I love Life 101 topics. The ones that are simple, practical, and can change your life.
This is one for when I notice a should. When I feel I should do something and notice tension or stress.
The original thought may be: I should go to the presentation.
Change it: I can go to the presentation if I want.
Check it (a): I can go to the presentation if I want, and I want to. Notice how it feels in the body.
Check it (b): I can go to the presentation if I want, and I don’t want to. Notice how it feels in the body.
Which one allows the body to relax? Which one is true for me?
This is a very good little exercise: It’s simple. It can be done in a few seconds in just about any situation. It shifts our thinking from a should to a can and a want. And we check in with our body to see what’s true for us.
The body relaxes when we find what’s true for us. It can breathe. Release. Let go.
This is a form of inquiry, and I think it’s from cognitive therapy and/or ACT. It’s also similar to the I should -> I want to because inquiry where we list reasons and see if they hold up. They are both useful although I like this one since it makes use of checking in with the body and learning to trust the body. There is a part of our mind that knows what’s true for us and this is reflected in the body.