Decentration
Decentering is the ability to notice thoughts and emotions as experiences rather than as full descriptions of reality.
Definition
Decentration helps create distance between the person and automatic mental content. Instead of "I am hopeless" there is "I think I am hopeless". This change in language may reduce identification with thought, support emotion regulation, and facilitate the choice of action consistent with values.
Key ideas
- Distance from thoughts
- Observer's perspective
- Less identification with the emotion
Practice and life
When a difficult thought comes up, preface it with the following sentence: "I notice that I have the thought that..." See if this changes the intensity of the reaction.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to use decentering to cut yourself off from emotions. The goal is not coldness, but greater freedom in choosing the answer.
> Thought may be present, but it doesn't have to be in the driver's seat.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What thought do I think about most often?
- What changes when I call it a thought rather than a fact?
- What action will I choose despite the presence of this thought?