MY SUPERPOWERS..........

Psychological Flexibility

Last week in WW (weight watchers) I was exposed to the technique of creating a healthy snack. There were all kinds of wonderful ideas. One that caught my eye was tuna in combination with pineapple. It would not have been a dish I would have come to on my own. However, gauging the responses I concluded that one either loved the idea or hated it. It was a very eye-opening moment for me. It sparked my curiosity and lead me to ask myself how psychologically flexible am I in terms of food and food choices?

While engage in ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) I was introduced the concept of psychological flexibility. There are a lot of moving parts to this concept of psychological flexibility and its counterpart psychological inflexibility. I hope to explore this over the next few weeks.

Each point on the ACT HEXAFLEX offers a concept all its own. I am going to focus on three today through the story I am going to tell and the poem I am going to share. Being in the PRESENT and not in the past nor the future; VALUES vs. lack of direction and COMMITTED ACTION vs inaction or being stuck.

Today I hope to share a story that connects to my values and committed actions. Keeping in mind the question of how psychologically flexible am I in terms of tuna and pineapple.

I have been struggling with having taste sensations for many years and at times in my life my brain seemed to register taste then it would go again. I did not develop a relationship with food based on how it tastes, and I don't really have an attachment to any particular kind of food.

Over the past three months I have been seeing a chiropractor to help me with back pain and sciatic pain down both legs. I find this pain frustrating as it gets in my way of living freely and getting in the kinds of exercise that I am committed to doing! As part of the treatment my Chiropractor has been working on my head and low back and to my surprise, I have taste sensations back once again.... This has remained consistent over approximately six weeks!

Cooking with taste is so much easier and fun. Play is my valued focus for 2023 so I decided that it might be fun to try the tuna and pineapple and report back to my WW (weight watchers) friends. I did try it for a meal. I added walnuts and raisins with a little light mayonnaise. I wrapped it in a lettuce leaf. I loved it!

I loved sharing how I was psychologically flexible to try the combination of foods. I appreciated the banter that came with the sharing. While I shared my love of this combination, it was met with mixed reviews from folks at most meetings I attended. I loved all the laughter. Mostly I went away from the week being motivated to experiment in the kitchen. To bring play into that arena of my life.

When I ask myself how psychologically flexible am I? This is what I know today.

I have not always been psychologically flexible. Now, my ability to live and connect with the present moment in combination with living freely through the lens of love allows me to come down somewhere closer to the psychological flexibility side of things. When I am not able to be psychologically flexible, I find my ability to live and connect with the present moment in combination with living freely through the lens of love allows me to come back to my centre more quickly.

In November 2022 I experienced myself as psychologically inflexible with WW (weight watchers). I found the way they do their transitions from one program to another challenging. I found myself often in flight, fight, or freeze. I practiced being in the present moment, self-soothing and reminding myself I was safe. Once the transition took place, I was able to embrace the new program and be psychologically flexible once again.

Living freely encompasses many values. There are always ebbs and flows. Moments where my psychological flexibility ebbs and moments when it flows. As I focus on being present to each moment, I am learning how to embrace the ebb or the flow.

Living out my values

I have been growing

changing

transforming

for many months

the months have now turned into years

2014

learning to focus on values

deciding to live my life freely

through the lens of love

2017

Learning to focus on living many and varied

values

almost one for each year of my birth

So amazing

2023

Living my values

having them shape my wonderfully, beautiful life

shaping my world

through the many and varied lenses

I chose to explore

I am living life as an adventure

from a place of authenticity

with clarity, compassion, courage, and creativity

from my center, my core

with discernment

I am exploring my world

as a life long learner

through the classroom

we call life and living

my education—learning

includes all who cross my path

the young, the old and all in-between

I am embracing the expansiveness of my world

with each breath I take

holding onto flexibility and humour

I am living from a place of intention and integrity

while being kind, loving and open

remembering to have patience

to play

I am owning my power

being present

focusing on life’s purpose

finding time to relax

while respecting others, taking responsibility

for whom I am and where I am going

taking risks

living simply with strength, spontaneity, support

seeking to synthesize my whole being

with tenderness

engaging in life, transforming all I have know

to all I now know to all I will get to know in the future

seeking the love and support of healthy tribe

building trust and understanding

while pursuing my vision

of how I will live out my life

I have gone after

the five things we need to be well

especially safety

I have honour my inner wisdom

who has always known I mattered

I am living out my values

on the shores of the Cobequid Bay

honoring my mom through my gratitude practice

I am grateful for the many and varied gifts

I have received

when I look around, I see so much beauty in the world

I was born into this world and my job

finding purpose

I am embracing rest and contentment in my own being

I am blessed with so many supportive people on this journey of life

I have been on a healing journey

it is not only possible

I live it in the present moment

When I look forward through the tunnel of life. I not only see the light

at the end of the tunnel

I turn around and I also see the light behind me