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If you feel the urge to indulge in your addiction, take out that notepad and jot down what you sense about yourself and your surroundings. Is your heart racing or calm? Are you warm or cold? Is it quiet or noisy? Feel your skin, is it clammy or dry? What has just happened that may have triggered your urge? What thoughts are running through your head? Are you making judgments or experiencing things just as they are?
Try to catch yourself mindlessly doing something, and focus your attention on it; allow yourself to completely experience the moment. For example, if you're reading a book and someone close to your (your spouse, child, partner, parent) says something to you, put down the book and look at them. Focus completely on the conversation at hand. When you are done, go back to the book and focus completely on that. While you're reading, if your mind starts to drift and you remember about that bill you needed to pay or start worrying about another issue, acknowledge it and let it pass... get back to the book and put your entire attention into that book.
Another useful tool, if you're having difficulty ruminating over issues; you can't get those thoughts out of your mind. Whenever you catch yourself thinking about something else, take out the notepad and jot it down. Schedule an hour, perhaps half hour for yourself at a convenient time. During that time, find a private place. It could be in a park, your office, a quiet room, perhaps even a public library. Go to your private place, set a timer to make sure you don't stick with it too long, take out the notebook and flip through all those ruminating thoughts you had the previous week and just ruminate over them. Go into it completely, think about those worries, fears, concerns. When your timer goes off, rip out those pages and toss them in the nearest trash can. Then do your best to clear your mind and mindfully go about the rest of your day.
Try to practice at least one of these exercises each day during the coming week. It's hard for most people to do on a regular basis, and it's a valuable skill to have. Don't get frustrated with yourself if you're finding it challenging, just keep working on it. It will get easier over time.
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