As Ibram X. Kendi states, "being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.” It requires you to be mindful of the thoughts you’re having and to question your knee-jerk reactions over and over again. We then have to look at, and change the systems and policies that perpetuate this.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the foremost mindfulness experts, shares, “Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that attention over time as best we can. In the process, we become more in touch with our life as it is unfolding.”
Deep Breathing is often shared as a great coping skill by numerous healthcare professionals, so much so that when I mention it to someone I’m counseling it’s often met with an eye-roll. I get it. It’s been discussed and discussed and recommended and recommended, but I think it’s seldom explained as to why it’s helpful.
Recently I came across this wonderful illustration by @positivelypresent and it cemented my thoughts that everyone would benefit from reminding themselves of this “simple” fact. My expectations (and yours) are not those of others. What you expect from a situation or a person, isn’t going to match up with the expectations of that person or that situation.
And that is fine.
This is where mindfulness and non-judgmental stance (DBT) come into the picture. By accepting people, places, events, and things as they are we will make our interactions with them run much more smoothly. When we begin to perceive that things are going “bad” or “poor” we would benefit from taking a step back, taking a breath, and re-orienting ourselves.
