Yesterday (1/20/2025), I awoke and Joe Biden was President of the United States (U.S.). Today, I awoke and Donald Trump is President of the U.S. It’s a new day. Now, whatever significance one ascribes to this day can make a difference in how one feels.
However, the day itself doesn’t cause one’s emotional or sensational experience. To understand what I mean, it may be worth exploring the ABC model of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Herein, I’ll use an example of a person who doesn’t favor Trump and who’s having a bad day today.
REBT theory maintains that when an undesirable Action occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the unexpected circumstance that causes unpleasant cognitive, emotional, sensational, and behavioral reactions as Consequences.
From a psychological standpoint, people disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.
For example, the majority of voting U.S. citizens nominated Trump for president (Action) and as a result Trump has now become the 47th President of the U.S. (Consequence). In the physical world, using an A-C perspective, the act of voting caused Trump to resume his former role.
Still, if person X voted for Kamala Harris and awoke today to a Trump presidency (Action) while unhelpfully Believing, “I can’t stand Trump, the next four years will be awful, and Trump is completely worthless and shouldn’t be president,” then this rigid attitude may cause fear and anger with tightness in the chest (Consequence).
Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that’s 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.
Additionally, REBT uses the technique of unconditional acceptance (UA) to relieve suffering. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance, unconditional other-acceptance, and unconditional life-acceptance.
Therefore, whatever significance person X ascribes to this day can make a difference in how this individual feels. Yet, the day itself doesn’t cause person X’s emotional or sensational experience. Today is simply a new day and that’s all.
When thinking about this matter, I’m reminded of the album Anotha Day Anotha Balla (1995), by hip hop duo South Circle, which was released during the summer after I graduated high school. The anthology contained a track named “New Day” in which the following lyrics were stated:
Niggas be stuck on yesterday, but I pass. Had to “get up, get out, and get something,” like that Outkast. And you might see me and T in a movie, ‘cause it’s a new day. (New day, it’s a new day. New day, new day, new day).
“New Day” advocated the value of personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”). This principle is also reflected throughout REBT literature.
In specific, people are encouraged to take personal ownership for their reactions to undesirable events rather than unproductively blaming other people or factors for these B-C experiences. This helpful psychoeducational lesson applies to person X, you, me, and everyone else.
Ultimately, yesterday, things were different when I awoke. Today, a new day, there are lots of changes which have taken place within the past 24 hours. Nevertheless, it’s one’s beliefs about occurrences, and not the events themselves, which cause unpleasant outcomes.
Personally, I’m not self-disturbed by the idea of a Trump presidency any more than I could’ve upset myself throughout the past four years of Biden’s presidency—the least favorite presidential administration of my lifetime. This helpful outcome is because I regularly practice REBT.
If you awoke to a new day with unexpected changes and have experienced self-upset, I invite you to consider the ABC model and practice UA. If you’d like to know more about rational living, I’m here to try to help. “New day, it’s a new day. New day, new day, new day.”
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work 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 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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