, like these are my go-to, I call them my psychological jujitsu moves.

This capacity to step back and look at our experiences from a zoomed out perspective can often be very, very helpful. And the cool thing here is that there are many different tactics that exist for reflecting on ourself and our circumstances from a distance. They don't come with the user's guide, but once you know it, like these are my go-to, I call them my psychological jujitsu moves.

This capacity to step back and look at our experiences from a zoomed out perspective can often be very, very helpful. And the cool thing here is that there are many different tactics that exist for reflecting on ourself and our circumstances from a distance. They don't come with the user's guide, but once you know it, like these are my go-to, I call them my psychological jujitsu moves.

So, all right, mental time travel. I'm struggling right now. I'm really feeling whatever, fill in the blanks. How am I going to feel about this next week, next month, next year? All of our experiences follow, not all, nearly all of our emotional experiences follow the same time course, temporal trajectory, if you want to geek out with me. Here's what happens. Something happens. Boom.

So, all right, mental time travel. I'm struggling right now. I'm really feeling whatever, fill in the blanks. How am I going to feel about this next week, next month, next year? All of our experiences follow, not all, nearly all of our emotional experiences follow the same time course, temporal trajectory, if you want to geek out with me. Here's what happens. Something happens. Boom.

So, all right, mental time travel. I'm struggling right now. I'm really feeling whatever, fill in the blanks. How am I going to feel about this next week, next month, next year? All of our experiences follow, not all, nearly all of our emotional experiences follow the same time course, temporal trajectory, if you want to geek out with me. Here's what happens. Something happens. Boom.

Emotions go up. Then as time goes on, The emotion fades. Depending on the experience, some go way up, some a little bit, some take longer, some recover more quickly, but nearly all of them follow that trajectory. We lose sight of that when we're in the midst of it. When we're in the cauldron, we zoom in on the awfulness. We forget that as time passes, things will settle down a bit.

Emotions go up. Then as time goes on, The emotion fades. Depending on the experience, some go way up, some a little bit, some take longer, some recover more quickly, but nearly all of them follow that trajectory. We lose sight of that when we're in the midst of it. When we're in the cauldron, we zoom in on the awfulness. We forget that as time passes, things will settle down a bit.