Inspirations

The Importance of Beginner’s Mind

by Ashley Johnson, Social Work Intern

At a young age, I began learning how to play the piano with the help of my father and YouTube. The process of learning keys, chords, riffs, and songs took time, patience, and an openness to learn which I encompassed every time I sat down on the piano bench. I embraced the possibilities of what songs I could learn regardless of my skill level, how the keys felt under my finger tips, the feeling and rhythm of a song that I was playing and how the song differed from the last time I played it. The awareness that I maintained allowed me to enjoy each experience with the piano and continues to make it enjoyable to this day. Imagine how amazing it would feel to apply that openness and eagerness to our everyday lives? This is a great example of what DBT refers to as Beginner’s Mind.

Having a Beginner’s Mind means to have an attitude of eagerness and child-like openness, without preconceived notions or opinions; to live our days as if we are experiencing activities for the first time. Beginner’s Mind is all about freeing ourselves from expectations about what should happen next and reducing the risk of stress or disappointment. Daily activities that may feel monotonous can be reframed into feeling new and exciting by understanding that each moment is unique.

Returning to my example of playing the piano, if I were to view this task as having to do the same exact thing every day, I would not experience joy and excitement while playing, and I certainly would not be voluntarily writing about how enjoyable playing the piano is for me. Instead, I would feel no enthusiasm for playing the piano, and it would feel like a tedious and tiresome chore. By utilizing Beginner’s Mind in this scenario, I have been able to sit down on the same piano bench, push the same keys, and hear the same notes being played every day, and still find excitement and warmth in every moment.

To provide another example, analyzing something as simple as making a cup of tea can turn our minds into Beginner’s Minds. The tea that you made today may be just like the cup of tea you made yesterday, but are they really the same? What did you hear, smell, and see as you were making the tea with breakfast? Did your tea come out darker or lighter than it did yesterday? Was the water the same temperature when you poured it into your cup? Making tea today was an entirely new experience from yesterday. Asking questions, becoming curious, and staying aware during day to day activities can help shift your mind into a Beginner’s Mind.

When initiating the shift towards a Beginner’s Mind, a great tip is to treat every day like it’s your birthday. When you wake up on your birthday, everything feels different; heightened. Encompass that feeling to view your days as new and exciting. It can also be helpful to observe how children approach and view new activities or objects; to see how they engage. A child’s wide-eyed approach to new experiences can be freeing and provide us with a new perspective that lacks expertise and cynicism.

In the beginner’s mind, the possibilities are endless, leading us to continuously grow and improve ourselves. In an expert’s mind, possibilities are few and far between, leading us to become confined and deprived by our own assumptions. To obtain a fresh perspective on daily activities, what would you focus on? Would you be more present? Can you imagine the effect? I challenge you, reader, to take on a Beginner’s Mind and take a seat on a piano bench; even if you’ve played before.

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Stamina

by Heather Oros

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New Beginnings

by Sydney Brant

Growing up I spent time doing puzzles with friends and family. I gravitated to the puzzle aisle in the stores as my favorite TV show characters or animals were displayed on the 25-piece puzzle boxes. then the vibrant pictures of animals as I graduated and moved on toward the 100-piecera. The bright colors and engaging images were not the only thing that sparked my interest in doing puzzles. It was also the process.

Puzzles can vary in the amount of pieces, size, and shapes of the puzzles. Some puzzles have more boxey-straight edges, while others implement more rounded curvatures. Some puzzles are cardboard pieces, while others are plastic. There are 2-D puzzles that lay flat and others that are 3-D.

With my mom’s guidance and practice over the years, I’ve picked up and learned many different strategies for puzzle making. Routinely, I first find the straight edge pieces that create the border of the puzzle. This feels like a great way to dip my toes into the process. Next, I try to sort the pieces by color, or notice if there is a distinct design that would separate pieces from one another. Before jumping in fully, I analyze the image on the box to see the challenge that lies ahead. The box is like a roadmap. I frequently reference it for validation of the difficult  challenge, direction and sense of accomplishment.

The anticipation leading up to piecing together the last pieces is like none other. My heart starts to race and I become eager to fit them in as quickly as possible. The finished product always calls for some reflection of the process, admiration, acknowledgement of when I felt stuck, and appreciation for any cheerleading and collaboration I got from others. I would also show it off to anyone willing to take a glance!

