Feb 8
Mindfulness doesn't remove discomfort so that we're 'fixed' and never feel it again. In this human life, we're going to keep on experiencing the unpleasant, the difficult and the challenging - alongside what's beautiful, moving and enjoyable.
As a wellbeing coach and mindfulness teacher, I don't just share from the theory of mindfulness, but from my own experience too. Here's my own story about how mindfulness and self-kindness transformed my relationship with anxiety - from outright war, to acceptance and befriending.
When I first learned about the 3 emotion systems, I wished I’d know about it earlier. Having experienced several years of high stress and anxiety, I could see how this knowledge might have helped me navigate such a difficult period. Here’s a brief introduction to what these systems are, and why they are key to balancing stress.
It used to be easier to believe there was something wrong with me than to accept that being human comes with emotions that can be deeply uncomfortable. But when I discovered mindfulness, I began to broaden my emotional repertoire, and become fully human. I learned that I could cope with feelings of anxiety, sadness, shame... and open to much greater joy, beauty and gratitude.
Sheila Bayliss 