For each statement below about mindfulness, indicate whether it is true or false. You will find the answers on the next page.
True.
Learning to meet life as it happens will bring you relief and inner peace. If the emotions or thoughts are unpleasant, then the practice of mindfulness helps you to accept situations as they present themselves to you and to live with them better.
True.
The radical acceptance of reality is the work we all have to do. It consists of taking life as it is, with its pleasant and unpleasant aspects. Acknowledging the presence of difficulties is an important step towards change. Radical acceptance of reality is therefore the opposite of doing nothing or giving up in the face of life’s difficulties.
For example, in order to change a flat tire on your car, you have to radically accept the unpleasant fact that your car has a flat. It’s the same with anxiety. Acknowledging that you are experiencing anxiety inside you is an important step in managing that anxiety. You can do this with all the tools that exist, including those we offer in the You, Me, Baby program.
To practise radical acceptance of reality, acknowledge how you feel in the moment when you are reading this, without passing judgment or being critical. This is referred to also as the practice of non-judgment.
False.
Everyone who practises mindfulness has experienced this thought. Practising mindfulness takes self-compassion (Module 4). It is a practice, not a performance.
False.
Some people practise mindfulness best in a still position, such as sitting in a chair. Others need to be active to practise it. Mindfulness can be practised while walking, eating, washing dishes, showering, chopping vegetables, dancing or having loving exchanges with your partner. It’s up to you to experiment.
