During one of the forms of relaxation training that I teach my patients, I ask them to picture themselves in a relaxing scene that has personal meaning to them, and I ask them to experience with all of their senses.

While that is often an effective exercise that leads to a relaxed state, it often triggers the thought in my mind that some patients may only have such a total experience by imagining it.  Many people go through life avoiding getting the most out of their experiences because they don’t allow themselves to do so.

When interacting with social acquaintances, I am often surprised by the number who choose to compromise the quality of their experiences because it’s safer that way.  How about you?  When eating in an ethnic restaurant, do you avoid the spices that might enhance flavor – even if takes some getting used to?  Do you avoid trying chopsticks because it’s embarrassing?  Do you avoid certain social or cultural events that you would like to attend, but you may not know anybody else there – and the thought of making small talk makes you uncomfortable?  When traveling, do you fail to get the most out of the experience because it’s not on the tour bus schedule – even if there is free time for extra exploration?

I’m not talking about disregarding food allergies or going into unsafe places, and I’m not suggesting that you can totally escape having negative things entering your life.  I am suggesting, however, that immersing yourself into a range of new experiences can lead to growth as a person and a greater enjoyment of life.  You may also find that it helps you maintain a positive perspective on things.  If you are positively-oriented toward immersing yourself in a total experience, you will – for example – be more likely to think about the delicious meal that you had last night rather than the wait for the table that wasn’t available at the promised time.

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