--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is remarkable how liberating it feels…" description: "\"It is remarkable how liberating it feels to be able to see that your thoughts are just thoughts and that they are not 'you' or 'reality.' For instance,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_able_it-is-remarkable-how-liberating-it-feels_2514195.jpg" --- # It is remarkable how liberating it feels to be able to see… ![“It is remarkable how liberating it feels to be able to see that your thoughts are just thoughts and that they are not 'you' or 'reality.' For instance, if you have the thought that you have to get a certain number of things done today and you don't recognize it as a thought but act as if it's the…” quote by Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_able_it-is-remarkable-how-liberating-it-feels_2514195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_able_it-is-remarkable-how-liberating-it-feels_2514195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_able_it-is-remarkable-how-liberating-it-feels_2514195.jpg) > “It is remarkable how liberating it feels to be able to see that your thoughts are just thoughts and that they are not 'you' or 'reality.' For instance, if you have the thought that you have to get a certain number of things done today and you don't recognize it as a thought but act as if it's the 'the truth,' then you have created a reality in that moment in which you really believe that those things must all be done today.” [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing thoughts as mental events, not absolute truths, frees us from self‑imposed pressures and opens space for mindful choice. **In simple terms:** Thoughts are not facts; they are mental events. Key Takeaway Observe thoughts, don’t identify with them. Themes mindfulness self‑awareness psychology Mood calm reflective Type mindful inspirational When to use this quote - stress management - daily planning - therapy - meditation practice Key Concepts cognitive defusion presence mental flexibility Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts do you treat as reality? - How can you practice observing without reacting? A Different Perspective Thoughts can still dominate behavior if not consciously observed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-changing/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Every child is a thought in the mind of God, and our task is to recognize this thought and help it toward completion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eberhard-arnold/every-child-is-a-thought-in-the-mind-of-god-and-our-task-is-to/) [Eberhard Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eberhard-arnold/) > [While growing up, I lived in my own fantasy world. I had kind of a rough childhood, so I created my own reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/while-growing-up-i-lived-in-my-own-fantasy-world-i-had-kind-of-a/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Grace is everywhere as an active orientation of all created reality toward God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rahner/grace-is-everywhere-as-an-active-orientation-of-all-created-reality/) [Karl Rahner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rahner/) > [Remember that everyone you see and every situation you find yourself in has come from inside of you; you have created your reality by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/remember-that-everyone-you-see-and-every-situation-you-find-yourself/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [I had kind of a rough childhood, so I created my own reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-had-kind-of-a-rough-childhood-so-i-created-my-own-reality/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“Then as now he created reality around himself, bringing order and peace to a small island of warm firelight and the simple smell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/then-as-now-he-created-reality-around-himself-bringing-order-and/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [If I had created reality television I would have had a much greater influence, but then I would have had to KILL MYSELF.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/if-i-had-created-reality-television-i-would-have-had-a-much-greater/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Since God created the world, He also created reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/since-god-created-the-world-he-also-created-reality/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“The reality of the moment is so palpable and powerful that it holds imagination in a tight orbit from which it never fully escapes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/the-reality-of-the-moment-is-so-palpable-and-powerful-that-it-holds/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [Reality is where we are from moment to moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-linssen/reality-is-where-we-are-from-moment-to-moment/) [Robert Linssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-linssen/) > [“Life is a series of unique situations, and we make meaning not by adhering to abstract principles about how we should live but according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-noble/life-is-a-series-of-unique-situations-and-we-make-meaning-not-by/) Helen Noble > [Reality is always the moment of vision before the intellectualization takes place. There is no other reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/reality-is-always-the-moment-of-vision-before-the-intellectualization/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [I act for the reality, for the moment, and most of all I do it for the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-act-for-the-reality-for-the-moment-and-most-of-all-i-do-it-for-the/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [“Reality is a projection of your thoughts or the things you habitually think about. Your entire life and everything in it is a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/reality-is-a-projection-of-your-thoughts-or-the-things-you-habitually/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“This presence of the Son of God is a reality—every moment of every day. When we recognize that He is always with us, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-chappell/this-presence-of-the-son-of-god-is-a-reality-every-moment-of-every/) [Paul Chappell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-chappell/) ## More by Jon Kabat-Zinn > [Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the-notion-of-a-fixed-destiny-it/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Living in a chronic state of unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/living-in-a-chronic-state-of-unawareness-can-cause-us-to-miss-much-of/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/mindfulness-means-moment-to-moment-non-judgmental-awareness-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Paying attention and awareness are universal capacities of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/paying-attention-and-awareness-are-universal-capacities-of-human/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“One practical way to do this is to look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/one-practical-way-to-do-this-is-to-look-at-other-people-and-ask/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“dwell in stillness and to observe without reacting and without judging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/dwell-in-stillness-and-to-observe-without-reacting-and-without-judging/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/the-little-things-the-little-moments-they-aren-t-little/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/arriving-someplace-more-desirable-at-some-future-time-is-an-illusion/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/give-yourself-permission-to-allow-this-moment-to-be-exactly-as-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non-2/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Science gave me a cosmic religious feeling, and I would get the same feeling when I was dragged to the Met and the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/science-gave-me-a-cosmic-religious-feeling-and-i-would-get-the-same/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them… Without knowing it, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/look-at-other-people-and-ask-yourself-if-you-are-really-seeing-them/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“In fact, even if distraction does alleviate your pain or help to cope with it some of the time, bringing mindfulness to it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/in-fact-even-if-distraction-does-alleviate-your-pain-or-help-to-cope/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) [Explore all 252 Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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