Present Moment Awareness
What is another way to increase present moment awareness?
Mindfulness
What is acceptance?
Acceptance involves the action of allowing the presence of all experiences—internal and external, positive and negative—as they are in the moment, without attempting to change the form or frequency of these experiences.
What is cognitive fusion?
The term fusion is a technical name for the process by which we respond to our thoughts as if they were literal truth
What is another name for self as context?
Observer self
What is a value?
Values are desired qualities of physical or psychological action. In other words, they describe how we want to behave on an ongoing basis. We often compare them to a compass because they give us direction and guide our life’s journey.
What is psychological flexibility?
Being present and making room for thoughts and feelings without resistance and acting in accordance to ones values- being responsive to what is presented in front of you
What happens when you try to alter or pull away from reality and discomfort?
The harder you pull away the more stuck you become- same can be said for uncomfortable emotions- the more you attempt to avoid or move away from them the harder they are to avoid or they create new problems for you.
Examples of common thoughts we fuse to?
Fusion with thoughts about the future, including worries (‘It’s all going to go horribly wrong’)
Fusion with thoughts about the past, including ruminations (‘I’ve made a mess of everything’)
Fusion with thoughts about ourselves and others (‘I’m useless; others are uncaring’)
Fusion with rules about how life should be (‘Life should be fair; emotions should be hidden’)
What is self as content?
Self as content= problematic thinking style that leads to inflexibility
Thinking of yourself in terms of black/white concepts (e.g., “I am a loser”, “I am a drug addict”)
How does a value differ from a goal?
Values are guides to actions in the moment. They act as a compass does, which is to say they suggest a direction for behaviour that can be undertaken in the present moment. In this way, they differ from goals, which are future oriented. Goals can be achieved and completed, where values are NEVER completed.
What is experiential avoidance?
attempts to avoid, suppress, alter thoughts, feelings, memories, physical sensations, and other internal experiences — even when doing so creates harm in the long run.
why is acceptance important
Fully accepting things as they are, instead of ignoring, avoiding, or wishing the situation were different, can be a critical step in moving through a difficult experience to experiencing more meaning
What is cognitive defusion
Cognitive defusion involves creating space between ourselves and our thoughts and feelings so that they have less of a hold over us
What is self as context?
the concept that people are not the content of their thoughts or feelings, but rather are the consciousness experiencing or observing the thoughts and feelings
What is committed action?
Behaving in the service of your values (even when obstacles, suffering, and difficulty arises)
What is the point of mindfulness? And what does it include
Being in control of your mind rather than letting your mind be in control of you.
FULL AWARENESS (Opened Mind): Being aware of the present moment (e.g., thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations) without judgment and without trying to change it.
2. ATTENTIONAL CONTROL (Focused Mind): Staying focused on one thing at a time.
Leaves on a stream
What is a choice point?
AWAY moves
“Away moves” mean “ineffective, values-incongruent action” –in other words, “moving away from the person you want to be” or “moving away from the life you want to build”
Away moves” are often but not always due to experiential avoidance. They may also be due to fusion with reasons, rules, “being right”, “looking good”, seeking pleasure, or making sense. They may be due to fusion with any combination of (positive or negative) thoughts, feelings, emotions & memories.
TOWARD moves
‘Toward the life you want/values’.
Why bother being mindful?
Give you more choices and more control over your behavior. It helps you slow down and notice emotions, thoughts, and urges (i.e., increases self-awareness), and helps you choose a behavior more thoughtfully, rather than act impulsively and make situations worse.
Reduce your emotional suffering and increase your pleasure and sense of well-being.
Help you make important decisions (and balance overly emotional or overly logical decisions)
Help focus your attention (i.e., be in control of your mind rather than letting your mind be in control of you) and therefore make you more effective and productive.
What happens when you are fused to your thoughts?
You narrow your potential for valued living
Values identification and frequent reconnection
Revisiting Choice Points in the moment
SMART GOALS
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound
Practice skills