I read an article recently about a therapy technique that is becoming popular that helps people with recurrent depression.
The thing is, and try as I might, I couldn’t think of the term that was being used.
I knew it was linked to being aware, feeling whole, concentrating on breathing as a way of focus, and, in some regards concentrating on the task at hand rather than allowing those pesky negative emotions take over, but the actual term being used just would not come to mind.
I use the technique myself at times, when I’m driving usually, but also at other times when I need to focus and shut other things out.
I used it many years ago, when I worked on Directory Enquiries and found myself at the end of my tether. I don’t think the technique had a name back then, but I was bored with being bored. I decided that I would have fun. I would tell myself that I really enjoyed those calls. I would sing the salutation (and my singing voice isn’t the best, I’ll admit!). One morning I boomed the salutation – a colleague said I did it in a Brian Blessed kind of way! – and had to be moved as I was putting the boss off! I thoroughly enjoyed myself… and the callers seemed to enjoy it as well. Well, I told myself that they did anyway; and they sounded as though they did. They seemed to go away happy, that’s for sure.
I turned that mood around just by approaching the job at hand in a different way. There’s a quote that goes something like If you enjoy your work, you never have to do a days work ever again (or words to that effect). At first, I wished that I did have a job like that, but then I realised that the quote wasn’t referring to the job, but to the way we see it. And how we approach it… how we focus on it, and how we are in ourselves as we are doing it.
So. What was the illusive term?
Well, I had to Google it. I searched for ‘therapy techniques for depression’ (the psychologists who monitor my Google searches must have a field day at times!); but I found my term.
Obvious, really: Mindfulness.
But that’s my mind for you. I can think of almost everything, apart from the obvious. Mind you, if I’d been a little more mindful on thinking and concentrating on the technique, the answer would have come to me eventually. As it did anyway, all things considered.
The Mansionic Perspective 
Would you like to leave a comment?