Transcript MINDING THE BODY, MENDING THE MIND

Stress Less #4:
Be Kind to Your Mind!
Author: Jane Riffe, EdD, LICSW, LPC
Family & Human Development Specialist
WVU Extension Service
How do you respond to your cues?
 Struggle to control thoughts, feelings,
or body sensations?
 Get mad, feel sad?
 Get busy so as not to notice?
 Blame yourself for even thinking or
feeling that way?
 The solution (manage, control &
avoid)becomes the problem!
Skill #4
Bring awareness to
everyday thinking
Be Kind to Your Mind
Unpleasant thoughts & feelings are
natural, normal experiences in the
flow of life.
Could it be possible to be open to life
experiences rather than fighting
them?
Our Feelings: Myth-Busting
 Anxiety and depression are common and
part of life’s experience.
 Negative feelings are unavoidable in the
face of life circumstances.
 It is impossible (and likely undesirable) to
maintain perfect control of one’s
emotions.
 Feelings are not a sign of weakness, but of
being human.
What you Can Do with
Upsetting Thoughts
Instead of this…
Do what your mind
says to do.
Struggle with
thoughts &
feelings, trying to
make them go
away.
Mindfully do this:
Observe what your
mind says without
further action.
Meet your thoughts
& feelings with
compassion,
simply allowing
them to be there.
What you Can Do with
Upsetting Thoughts
Instead of this…
Blame and judge!
Put down yourself or
others for having
these thoughts and
feelings.
Distract yourself
with activity, stay
too busy, run from
the feelings.
Mindfully do this:
Practice patience
with yourself and
others.
Notice the feelings,
perhaps do nothing
unless action will
really help.
It’s possible to choose to…
“
struggling to feel and think better.
Instead, start living better with whatever
you might be thinking or feeling.”
Forsythe & Eibert (2007). The Mindfulness and Acceptance
Workbook for Anxiety. New Harbinger Press
Choosing Happiness
Chance of feeling happy:
Happy friend – 9% increase
Extra $5000 – 2% increase
Your body and mind responds to:
 TV
 Music
 Films & books
Choose carefully!
Skill #5
Bring awareness to
everyday routines
CHOOSE to notice. Use a routine
activity as an opportunity to practice
mindful acceptance.
Shift to gentle noticing of self and
others.
Use your breath!
Practice daily tuning into mindful
awareness.
Calm Mind, Calm Body