Have you ever thought about how each person lives in their own internal reality – colors, sounds, smells, emotions are unique for everyone, and there are simply no repetitions in quality and intensity? Everything in life is subject to emotions, and if someone says: «This is a disaster», «The situation is terrible» or «You are worthless», or «I hate you», then it's just emotions, the internal reality of that person, a viewing angle, and if it is changed, the picture will also change. For this, the mindfulness technique is used in psychotherapy. It is assumed that by learning this technique, a person will be able to manage emotions independently, thereby gaining a self-help tool.

Research in the field of neuropsychology suggests that the body reacts to an emotion for no more than 90 seconds.  For an emotion to manifest, the brain gives a command to release hormones into the blood, then we experience feelings (joy, horror, anger, resentment, irritation, excitement, fear, etc.), and as soon as a person begins to feel an emotion in the body (butterflies in the stomach, lump in the throat, leg cramp, shortness of breath, etc.), common sense ends, and it is important to start an internal dialogue with yourself and thereby take control of the situation.

Read also: Manipulators in our lives, should we immediately get upset?.

The practice of mindfulness involves:

• Hear: identify which part of the body reacted
• Allow to be: it doesn't matter whether the emotion is «good» or «bad»
• Observe: how the emotion manifests itself in the body, feelings, and thoughts

Thus, if you set a task not to deny what is happening but to allow emotions to be, recognize them, hear and observe them, then after 90 seconds, the emotion will lose control over consciousness, anxiety and irritation will fade, and the ability to think clearly, see events plainly, evaluate the situation, and respond adequately will return.

Exercise: imagine your emotion as a passing high-speed train, the sound of wheels, the cars, and you are simply observing and answering questions to yourself (What do I feel, sense, think?)

Mindfulness always brings us back to reality, helps manage attention, teaches concentration, and, thus, increases the chances of success.

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