Like many things, once you complete something, you have to think about what’s next and start a new puzzle.

New beginnings can involve a lot of acceptance and change. Accepting your accomplishment, the process, the hard work, the ups and downs and the budding progress of your skills. Change can require you to say goodbye and move on to something new. I can accept that I can’t keep the completed puzzle on my coffee table forever and not want to rip it up to make space for something new. In order to continue to build and learn new skills, we have to accept our past experiences, acknowledge how they have served us and lead us to our goals and appreciate those involved who have helped us get there. We might not want to say goodbye and wipe our slate clean for a new puzzle, but we can always hold on to parts of it. We might not be able to take old puzzle pieces and fit them exactly into the new ones, but we can continue to find the straight edges, sort by colors and use our roadmap!

New beginnings are hard. It involves a lot of uncertainty, acceptance and change. As you are starting something new, I would challenge you to think about what skills you want to take with you to this new experience? How are you balancing both acceptance and change?

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Anxiety

by Dylan Levitt

Anxiety. The loudest, most obnoxious voice in your head. The one that you can never quite mute no matter how hard you try.

Living with anxiety is like always fighting a battle you probably will not win, but you attempt to anyway because you have to survive. No part of this disease is easy, but that does not mean that we have to let it keep us from dreaming.

I have been really fortunate in my life, at least in some areas. I have received opportunities that I never could have imagined and my heart has grown because of them. And as much as I have an immense amount of praise for what I have been able to accomplish, it unfortunately does not quiet that annoying pest that lives inside of me.

When my anxiety bubbles up before a speech or a podcast or an interview, I like to take a few deep breaths and pause. Think about what I am going to say and give myself some time to collect my thoughts. I don’t ignore my anxiety, in fact I use it as fuel to keep going.

When it comes to those feelings, we have a few different options. We can let our anxiety hold us back or we can give our all to whatever it is that we are doing and hope that we have the control.

Anxiety is a sharp, little sucker. It finds its way into each and every one of our cracks, filling them up until our minds are consumed. But we don’t have to allow it to keep us from achieving our goals. Anxiety takes so much from us, so why should we let it take even more?

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The Connection Between Mindfulness and Pilates

by Heather Oros, LCSW

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Building Mastery

Summertime schedules often offer people more time to focus on themselves, knock some things off of a to-do list, explore new places, try out the new restaurant down the block, or pick up some new hobbies! For the past few months I have been looking forward to taking advantage of these longer, lighter days to exercise. I’ve envisioned the runs I’ve wanted to go on, the weights I’ve wanted to lift, and the videos I’ve wanted to follow with the catchy music and built-in instructor cheering me on! Setting an intention and naming some of these aspirations was a solid first step.  Surprisingly, I have found myself more stuck in the vision rather than the application.

            I realize that maybe my goals were too large to get myself back into it. Maybe past experiences have gotten in the way of my ability to really put my sneakers back on and go for that jog. I realize that I need to start smaller, dip my toes in and build mastery of the process of daily intentional movement rather than jumping right back in.

I have named my new goal of doing 5 pushups, a minute plank, and 5 more pushups everyday. I noticed some judgements and comparisons to my previous athletic career, but I have redirected my thoughts to focus on the present. Even though 10 total pushups and a minute plank might not be a lot, it is a great next step to set a goal, make a plan and build mastery of the two exercises. Part of my plan is thinking about how I can hold myself accountable. Thinking about doing minimal exercise to engaging in a daily regime is a lot and not easy! I turned to my mom, who has expressed similar physical interests, and asked if she would want to be my teammate in this effort.

My mom and I laid out some expectations and goals. Our main goal is to listen to our bodies and complete our two sets of pushups and a plank each day. We can add 1 pushup and 10 seconds to our plank once our previous set became easy and our body felt equipped for more. We are on day 7 of our practice and have found it to be extremely fulfilling. When adding more pushups to our practice, we have felt a sense of mastery of the skills and implementing a daily practice. Building mastery is a DBT skill in the emotion regulation module to help individuals feel a sense of competence and achievement. Even though my judgments, as well as feedback from others, about starting with 5 pushups seemed comical, setting an intention, naming a goal, and achieving it everyday has made me feel empowered. It has demonstrated how taking steps to attain your goal not only gets you closer to it, but exemplifies that you are capable and have the power to control and change different parts of your life.

