Suffering Is Natural - and Can Be Eased

Earlier this week I was on the train passing through Leuchars station on my way further north. As the train halted at the station, I suddenly I noticed a flashbulb memory pop into my mind of my very first arrival at Leuchars station in 1988.

Back then I had a year's worth of luggage in a giant (American sized!) soft-sided red suitcase and big backpack as I headed to St Andrews University.

I was on one of those (Sprinter?) trains without space for luggage and the train guard got quite abrupt and annoyed at those of us who had such big bags, despite having nowhere else to put them except on other seats.

The bags weren't preventing others from sitting down as there were still seats available.

Although there was an abundance of seats available I was distressed with anxiety at breaking the social rules and causing an inconvenience, while having only just arrived in Scotland.

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As the memory of this difficult event made its way across my mind several times, I noticed feelings of anxiety arise again in my body, just like 38 years ago!

This time I also noticed I had had an underlying annoyance towards the guard as well. 

Now suffering was happening to me twice for one event that took place!

I have noticed that still have distress as my default internal reaction in similar new situations today.

Nowadays though, I am grateful to have skills (when I remember to use them!) that enable me to notice (mindfulness) my distress and then bring in self-compassion to ease my suffering.

Exercising self-compassion in this way gives me a wider choice of beneficial ways to respond to the snarkiness of irritated people who themselves are under pressure, and also need compassion.

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These are trained skills that have rewired neural pathways in my brain, and I learned them on the Peer 2 Peer Mindfulness's 'Compassion Based Living Course'.

I would love to share these skills with you. Come and join me on our course starting online next Tuesday.

You Can Book your place on the Peer 2 Peer Mindfulness website today.
Just click > HERE <

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