Top Highlights

• The more useful approach is to ask, “Is this thought helpful? Does it help me take action to create the life I want?” If it’s helpful, pay attention. If it’s not, defuse it.
• How would I act differently if painful thoughts and feelings were no longer an obstacle? 2.  What projects or activities would I start (or continue) if my time and energy weren’t consumed by troublesome emotions? 3.  What would I do if fear were no longer an issue? 4.  What would I attempt if thoughts of failure didn’t deter me?
• With anxiety you tend to get hooked by stories about the future, about things that might go wrong and how badly you’re sure to handle them. With depression you tend to get hooked by stories from the past, about all the things that have gone wrong and how badly they’ve affected you.
• a common symptom of depression is anhedonia, which is the inability to take pleasure in previously enjoyable activities
• You’ve probably already experienced this with expansion: when you observe unpleasant feelings with interest and openness, they’re nowhere near as bad as they first seemed.