This week I challenge you to set one goal for yourself and write it down on a piece of paper. Once complete, return to that paper, check it off, and reflect on the experience. How did it feel to set and complete a goal? How was the process for you? What made the practice challenging? How might you build mastery of this task?

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Companion Planting and The Validating Environment
Lucy Howell, LCSW

If you have ever had a bouquet of flowers, a bit of landscaping around your home, or a small herb garden, then you are aware that at the very least plants need sun, water, and nutrient rich soil in order to thrive. Companion planting, a gardening technique that involves strategically pairing plants to maximize the health and vitality of a garden, is important in horticulture and also as a metaphor to illustrate the importance of a validating environment within the BioSocial Theory from DBT.

In companion planting, specific plants are deliberately chosen and cultivated together because they benefit one another in various ways. Some plants repel pests that may harm their companions, while others improve soil quality or attract pollinators who will fortify your garden. For example, Nasturtiums can protect your basil and peppers from an aphid infestation, while Marigolds will repel root-rot. The “Three Sisters” method of planting refers to the intentional placing of beans, corn, and squash together as they bare genetic traits that enhance the quality of the soil and eventual harvest. On the darker side, brassicas such as broccoli and cauliflower should never be planted with corn. They are incompatible and produce nothing but hostility together, leaving them vulnerable to disease and eventual rot.

The BioSocial Theory in DBT teaches us about the transactional relationship between a persons biological factors and social environments in shaping behavior and emotional well-being. It emphasizes the interplay of biological factors, such as genetics and neurobiology, with social factors, such as family dynamics, relationships, and cultural influences. This theory underscores the validating social environment as a crucial piece in the safe and healthy development of a person. An invalidating environment runs the risk of reinforcing maladaptive patterns of behavior and/or the long lasting effects of trauma.

Just as companion plants benefit from specific, nutrient dense conditions to thrive, individuals within a validating environment may have diverse needs and vulnerabilities. A validating environment sees and addresses these differences, providing accurate support and resources to meet each person’s unique requirements.

While we don’t always get to choose “choose our garden”, there are things we can do to protect ourselves from unwanted pests. In gardening, we regularly look for signs of mildew, slugs, dry leaves, and wilt. When we observe signs of aggression, we take care by using a concoction of sprays or give a little extra love in the form of a fancy plant food. You, too, can use skills to recover from invalidation when it happens.

What environments do you find yourself feeling most validated? Who are your companions? What do you do to recover from invalidation?

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Perserverance and Willingness
Nick Urban, LCSW

Perseverance is the key to overcoming obstacles and achieving success in life. It is the unwavering determination and resilience to keep pushing forward, even in the face of adversity. Perseverance allows us to navigate through challenges, setbacks, and failures, ultimately leading to personal growth and the accomplishment of goals. When you embrace perseverance, you develop a mindset that failure is not the end, but rather an opportunity to learn and improve. This mindset fuels the Willingness to continue your efforts, adapt your strategies, and persistently work towards your objectives.

Some DBT skills are the launching point for deciding to use additional techniques.  They set the stage for us to accept reality and take action.  Examples include STOP, Pros and Cons, and, of course, Willingness.  In DBT, the skill of Willingness plays a crucial role in promoting mental wellbeing and effective problem solving. Willingness refers to the ability to accept and engage with the present moment, even if it is uncomfortable, upsetting, painful, or difficult. It involves being open-minded, flexible, and ready to face challenging situations head-on. By cultivating Willingness, you can let go of willfulness, resistance, and avoidance, allowing you to fully experience and address your emotions and circumstances. This skill enables you to access your Wise Mind and overcome fear and self-doubt, leading to increased resilience, improved decision making, and a greater sense of control over your life.

Will all of the DBT skills work for you?  No.  Will the ones that do, work every time?  That’s not guaranteed.  And yet, with a Willingness to face challenges directly, you can tap into your inner strength and find the determination to persevere, no matter what obstacles lie in your path.

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