I Wouldn’t Trade This Life for Anything, It Wouldn’t Be the Same
On SR3MM (2018), the third studio album by Rae Sremmurd (“Ear Drummers” spelled backwards – hip hop duo composed of brothers Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi, both rappers and singers), is the song “Rock n Roll Hall of Fame”, produced by TM88 and MP808.
On the chorus, Swae Lee sings, “I wouldn’t trade this life for anything, it wouldn’t be the same.” This expression of acceptance will now serve as a relatively brief psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).
Now, REBT uses unconditional acceptance (UA) to relieve self-induced suffering. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance (USA), unconditional other-acceptance (UOA), and unconditional life-acceptance (ULA).
With my approach to REBT, I incorporate author Stephen Covey’s concepts regarding the circles of control, influence, and concern, as well as an area of no concern. UA maps onto the circle of control (USA), circle of influence (UOA), and circle of concern and area of no concern (ULA).
The circle of control encompasses only oneself, the circle of influence encapsulates elements which may be subject to one’s sway, the circle of concern engrosses most matters one can imagine, and the area of no concern relates to all content which isn’t yet imagined.
Regarding his circle of control and USA, Swae Lee apparently realizes that he controls his reactions to matters which may or may not be able to be changed. Concerning his circle of influence and UOA, Swae Lee has successfully influenced me to draft the current blogpost.
Relating to his circle of concern and ULA, Swae Lee ostensibly understands the impermanence and uncertainty of life, as it will come to an end. Relating to his area of no concern, an imaginary realm, the singer admits, “I wouldn’t trade this life for anything, it wouldn’t be the same.”
Now, I invite you to practice a similar approach to rational living. If you use UA, as indicated herein by allusions to Swae Lee, then you won’t needlessly waste your time with unfalsifiable notions of whether or not you’d “trade this life for anything.” Besides, “it wouldn’t be the same.”
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, 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 try 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 trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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