Upon awakening, your mind is full of your autopilot history ready to advise and guide you to do what you have always done. This is not always aiming for the outcome you wish!
ACT – Acceptance Commitment Therapy
Accept uncomfortable feelings, thoughts and sensations
Choose my values
Take ACTion
ACT Daily Exercise
- Five Senses Grounding – Mindfully notice the present moment.
- Notice sense of touch
- Notice sense of smell
- Notice sense of taste
- Notice sense of seeing
- Notice sense of hearing
- Ask yourself,
- Who is important to me today?
- What is important to me today?
- What will I do today? My to-do list?
- Towards behaviors list
- What uncomfortable feelings show up that I will hold lightly?
- I am willing to have a normal human feeling off ……….
- What will my mind tell me that is not so helpful today?
- Thanks mind for the thought of ………!
- What can helpers today?
- Values
- Morals
- Principles
- Personal character strengths
- What can I do right now that is a towards behaviour?
Unwanted Feelings Techniques:
Notice the feeling. Where is it in my body? Breathe around it, and then choose to give it physical qualities as a way of defusing from it. Try to notice its location, size, shape, temperature, texture, weight, colour. Name it. It could be anger, shame, anxiety, fear, depression, guilt, hopelessness, procrastination, frustration, etc. Imagine taking it out of your body. Observe it as something that shows up in you. Mindfully tell yourself.
“I am a normal human being having a normal feeling”. Be willing to put it back in your body, and bring it with you as you go about your day. It is something you have rather than something you are. I am having the feeling of “X” is very different to the fused “I am X”.
Unwanted Thoughts Techniques:
Stepping Back.
What thought (“The Thought”) is hooking you, that you feel really stuck to and stuck with?
1 Step back. I am having the thought that .. (“The Thought”)
2 Steps back. I notice that I am having the thought that …(“The Thought”)
Thanking the mind.
“Thanks for that mind” is a way to step away from a thought, and then see if it is towards or away thought in the context of your values living today?
Values:
Family. Health. Work. Home. Friends. Social. Legal. Environment. Hobbies.
Principles, Morals, Ethics, Character Strengths
Acceptance Consistent Acceptance Considerate Consistent Courageous Dependable Disciplined Dignity Flexible Forgiving Friendly Generous Helpful Honest Humility Kindliness Lawful Love Loyalty Open-minded Patience Rational Realistic Respectful Selfless Serene Social Spiritual Steady Tolerance Thoughtful Trusting Warm Welcoming Willing