Tag Archives: Joy
Four brief ways in which mindfulness can actually be used to help you cope: Practical applications of being mindful.
Here are a few simple ways in which learning and using mindfulness can help people. Quiet the mind. A simple mindful activity such as focusing on the breath for a few minutes can help people slow down racing thoughts, lower … Continue reading
6 quick tips on mindfully navigating the holidays when you aren’t “feeling” it
Notice what you feel without judging. Sometimes people believe that if they don’t feel a certain way, they are missing out on some kind of grand, spiritual, or wonderful experience. I am reminded of the Charlie Brown Christmas special in … Continue reading
Pleasant events and positive life experiences
One way in which we buffer negative emotion, stressful life events, and painful circumstances is to create opportunities for positive emotion, tell people about these opportunities, and plan activities and events in our lives that we look forward to doing. … Continue reading
When life hands you lemons and you can’t make lemonade
Has anyone ever told you to simply turn a negative into a positive? Maybe people have told you to get over it, move on, keep your chin up, or let it go. At some point someone may have suggested returning … Continue reading
What acceptance means in the face of loss
Acceptance is considered to be a critical component to being able to cope adaptively. People who are able to accept what is (or what has already happened) are generally able to move more fluidly through life. They have less problems … Continue reading
Mindfulness for the holiday season: Christmas and the New Year
December is a time of year in which our sensations can be easily bombarded. It’s easy to get stressed about Christmas shopping, overcrowded malls, travel plans, holiday parties, familial obligations, and in some cases, snowstorms. The practice of being mindful … Continue reading
Autumn mindfulness
This week for mindfulness I am asking my participants to look at a leaf as if they have never seen it before. The instructions include observing the leaf carefully, looking closely at its color, breathing in its earthy leaf-smell, and … Continue reading
Anxiety, awareness, looking, and seeing
When our anxiety controls our attention, our attention becomes narrowed and constricted. We hone in on what is threatening- and often become pre-occupied with getting rid of our anxiety. We simply don’t want to feel as anxious as we actually … Continue reading
Taking emotional risks
I am currently participating in a research training on Functional Analytic Psychotherapy in which I am being asked to take an emotional risk on a daily basis. An emotional risk is a relationship risk “in the realm of increasing contact … Continue reading
Finding joy this holiday season…Yeah, right…
Creating positive life experiences is critical if you are down, depressed, unhappy, and without joy. This generally involves a few steps- a necessary first one includes making the time for pleasant events. This means actively seeking out what is desired, … Continue reading