RSS
RSS / Subscribe
This is a write down of the content of this video.
Sufficient research base has been established, a wide body of research pointing in the same direction (from > 1 different lab).
But remember: some studies that show true result can point to a significant effect, yet not work at all for you. This is because the results are always average. Even in studies that testify to positive effect, some of the people were not affected positively at all. There is so much individual variance, make sure to experiment and find the things that work for you.
Can feel confident that it helps people: improve brain health, reduce unnecessary stress and suffering, anxiety and depression.
A meta-anaysis of all published and unpublished studies they could find studying whether or not meditation helps anxiety and depression. They found yes for both account, and the positive effect would require 700 studies on anxiety showing the opposite and 400 on depression to cancel out. So for both of these issues, science has landed, it's helpful. The study she is mentioning is: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Anxiety.
From Abstract:
The complete sample showed medium to large effect sizes on measures of anxiety, and a large effect size for symptoms of depression... ... Gains were maintained at six months follow-up ... Mediation analyzes indicated that mindfulness fully mediated changes in acute anxiety symptoms, and partially mediated changes in worry and trait anxiety.
Media projects that everyone is happy during the holidays, which make people that are not especially feeling alone and isolated.
Stress can be cause y the gap between our expectation (perfect family time, unconditional love) and our own experience.
For the people that fatally have a wonderful experience on holidays, have empathy for people for which this situation is not the same.
Personal suffering can be isolating. Think that many other people are suffering, maybe not in the exact same way but at the bottom have the same feeling.
Have self-compassion doing exercise in common humanity -- other people are feeling the same way. Think of the others that are going through the same, hold yourself in the same group. Tell yourself: "May we all be happy. May we all find peace in this suffering".
It is a mistake to think an sue ('X' or exercising, eating sensibly, stop smoking, ...) will be easier to deal with in the future. This is due to the fact that it is easier to think of present issues making X difficult than to think of issues that will make X difficult in the future. The net result is that the prediction that it will be easier to start at some later time is false (statistically talking), just do it now.
To make a change, recruit social support. Ask for moral support. Ask others to hold you accountable to it. Ask other to give you pep talks when you are glimpsing. Support you both when you are successful and when you have setbacks.
Focus on progress instead of end goal. Change happen when you take little steps, not always succeeding but progressing towards the goal. Do not see it in binary success / failure.
Anxiety and self-doubt. Ask yourself it really need to be fixed.
Do not focus on inner experiences that think we should not have (like self-doubt, uncertainty of succeeding, physical sensation of anxiety, ...). Do not try to control those inner-experiences (may strengthen those experiences). It uses energy. Focus the energy in taking action in the direction of our goals. Hold those (negative) experiences as you pursue your goal, they are not necessarily a sign that there is something wrong.
Those inner experiences (of self doubt) r present in the most successful people and do not necessarily go away when one reaches a level of success.
Sometimes anxiety and self doubt are a sign to pursue; the reason why there is anxiety is because it is important.
The type of stress that get in the way of wellbeing, make people unhappy and sick is stress related to trying to avoid things that you do not want (avoidance goals). Focusing on not wanting to do the wrong thing is very toxic stress. Stress in the pursuit of a goal (approach goal), in the pursuit of something interesting, that can be positive stress. Are the avoidance goals directing the behavior? If so, redirect attention towards a positive approach.
We have a finite willpower (daily?) bank. Whenever we use willpower (dieting, control emotions), it depletes. If you deplete your willpower on unimportant things, it may not be available later for important things.
Your mindset about willpower can have a big influence on the amount of willpower reserve that you have. Have a growth mindset about willpower, do not think of it as a limited supply. Think of it as a muscle that you can strengthen.
You can replenish willpower by giving yourself something that restores your mood or attentional reserve: spending time outdoors, going for a walk, physical activity, listening to music that you like, spend time with people that you like.