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Last episode – episode 5 – we took a little departure from the format of previous episodes in the sense that the focus was more on optimizing your physical health, in this case through nutrition, in order to reduce the effects of anxiety.

In this episode we’re going to continue on the track we left off in episode 4, which was all about How to Unhook Yourself from Your Thoughts.

That episode was all about getting distance, getting distance from your thoughts. How to develop a different relationship with your thoughts. Because once we get distance from them we recognize them for what they truly are – just a string of words. And that helps lessen their influence over us.

Well, in this episode we’re going to learn how to handle painful feelings – feelings of anxiety and fear and depression. How to open up and make room for them, how to drop the struggle with them.

Opening up to them and making room for them sounds a bit counter-intuitive doesn’t it? The opposite of what you probably want to do. “Why would I want to do that, Candice?” I know, it sounds a bit strange, a lot different than probably what you’ve been told. But keep listening and I’ll explain exactly how it works and how you can start implementing this in your own life right away.

Key Points

• Instead of trying to get rid of unpleasant thoughts and feelings we open up and accommodate them. We make room for them and allow them to just come and go.
• It doesn’t mean you like them, or that you want them or that you approve of them. You just stop investing your time and effort in fighting them.
• The more space you give those fears and anxieties, the less impact and influence they have on your life.
• We use this when it helps us to live the life we want to live. It’s not about resignation or tolerating or “gritting your teeth and putting up with it.”
• Remember the acronym NAME – Notice, Acknowledge, Make space, Expand awareness

Episode Transcript

You can download a copy of this episode’s transcript by clicking here.

Home Play

Between now and the next episode I recommend practicing making room for your feelings, just like we did right now in this episode. As soon as you realize you’re struggling, just run through the exercise. You may want to write down the key steps.

Here’s a worksheet you can use to practice.

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