Most of us feel stressed out at some point every day. In today’s world, we feel pressure from almost every area, from our work, our spouse, our kids, and even our minds. What if there was a simple thing we could do to help alleviate the stress?
Mindfulness can help reduce that stress, as well as having many other benefits.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is bringing your awareness to the present moment without judgment, being fully engaged in the present while not allowing yourself to get caught up in your thoughts and emotions.
Although mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, most religions include some type of prayer or meditation that helps shift thoughts away from the usual mind chatter toward an appreciation of the moment and a broader perspective on life.
Benefits of mindfulness
Mindfulness can help you manage the stress of today’s world. Studies have shown that mindfulness can have many benefits. The American Psychological Association lists some of the benefits of mindfulness as:
- reduced rumination
- reduces stress and anxiety
- boosts to working memory
- better focus
- less emotional reactivity
- more cognitive flexibility
- being more satisfied in your relationships.
Being mindful can help us not dwell on negative thoughts. Rumination is when we fixate on our flaws and problems which prolongs our negative moods. Basically, it is when we dwell on our negative thoughts, which in turn feeds more negative thoughts. Mindfulness teaches us a different way to approach and deal with these thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness allows us to acknowledge whatever is happening in the present moment without judgment. We learn to just be with those thoughts and feelings without the need to fix them. The mind attempts to fix or avoid these thoughts and feelings fuel the negative mood and emotions.
Mindfulness and meditation help reduce stress and anxiety. Research has shown that mindfulness is not only associated with feeling less stressed; it’s also linked with decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Practicing mindfulness also reduces activity in the amygdala, the part of your brain responsible for switching on your stress response; this means fewer stress hormones are released.
Mindfulness boosts working memory. Working memory is the ability to keep information active in one’s mind. Mindfulness helps the brain become more efficient. Although scientists are not entirely sure how mindfulness does this, they believe mindfulness is a form of training for some of the core networks in your brain that play a crucial role in many cognitive tasks. These brain networks are repeatedly activated by being meditation and become more efficient.
Mindfulness and meditation lead to better focus. Mindfulness helps to train your brain to be better at bouncing back from distractions. By bringing your attention back to the present moment, you are strengthening the neural pathways for focus. And by reducing activity in the amygdala, that area of your brain responsible for stress responses, you might be more capable of staying focused during high-stress times.
People who practice mindfulness are less emotionally reactive. Emotion regulation includes the strategies we use to deal with our emotional responses. Mindfulness teaches us to move from reacting to responding through awareness. By paying attention to the present moment, we see things for what is really happening rather than responding to what we think or feel.
Mindfulness increases our cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility means our ability to adjust our thinking or attention based on what is changing in the world around us. By not judging the present moment, we are able to adapt and change based on what is going on rather than reacting to our thoughts and emotions.
Mindfulness can improve our relationships. Being mindful has been shown to improve communication. Focusing on the present moment also helps us to see our relationships in a more positive way.
With all of these benefits, how does one start a mindfulness practice?
A few things you need to know first:
- You can’t quiet your mind. The goal is to be present, not clear your mind of everything.
- Your thoughts will wander, and that’s fine. When your mind drifts to other things, gently bring it back to the task at hand. This simple act of redirecting our thoughts is where the magic happens.
- Our inner critics will speak up. Your mind will begin to think about things in a judgemental way.
When thoughts arise while practicing mindfulness, try not to judge them. Let the thoughts pass. I like to think of it as watching clouds float by in the sky. Notice the thoughts and feelings associated with them, then let them float by and return your focus to the present.
Trying to be more present every day is a great way to start. Everything we do throughout our day can be done more mindfully. I find that some areas are easier to be more mindful in than others. Find an area that works for you and start there.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- handwashing the dishes
- sweeping the floors
- folding laundry
- taking a shower
- having your morning coffee
Slow down and tune into the entire experience of doing your chosen task.
Tune into:
- Your breath as you wash the dishes, fold the laundry, etc.
- The feel of the water or fabric or whatever you are working with
- The smell of the soap, the feel of the bubbles
- The repetitive movements and motions involved with your task
Basically, focus on nothing except the act of the task you have chosen. When your thoughts wander off, gently bring your mind back to the task at hand. Let those thoughts drift off like clouds in the sky.
Remember to be kind to yourself. This is a new skill you are learning, and your mind is used to having its own way. Try to practice a little every day. Soon you will notice that you are calmer and less stressed.
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