Happiness Break: Radical Acceptance, With Tara Brach
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A meditation in meeting our most difficult emotions — like anger, disappointment, or fear — with mindfulness and gentle care.

Link to episode transcript: http://tinyurl.com/48jas955)

How to Do This Practice:

When you come up against something challenging – you’re angry or frustrated or feeling any way about yourself, another person, or a situation, move through these steps. It might be helpful to sit somewhere you feel comfortable closing your eyes for a few moments, and begin by taking a few deep, intentional breaths, to help settle the mind.

- Recognize what’s happening. For example, “I am getting caught up in anger right now.”

- Allow the emotion you recognize to be there: Accept that you are feeling the way you’re feeling. You may go a step further and forgive yourself for it, for example by saying to yourself, “Anger forgiven.”

- Investigate what’s underneath whatever you’re feeling by directing a gentle curiosity towards it. For example, where there is anger, there is something we care deeply about.

- Nurture: Send yourself a message of kindness. You might put your hand on your heart, for example, and remind yourself that everyone experiences reactivity, and send yourself a message of kindness and understanding.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Tara Brach is a psychologist and leading voice in contemporary meditative practices and the author of numerous popular books) on contemplative practice.

Read Tara’s seminal book, Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of the Buddha: http://tinyurl.com/4csarvmf)

Learn more about Tara’s work: )https://www.tarabrach.com/)

Find classes taught by Dr. Neff: https://www.tarabrach.com/online-courses/)

Follow Tara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarabrach/)

Follow Tara on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarabrach)

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

How to Go Through Life with Love in Your Heart, A Q&A with Tara Brach: http://tinyurl.com/2ne65wed)

The Mindfulness Skill That Is Crucial for Stress: http://tinyurl.com/3xmnekw2)

How Self-Compassion Beats Rumination: http://tinyurl.com/yc7phxsc)

Want to Change Your Life? Try Self-Compassion: http://tinyurl.com/2y2ryc6m)

Overcoming Objections to Self-Compassion: http://tinyurl.com/yc2wvusr)

Self-Compassion Could Help You Be More Tolerant of Others: http://tinyurl.com/3kwrm88h)

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We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.