Excercises 6 and 7

[Guest guest]

Hi, folks.

Thanks Bettan for your kindly words and support.

1) After I did the exercises, I noticed two reactions:

1 a) I felt a great sadness.

1 The undiserable thougths has been increasing last two days.

2) It's difficult to making room for them, but, by the moment, I can manage the situation.

3) I'am committed to finish GOOMIYL, so I keep the faith.

4) However, I could see my mind gossiping against ACT. It is a old trick very known here in order to quit.

See you.

[Guest guest]

Hello again,

I'm a beginner just like you and I feel really happy if I can help in any way!

I'm not sure which exercises you have done (don't have the book in front of me

at the moment).

Awareness of a feeling and also the awareness of undesirable thoughts - for me,

this was a HUGE discovery. For years I didn't think I had any feelings. I pushed

away and battled with undesirable thoughts.

It didn't work in the long run - not really. Life continued but I didn't feel

like I was really living. Sometimes I wondered if I was human! :-) Seriously. I

thought I was the only one in the world who felt this way.

I was over 40 when I started to recognize (and feel!) my feelings. It's never

too late!

I read " The Happiness Trap " before " Get out of your mind " and I preferred it.

Very easy to understand and like having a personal coach who is kind and patient

but at the same time expecting you to do work and cheering you along the way. So

if you're having trouble with GOOYM then try Russ 's book.

I can't remember which book I read where it says the goal is not to " feel GOOD "

but to " FEEL good " and that helps me. Also focusing on VALUES. That is something

I can always do, even if I have feelings and thoughts I don't like or want.

Using defusion, etc. has reduced the amount of unnecessary, self-inflicted pain

I feel BUT my increased awareness has sometimes made me think I feel WORSE than

I did before ACT. But I don't trust my thoughts on this. Who knows what is true

or not? And does it matter? I just know what works. Do I have more closeness to

those I care about now that I am using ACT? YES! Have I made changes in my life?

YES! Do I have less overall anxiety and less tendency to obsess and be

compulsive? YES! Am I happy all the time? No way.

Take care and looking forward to hearing from you again!

Bettan