Well-Being Snippet: Powerful Exercise I Notice That

This track is one in a series of short tracks that offer practical tools you can carry into your day to reduce stress and cultivate greater well-being.

In this short guided practice, I show you a powerful and easy way to gain some distance from and create space for difficult thoughts and emotions that may arise. Using this can create a precious pause to be more responsive to what is needed.

This track is purely for educational purposes and is not intended as psychological treatment or intervention of any kind.

Transcript

One of the things that i found really helpful is that as we begin to cultivate mindful awareness we can begin to notice things that are arising our emotions and our thoughts without getting so caught in them without getting as gripped by them it's as if we're able to take a little bit of a half step back so we can see what's happening without being swept away by it So I want to offer you this short little exercise. Think about a time that you felt stressed and just say these words to yourself in your own mind as I say them out loud. I'm so stressed. I'm so stressed. Just notice how that feels in your body, How that lands. And then think about a time that you were angry. And say to yourself. I am so angry. I'm so angry. And again, Notice how that feels in your body. And think about a time that you were self critical with yourself. Maybe. Saying you know i'm so stupid And just say that now in your own mind. I'm so stupid. Again, Notice how that lands. What happens? What sensations do you experience? What emotions? Are present for you. And now I want to offer you this opportunity to go through that one more time. And this time we're going to add the phrase, I noticed that. Notice as we do this, What feels different the second time around. So thinking about that stressful. Moment. I notice that I'm experiencing a lot of stress in my body right now. Notice that i'm experiencing a lot of stress in my body thinking about that angry moment. I notice that I'm feeling a lot of anger. In this moment. I notice that I'm feeling a lot of anger. In this moment. And the third one is I notice that I'm having the thought that I'm so stupid. I notice that I'm having the thought that I'm so stupid. And. Just to see how that lands differently for you. For a lot of people that second time around, That just being able to notice offers a kind of a half step back to be able to really take a look and see what's there from just a little bit of. . . Distance or space so that it doesn't feel quite so engulfing. So I invite you to experiment with that and see what you notice as you go through your day and your week. Take care.