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Mindfulness, Radical Acceptance, and the Effects of SMA
In one of her recent columns, SMA News Today writer, Brianna Albers, talks about mindfulness and how she is applying it to her day-to-day life:
“When I started grad school earlier this year, a friend told me that I could not, under any circumstances, start to psychoanalyze the people in my life. I laughed because technically we’re not supposed to do that anyway. I told her she didn’t have to worry.
“I’ve managed to keep myself under control, yet I’ve found it significantly harder than expected to keep from gushing about all the different theories I’ve been studying for class. I’ve taken to posting quotes on Tumblr as an outlet.
“Mindfulness can be considered radical acceptance of the present moment. The underlying assumption of the overall theory is that in focusing on all the negative aspects of a given moment — physical discomfort, anxiety — we actually miss out on the moment itself. Life is inherently full of good things and bad things, and so it follows that in order to truly live, we must work to accept the good, the bad, and everything in between.”
Read more here: “Mindfulness, Radical Acceptance, and the Effects of SMA“
Have you tried applying this to your daily life? Has it helped you? Share your thoughts below.
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2 Replies
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“Mindfulness – radical acceptance of the present moment.”
Wow, I probably could’ve used this phrase when I was in my 20s. I spent a lot of time during those years worrying about what people thought of me. I had tremendous anxiety about the way I looked & what I couldn’t do. Instead of enjoying the moment, instead of having fun with the people around me and doing the activity we were engaged in, I let the worry & anxiety totally take away any positive feelings I would have about whatever we were doing. My friends were always extremely accepting of me & my wheelchair, but I worried about all the other people, most of which I didn’t even know, who might think I was funny looking or that the wheelchair was a barrier. This kept me from thoroughly enjoying all the fun stuff we would go do.
Somewhere in my 40s, I gradually learned that this idea of mindfulness was a much better way to live than dwelling on my anxieties. I started recognizing my friends as people who really cared about me and who always made things accessible for me. I started seeing my own beauty, both inside and out. Doing this, taking each moment one at a time and being present in the moment, gave me a newfound confidence and even strength. It opened my eyes to show me that my life wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. I began to see the glass as half-full, instead of half empty!
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Thanks for sharing Kelly! Yeah, I think all of us experience this kind of anxiety in some shape or form, and it really helps to just talk about it. Brianna did a great job articulating these thoughts and emotions in her column, and I’m glad you related to her story.
And to other SMA individuals out there who may feel this way at some point, know that you’re not alone. It’s easy to doubt ourselves based on our appearances or even how we think we look, but the reality is that living in the moment and not worrying about those things will bring joy. I know it has for me.
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