Page 30 - EAP Manual

Core Mindfulness
Mindfulness skills are CORE skills. This is because they are an important part of everything I do in DBT. I need mindfulness skills to make all the other DBT skills work the best.
Mindfulness is NOT:
 Multi-tasking—doing many things at once
 Acting impulsively—not thinking things through
 Getting caught up in worry and stress—losing track of the present moment
Mindfulness is:
 Paying attention to the present
 Focusing my attention
 Being aware, awake, and alert
 Noticing what’s happening inside and outside of me
 Offers opportunity for choice
Mindfulness helps me:
 Slow down
 Recognize patterns
 Make thoughtful choices
 Feel more calm and relaxed 

Mindfulness takes practice! Who is your favorite athlete? Do you think this athlete was able to perform the way he or she does today without practice? Probably not.
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