How Mindfulness Can Help You
Mindfulness is the ability to be fully aware of the present moment. One can achieve this mental state by focusing on one’s awareness of current thoughts, emotions, body senses & sensations. Mindfulness can be used alone and as a therapy technique to ultimately change how we relate to our experiences. For instance, we can learn to notice how we experience our anxiety and move through it, as opposed to reacting to the fact that we are anxious and making it worse.. Research has shown that mindfulness is not only associated with changes to the structure of the brain but also the physiological responses to stress. This suggests that the impact is positive on both physical and emotional health.
Several fundamental principles of mindfulness can be applied to help you.
What are the benefits?
Clinical studies have shown that mindfulness is an effective tool for a variety of conditions, including:
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Pain
Stress
Hypertension
Practicing mindfulness exercises can help with improving your attention and ability to sleep and even help prevent burnout.
How Can I Practice Mindfulness?
Pay Attention
Slow yourself down a beat. Take a moment to experience things with each of your senses. Ask yourself how they make you feel. Remove any judgemental thoughts and focus on your senses. Take a deep breath and think about how it feels to breathe. What sensations do you feel? What can you smell?
Be Curious
Approach things from a place of curiosity. Keeping an open mind can help to find new possibilities. Find joy in the simple things in life. How can you do something differently? Will another approach change the outcomes?
Acceptance
How would you treat someone else in this situation? Practice grace on yourself and give yourself room to make mistakes, as it is a normal part of life. Accept that sometimes things are out of your own control, and allow for the space to remain flexible in how you can respond.
Live in the Moment
Worrying about the future will not actually impact what happens. Try to focus instead on what you can do to improve the moment or solve a more pressing problem. Take a moment to think about the little things that bring you joy and reflect on how they impact your life.
When Should I Practice Mindfulness?
You can practice mindfulness at any time! Simple exercises can be practiced at any time and in any location. Sometimes being outside may be more helpful to help you feel grounded in your environment.
There are no restrictions on where or how long you can practice acts of mindfulness. Taking a couple of minutes at your desk at work, while outside with some friends, or even sitting in traffic in your car can be a great way to check in with yourself and bring you some clarity even on the most difficult days.
There are other more structured ways to practice mindfulness, such as meditation or even taking a slow walk outside and focusing on the experience of the walk. These are best completed when you can set aside time away from distractions or potential interruptions.
If you choose to practice mindfulness, just know that there is no wrong way to do it! As long as you are present and focused on the current moment, you are doing it right.
Do you practice mindfulness? How has it helped you in your approach to life?
If you are struggling and want more support in your journey to leading a more mindful life, connect with our Client Care Coordinator Gyzelle at 925-257-0205 or book your free consultation here.
