Sublime

Begin to regularly ask yourself the following question as you go about your daily life: “And who is noticing that?”

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”

As the final act in this little exercise, circle the two words repeated three times—I am—and consider them. What if the deeper sense of self we seek is closer to these two words alone? In crafting the story of our lives, we lose sight of this powerful alternative: just being.

Yes, it is correct to say that your brain determines your behavior. But it is equally correct to say that your behavior changes your brain.

Acceptance allows us to stop directing our attention to unnecessary problem solving about the pain we’re feeling, instead turning our attention toward the helpful insights these feelings offer.

When engineers want to build an earthquake-safe house, they add flexibility to the foundation. Just so, the flexibility skills provide a strong foundation for our relationships.

Just as important, it allows us to touch a much deeper sense of belonging that lies inside human consciousness itself.

We mistake a quick hit of gratification for a sense of meaning, and we accumulate things and achievements, pursuing a long list of socially mandated “shoulds.”