The Compulsion to “Figure It Out”

We can interrupt this habitual pattern.

The quote below is from a conversation at the end of a daily practice. Most anxiety and depression comes with intrusive thoughts and the compulsion to “figure it out”. Noticing this as a red flag is so helpful because then we can interrupt the habitual pattern.

Ideally, we welcome and are present with all feelings, sensations and energy in the body. We notice and look at thoughts that arise as we are mindfully witnessing what is coming and going in the body.

We don’t entertain loops of thought, particularly negative ruminations. Neural pathways develop in our brain and strengthen with repetition. With practice, we can easily see the difference between thoughts that are associated with energy in our body (that arise in the mind as we’re feeling into the sensation) and when we’re obsessively following negative or anxious trains of thought in our mind.

Two Steps

Welcome all sensation, energy and feelings!
Witness with kind attention to your body.

Monitor thoughts! Notice them, tap or trace if they’re sticky.
Go back to welcoming feelings and attending to your body.