Mindfulness has been a buzz word for that won’t stop buzzing, and for good reason. In simple terms, mindfulness means to live with awareness. In a culture that’s forever distracting, cultivating conscious awareness is a necessity.
In that spirit, here’s a mindfulness technique that’s easy to remember, and can be practiced anywhere, anytime!
R.A.I.N is a technique developed by mindfulness teacher, Michelle McDonald, which helps with expanding self-awareness.
The acronym R.A.I.N stands for a 4-step process that allows you to deal with difficult experiences or emotions without losing your mind.
R for Recognize – All self-awareness begins with recognition of what’s happening, both within oneself and outside of oneself. You go from being the participant to the observer, noticing what’s happening.
A for Accept – Acceptance doesn’t mean surrender. It simply means allowing the experience to happen, knowing that nothing lasts forever.
I for Investigate – Now here’s when you become a cat – curious, interested, and open. Investigate the experience like you’re writing a paper on it. Ask questions. Study it.
N for Non-identify – Let’s say, you observe some feelings of sadness. Instead of saying, ‘I am sad’, say ‘I feel sad’. Non-identification means you don’t allow your thoughts or feelings to overpower your sense of self. You feel the emotion without becoming it.
