Mindfulness involves consciously directing your attention to one thing in the present moment. It is focused attention in a non-judgmental manner.
Mindfulness practice takes many forms as the object of attention can be either internal or external, and the practice can involve different senses such as sight, hearing, touch, smell, body sensations, etc. Beginning mindfulness work often focuses attention on the breath or on an object such as the flame of a candle.
In today’s skill, the object of attention is the current emotion. Notice how the emotion manifests in the body. Notice other sensations such as pain, pressure, lightness, or heaviness.
Putting a name to the emotion often causes the emotion to dissipate. It is almost as if the emotion was clamoring to be noticed, and once identified, it was able to quiet down, knowing that it was heard.
There is nothing to be done with the emotion. We are not changing it, we are not judging it, and we are definitely not suppressing it. It is just noticing the emotion.
In this practice, there is no problem-solving, and there is no thought analysis. It is simply having a full awareness of the current emotion.
The other skills have a place, but they are not this skill.