Concepts
The irreducible epistemic atoms underlying the curriculum. 4,828 atoms across 8 types
When emotional layers compound, address the deepest layer…
When emotional layers compound, address the deepest layer first rather than managing the surface symptoms — secondary emotions dissolve when their fuel (judgment of primary emotions) is removed.
Use computational breadth-processing to identify candidates…
Use computational breadth-processing to identify candidates for human depth-processing rather than delegating the slow observation itself.
Respond to your own emotional distress with the same warmth…
Respond to your own emotional distress with the same warmth you would offer a friend in the same situation — self-compassion activates soothing systems that criticism cannot.
When overwhelmed by emotions, separate primary signals…
When overwhelmed by emotions, separate primary signals from secondary reactions by asking 'What did I feel first, before I started feeling something about that feeling?'
Distinguish between accepting an emotion as valid…
Distinguish between accepting an emotion as valid information and endorsing its suggested action — allowing jealousy to exist does not mean acting on jealousy.
When you notice more emotions after beginning awareness…
When you notice more emotions after beginning awareness practice, recognize this as increased detection sensitivity rather than increased emotionality — the emotions were always present but undetected.
When experiencing secondary emotions about primary emotions…
When experiencing secondary emotions about primary emotions, name both layers explicitly and return attention to the original signal — secondary reactions lose power when recognized as separate from the data they're judging.
Distinguish between present-threat signals (fear)…
Distinguish between present-threat signals (fear) and future-uncertainty signals (anxiety) when designing response protocols, as each requires fundamentally different interventions.
Treat chronic signals that fire continuously regardless…
Treat chronic signals that fire continuously regardless of environmental conditions as instrument malfunction requiring recalibration rather than as valid data requiring harder reading.
Track positive signal patterns across time to identify…
Track positive signal patterns across time to identify values-in-action, as revealed preferences in joyful moments carry higher fidelity data about genuine values than abstract self-reported values lists.
Distinguish between hedonic signals (sensory pleasure…
Distinguish between hedonic signals (sensory pleasure adapting through repetition), achievement signals (satisfaction from competence), and eudaimonic signals (joy from values alignment) when designing for sustainable well-being, as only eudaimonic signals resist adaptation.
Use flow experiences as high-fidelity values-detection…
Use flow experiences as high-fidelity values-detection instruments, tracking conditions where challenge meets skill under clear goals with immediate feedback to identify the convergence of capability and meaning.
Externalize raw observations into persistent records before…
Externalize raw observations into persistent records before generating interpretations to prevent working memory constraints from forcing premature conclusion.
Test catastrophic narratives for probability neglect…
Test catastrophic narratives for probability neglect by examining each link in the causal chain independently rather than treating the sequence as inevitable.
Distinguish signal from noise in guilt by examining whether…
Distinguish signal from noise in guilt by examining whether violated values are authentically chosen or inherited through early conditioning.
Use the replacement test to distinguish genuine…
Use the replacement test to distinguish genuine from inherited values: ask whether you would hold this value independent of your specific developmental history.
Begin shame transmutation with self-compassion to activate…
Begin shame transmutation with self-compassion to activate the soothing system before attempting analysis, as threat-system activation prevents accurate information extraction.
Unbundle shame's dual messages—separating behavioral…
Unbundle shame's dual messages—separating behavioral feedback from identity threat—to preserve corrective data while rejecting global self-indictment.
Map your values through the specificity of your envy…
Map your values through the specificity of your envy responses rather than through stated preferences, because envy fires involuntarily at what you actually want.
Treat boredom as a signal about skill-challenge mismatch…
Treat boredom as a signal about skill-challenge mismatch rather than as insufficient input, diagnosing which type of engagement is absent.
Distinguish fear data (present threat) from anxiety data…
Distinguish fear data (present threat) from anxiety data (future uncertainty) to match response to signal type—immediate action versus evaluation.
When frustration arises during problem-solving, shift…
When frustration arises during problem-solving, shift strategy rather than intensify effort applied to the current approach.
When experiencing functional fixedness (locked onto one…
When experiencing functional fixedness (locked onto one failing approach), deliberately change your representation of the problem through alternative modalities like drawing, explaining to others, or adopting different domain perspectives.
Structure notes with physically separated sections…
Structure notes with physically separated sections for observation and interpretation to force completion of evidence-gathering before meaning-making.