In learning to Relabel, it is not enough to shrug and say, “It’s not me—it’s my OCD” in an automaton-like manner. Mindful awareness is essential. Mindful awareness differs from simple, superficial awareness in that it requires you to consciously recognize and make a mental note of that unpleasant feeling, Relabeling it as an OCD symptom caused by a false message from the brain. As the feeling sweeps over you, you must say to yourself, “I don’t think or feel that my hands are dirty; rather, I’m having an obsession that my hands are dirty.” “I don’t feel the need to check that lock; rather, I’m having a compulsive urge to check that lock.” This will not make the urge go away, but it will set the stage for actively resisting the OCD thoughts and urges. From the book brain lock