The Paradoxes of Mindfulness

Mindfulness lies at the heart of OptimalWork’s approach. Living your highest ideals means being fully present, fully engaged with reality. Cultivating this habit is the work of mindfulness. But mindfulness rests on a set of apparent contradictions. Foremost among them is this: while mindfulness involves accepting reality as it is, it is often used as a way of achieving personal or behavioral change. In this episode, we discuss this apparent paradox and others, shedding light on the true nature of mindfulness and how to practice it most effectively.
This episode was inspired by the article “The Paradoxes of Mindfulness” by Shauna Shapiro, Ronald Siegel, and Kristin Neff, which you can find here: self-compassion.org/wp-conten...
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[@GarySoria-gu2kb]

Great discussion...specially the last paradox.. blown away by your comment..mindfulness is the humility to accept we are "sourced " and not the source of our being.. :)

[@CasaBlanca_7]

I'm stuck in an anxiety loop that makes me think life is pointless. I quit my job in 2018 to better raise my children and I see my mission as that... but as 2 months I cannot break out of my thoughts and now i cannot be present for them

[@seamonsterrr]

Hi there! Thank you for your candor. I can completely relate to that feeling of being stuck. I reached a point three months ago (I had been stuck, then, already for many years) when I somehow stumbled upon the program these guys created. It's taught me how I can intentionally choose certain key behaviors, behaviors that rewire my brain in a meaningful way. This ability to change is remarkable, because over the years I had tried many other ways to get "un-stuck." These other ways fell into the categories of: (a) ineffective, (b) not lasting, or at best (c) only helping me to navigate a very specific challenge. Have you ever seen those "growth mindset" posters, the ones put up by phys-ed teachers at your kids' school? I would attend events at my kids' elementary school and see those posters and think, "oh isn't that nice." Looking back at that version of myself, it amazes me to think that I could take the "growth mindset" message to heart and run with it! The OW course has led me to be ALL ABOUT the growth mindset. It really is the key, and I believe that ANYbody who has gotten stuck can get there too. These guys aren't paying me to say this; if you don't want to buy the course then maybe you could try finding a psychotherapist in your area that specializes in CBT/ACT

[@seamonsterrr]

PS: reading your comment, I could feel your pain; I could understand that all-too familiar-feeling of quiet desperation, and at the same time feel super hopeful for you. Wishing you all the best... in your quest to live a meaningful life, and to flourish.