I have the hardest time not judging the thoughts.

[californiadreaming]

How do y'all do it?

I feel like I try to push them away instinctively. I get the scary thought, I kind of freeze, I tell it "not right now" and move on. I have no idea how to let it just sit in my brain and do nothing. 

[paradoxer]

Hi, Golden State lady. Don't 'engage' with the thoughts - just let them be, and refocus - but without those convulted self-defeating OCD faciliating mind-games at 'neutralizing' them. BTW In terms of judgement, from a cognitive therapeutic point of view NO thoughts are wrong. 

[PolarBear]

You just do. See, you're probably still scared of the thoughts so your natural reaction is to push back against them, to say no to the thoughts. Try letting them be. Don't push back. Don't say no. Don't do anything.

Think of it as a petulant child screaming at you for a cookie. Your natural instinct is to push back, yell 'no', do something. But if you do nothing and don't give the child any attention, eventually he gives up. 

[californiadreaming]

That's a great analogy, PolarBear. I will try that. They're getting easier each day, but still nagging.

Edited May 11, 2017 by californiadreaming

[PolarBear]

Just take it easy. Rome wasn't built in a day. It takes quite a while to get it right. You'll have slip ups. That's normal. Dint beat yourself up over them. Accept them and pick up where you left off.