[dave42]

Hi Illumination: I like your idea of using the technique of awareness to deal with the problem. This seems sensible to me (although I am, like most people I know, lousy at, as you call it "bringing the attention back to the immediate present." One slight variation or elaboration on your approach: since I'm terrible at paying attention to this moment, I've tried to focus on my breathing. I got this idea about ten years ago. I guess paying attention to my breathing is a little more concrete than "the immediate present" and so my breathing in and out is like "training wheels" for me. Having said that, I'm still pretty lousy at focusing on my breath! Yikes: I guess the upshot is this: if you, like me, feel your mental discipline eroding, I recommend hitting the road, going for a walk, a jog, a drive: anything to get out of "danger." Good luck and let us know how it's going. I'm going to pay attention to my breath right now. A friend suggested setting the timer on the microwave for a short time (2 minutes), sitting in a chair, and just paying attention to my breathing. I haven't done it for years, but I'll try it right now. Good luck!