Sometimes your thoughts are so powerful you might believe them. Then, you might feel bad about yourself. If you surround your negative thoughts with compassion, it will be easier to move on. The R.A.I.N. technique may help you become your own best friend. With R.A.I.N., you learn to notice your thoughts with kindness and accept them as they are. To stop being so hard on yourself, practice R.A.I.N.
R = Recognize the thought you are experiencing and name it.
A = Allow it to be there, just as it is. It might be uncomfortable or unpleasant, but it will pass.
I = Investigate the thought with kindness. How does it feel in your body? Where are you feeling it most? Is it making you feel bad?
N = Nonidentification means the thought is not who you are because it goes away with time. You may be feeling bad, but you are not bad.
When you have upsetting thoughts, you might need to go through the whole R.A.I.N process to work through them. Maybe you will only need to do one or two steps. The more you practice, the more skilled you will be at understanding what you need to do to manage your thoughts. You might also do some additional steps like:
• taking a few deep breaths.
• repeatedly labelling the thought in your mind to reduce the intensity.
• taking a time out.
• slowly walking and paying attention to the sensations in your person.
• connecting with your 5 senses (see, hear, smell, touch, taste), allowing yourself to calm down.
