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Episode #8: The skill of Awareness
FromYour Anxiety Toolkit - Anxiety & OCD Strategies for Everyday
ratings:
Length:
15 minutes
Released:
Oct 27, 2016
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
The Skill of Awareness Halloween is just around the corner and we are moving into the holiday season. You may notice that you can go the whole day without noticing. You are in what I call Autopilot. Much of the time we are so in our head, we forget to be aware When we experience stress, we assume that something fundamentally is wrong or that a disaster will happen. We become disconnected. We avoid situations. We stop taking care of ourselves. We get irritated. We mentally ruminate. We judge ourselves negatively. For those who have OCD, you have more obsessions and do more compulsions For those with an Eating Disorder, you might restrict more, or binge more, or purge more. If you have a Body Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB), you will spend more time in a “trance” state. Awareness can be a VERY helpful tool to protect us against these behaviors. What is Awareness? Definition knowledge or perception of a situation or fact. concern about and well-informed interest in a particular situation or development. I particularly love the second definition. “concern about and well-informed interest in a particular situation or development” Concern: Sometime means anxiety or worry (but this is not the way I like to look at it) Also means interest The goal is to take more interest in your surroundings or notice the atmosphere of your brain. “well-informed interest in a particular situation or development” Well informed: Rational, reasonable, objective If I think it, it must be true Eg: “I can’t do this” (test, get up, stop a behavior that is problematic, get a new job, go to a party etc). Thoughts without anxiety= no big deal Thoughts with fear/anxiety: Must be a sign of trouble to come Being well informed allows us to identify what is a thought and what is a fact, despite what emotion or feeling it is coupled with. Often, we have thoughts about events of developments that have not even occurred yet. We try to use our thinking as a way to confirm certainty or find the solution. Let me ask you… How successful and productive is your thinking about this not-yet-occurring situation? Could there be peace in not going over every last detail of the possible disaster? Are we using up THIS present moment to find solutions, without recognizing that RIGHT NOW is still and quiet and safe? One of the main reasons we mentally ruminate is FEAR. It’s everywhere. If you have fear, it may not feel safe, but your job is to watch how caught up you get with it. Become more aware of the unrealistic and irrational places it takes you. You can practice awareness simply by bringing your attention to your surroundings. The 5 Senses Meditation is an easy way to practice this tool. One of my most favorite ways to managing this is with the following meditation. The more you practice it formally, the better you become at it. The better you become at this awareness practice, the more you are able to use it during your busy day, or when distressed, or even panicking. It is an amazing tool. I hope you enjoy it. Meditation: Find a position that is comfortable Put your feet flat on the ground Slowly close your eyes, Soften your eyebrows, your jaw, your shoulders, your stomach, your hands, your feet. Breathe in Breathe out Bring your attention to your breath Notice the rise and fall of your chest Imagine that your breath is like a swinging door. Each time you breathe in, the door swings to the left. Each time you breathe out, the door swings to the right. Continue to follow this pattern, just keeping your minds eye on the swinging door. You may find that your thoughts wonder off. That is ok. Just gently bring yourself back to the image of the swinging door as you breathe in and out. Continue to breathe, allowing your breath to decide its own rhythm, and while watching the swinging door swing back and forth gently and evenly. It is important to remember that it is natural for
Released:
Oct 27, 2016
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Episode #2: Lovingkindness Meditation: Meditation for those with OCD, Anxiety, Depression and BFRB's by Your Anxiety Toolkit - Anxiety & OCD Strategies for Everyday