Accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment is key from "summary" of The Mindful Way through Anxiety by Susan M. Orsillo,Lizabeth Roemer
The idea that accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment is essential may seem counterintuitive at first. After all, our natural tendency is to resist or push away uncomfortable or distressing thoughts and emotions. We often try to analyze, problem-solve, or suppress these experiences in an effort to make them go away. However, this approach tends to backfire, as it only serves to amplify our distress and make these thoughts and feelings more persistent. When we practice acceptance, we are not condoning or agreeing with our thoughts and feelings. Instead, we are simply acknowledging their presence without getting caught up in the struggle. This allows us to create space for these experiences to come and go on their own, rather than getting entangled in a battle with them. By accepting our thoughts and feelings without judgment, we can begin to develop a sense of inner peace and resilience in the face of anxiety. Mindfulness is a key practice that can help us cultivate this attitude of acceptance. Through mindfulness, we learn to observe our thoughts and feelings with curiosity and openness, rather than reacting to them automatically. This nonjudgmental awareness allows us to see our experiences more clearly and respond to them in a more skillful way. By practicing mindfulness, we can foster a sense of compassion and kindness towards ourselves, even in the midst of difficult emotions. We can learn to treat ourselves with the same gentleness and understanding that we would offer to a close friend in need. This shift in attitude can be transformative, helping us to break free from the cycle of anxiety and self-criticism.- Accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment is a powerful tool for managing anxiety and cultivating emotional well-being. It allows us to step out of the struggle with our inner experiences and find a sense of peace and balance in the midst of life's challenges. Through practice and patience, we can learn to embrace all aspects of ourselves with mindfulness and compassion.
