The Happiness Trap

“I’m noticing obsessing” or “There’s my mind ruminating.” Or you might prefer to drop phrases like “I’m noticing”

But suppose that STRUGGLE against your “bad” thoughts and feelings is actually making your life worse? In ACT we have a saying for this: “The solution is the problem!”

The aim here is to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings without OBEYING them and without STRUGGLING against them.

may be useful to ask yourself one or more of the following questions: “Is this an old thought? Have I heard this one before? Do I gain anything useful from listening to it again?” “If I let this thought guide my actions, will that help me to improve my life?” “What would I get for buying into this thought?”

Every day offers a wealth of opportunities to appreciate the world we live in. Practicing your focusing and savoring skills will help you make the most of your life right now, even as you’re taking action to change it for the better.

A good way to kick off this process is to run through these five questions: What are the triggers? What are the payoffs and costs? What’s a good alternative behavior, and why? What unhooking skills are needed? What or who can help? Let’s work through this now. Choose a bad habit you’d like to work on (any ineffective, problematic, or self-defeating

If you prefer, use the term “I’m noticing.” So when your mind says, “I’ll fail!” you acknowledge, “I’m noticing the thought that I’ll fail!” Another option is “My mind’s telling me.” For

In any given year, one-tenth of the adult population lives with clinical depression, and one in five will suffer from it at some point in their life.

The trick is to think small; take baby steps. Look for little ways to get better at living by your values.

Therefore, the better our ancestors became at anticipating and avoiding danger, the longer they lived and the more children they had.