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Today Ilene Ilene Strauss Strauss Cohen Cohen Ph Ph D D Your Your Emotional Emotional Meter Meter Zen Zen Mindset Mindset Acquiring Acquiring the the mindset mindset of of a a master master Posted Posted April April Share Share on on Facebook Facebook Share Share Share Share on on Twitter Twitter Tweet Tweet Share Share via via Email Email Email Email stocksnap stocksnap Source Source stocksnap stocksnap A A Zen Zen mindset mindset can can be be described described as as the the mind mind that that sees sees all all things things for for the the first first time time like like a a newborn newborn baby baby exploring exploring the the world world through through fresh fresh lenses lenses that that haven haven t t been been tinted tinted by by language language emotions emotions or or labels labels Neuroscience Neuroscience research research shows shows that that practicing practicing a a Zen Zen mindset mindset may may actually actually calm calm the the mind mind bring bring more more clarity clarity and and allow allow us us to to act act with with more more kindness kindness With With a a Zen Zen mindset mindset you you can can allow allow your your thoughts thoughts feelings feelings and and perceptions perceptions to to be be what what they they are are without without judgment judgment Circumstances Circumstances and and situations situations are are just just occurrences occurrences that that mean mean nothing nothing until until we we place place our our own own subjective subjective ideas ideas and and emotions emotions onto onto them them How How we we choose choose to to focus focus our our attention attention shapes shapes how how we we experience experience a a given given situation situation We We must must invite invite our our thoughts thoughts and and feelings feelings to to the the forefront forefront so so we we can can learn learn from from their their wisdom wisdom This This is is very very different different from from suppressing suppressing them them or or impulsively impulsively reacting reacting to to them them Many Many people people turn turn to to things things like like drugs drugs gambling gambling food food work work sex sex or or people people pleasing pleasing to to suppress suppress whatever whatever feelings feelings and and thoughts thoughts they they want want to to ignore ignore As As soon soon as as a a negative negative emotion emotion stirs stirs up up they they react react emotionally emotionally rather rather than than respond respond thoughtfully thoughtfully However However mindlessly mindlessly going going into into action action allows allows the the negative negative feelings feelings to to continue continue over over time time the the accumulation accumulation of of these these feelings feelings can can become become overwhelming overwhelming and and the the addictive addictive behaviors behaviors that that you you may may turn turn to to for for comfort comfort may may actually actually make make the the situation situation worse worse When When acting acting from from a a Zen Zen mindset mindset you you relax relax the the negative negative thoughts thoughts and and feelings feelings by by listening listening closely closely to to them them Ultimately Ultimately this this reduces reduces your your anxiety anxiety because because instead instead of of being being fearful fearful of of pain pain you you accept accept it it as as part part of of life life This This then then allows allows you you to to be be more more focused focused relaxed relaxed and and attentive attentive to to yourself yourself This This practice practice isn isn t t about about trying trying to to get get rid rid of of anything anything it it s s about about accepting accepting whatever whatever is is there there Following Following are are tips tips on on acquiring acquiring the the mindset mindset of of a a master master Be Be Mindful Mindful Mindfulness Mindfulness is is the the ability ability to to focus focus and and train train your your mind mind to to become become aware aware of of awareness awareness itself itself so so that that you you can can pay pay attention attention to to your your own own purpose purpose and and meaning meaning As As researchers researchers have have defined defined it it mindfulness mindfulness requires requires paying paying attention attention to to the the present present moment moment from from a a stance stance that that is is nonjudgmental nonjudgmental and and nonreactive nonreactive Mindfulness Mindfulness informs informs us us about about being being an an observer observer of of ourselves ourselves watching watching our our actions actions and and feelings feelings as as they they re re occurring occurring As As Daniel Daniel J J Siegal Siegal M M D D puts puts it it At At the the heart heart of of this this process process is is a a form form of of internal internal tuning tuning in in to to oneself oneself that that enables enables people people to to become become their their own own best best friend friend Become Become an an Objective Objective Observer Observer There There is is a a part part of of all all of of us us that that is is an an objective objective observer observer That That part part of of us us is is open open and and free free from from emotional emotional reactiveness reactiveness As As Siegal Siegal says says in in his his book book Mindsight Mindsight This This is is the the receptive receptive hub hub of of the the mind mind the the tranquil tranquil depth depth of of the the mental mental sea sea In In order order to to develop develop a a Zen Zen mindset mindset we we have have to to tune tune into into that that aspect aspect of of ourselves ourselves We We do do that that by by paying paying attention attention to to our our actions actions and and responding responding to to life life instead instead of of impulsively impulsively reacting reacting to to it it That That creates