Reward Strategy or Avoidant Strategy?
Yesterday we talked about other ways apart from a formal deliberate sit to begin building your mental health practice. Where’s the line drawn though between using something as your meditation and just living your life?
For a start, we don’t meditate to get better at meditating! We meditate basically as a controlled environment to check in with our thoughts and be aware of what our brain is doing all day. The more we practice the more we’ll notice our thoughts, feelings and just how present we are throughout our day to day lives.
When we’re more present we get to enjoy our activities more and be more productive as well. We’re not thinking about work while playing with our kid, or feeling guilty about the lack of family time while midway through a work meeting.
The next question to ask is what you’re doing a reward strategy or an avoidant strategy? If chilling on Instagram or watching Netflix is your reward at the end of the day, something you enjoy and have earned (your call) then it’s beneficial. If you’re instinctively mindlessly browsing your phone or binge watching in order to avoid feelings you don’t want to feel then it’s an avoidant strategy, and not helpful.
The key is in knowing, and being honest enough with yourself to ask the question and listening to the answer. You don’t have to feel guilty if you’ve been avoiding something, because once you understand your behaviour, you’re now free to change it.
