confirmation effect. We become so enamored of the rules we tell ourselves to follow that we distort our experience to confirm that the rule is correct.

Pick an action that manifests a deeply held value, and see if you can plan a way to do it in total secrecy.

There is no reason to stop applying the flexibility skills to new possibilities. My advice is to do one new thing every day—something that requires you to be open and present and that engages your values. To make sure your focus is broad, I suggest cycling through each of the values domains, perhaps focusing on each for a week or two at a time.

You can devise reverse compass habits for all sorts of behavior you want to change. For example, I’ve found that when I’m tempted to procrastinate, even a few minutes of work on the avoided task will help me get into full gear again later that day or the next day, rather than falling down the rabbit hole of putting things off for extended periods.

The ability to generate and follow rules is among the greatest human achievements.

All of the ACT acceptance methods are premised on three underlying principles: 1. Avoidance causes pain.

Why does this help? It undercuts the tendency to slip into the judgmental frame of mind that we must keep our commitments because doing so is important, rather than because it’s our choice and habit. Suddenly, the judgmental voice of the Dictator begins to speak, telling us “I have to be someone who keeps my commitment”

ACT research we discovered that our efforts will be more effective if we learn to keep bringing our minds back to the present and our ability to choose in every moment how we will act.

Social Sharing and Defusion