The Facts of Life
In childhood, I enjoyed watching the television sitcom The Facts of Life (1979-1988), about the character Mrs. Edna Garrett as she became a housemother and later dietitian at the fictional Eastland School, an all-girls boarding school in Peekskill, New York.
Noteworthy, the show featured an opening credit theme song called “The Facts of Life”, by Al Burton, Gloria Loring, and Alan Thicke, on which Loring sang, “You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have the facts of life, the facts of life!”
For context, a fact is something that actually exists or occurs: an actual event, situation, etc., such as information or a piece of information presented as true or accurate. Also, life regards the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body.
For example, it’s a fact that I currently have life—which some may perceive as a good quality—and that one day I will die—which some may observe as a bad occurrence. Given “The Facts of Life”, I take the good, I take the bad, I take them both, and there I have the facts of life!
Now, as Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) was formed by the late psychologist Albert Ellis, who reportedly developed the first cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) psychotherapeutic modality in 1955, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding his book, Ask Albert Ellis?: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America’s Best-Known Psychologist.
Ellis developed the concept of unconditional acceptance (UA)—a major tool used in REBT—which acknowledges the interpretively good and bad qualities of life. In fact, he admitted that some matters are outright grim (fierce in disposition or action), as he stated (page 33):
You force yourself [to accomplish difficult tasks] by first giving up the irrational, self-defeating belief that because you want them to be done easily, without effort, there [absolutely] should be an easy, magical way to do things. Then you accept, without necessarily liking, several grim facts of life:
1. Things won’t do themselves – not very often!
2. You’ll benefit by doing them and do yourself in by procrastinating.
3. It’s often hard, but not too hard, to do them.
4. If things are hard to do, that’s the way they [empirically] should be – hard.
5. As Benjamin Franklin said, “There are no gains without pains.”
6. There’s one main way to accomplish things – PYA (Push Your Ass).
8. It’s hard to change, but it’s much harder if you don’t.
In childhood, I learned to take the good, take the bad, take them both, and there I had the facts of life. Now, in adulthood, I encourage you to practice UA – as demonstrated by Ellis’ advocacy for doing hard tasks which may lead to lasting and effective change! These are the facts of life!
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 a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging 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
Photo credit, property of T.A.T. Communications Co. and NBC, fair use
References:
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APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2026, March 6). Procrastination. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/procrastination
Ellis, A. (2003). Ask Albert Ellis?: Straight Answers and Sound Advice from America’s Best-Known Psychologist. Impact Publishers, Incorporated. Retrieved from https://www.welib.st/md5/acac369a25390ac87c98b93b00e3f33e
Halasz, G. (2004, December). In Conversation with Dr Albert Ellis. Australian Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.reasearchgate.net/publication/227984238_In_Conversation_with_Dr_Albert_Ellis
Hollings, D. (2026, July 1). A forceful version of active-directive REBT. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/a-forceful-version-of-active-directive-rebt
Hollings, D. (2024, July 9). Absolutistic should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/absolutistic-should-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2026, October 26). Abulia: Lack of drive – It mustn’t be this hard! Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/abulia-lack-of-drive-it-mustn-t-be-this-hard
Hollings, D. (2023, September 13). Acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/acceptance
Hollings, D. (2026, February 21). Accepting unconditionally: Good luck, have fun, don’t die. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/accepting-unconditionally-good-luck-have-fun-don-t-die
Hollings, D. (2024, November 10). An idiot-finder. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/an-idiot-finder
Hollings, D. (2026, April 16). Bemoaning my suffering: Consequences of my actions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/bemoaning-my-suffering-consequences-of-my-actions
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Hollings, D. (2022, November 8). Information overload. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/information-overload
Hollings, D. (2024, September 26). Interpreted reality. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/interpreted-reality
Hollings, D. (2024, June 20). It’s all bad. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/it-s-all-bad
Hollings, D. (2026, July 6). It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact: Am I taking crazy pills? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/it-s-not-an-opinion-it-s-a-fact-am-i-taking-crazy-pills
Hollings, D. (2026, September 20). Keeping it real: Tell me, what’s your life like? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/keeping-it-real-tell-me-what-s-your-life-like
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Hollings, D. (2024, June 20). Magical thinking. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/magical-thinking
Hollings, D. (2025, September 26). Observing eye and perceiving eye. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/observing-eye-and-perceiving-eye
Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth
Hollings, D. (2025, April 9). Perception, action, and will. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/perception-action-and-will
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Hollings, D. (2025, August 13). Rational versus irrational thoughts and beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-versus-irrational-thoughts-and-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2025, December 24). Some people advocate walking. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/some-people-advocate-walking
Hollings, D. (2026, May 25). The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat: Veneration of the dead. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-thrill-of-victory-and-the-agony-of-defeat-veneration-of-the-dead
Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal
Hollings, D. (2024, October 20). Unconditional acceptance redux. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance-redux
Hollings, D. (2026, October 17). Unrealistic, illogical, and self-defeating beliefs and behavior. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unrealistic-illogical-and-self-defeating-beliefs-and-behavior
Hollings, D. (2023, May 3). Want vs. need. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/want-vs-need
Hollings, D. (2025, July 18). We decide whether to label something good or bad. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ we-decide-whether-to-label-something-good-or-bad
Hollings, D. (2026, August 19). Wisdom and acting justly are one and the same. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/wisdom-and-acting-justly-are-one-and-the-same
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