Day 6 Acceptance

I am realizing more and more that I am not the nice little guy that I hold in the image of my mind. As I have been journaling and observing the emotions that arrise throughout my day, I am finding a lot of emotions that I have obviously been turning my back to. I haven't wanted to acknowledge that I get mad a friends, family, and co-workers. I haven't wanted to face that there are parts of myself that I don't like. But, realizing all of this pretty freeing, because I don't have to be something that I am not. I don't have to be the perfect nice guy that always answers correctly, nicely, and without any anger or "negative' emotion. I am seeing how all these internal emotions can and are causing the years of pain I have been going through. I am excited to continue down this road of journaling, acceptance, feeling, and pushing myself to regain my life.

Day 6 Exercise: Meditation. This is something that has been hard for me to get into in the past and right now because I feel like I am not accomplishing anything by meditating. I know that its good for me and helps with relaxing, but I'm guessing I will just need more practice? Difficult for me to sit still and observe instead of taking action. Maybe it's the ADHD, maybe it's the TMS? Any thought's?

 

Hi Hugh,

I've been meditating since I was 16 (I'm 38), I teach meditation, and I still feel like a beginner It's a practice, not something we necessarily do to achieve a result. That can be hard to wrap our minds around living in such a results-oriented world and especially for those of us that have TMS. Everyone gets distracted in meditation, that's totally normal.

I don't remember what the day 6 meditation was, but I really like the mindfulness meditation that comes with Dr. Schubiner's book, and also Jon Kabat-Zinn's meditation CDs.

I think one of the gifts of meditation practice is learning to be present with whatever you are feeling, just facing it and holding it and not having to fight or repress it.

~ Veronica

 

Hugh,

Veronica mentions Dr. Schubiner's meditation CD which accompanies his Unlearn Your Pain book. I have found the CD very helpful to get into a meditative state. Schubiner talks you through the process on each of the four meditations he uses. You might want to start there. I, too, have found meditation hard, but I get so relaxed with the first band on this CD and listen to it everyday. I use it as a model to meditate during the night if I wake and have trouble falling asleep again.

Hang in there.

Susan

 

Hi Hugh:

You are making great progress! Keep up the good work. I am on Day #10 and feel the pain pushing back and getting worse, however, I will not go back to where I was 2 weeks ago before I learned about TMS. It was a bad place and now I am more hopeful.

As for meditating I find it hard too even after hiring a meditation coach. There are the CD's that Susan and Veronica mentioned. I haven't tried them but sounds like they are good.

Susan