What Can I Do?

[DISCLAIMER]

Photo credit (edited), fair use

One of my favorite albums of 1993 was lyricist Ice Cube’s anthology Lethal Injection. I was recently reminded of one song in particular, “What Can I Do?”, when observing a Reddit video. For context, the chorus of the track states, “Tadow!! What the fuck can I do?”

Describing the word “tadow,” one source states that it was “derived from the combination of ‘Tada’ (which is most often proclaimed when one finishes a task) and ‘Wow’ (a common excitement word), it is used to describe an object which is amazingly great or awesome.”

Concerning the act of questioning one’s own possibilities (i.e., what the fuck can I do?), I thought of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In particular, I contemplated the helpful technique of unconditional acceptance (UA).

For context, REBT uses 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.

In the Reddit video, a young girl appears to be in attendance at a New Year’s Eve celebration. As she stands next to a television program host, the child fixates on a noisemaker which is in her mouth. Accidentally, the host knocks the item from the girl’s mouth and it falls to the ground.

The child then momentarily looks at the fallen noisemaker, as though she’s contemplating how to react. Favorably, she then shrugs her shoulders with a look of acceptance on her face, as though to say, “What can I do?” Tadow!!

Humorously, the young girl then looks up at the host, presumably to ascertain whether or not the presenter who uses animated arm movements realizes what has occurred. As the host carries on about her business, seemingly oblivious to the matter at hand, the child then turns around.

She pauses for a moment before walking away, disappearing into the crowd. Per my subjective interpretation of the event, through the lens of UA, here’s what I’ve determined.

The young child likely comprehended that she has limited control and influence in life (USA). As well, she perhaps understood that the host was merely a fallible human being who made a mistake (UOA). After all, who hasn’t erred in life? This brings me to my final consideration.

The girl perchance realized that life is impermanent and uncertain. That is to say that each moment is transitory, without precise conviction regarding what will occur next (ULA). Using this UA perspective, the little girl simply refused to self-disturb about the undesirable event.

Tadow!! Amusingly, the name of the subreddit post in review is “Well, shit happens.” This, too, is an outlook of UA. Now, I invite you to consider that because shit happens you have the option of asking yourself, “What can I do?”  

You can then do as the child did in the video by shrugging off the unwelcome event, foregoing the matter of unhelpfully upsetting yourself with rigid beliefs about the matter. Tadow!!

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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