Sunday, July 27, 2014


07/24
Actions:

-Do NOT self-check (ex. Now I am feeling better / worse than before). Each day is a clean sleight, like London Snap. (90% of thoughts you thought yesterday will be thought today and it is normal)
-You are stuck in the primitive brain. Problem solving and rational thinking is disabled. Everything is feared and catastrophized.  Take the foot of the gas pedal.
-Slow down everything
-No matter which thoughts enter the mind, just observe and describe (label). For example “money”, “russian”, “muslims”, “uncertainty”, “failure”, “dependency schema”, “enmeshment schema”, “overestimation of danger”, “over importance of fear”, “in the well”.   Ride the wave.
-After thought is described, use Teflon mind to slip it right out
-Bring the attention back to the present moment as many times as needed (this is not struggle)
-Slow down and think one-mindfully in the present
-Gently invite dragon for a dinner. Have fun with it. Ask him questions (invite and expose)
-Self-soothe / Humor / Distract with pleasurable activities
-Create positive experiences
-Do whatever works.
-Stop catastrophizing.
-Be able to sit with anxiety.

Reminders:
-It is OK to mess up (most of the ANTs are about messing up)
-It takes time to blaze new trail, be patient
-ANTs are liars
-Setbacks are part of the experience
-The goal is not eliminate but habituate
-This is an opportunity to use acquired skills to eliminate imaginary fear of being “in the well”
-What are the other ways I can look at the situation?
-Emotion is information and not fact
-Fear is a signal. Are you in danger every time you are afraid? May be I am in danger, but it is not a fact.
-Thoughts are something we have, not who we are


07/25
Actions:

-Accept and be prepared that tomorrow morning will be the same as today.
-Desire tomorrow to be same as today, in order to use exposure to test acquired skills
-Slow down
-Dismiss every single worry. Think the thought and put it on conveyor belt.
-Immediately after that gently bring your attention to the present. Experience present with all senses (sight, smell, sound)
-DO NOT fall prey to somebody else’s issues. (Schemas triggered, fears etc.)
-Respect opinion of the other person (no matter how nonsensical it is)

Observations:

-The reason mornings are pretty rough is because unconscious is trying hard to resolve nonexistent problems, and you are not using skillful means
-You are making a lot of progress. You are able to cope successfully
-Fear without danger present, that it is why it is no unnatural
-It takes time to blaze new trails



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