Mindfulness During Difficult Times
Michael Biuso, MA, LPC
When times are tough, it may be tempting for us to engage in activities in effort to disengage from reality. This is a normal response to stress and uncertainty, and some degree of distraction can be healthy.
Mindfulness encourages us to stay present with discomfort as best as we can, even during times when our experience of stress is spiked due to factors outside our control. The more we train ourselves to be present with this discomfort, the stronger we become—increasing our distress tolerance threshold—and the more centered we feel amidst the chaos around us.
We are presented with a choice: to avoid stress at all costs or to use difficult situations as training grounds in which we have the opportunity grow more confident in our ability to face reality no matter what we come up against. If we choose the latter, then we have the responsibility to be gentle on ourselves and engage in distractions in a mindful—not mind-less—way. This means staying aware of the present moment and of the reality that lies beyond any temporary respite.
