What is Tracking and Why is it Important?

What Is Tracking?

Tracking is a way to help you stay in or get back to your “Resilient Zone” or “OK Zone.” When you use tracking you pay attention to what is happening with your mind and body. We sometimes call these thoughts and feelings in our mind and body “sensations”.

What Do We Mean By Sensations?

There are many ways the brain takes in information. One way is through our senses. These are called sensations. Some senses are sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. You can pay attention to other sensations like breathing, your heartbeat, and how your stomach feels.

Sensation Words

Having the right words to talk about what you are thinking and feeling is important. Here are some sensation words that may help you talk about what you are paying
attention to inside your body:

• Vibration: shaking, twitching, trembling, fast/slow
• Size/position: small, medium, large, up/down, center
• Temperature: cold, hot, warm, neutral (just right)
• Pain: intense (which means strong or sharp), medium, mild, throbbing, stabbing
• Muscles: tight, loose, calm, rigid
• Breathing: fast, short, deep, shallow, light
• Heartbeat: fast, slow, rhythmic or regular, fluttery, jittery
• Taste: spicy, sweet, sour, juicy, bland or plain
• Texture: rough, smooth, thick, thin
• Weight: heavy, light, firm, gentle cold, hot, warm, neutral (just right)

Why is Tracking Important?

You may feel different ways in your body because of what you experience, your thoughts, and your feelings.

• • Some things give you good feelings in your body and mind.
  • Some things may make your body and mind feel bad.
  • Sometimes, your body and mind feel the same as usual.

When you track how your body and mind feel, you can pay attention to when those feelings are bad.

Bad feelings may be telling you that you are moving to the edge or even outside of your Resilient or OK zone. You can then use your resilience skills to help you stay in your Resilient or OK zone. Feelings that are usual or good let you know that you are in your Resilient or OK zone.

You can choose what to pay attention to in your body when you learn the difference between good and bad feelings.

Paying attention to good feelings in your body may help you stay in your Resilient or OK zone and feel better.