Character Building Tip Three: Jump to the Side of the Tracks

New Vocabulary 
Cognitive fusion
Categorize
Bodily sensations
Emotions
Perceptions
Thoughts
Urges
Coping strategy

Introduction
Sometimes our minds feel refreshed. We feel like we are on top of game: organized, smart, getting along with friends and family, feeling successful with hobbies. Other times, we feel information overload. If I am not careful, I will feel like my mind is going a mile per minute, but probably more like 100 miles per minute because there can be a lot going on at once. One of the helpful ways to bring my mind back to a healthy pace is to take a mental timeout. In figurative words, I jump to the side of the train tracks and watch the train moving.

How Do You Jump Off? 
When you take a time out, you will jump to the side of the train tracks (metaphorically speaking: you aren't actually on a train and if you were, you would never actually jump off). You want to categorize all the different "things" going on in your brain. What are those different "things"? They are each of one of the following: bodily sensations, emotions, perceptions, thoughts, urges, coping strategies. Your goal is to break them up into different categories, or railroad tracks. Follow the steps below to learn how to take a mental break, step to the side of your train, and get realigned, so you can ultimately get back on track!

First, you want to know the difference between the three railroad tracks. Click on this link (and scroll to page 6) to practice learning the difference. You can compare your answers to mine, which are to the side.

Secondly, you want to make your own list of everything going on in your mind. Here's an example:

Finally, you can go back and move each item in its correct category. This is called "labeling." Check off items on your list as you label them. Here's the example above continued:











When you are finished, you might picture something similar to this image below. You can see how we have divided emotions/ perceptions/ sensations, thoughts, and coping strategies/ urges.

Why Should You Take a Step Back to Categorize Your Emotions?

When you take everything running through your brain literally, you are an example of cognitive fusion. Because your mind wants to protect you and wants to help you survive, you'll sometimes notice intense changes in your thoughts. You might feel yourself start shaking, your face turn purple, or have an overwhelming urge to throw something. The process of figuratively jumping to the side of the tracks allows your brain to sort all of the intense thoughts and feelings without interrupting your day. If you acted on the intense emotions, it would be called irrational thinking. Instead, label and categorize these different feelings and allow them the time they deserve to sort through and process in order to allow you to make a rational decision. Rational decisions are choices you make when you are calm, balanced, and consistent in how you feel. These are the ones you know are important to get your desired outcome, not the ones that leave you feeling regretful, sorry, and as if you made a weak choice.

Review the Steps

1. Take a fifteen minute timeout when you do not feel calm, focused, and balanced.
2. List everything going on in your brain on a piece of paper, typed into the computer, or even on your phone.
3. Label each of these as an emotion/ perception/ sensation, thought, or coping strategy/ urge.
4. Acknowledge that your mind is sorting through everything going on around you and it needs more time to process this information. Continue about your day while you allow your brain to process. I usually stick to the 24 hour rule. I wait at least 24 hours to react to any event that caused an intense emotion.


Character Building Tip Three: Jump to the Side of the Tracks: Whenever needed, you can take a step back from reality and step to the side of your mind. Acknowledge your mind needs time to process everything going on, and that you cannot react to every single item running through your mind. Your mind is "testing out" different options and conclusions. List everything going on in your mind, and label these in three categories: emotions/ perceptions/ sensations, thoughts, coping strategies/ urges. Visualize your mind as three separate train courses and divide accordingly. Let the trains continue their separate routes and you continue to execute your daily activities in a calm, focused, and balanced manner. 

Source: Hayes, Steven, and Spencer Smith. "Introduction." Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York: Fine Creative Media, 2005. 1-8. Print.