Often accompanying thoughts or feelings of “not wanting” are patterns of sensations that fall into a category I’ll call “bracing”—the tightening and clenching of various parts of your body.
Bracing includes obvious things like unconsciously clenching your jaw, or scowling, or tightening your fists or stomach muscles or chest. It can also include mysterious sensations like sudden sharp pains or twinges.
These are all evolved behaviors that signal we’re getting ready for a fight (or already in one), and their presence is an excellent indicator that you’re currently engaged in some sort of struggle.
Compared to the admittedly more ambiguous Not Wanting, you may find it’s easier to notice bracing, and in that way, it can be useful. If you do notice the telltale signs of bracing somewhere in your body, feel free to use MBCT’s Body Scan technique to breathe into that area to loosen it.
…though I must admit, lately I’ve become interested in just letting these things be.
Observe the sensation. Notice it. Explore it.
Allow it to pass in its own time.
In any case, how you choose to respond is up to you.
I do want to stress that if you notice yourself “bracing,” or “not wanting” (or really, experiencing any sort of ailment or dismay), you need not take that as confirmation that there is something fundamentally wrong with you.
Rather, you can view it as a cue to connect to the present moment.
And if you do decide to stop struggling—what then?
What could you do, if all the energy you’ve been expending were suddenly free to be directed elsewhere? ACT, as the name implies, has a suggestion. You don’t just drop the rope and then stand there, waiting for something to happen.
You make it happen.
