Surfing Your Worry and Other Negative Emotions

Mindfulness involves being aware of our thoughts, feelings, and behavior at a moment-by-moment basis. Being mindful can help reduce stress, worry, as well as other negative emotions that contribute to fatigue. This activity helps you be mindful to reduce worry and stress: 

Take a moment to reflect how you are feeling. Try to be aware of the warning signs of your negative emotions approaching - this can include feeling your heart rate increase when feeling angry, being unable to focus when worried etc. 

Imagine the negative state such as worry or stress approaching like a wave that gets bigger as it is approaching, but one that crests before reaching you, and recedes after falling. Now, picture yourself riding the wave of worry or negative emotion in this motion and let the feeling go with the receding wave. Remind yourself that you may need to surf it again but it will pass. 

Reflect on how this activity has made you feel in the box below.