The month
of March is an exciting time of year, in my opinion. Here in Utah we start to see the first signs
of springtime. After a long winter of snow and cold weather, those subtle signs
of spring are a welcome sight. March is also a great time of year because of
March Madness, the college basketball playoff tournament. This is a time when
people from all over the country get excited about their teams and hoping their
team will win. Most March Madness tournaments produce some exciting games with
buzzer beating finishes. The full range of human emotion can be seen during
these fiercely competed contests.
Life is
an amazing experience. It is open ended and unique for all of us. Each day
brings new opportunities, challenges, and things to get excited about. One
small thing we can all do to improve our happiness is to find joy and
contentment in the small things of life such as a spring bud on a tree or an
exciting basketball game. What are the small things in life that get you
excited?
Many of
us go through life with our heads down, feeling sad about missed opportunities
from the past or worrying about the future. One key to finding contentment in
life is to learn to enjoy the moment. There are subtle beauties in the moment
that we often miss because of our focus on the past or the future.
One
therapy model we love at Logan River Academy is Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT). ACT focuses on mindfulness and learning to live in the present.
ACT helps us learn to accept thoughts and feelings rather than push them away
or distract ourselves. This model teaches us to make room for difficult
emotions and to learn to observe them rather than get hooked or fused to them.
As we lessen our resistance, thoughts tend to be less troublesome and move on
more quickly.
One part
of ACT I am personally working on is learning to connect in the present. I am
trying to focus more on what is going on around me such as sounds, textures, and
movements. I am trying to drive a little slower, eat in a more relaxed and slow
paced fashion, and enjoy each conversation. Learning to connect and live in the
Here-and-Now is crucial to contentment. Many of us go through life thinking
life will be better after we make this much money, or have this relationship,
or go on this vacation. When we live this way we miss out on the many joys
right in front of us.
As we
learn to appreciate each moment of each day, the hope is that contentment can
settle upon us. ACT acknowledges that pain is inevitable and part of all of our
lives. How we respond to pain is our choice. If we respond poorly, suffering is
sure to come. If we make room for pain and handle it well, suffering may not
have to be part of the equation. Let’s all try to enjoy the present and
recognize the small, subtle nuances of life that can bring great levels of
contentment!
If you
are interested in learning more about ACT, please consider reading The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. I am currently reading this book and enjoying it
very much.
Matt
Erickson, LCSW
