Activity 19 - 30 days of time
The talks
This activity is mainly based on Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of time, which is a minute talk that really resonated with me as such an interesting concept. That we have a time perspective that alters the way that we function in the world was really intriguing for me. It is also influenced by Joachim de Posada: Don't eat the marshmallow!, which discusses the idea that children who are able to resist the temptation to eat the marshmallow so they can get two when the adult returns, have better impulse control that seems to benefit their entire lives.
The challenge
The main part of this challenge is for me to better understand my time perspective and try to improve it to the "ideal" time perspective outlined by Philip. The ideal is apparently: Past Negative 1.95; Past Positive 4.6; Present Fatalism 1.5; Present Hedonism 3.9; Future 4.0; and Transcendental Future 3.3.
The thing is, as I'm sure anyone reading over the last month is aware, my Past Negative is far too high and probably influences my life too much. Interestingly enough, and I will expand on this in my next reflection, I actually think that my negative opinions of my past have been exacerbated by the current activities that I've been doing.
Regardless of this fact, as my Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory results (left) indicate, I need to fix my perspective on the past. I need to stop focusing on the gnarled roots of my past so I can achieve a more positive focus on the vast possibilities of my future.
The activity
This activity will be largely based around the activities in Philip Zimbardo's book The Time Paradox. These activities include answering questions about who I was, who I am and who will I be. I should mention here that the answers to these questions will not be placed onto the blog, but the process and what I generally learn from it will be. Quite frankly, even though I'm doing vulnerability, there is only so much I can share with you all, and likely I've overstepped the mark on the things you actually want to know.
The activity will also includes writing down gratitudes, yes back on that activity but only for two weeks, and trying meditation again, or some activity that will bring me back to the moment.I'm still finishing Philip's book, which I hope to complete before the activity starts on 1st September. I will post up the additional parts of the activity as I find out how he recommends shifting my time perspective.