When we feel overwhelmed,
Stressed,
Anxious,
Upset,
The reality is that we are thinking thoughts that are creating those emotions.
So what do we do with those thoughts?
I'd like to share the following practice with you.
It's a mindfulness practice.
It uses awareness.
I'm aware that I'm feeling overwhelmed.
I'm feeling stressed.
I'm feeling anxious.
I'm feeling angry.
I'm feeling upset.
These feelings of discomfort are there for a reason.
They're there to tell you that something's not quite right in life,
That some form of action needs to be taken.
And this mindfulness exercise highlights what is causing this.
In its simple form,
It's your thoughts.
You're thinking a certain thought.
So rather than tell you about this practice,
I'd like to show it to you.
And therefore I invite you to join me on our journey of how to process those overwhelming thoughts.
When the thought arises,
Recognize it.
Don't suppress it,
Repress it,
Or depress it.
Just recognize it.
It's true.
It's here.
I'm feeling this certain way.
And ask yourself,
What am I thinking?
We're using our mind as a flashlight,
Bringing awareness to the thought that is creating the discomfort.
And this is not about the power of positivity.
It's about the power of accuracy.
How accurate is the thought?
Well,
Even if I think it's real,
Is it helpful to how I want to feel?
And if the answer is no,
Then it's time to do the practice.
So if you are in a position where you are able to feel the emotions of discomfort,
Overwhelm,
Stress,
Anxiety,
Any of the unpleasant emotions,
Guilt,
Shame,
Fear,
Then I invite you to pause for a moment.
Bring awareness to the thought that you're thinking that's creating the feelings you're having.
And let's walk through this together,
Just for two minutes.
What is the thought that I'm thinking?
Bring awareness to your breath.
Is it short,
Sharp,
Shallow?
Begin to extend your inhalation and your exhalation,
Drawing the breath in for slightly longer than normal,
Pausing and exhaling for slightly longer than normal.
What is the thought that I'm thinking?
Is it short,
Sharp,
Shallow?
Is this thought helpful to the way I want to feel?
Who would I be without this thought?
How can I view it differently?
Breathing in,
I recognize discomfort.
Breathing out,
I release the discomfort.
Breathing in,
I recognize discomfort.
Breathing out,
I release the discomfort.
Just sit with your breath for a moment.
Just sit with your breath for a moment.
Come back to the thought.
If it's still there,
Recognize it.
Is this thought helpful to how I want to feel?
Who would I be without this thought?
How can I view this thought differently?
Recognize your breath.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
When you're ready,
Gently bring yourself back into the room,
Into the space that you're in.
And open your eyes.
Less than two minutes to reset.
Even if you feel just a little bit better,
The longer you do the practice,
The better it becomes.
When you take back control of your internal environment,
You can cope with your external environment.
These are the practices of mindfulness.
