Huge webs and chains of events in the past, over which I have no control, led up to this present moment.
I see this moment as it is, without judgment.
This moment may make sense given what’s happened before it.
Today, I take full responsibility for what I say and for what I do.
I focus on what I can do in the present, not on what I can’t do about the past and can’t know about the future.
I accept who I am, I accept myself, and I accept my life.
I embrace who I am.
I can change what I used to do into what I want to do and value doing.
I will treat myself kindly and lovingly.
Regardless of the rationality or legitimacy or logic of the reasons, I may feel distressed by what I am witnessing or experiencing right this moment.
Blaming myself or others, criticizing myself or others, judging myself or others, having an opinion about myself or others, increases my distress and suffering.
I may not condone or agree with what’s happening. I simply see it as it is.
Fighting what’s happening or happened, trying not to let it happen, wishing it were different, trying to change it, thinking it shouldn’t be this way – all increase my distress and suffering.
Distress limits my ability to think, to observe, to recognize, to see what is, to see things as they are.
I can shift my focus. I can choose to what I give my attention.
I am calmer. I can choose what to think and do and say next. I have the power to do this and I take responsibility for this.
What happened and is happening might have meaning. But it might be random and have no meaning whatsoever about me or anyone or anything.
. . . . .
Written in response to the “Self-Affirming Statements” exercise, pages 55-56, in The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation & Distress Tolerance
To learn more about DBT for addictions recovery, see DBT Improves Emotion Regulation Skills for Addictions Recovery Success.
Mandala by Anne created in a workshop at the Franciscan Center, July, 2015.
