Week 2: A New Relationship with Discomfort
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.”
Buddha
Most of us tend to either give in to craving or fight hard to resist it. The session focuses on learning to experience triggers and cravings differently. We begin by learning to identify what triggers us, then observing how these triggers lead to all the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that are often part of craving. We practice observing the experience without ‘automatically’ reacting. Mindfulness can help bring this process into our awareness, allowing us to disrupt the ‘automatic’ chain of reactions that often follows a trigger and giving us greater freedom to make choices that in the long run make us happier.
Integrating Practice Into Your Week:
As best you can, practice the body scan this week and if it is supportive, note your experiences on the Daily Practice Tracking Sheet.
Fill out the Noticing Triggers Worksheet, noting the thoughts, urges or cravings, emotions (e.g., angry, sad, anxious, happy), and body sensations (e.g., tight in chest, jittery) you experience. If no triggers or thoughts of using come up on a particular day, you can simply make note of that. You could also note other types of triggers, for example, things that bring up anger, shame, or any behaviors you would like to change.
Continue with the mindfulness of a daily activity practice. You can use the same activity or choose a different one. Bring your full attention to that activity, noticing sensations, sights, sounds, thoughts, and even emotions that arise.