Self Observation is the Key to Mindfulness

Observing ourselves and noticing what we are sensing, thinking and experiencing is the key to mindfulness.

In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, we see the 'self' as having two modes: the conceptualized self; and the self-as-context (or the observing self). The conceptualized self is who we believe ourselves to be. It is the stories and narratives we tell ourselves about who we are and how we are in the world. The self-as-context/the observing self, is for when we take a step back and notice what we are sensing, thinking and experiencing (almost as if we are studying ourselves like a scientist, examining and exploring our experiences). Our minds have the ability to do this, to pause and tap into what we are sensing and thinking. For example, you might be thinking, "I had a really rough day at work!" You have that thought, but then there is another part of you, a part of you that is more s