Dec 2, 2020 04:39pm

By Sheila Gravely

4 min read

Taking Thoughts Captive - A Journey into Mindfulness

We live in a complex and busy world. We constantly multi-task and our bodies live in a constant state of fight, flight, and freeze.

We often feel we have to change our world for good things to happen. We will be happier when we buy a new house... get that promotion at work... lose that fifteen pounds. But maybe we just need to adjust our thinking!

Mindset influences everything: self-esteem, health, relationships, and careers. It’s often just as powerful as circumstances in setting the course of your life.

Unlike random circumstances though, mindset is something you can learn to control and change. With some specific activities and intentions, you can radically reprogram your reactions to common experiences in your life.

Sadly, we often miss seeing the wonderful things in our lives. The sunshine, beautiful flowers, the laughter of our children and a gorgeous sunset, because we are pre-occupied with thoughts about the past or future rather than living in the present moment.

Why is it so hard to stay in that happy, positive place? Because thought patterns are learned! The more we think negative thoughts... the easier it is for our brain to keep doing it. If we want to say goodbye to the limiting beliefs and stop the self-sabotage, we must retrain our brain!

And that is what Taking Thoughts Captive is all about - shedding that negativity and embracing the light and possibility!

If you want to create great things in your life, then you must

start by expecting yourself to achieve great things.

What is Taking Thoughts Captive About?

Taking Thoughts Captive is an 8-week on-line and group experience which addresses the different elements of mindfulness. Group members will learn to integrate mindfulness into their daily lives.

Mindfulness is a key element in stress reduction and overall happiness.

What is Included in the course?

Introductory Zoom Call
8 Weekly Video Presentations
8 Weekly Group Coaching Sessions (Zoom)
Audio Mindfulness Exercises
Membership in Private Facebook Group
2 Private Coaching Sessions
Printable Workbook

Weekly Modules

Each week group members will be introduced to a new element of mindfulness through a teaching from Positive Psychology's Hugo Alberts, PhD. We will participate in a weekly group Zoom call, lead by your coach, Sheila Gravely, to discuss and learn to apply the elements of mindfulness through workbook exercises and group coaching. Each week, group members will complete easy, daily exercises to reinforce the teachings.

Below is a brief description of each Module.

Attention & The Now

The most common reason people fail to pay attention to the present moment is that they are occupied by thinking about the past or the future.

In this session, the role of thoughts and their relationship with the present moment are introduced.

Automaticity

Many of the problems people experience in everyday life involve automatic patterns of behavior or habits.

Group members will learn to identify the automatic nature of their thoughts and how these thoughts lead to emotions which lead to behaviors.

Judgment

Most of our daily awareness is clouded by countless judgments and evaluations.

By becoming aware of judgments, an important obstacle to open awareness is removed.

Group members will identify the judgmental nature of their mind and learn about the problematic aspects of judgments.

Acceptance

Rather than fighting or avoiding thoughts and emotions, mindfulness helps to build willingness to experience them.

This session aims to clarify the essence of acceptance by learning to apply acceptance to difficult emotions.

Goals

An excessive focus on the future is one of the most common obstacles to the cultivation of mindful awareness and contentment.

In this session, mindfulness is introduced as the key for finding a balance between being in the present moment and preoccupation with the future.

Compassion

In this session, group members learn how to cultivate a friendly and caring relationship with the self by increasing awareness of the inner critic and practicing self-compassion through meditation and self-caring action.

The Ego

In this session, the group members will discover the difference between the self as a story and the self as an observer.

Integration

In this final session, group members will learn the connection between the key processes of mindfulness and create a personal plan for incorporating mindfulness in their daily lives after completing this training.

If you are interested in knowing more about this upcoming course, contact Sheila Gravely by clicking this link:

Set up a chat with Sheila