Mindfulness  ·  Mindfulness Courses

Don’t feed the demons

02/02/2023

Painful emotions often pass by in a fairly short time if you devote your attention to something else in the moment.

This isn’t always true, of course, but it’s true often enough to be useful.

Giving energy to the demons

We need to remember that if we dwell excessively on negative emotions, it’s like giving them energy that helps them to grow into what Dr. Russ Harris in The Happiness Trap calls ‘giant dangerous demons.’

Don’t feed the demons

So just remember: don’t feed the demons. Try shifting your awareness to something else and I think you’ll find that very often that helps the emotion to pass by much more quickly.

My True Friend self compassion online course can help you see yourself in a more tolerant way.  It’s an  online course and payment is by donation so it’s affordable to all. Learn more

Related: Watch out for detrimental thinking

Page image K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash


Padraig O'Morain

I have practised mindfulness since the late 1980s, have taught mindfulness throughout Ireland and in London, have demonstrated mindfulness on ITV, RTE and TV3 and have had books on mindfulness published in several countries and languages. I provide public and corporate courses. My latest book is "Daily Calm - 100 daily reminders to help you build the mindfulness habit." My aim is to make mindfulness easily accessible to people in their everyday lives.