There is often so much happening for us in our lives that things get pushed into the background of our awareness. These experiences live in the cells of our body. "Focusing" is a technique that helps us get in touch with "what is going on" for us on a somatic level. Accessing this bodily intelligence contains so much wisdom about our "problems" and is the first step to dealing with them skillfully.
1. Close your eyes. Take a couple deep breaths.
2. Ask yourself, "what is going on for me right now in my life?" Notice what arises. It might be an image, body sensation, word, or phrase.
3. Stack all of your problems in front of you (like a pile of books). Don't go inside it, but put it in front of you.
4. Choose one problem to focus on. Where do you feel this in your body? What sensations do you notice?
5. Can you come up with a word or phrase to describe this problem?
6. Now you have a conscious "handle" on this issue, and can return to it skillfully as you go about your day.
Adapted from Gendlin, E. (2007). Focusing. Bantam.
Enjoying the podcast?? Leave a rating or review! This helps the show grow and allows it to be discovered by more people 😀
Questions or comments?? Reach out! hello@the-middle-way.com
Follow Dr. Goodman:
Instagram: @matthewgoodmanphd
Book: Simple Stress-Reduction: Easy and Effective Practices for Kids, Teens, and Adults (Amazon)
The Middle Way Consulting: the-middle-way.com
Your support for the show helps! Donate as little as $1/month. Or leave a RATING/REVIEW or SHARE it with someone who would find it valuable! Thanks for listening!
~May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease and joy. May you be free of suffering~
