Knowing your safety valve

When you practice mindfulness you will come across things that are uncomfortable and challenging. This is completely normal. You are not getting it wrong if it’s uncomfortable.

As you will discover, learning to navigate challenging experiences is actually one of the most helpful things about mindfulness. This isn’t about avoiding things but rather learning to integrate them so that you can heal and live with purpose and creativity.

As you do this it helps to know how to avoid getting overwhelmed. That’s where your safety valve comes in.

Your safety valve has two parts to it:

1. Knowing when you need to open your safety valve.

2. Knowing how to open your safety valve.

Knowing when to open your safety valve is about being clear on what’s happening and what you are doing. If you find yourself lost or stuck and don’t know what to do then it’s probably helpful to back off and open your safety valve.

There are various ways to do this. Here are a few for you to try:

1. Move your attention to something that is more comfortable for you.

2. Open your eyes (if they are closed).

3. Move your body in a way that feels good.