Social Anxiety Blogs

I wrote in my last blog about dissatisfaction with my relationship. That’s not really true. While there are times when I wish things were different, most of the time I’m satisfied.

Dissatisfaction causes suffering. We often suffer because we don’t accept things the way they are, whether it’s the weather, something about ourselves, or our relationships. During the winter when out walking the dog, I found that if I simply observed the cold air and wind on my skin, instead of suffering from the cold, I could simply be mindful of the sensations and not suffer at all. Psychologists sometimes tell people suffering from chronic pain to be mindful of the pain and in many cases, that technique is more effective for relieving the patients suffering than drugs.

My wife worked late last night and I was already in bed on the verge of falling asleep when I heard her come home. I could hear her playing with Molly (our dog). One thing we have in common is our love for animals. I listened for a minute or so and then fell asleep.

We do have some good times together and while things could be better, things could also be a lot worse. It’s a comfortable relationship and most of the time I'm satisfied.