EP004 Cognitive Dissonance As a Teacher

The Better Living Blueprint Podcast with Eric Connor, LCPC

Better Living Blueprint by Eric Connor, MS, LCPC, CSAT

On today’s episode, Eric discusses Cognitive Dissonance As a Teacher. Cognitive dissonance is a form of pain and stress we get when faced with something that contradicts what we believe. How are you going to handle a circumstance that is in opposition to the values you live by? How can you retain your integrity? Tune in!

Standing for Integrity

Everyone has a set of values by which they personally stand for. We generally want to be good and make sure that everything we do is aligned to our convictions. However, some rules and regulations in our society challenge us to compromise.

One of our core needs is integrity. Integrity as defined is living in accordance with our values. Some people find it alright to sacrifice their integrity as long as they follow social paths.

That’s not what we want to see. What’s wonderful to see is people who strongly stand for what they believe in against all odds.

Common Negative Counters

Although we strive to become better, there are still times when our values unconsciously slip our minds. We become ashamed of ourselves afterwards. A gap appears in between and brings us into a state of recoil.

The first thing we can do is to make an excuse. This is one way we could build a bridge between the gap. Next, we can minimize our faults, claiming that it’s not a big deal.

Third, we can procrastinate and put things off the next day. Fourth, surrender and admit that you’re wrong. Fifth, we can leave our accountability group and find an exit. Lastly, we can medicate ourselves.

Going Against the Wind

Pain is normal and having cognitive dissonance is okay. It teaches us that something’s wrong. It reminds us that we have to do something about it. We figure out how we can use the situation in a way that benefits us.

To overcome this, we shouldn’t run away from it. Realize that there are no excuses in reality. We should have a firm commitment to the values we hold onto. Stop being in denial and acknowledge your accountability to the situation.

To hear about Cognitive Dissonance, download and listen to the entire episode. Don’t forget to leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the show. We would love to hear from you!

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