creates lifelong lifelong changes changes in in our our brain brain that that let let us us be be thoughtful thoughtful in in our our responses responses Exercise Exercise Regularly Regularly With With weekly weekly exercise exercise a a healthy healthy diet diet and and a a good good night night s s sleep sleep you you could could lay lay the the foundation foundation for for important important changes changes to to take take place place in in your your brain brain The The more more your your brain brain changes changes in in these these important important ways ways the the healthier healthier it it becomes becomes this this ultimately ultimately leads leads to to a a happier happier life life Exercise Exercise is is an an undervalued undervalued treatment treatment intervention intervention It It releases releases endorphins endorphins which which fight fight off off negative negative emotions emotions and and promote promote the the further further development development of of a a mindful mindful brain brain Don Don t t Try Try to to Change Change Your Your True True Feelings Feelings Just Just let let things things be be Trying Trying to to force force yourself yourself to to feel feel differently differently than than you you do do is is an an approach approach that that goes goes nowhere nowhere fast fast A A Zen Zen mindset mindset involves involves accepting accepting what what is is and and not not being being held held up up by by judging judging yourself yourself for for feeling feeling a a certain certain kind kind of of way way Astonishingly Astonishingly people people find find that that letting letting things things be be also also allows allows them them to to change change We We should should look look at at our our inner inner selves selves with with openness openness and and acceptance acceptance rather rather than than judgment judgment This This entails entails being being kind kind and and cutting cutting yourself yourself some some slack slack Stay Stay Present Present in in What What You You re re Doing Doing To To stay stay present present with with whatever whatever you you re re doing doing in in this this moment moment you you just just need need to to acknowledge acknowledge when when your your thinking thinking goes goes astray astray and and pulls pulls you you into into the the past past or or future future It It can can seem seem very very difficult difficult at at first first but but eventually eventually it it becomes becomes easier easier If If your your best best friend friend came came to to you you with with a a problem problem she she was was having having would would you you try try to to ignore ignore and and judge judge her her for for her her feeling feeling upset upset about about a a difficult difficult situation situation I I would would hope hope not not You You d d probably probably listen listen to to her her struggles struggles let let her her speak speak freely freely and and offer offer a a shoulder shoulder to to cry cry on on That That is is what what it it means means to to be be open open and and attuned attuned to to another another person person s s feelings feelings Wouldn Wouldn t t it it make make sense sense to to extend extend this this same same kindness kindness to to yourself yourself Working Working towards towards a a Zen Zen mindset mindset means means exactly exactly that that Being Being supportive supportive of of yourself yourself and and others others means means letting letting pain pain just just be be there there in in the the moment moment being being sympathetic sympathetic instead instead of of combative combative You You have have to to learn learn to to trust trust your your mind mind and and thoughts thoughts so so they they don don t t become become estranged estranged You You do do this this by by bringing bringing them them into into focus focus and and loving loving all all of of them them like like you you would would someone someone you you care care about about Share Share on on Facebook Facebook Share Share Share Share on on Twitter Twitter Tweet Tweet Share Share via via Email Email Email Email advertisement advertisement About About the the Author Author Ilene Ilene S S Cohen Cohen Ph Ph D D is is a a psychotherapist psychotherapist and and blogger blogger who who teaches teaches in in the the Department Department of of Counseling Counseling at at Barry Barry University University Online Online To To read read more more of of Dr Dr Cohen Cohen s s articles articles visit visit http http doctorilene doctorilene com com Facebook Facebook Instagram Instagram LinkedIn LinkedIn Read Read Next Next Don Don t t Try Try to to Reason Reason With With Unreasonable Unreasonable People People How How to to Stop Stop Overreacting Overreacting to to the the Small Small Stuff Stuff Good Good Enough Enough Good Good Enough Enough for for Life Life Negative Negative thinking thinking Giving Giving Up Up the the Worst Worst Case Case Scenario Scenario Mindset Mindset for for Good Good Coping Coping With With the the Coronavirus Coronavirus With With Mindfulness Mindfulness and and Compassion Compassion How How I I Learned Learned to to Stop Stop Being Being a a People People Pleaser Pleaser How How Far Far Would Would You You Go Go for for Avoidance Avoidance jpg jpg itok itok U U PCJE PCJE How How to to survive survive chronic chronic pain pain one one moment moment at at a a time time advertisement advertisement Most Most Popular Popular Symptoms Symptoms of of Repressed Repressed Anger Anger Signs Signs of of Emotional Emotional Neglect Neglect in in Your Your Relationship Relationship Getting Getting Stuck Stuck in in Negative Negative Emotions Emotions and and Relationship Relationship Patterns Patterns Ways Ways to to Be Be Happy Happy When When You You re re Hurting Hurting Tips Tips for for Happiness Happiness The The Link Link Between Between Adult Adult ADHD ADHD and and Fatigue Fatigue 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