How to stay calm with psychiatrist’s ‘rule of 12’ that’s guaranteed to help when ‘everything is going wrong’
A top psychiatrist has shared his trick for staying calm when things go wrong – and it will help you develop a healthier mental state.
Dr. Daniel Amen, from the US, said he applies his ‘rule of 12’ to cope with difficult things.
The doctor said that he remains calm when twelve things go wrong during an event, such as going on vacation or moving, and only expresses his anger after the thirteenth negative.
He said he tells all his patients to practice the rule so that they can “deal with” the difficult things that happen throughout their lives and remain “psychologically healthy” and “mentally strong.”
“I want to talk about the rule of 12, it’s something I teach all my patients and it’s a tribute to the fact that things happen, you just have to be okay with it,” said Dr. Amen.
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Dr. Daniel Amen (photo) has shared his rule of 12. He said it can help those who practice it become “psychologically healthy” and “mentally strong.”
He said the idea came to him during a two-week European vacation he spent with his family to celebrate his wife’s birthday.
“I thought twelve things were going to go wrong and I’m not going to get angry or yell or scream or be a jerk until the thirteenth thing goes wrong,” Dr. Amen explained.
“And sure enough, six things went wrong and I didn’t get angry at all.”
Dr. Amen said he keeps a list on his phone of the issues that arise to keep track.
“The more you respect the fact that difficult things happen and you can deal with them, the psychologically healthier you are,” he said.
Dr. Amen said he remains calm when twelve things go wrong during an event, such as going on vacation, moving or a work project, and only expresses his anger after the thirteenth snafu (stock image)
Many of Dr.’s 2.3 million online followers. Amen praised the advice and said they would try to implement the rule themselves.
‘When I saw this, I immediately spilled a gallon of Gatorade all over my nightstand and floor. So, good timing?’ one viewer laughed.
‘I like this. My tolerance for setbacks is quite low,” said a second.
‘I do this traveling. I know there’s one thing I’ll always forget so I just accept it as part of the journey,” said a third.
‘Murphy’s law. Just be excited and grateful when everything goes well. I think focusing on gratitude or thankfulness is extremely helpful,” one person added.