While you’re learning to identify and challenge your thinking patterns, it’s a good idea to write down the changes that occur in a diary or notebook to help you to develop your skills. This helps you see the advantages of working on your thoughts, and motivates you to keep at it.
To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: “Here’s the thought that I might fail that exam”. Or, “This is anxiety”.
Mindfulness isn’t about making bad thoughts go away, but about seeing them as mental events. Imagine standing at a bus station and seeing ‘thought buses’ coming and going without having to get on them and be taken away. With gentle persistence this is possible.
Notice how much your fears affect your life. Are they keeping you from moving forward with what you want in your life?
If your fears feel overwhelming, the distress from the fear can interfere with your ability to function and you may experience intense anxiety or nervousness.
It’s normal to have fears. You may experience fear when you ride a bike for the first time or when you start a new job. However, when fears begin to overtake your life and affect your functioning, they become a problem.
You don’t have to take abuse from anyone. No-one deserves to be abused. You are allowed to walk away, to stick up for yourself, to say “I understand that you are hurting, but I can’t allow it to hurt me in return.”
by Principal Brad Weinstein.
Picture this… The teacher is doing a lesson on something new and you are sitting there wondering if your classmates are also a little confused. Of course, you assume that you are one of the only ones who doesn’t get it, so you don’t raise your hand to avoid embarrassing yourself. What you don’t realize, however, is that many of your classmates are feeling exactly like you…confused, overwhelmed, and a little frustrated.
Foods can be stored in a freezer for a long time without going off, but the quality will deteriorate over time. Eat your frozen food within 3 to 6 months, and check for any freezing instructions on the packaging.
Every time you feel peckish, drink a glass of water before you eat to make sure you aren’t confusing hunger with dehydration.