Automaticity
True or False? Automatic thoughts can have a positive or negative impact on the person experiencing them.
True
True or False? One goal of mindfulness is to stop judging.
False- the goal of mindfulness is to develop a non-judgemental awareness of what is occurring in the moment as it occurs.
True or False? Accepting things requires you to like what you are accepting.
False- a person doesn't have to like something in order to accept it.
True or False? You are being compassionate to yourself when you believe the thought that something is "wrong" with you.
False- this is an example of believing the inner critic.
You are walking inside a building and the person walking in before you holds the door open for you. An example of an automatic thought you may have in this situation is...
-What great manners they have!
-That was very nice of them!
-Any other automatic thought that comes to mind
In what way can judgements be useful?
-They allow us to think and make decisions more quickly.
-Any other appropriate ways judgements can be useful.
True or False? One step a person can take to become more accepting is to acknowledge what they are feeling in the moment.
True
The inner critic:
a) blames you when things go wrong
b) sets high or impossible standards of perfection
c) pays little or no attention to accomplishments or strengths
d) all of the above
D) all of the above- the inner critic wants the best for each person and tries to help us, but it does so in a hurtful and unproductive manner.
True or False? A goal of mindfulness is to stop automatic thoughts from happening.
False- the goal of mindfulness is to develop a non-judgemental awareness of what is occurring in the moment as it occurs.
You walk into a bakery and notice the person behind the counter is covered in flour. Give an example of a judgement you may make regarding this scenario.
-They must be the person who baked all of these delicious treats
-They are a messy baker
-Any other judgement
Maria went on an interview for a new job a week ago and they called to tell her that they chose a different candidate. Maria immediately begins doubting herself, saying to herself that she is never going to find a job. She subsequently feels depressed and begins isolating herself. Did Maria accept this news mindfully?
No, Maria did not accept the news mindfully.
Self-compassion is NOT:
a) caring about your personal well-being
b) being aware that everybody makes mistakes
c) comparing yourself to other people
d) all of the above
C) Comparing yourself to other people. This is an example of how the inner critic operates.
Your neighbor is having a party late at night and there is loud music being played at their home. You have to work in the morning. What automatic thoughts come to your mind?
-They are so inconsiderate!
-I wish they would just stop!
-Any other automatic thoughts
-They aren't always reality
-They have a tendency to feed negative emotions
-Any other response that demonstrates how judgements can be harmful
David works up the courage to ask the woman in the coffee shop out on a date. The woman turns him down. How could David mindfully accept this news?
-Any response that involves mindful acceptance.
A definition of compassion.
-a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering (dictionary.com)
A definition of automaticity.
The quality or fact of being performed involuntarily or unconsciously, as a reflex, innate process, or ingrained habit (dictionary.com).
A definition of judgements.
The forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind (dictionary.com)
A definition of acceptance.
-the act of taking or receiving something offered
-favorable reception; approval; favor
-the act of assenting or believing
Lillian often becomes angry at herself when she doesn't do well on her math tests. She used to ruminate about it and call herself names, such as dumb, ugly and stupid. Now, since practicing self-compassion, she reminds herself that nobody is perfect and mistakes are proof that you are trying.
a) How has Lillian's inner critic affected her?
b) How do you think Lillian's life has changed since beginning self-compassion practice?
a) It caused her to think poorly of herself and believe those things about herself.
b) She feels more positively about herself. (any answer that makes sense will work here)