Psychological flexibility is a vital skill that allows our clients to adapt to changing circumstances and respond effectively to their internal experiences, thoughts and emotions. It is akin to being both strong and mentally supple; essential for navigating the complexities of modern life. Whether you’re looking to improve your own mental health, enhance your performance, or want to develop this skill with your clients to help them lead a more fulfilling life, psychological flexibility is the key.
Here are four practical tips to help develop this essential life skill.
1. Practice mindfulness daily
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. Engaging in mindfulness exercises can significantly enhance psychological flexibility and it isn’t just meditation or yoga! Here’s a few tips to get started:
- Set aside time: Just a few minutes each day can make a difference. You don’t need long sessions, but you need to make time to practice being mindful.
- Focus on the senses: Notice what you can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. This grounding technique helps you connect with the present moment.
- Breathe deeply: Pay attention to the breath. Feeling the expansion of the chest and rib cage as you inhale, and the contraction as you exhale seems like a simple act but it can help settle the mind and respond more openly to emotions.
Practicing mindfulness regularly builds the capacity to observe thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them. This awareness is the foundation of psychological flexibility. Simple practices like making a cup of tea, taking a relaxing bath or watching the clouds in the sky are all examples of mindfulness moments that can bring you into the present moment.
2. Catch and release your thoughts
Most of us have thousands of thoughts each day, many of which can be unhelpful or negative, overpowering the positive ones. Learning to recognise these thoughts as mere mental events instead of facts can empower us to respond more flexibly. Here’s how to develop this skill:
- Catch thoughts: Start by simply observing and catching thoughts as they arise. Acknowledge them without judgment. Are they critical? Catastrophic? Recognising their nature is the first step.
- Release thoughts: Engaging with every thought is not helpful. Practice letting thoughts drift away, like clouds passing through the sky. This detachment can reduce their power.
By becoming adept at catching thoughts, you can better observe them and then you can choose to release them, without necessarily engaging with them. This process creates a sense of distance from them, allowing for more adaptive responses rather than reactive ones. A great exercise for explaining this to clients is the ‘Hands as thoughts’ metaphor which we have as a free download in our resources section.
3. Embrace emotions
Emotions are a natural part of the human experience, yet many people try to suppress or ignore them. Psychological flexibility involves acknowledging your feelings, even the uncomfortable ones. Here are some strategies that can help when embracing emotions:
- Notice physical sensations: Pay attention to where the emotions show up in the body. Are your shoulders tense? Is your stomach in knots? Observing these sensations can provide valuable information about your emotional state and what you need.
- Be kind to yourself: Instead of fighting against emotions, practice self-compassion. Remind yourself or your client that it’s okay to feel anxious or sad. These emotions are valid and often signify that it is something important that you care about.
- Allow emotions to be present: Accept that emotions will come and go, just like the weather. By allowing them to exist without judgment, their intensity and impact is reduced.
Embracing emotions rather than resisting them, enhances the ability to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease.
4. Align actions with your values
Understanding core values is crucial for psychological flexibility. When actions are aligned with what truly matters it creates a sense of purpose and direction. Here’s some ways to clarify and act on your values:
- Identify what matters: Take time to reflect on what is truly important. This might include relationships, career, health, or personal growth. What do you care about deeply?
- Set intentions: Once the values are identified, think about how you can incorporate them into daily actions and routines. For example, if family is a core value, make time for family activities each week.
- Commit to action: Even when faced with challenges, remind yourself of the core values and take steps toward aligning actions with them. This commitment can help with perseverance through difficult times.
By focusing on your values and taking committed actions, you create a meaningful framework for your life, enhancing your overall psychological flexibility. We’ve taken these 4 steps and made them into a simple psychological flexibility tips poster for you and your clients to download and keep. Also be sure to take a look at this short video, part of our YouTube ACT basics series hosted by Joe.
Increasing psychological flexibility is not an overnight process, but with consistent practice, anyone can nurture this essential skill. By incorporating mindfulness, learning to catch and release thoughts, embracing emotions, and aligning actions with values, you and your clients will be better equipped to handle life’s challenges. As you develop psychological flexibility, you’ll find yourself navigating stress with greater ease, improving your mental well-being, and ultimately leading a more fulfilling life. Starting the journey towards psychological flexibility can reap benefits for years to come.
