Being present in our current reality can lead to a calm mind and body. Mindful practice focuses on distress tolerance and emotion regulation. We let our worries and what-ifs about the future fall away. We remove our shame and guilt from the past and allow ourselves to focus on our present. We work to non-judgmentally experience our current emotions to reduce avoidance and increase handling uncomfortable urges.
Mindfulness opens us up to experience the temporary nature of our emotions and explore these uncomfortable feelings in a way that is helpful. We can ask ourselves, “What is this feeling in service of?” We can experience the current moment and recognize emotions are not core truths. An objective view of an emotion allows it to serve its true purpose, an adaptive urge to action. We can experience the worry we have and challenge ourselves to find new solutions for its presence. Our emotions are meant to guide and offer us another sense to explore. We see, hear, and we feel.
The most direct route to physiological change is through the breath. Breathing meditations are an ancient tradition and can anchor us in our present reality. Find a quiet place and set a timer for four minutes. Pay attention to your breath as it enters your body, label the breath (in/out, or count with boxed breathing), acknowledge, accept, and allow your emotions to be acknowledged. Return to your breathing. It can be helpful to imagine a bright blue sky with passing clouds. Place your emotions in the clouds and allow them to drift by. Some clouds may persist, but those can be acknowledged and explored after your mindful meditation. Continue to breathe until the timer expires.
Mindfulness is a universal technique that is often included in any therapeutic approach. It can target emotional dysregulation that accompanies bipolar and distressing somatic symptoms of worry. Daniel Wysocki Ed.S, a counselor in Jonesboro, AR says, “Emotions are an important survival adaptation, and we should not seek to extinguish or avoid these feelings. They offer us valuable insights into our daily lives, and we can harness the power of these emotions through practicing mindfulness techniques.”
About the Author: Daniel Wysocki, Ed.S., is a board-certified professional in psychology with over ten years of experience providing counseling and psychological testing. Based in Jonesboro, Arkansas, he provides comprehensive services to clients of all ages, including children, teens, adults, and families.
