Reward conditioning...when we experience rewarding moments we are conditioned by what will encourage us and reward us to continue to behave in a certain manner.
Consequence conditioning...when we experience negative consequences we are conditioned in what we don't like or want and will behave in a manner to avoid such things.
- When you're hungry...you eat...why?
- When you're tired...you sleep...why?
- When you know it's going to rain...you bring an umbrella...why?
- When it's cold outside...you wear warmer clothes...why?
- When you go to work...you get a pay check...why?
- When you're late for work...you tend to rush...why?
- When driving...you drive the speed limit...why?
- When you achieve a goal...you're proud of yourself...why?
When you give your pain behaviours consideration and you are trying to understand why you respond the way you do, give some thought to the following...sometimes asking the right questions can open up a level of understanding and unlocking the answer to why.
- How do you respond to the positive happenings in your life?
- How do you respond to the negative happenings in your life?
- Why you do you respond the way you do?
- How did you learn this response?
- Is your response learned from a positive or a negative experience in your life?
When you're hurting...you _____. Why?
When you feel anxious...you_____. Why?
When you're feeling lost...you_____. Why?
When you're feeling happy and enjoying life....you_____. Why?
When you feel empowered and encouraged...you_____. Why?
When we can answer the question why...we are learning about ourselves. We can't change the past...but we can change our understanding of it. We can change how we respond to our life moving forward and we can re-condition ourselves to how we respond to what happens in life around us.
Your responses to life and what goes on, is a condition response learned over time and it's been rewarded...good or bad...and your behaviour has been shaped. You can change your responses...but you need to learn why you respond in a certain manner before you can change it. It takes time, it takes patience and it takes getting to know yourself more intimately than you may be comfortable with..but things won't change until you take the steps to change them.
Give thought to how you respond in life...what conditions shaped your behaviour and what changes do you want to make for you moving forward? Will you take the steps?
take good care of you eh?