Mindfulness Handout 5 (Mindfulness Worksheets 2–2c, 5–5c) «

Taking Hold of Your Mind: “How” Skills

Nonjudgmentally
See, but don’t evaluate as good or bad. Just the facts.
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Accept each moment like a blanket spread out on the lawn, accepting both the rain and the
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sun and each leaf that falls upon it.
Acknowledge the difference between the helpful and the harmful, the safe and the dangerous,
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but don’t judge them.
Acknowledge your values, your wishes, your emotional reactions, but don’t judge them.
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When you find yourself judging, don’t judge your judging.
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One-­Mindfully
Rivet yourself to now. Be completely present to this one moment.
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Do one thing at a time. Notice the desire to be half-­present, to be somewhere else, to go
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somewhere else in your mind, to do something else, to multitask—and then come back to one
thing at a time.
•• When you are eating, eat.
•• When you are walking, walk.
•• When you are worrying, worry.
•• When you are planning, plan.
•• When you are remembering, remember.
Let go of distractions. If other actions, or other thoughts, or strong feelings distract you, go
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back to what you are doing—again, and again, and again.
Concentrate your mind. If you find you are doing two things at once, stop—go back to one
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thing at a time (the opposite of multitasking!).

Effectively
Be mindful of your goals in the situation, and do what is necessary to achieve them.
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Focus on what works. (Don’t let emotion mind get in the way of being effective.)
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Play by the rules.
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Act as skillfully as you can. Do what is needed for the situation you are in—not the situation
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you wish you were in; not the one that is fair; not the one that is more comfortable.
Let go of willfulness and sitting on your hands.
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From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

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 Mindfulness Handout 5a (Mindfulness Worksheets 2–2c, 5–5c)

Ideas for Practicing Nonjudgmentalness

Leaving out comparisons, judgments, and assumptions:

1.  Practice observing judgmental thoughts and statements, saying in your mind,

“A judgmental thought arose in my mind.”

2.  Count judgmental thoughts and statements (by moving objects or pieces of paper from
one pocket to another, by clicking a sports counter, or by marking a piece of paper).

3.  Replace judgmental thoughts and statements with nonjudgmental thoughts and statements.

Tips for replacing judgment by stating the facts:

1. Describe the facts of the event or situation—only what is observed with your senses.

2. Describe the consequences of the event. Keep to the facts.

3. Describe your own feelings in response to the facts (remember, emotions are not
judgments).

4.  Observe your judgmental facial expressions, postures, and voice tones (including
voice tones in your head).

5.  Change judgmental expressions, postures, and voice tones.

6.  Tell someone what you did today nonjudgmentally, or about an event that occurred. Stay
very concrete; only relate what you observed directly.

7.  Write out a nonjudgmental description of an event that prompted an emotion.

8.  Write out a nonjudgmental blow-by-blow account of a particularly important episode in your

day. Describe both what happened in your environment and what your thoughts, feelings,
and actions were. Leave out any analysis of why something happened, or why you thought,
felt, or acted as you did. Stick to the facts that you observed.

9.  Imagine a person you are angry with. Bring to mind what the person has done that has
caused so much anger. Try to become that person, seeing life from that person’s point
of view. Imagine that person’s feelings, thoughts, fears, hopes, and wishes. Imagine that
person’s history and what has happened in his or her history. Imagine understanding that
person.

10.  When judgmental, practice half-­smiling and/or willing hands. (See Distress Tolerance
Handout 14: Half-­Smiling and Willing Hands.)

11. Other:

From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

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 Mindfulness Handout 5b (Mindfulness Worksheets 2–2c, 5–5c)

Ideas for Practicing One-­Mindfulness

Awareness while making tea or coffee. Prepare a pot of tea or coffee to serve a guest or
1. 
to drink by yourself. Do each movement slowly, in awareness. Do not let one detail of your
movements go by without being aware of it. Know that your hand lifts the pot by its handle.
Know that you are pouring the fragrant, warm tea or coffee into the cup. Follow each step
in awareness. Breathe gently and more deeply than usual. Take hold of your breath if your
mind strays.
Awareness while washing the dishes. Wash the dishes consciously, as though each bowl
2. 
is an object of contemplation. Consider each bowl sacred. Follow your breath to prevent your
mind from straying. Do not try to hurry to get the job over with. Consider washing the dishes
the most important thing in life.
Awareness while hand-­washing clothes. Do not wash too many clothes at one time.
3. 
Select only three or four articles of clothing. Find the most comfortable position to sit or
stand, so as to prevent a backache. Scrub the clothes consciously. Hold your attention on
every movement of your hands and arms. Pay attention to the soap and water. When you
have finished scrubbing and rinsing, your mind and body will feel as clean and fresh as your
clothes. Remember to maintain a half-smile and take hold of your breath whenever your
mind wanders.
Awareness while cleaning house. Divide your work into stages: straightening things and
4. 
putting away books, scrubbing the toilet, scrubbing the bathroom, sweeping the floors, and
dusting. Allow a good length of time for each task. Move slowly, three times more slowly
than usual. Focus your attention fully on each task. For example, while placing a book on
the shelf, look at the book; be aware of what book it is; know that you are in the process
of placing it on the shelf; and know that you intend to put it in that specific place. Know
that your hand reaches for the book and picks it up. Avoid any abrupt or harsh movement.
Maintain awareness of the breath, especially when your thoughts wander.
Awareness while taking a slow-­motion bath. Allow yourself 30–45 minutes to take a
5. 
bath. Don’t hurry for even a second. From the moment you prepare the bath water to the
moment you put on clean clothes, let every motion be light and slow. Be attentive of every
movement. Place your attention on every part of your body, without discrimination or fear. Be
aware of each stream of water on your body. By the time you’ve finished, your mind will feel
as peaceful and light as your body. Follow your breath. Think of yourself as being in a clean
and fragrant lotus pond in the summer.
Awareness with meditation. Sit comfortably on the floor with your back straight, on the
6. 
floor or in a chair with both feet touching the floor. Close your eyes all the way, or open them
slightly and gaze at something near. With each breath, say to yourself, quietly and gently,
the word “One.” As you inhale, say the word “One.” As you exhale, say the word “One,”
calmly and slowly. Try to collect your whole mind and put it into this one word. When your
mind strays, return gently to saying “One.” If you start wanting to move, try not to move. Just
gently observe wanting to move. Continue practicing a little past wanting to stop. Just gently
observe wanting to stop.
7. Other:
Note. Adapted from The Miracle of Mindfulness (pp. 84–87) by Thich Nhat Hanh. Copyright 1975, 1976 by Thich Nhat Hanh. Preface and Eng-
lish translation copyright 1975, 1976, 1987 by Mobi Ho. Adapted by permission of Beacon Press, Boston.
From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

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 Mindfulness Handout 5c (Mindfulness Worksheets 2–2c, 5–5c)

Ideas for Practicing Effectiveness

1. 
Observe when you begin to get angry or hostile with someone. Ask yourself, “Is this
effective?”

2. 
Observe yourself when you start wanting to be “right” instead of effective. Give up being
“right” and switch to trying to be effective.

3. 
Notice willfulness in yourself. Ask yourself, “Is this effective?”

4. 
Drop willfulness, and practice acting effectively instead. Notice the difference.

5. 
When feeling angry or hostile or like you're about to do something ineffective, practice willing
hands.

6. Other:

From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

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