29 Jul Mindfulness: what is it and how do you get started?
Mindfulness is a concept that is moving from the world of psychology and into the mainstream. The popularity of mindful colouring books is testament to that. But what exactly is mindfulness and why should you be bothered to do it?
Mindfulness, in its simplest form is the act of being present. Of being in the here and now instead of allowing your thinking to be in stuck in the past or worrying about the future. These thoughts can lead you away from the enjoyment and fulfilment that is available to you right now, and can cause stress, anxiety and even depression.
How is mindfulness beneficial?
Research has shown that mindfulness actually changes the physical structures of the brain and the way it operates. Research Studies have shown that mindfulness can improve:
⦁ Physical health (e.g. decrease pain, increased energy levels, improved digestion)
⦁ Mental health (e.g. decreasing anxiety and depression)
⦁ Stress reduction
⦁ Improved Concentration and performance
Mindfulness can help to reduce the amount of time you spend thinking about negative events or emotions and gives you a way to think differently about what happens in your life.
How do you do mindfulness?
Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist traditions and can be a form of meditation. But it doesn’t have to involve sitting down and mediating nor should it conjure up thoughts of people sitting around saying ‘om’. Mindfulness can be practice ‘formally’ by setting aside time to meditate but it can equally be practiced ‘informally’ by focusing on things that happen in our day to day life like eating, listening to music or driving the car. Remember the main aim of mindfulness is to notice your mind and be more aware of the present moment.
Mindfulness is a skill. Like any new skills the more you practice it the better you get at it. An important thing to remember about mindfulness is that it is not a relaxation technique. Relaxation is often a lovely by product of mindfulness but it not the intended outcome. The outcome is simply to learn to be in the present.
There are a number of apps (e.g. smiling mind) and audio files available that can help get you started with mindfulness. Or you can simply start by practicing being mindful of an everyday task like brushing your teeth or hugging a loved one.
Better yet why not make an appointment with one our team who can help to tailor mindfulness to your specific concerns. Our team would love to hear from you.
