Building Resilience Through Acceptance

Sometimes the distress we feel is due to circumstances that we can't change. Learn how to manage these painful feelings and tolerate the discomfort through the practice of acceptance. Learn how observing your distress can reduce its impact in this simple exercise.

Transcript

When you're ready,

Close your eyes.

In this exercise,

You are going to stay very still.

So get in a comfortable position and stay in that position for the duration of the exercise without moving.

Now I want you to pay attention to your body.

Notice how it's feeling.

Now scan your body for any physical discomfort.

This may be an ache or a pain,

Or you might have just noticed an itch.

Choose one area of discomfort to focus on.

Just notice the discomfort without doing anything to change it.

Now rate how strong the discomfort is from 1,

Meaning no discomfort,

To 10,

Meaning extreme discomfort.

You're noticing the discomfort without trying to change it in any way.

Just observe how the discomfort changes over time.

And now rate your discomfort again from 1 to 10.

Has your rating risen or fallen?

You may find that you have an urge to alleviate the discomfort.

You may want to move in your seat or massage a part of your body or scratch an itch.

Just notice the urge without acting upon it.

Rate how strong the urge is from 1,

No urge,

To 10,

Extremely.

Observe your discomfort and your urge to alleviate it.

How strong is the discomfort now?

And how strong is it now?

Notice how your levels of discomfort and the urges to alleviate it change over time.

You don't have to do anything at all.

Just observe and notice that change is occurring all the time.

You are learning to tolerate distress and discomfort.

Accepting physical discomfort will help you accept emotional pain and distress.

You can use this practice to help you increase your tolerance to distress of any kind and help you come to a place of acceptance.

Rate how strong your discomfort is now.

Rate how strong your urge is to alleviate it.

In a few seconds,

The session will be over.

Rate how strong your discomfort is now.

And when you are ready,

You may open your eyes,

And now you can resume your day.