Dealing with discomfort

The avoidance of uncomfortable thoughts and feelings is normal. It happens to us all and we have all most likely experienced how counterproductive this feels at some point in our lives.

Watch this video before continuing:

Did you notice:

• Passengers = uncomfortable or unwanted thoughts/feelings that may be triggered by a task
• Steering away = is a temporary relief from the stress of experiencing the thoughts and feelings

Consider the following 

1. What happens when you procrastinate?
What options do we have for responding to the passengers on the bus?

• Acceptance of the passengers and the inability to control their behaviour
• They may sound threatening, but they cannot cause harm to the driver.

We can fuse with thoughts and respond to them as if they were real but actually thoughts are not facts, they are just thoughts.

2. How can we defuse ourselves from thoughts/defuse thoughts?

• “Taking Inventory” exercise
• Separately list various reactions to depressing situations.
• Preface each class or category of experiences with “I have . . . (the thought that, a feeling of, a sensation of, the memory of, etc.) . . .”
• Name the story, thank your mind, acknowledge ‘Here’s reason-giving’ or ‘Here’s judging’, name the passenger, or simply let the thoughts come and go like passing cars.
• Name the feeling, observe it like a curious scientist, rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, commit to allowing it, breathe into it, make room for it, give it a shape and colour.
• If you lack skills, set goals around learning them; if your goal is too big, break it down into small chunks; brainstorm how you can get them if you lack resources.

Connect with what matters to you about this goal. i.e., completing your degree, enjoying your subject.