JOT Week 2 - Take In The Good

[Metaphysical Me]

So, I thought I'd start this thread, cos there was a request about it in the Week 1 thread...
It's a bit ironic that it's me starting this thread, as I'm having such "issues" with the JOT book, at the moment.

Here's what I've decided for this week's exercise:

"... I will see how I go with week 2, I guess (this time just working with the title "Take in the Good") I'm hoping to make it a "neutral" mindfulness exercise of noticing when / whether I *do* take in the good, or when/ wether I don't and maybe being mindful of whether it makes a difference if I occasionally make a concerted effort to take in the good... rather than a week long task of "I must take in the good more"..."

[Steve]

Thanks Janey - I hope you find an approach that works for you, keeping experimenting.

I've just read chapter 2 and this is my take on it:

I see it as a practical application of mindfulness to help counteract the negativity bias of our brains - with the added benefit that this actually strengthens the pathways in the brain that help do this.

Three steps are suggested:

1) Noticing good/positive things and turning them into positive experiences - savour them. This is very much a mindful task - practicing and thus training yourself to notice the many positive things (big or small) that you experience (rather than allowing negative things to swamp them out)

2) stay with the positive experience for 10, 20 or 30 seconds, ie use it as the focus of mini-meditation so you become absorbed in it. This is RH's technique for promoting the strengthening of the positive neural pathways - the longer the good experience is held in awareness and the more emotionally stimulating it is, the more the relevant neurons fire (the oft quoted phrase: neurons that fire together wire together).

3) Intend and sense the good experience sinking into you. This seems to me to be a re-enforcement of 2), you allow yourself to be receptive to the good experience and find a way of visualising this being absorbed into you (I like to visualise basking in sunshine and letting the warmth of this sink into me).

A good example of a positive experience is noticing the taste of what you eat (or drink!), savouring this, staying with the taste/texture and taking it into your body (literally in this case). A raisin meditation would thus be a good one - or enjoyment of a flavour packed glass of wine....

My starter this morning was noticing and savouring being warm and comfortable in bed and being appreciative of this (I am re-cuperating from surgery so it is especially good to feel comfortable) and letting my awareness stay with this and the good feeling rest within me for a couple of minutes.

I look forward to hearing other people's views and experiences.

Steve

[Gareth]

I'll be in with you this week, and I hope you all have a great one.

Taking in the good is the way that mindfulness has worked so well for me I'm sure. Whenever I notice my mind trying to take me somewhere negative (It happens so much!) then unless it's something really important, then I pull it back to the present moment, This must happen hundreds of times a day.

If ever I am thinking positive thoughts or having a positive experience, then I just go with it. Savour it. I am a very lucky man to have lots of positive things in my life to work with. The three years that I have been doing this have slowly but surely changed the way that my brain works. I am certain of it.

[betty.etal]

It was good to have a reminder of the negativity bias - I've heard Rick Hanson talking about this before, but have a tendency to forget about it. I love the idea of having taking in the good as a focus for the week, as I'm very mindful that my radar has long been set for the "negative" and it's such a deeply ingrained habit, I'm curious to see how focusing on the "good" for a week is going to unfold. I guess it's a fine balance between really noticing and taking in the good, and grasping at it and wanting to hold onto it.

Is anyone having trouble remembering to do this? I've gone through a whole day without really thinking about it today! I guess I might have to go with the cue sheets even though I don't like them, but I'm not sure that they will help me to remember in the moment. I guess I have some deep seated resistance to noticing the good - I have a background of childhood trauma and I guess it's seriously habitual to stay way more alert for things going wrong.

Betty

[FeeHutch]

Just started this today.
Looking for the good can have such an impact on my mood. People often ask how I am for example and I noticed when I had been practicing mindfulness for a while I stopped with the automatic 'I'm fine but...' I figured I am either fine, better than fine or not so to pay attention to what was actually going on.

This morning my 7 year old is back in school after a bad sprain last week. A friend gave us a lift to school to save her walking too much. Her teacher was there, very pleased to have her back and interested in how she was. I walked home in the sunshine, I am sat at the kitchen table getting lots of writing done for various projects. I often feel low on the days I am not capable of doing much beyond curling up on the sofa. On those days I try to be on my own side rather than berate myself and today I am paying attention to a sense of just having a good day.

[Steve]

I agree it can be a challenge to overcome the negativity bias and to notice and pay attention to positive things. One way I have found useful is to record in a journal at least 3 things each day. This encourages me to watch out for them, to remember them and to record them. It can often be simple, little things (eg hearing a bird sing, seeing light sparkling on something, having a smile reciprocated), other times its just appreciating what I might tend to take for granted (eg nice food on my plate, being healthy - or at least having some bits that are OK! - being able to breath fresh air, using the internet to find stuff out and share ideas with others, etc etc).

At the moment, I am enjoying the sunshine streaming in the window, feeling its warmth and being thankful that I am not knee deep in flood water (many others are not so fortunate in our area). The positive things are there, we just have to notice them.

Steve

[betty.etal]

What Steve wrote reminds me of something I did many years ago when I was really sick. I watched a show on Oprah Winfrey about keeping a gratitude journal, and I started one that day. In the beginning it was a real challenge to get many things on the list as I was so sick, but it became easier the more I looked for them. I think making a list of things in my journal each day will be a great way to help me start noticing them more in the moment. Brilliant thank you Steve. :0)

Betty

[Metaphysical Me]

Hi

I also wanted to add that Rick Hanson is of the opinion that if you are not currently in a traumatic situation (ie new trauma, not post-traumatic stuff) then you are "basically okay". And if you are basically okay, then there must be *some* good stuff going on, right there and then.

So really, any "normal" situation, that is "basically okay" (ie. your life or well-being isn't acutely under threat) then there is stuff to be grateful for/ there is good stuff to "take in".

That's the way I approach it, anyway...

Well, I will stop writing now, as we had some beer with dinner and I'm a bit too tipsy to be truly mindful

[Metaphysical Me]

Fee, can you as a moderator "tag" or "sticky" this thread so it shows up at the top of the list of "Beginning the Practice" threads?

You somehow stickied Week 1's thread and it would be good to have the current week "up top" I think...?

XXX

[Steve]

Janey

That reminds me of one of JKZ's phrases: "If you're still breathing, there's more right with you than wrong with you". This must be challenging for those with serious problems but indicates there is still plenty of scope for finding positive things. I help with providing cycling facilities for mentally and/or physically disabled people and I'm always touched how even those with severe problems are capable of smiling when they are doing something they enjoy and having fun.

Steve

PS Hope you manage to notice and appreciate the pleasant feelings of getting tipsy!