66 Don’t Let A nxiety Run Your Life
other ideas, thoughts, or images that enter your mind. Your goal is
simply to focus on the image of your choice for three minutes. Do
this once every day for the entire week.
Exercise 2.3: Nonjudgmental Stance Find a quiet and com-
fortable place where you can sit upright on a chair (with an unsup-
ported back) or on a cushion on the floor. Adopt a relaxed but alert
posture. Once you are seated, set a timer to alert you when five
minutes have passed. Choose any mundane object in your house
or office and hold it in your hand. Try not to put too much thought
into the object you choose. For five minutes, hold the object in
your hand and allow it to absorb your attention. Simply observe
the object without evaluating it or applying emotion to it. A llow
yourself to fully appreciate the object’s properties— its dimensions,
weight, temperature, texture, and so on. Try to observe the object
with as much clarity as possible. If you lose your concentration or
if your mind is flooded with emotions or thoughts, try not to judge
yourself or those emotions or thoughts; simply reengage with the
exercise. Try your best not to react to external stimuli or even other
ideas, thoughts, or images that enter your mind. Your goal is simply
to focus on the object of your choice for five minutes. Do this at
least three times during the week.
Exercise 2.4: Combined Nonreactive and Nonjudgmental
Stance For this exercise, you will need some type of edible seed
or nut (such as a pumpkin or soy seed, a walnut, or a pistachio) or a
piece of dried fruit (especially if you are allergic to nuts). Find a quiet
and comfortable place where you can sit upright on a chair (with an
unsupported back) or on a cushion on the floor. Adopt a relaxed but
alert posture. Once you are seated, set a timer to alert you when five
minutes have passed. For the next five minutes, your goal is to fully
absorb the sensory properties of the food you have chosen.