So I refer to mindfulness in a lot of my posts as one of my go-to techniques. So this post will expand on where mindfulness has come from, its importance, and how you can practice mindfulness in your life.
What Is Mindfulness?
I used to think that the aim of mindfulness meditation was to clear your mind completely. How wrong I was. It’s the innate nature of the mind to think and feel. So aiming for an empty mind is a pointless battle.
The true aim of mindfulness is to become aware of your mind. As well as your body and the world around you, without overreacting or judging. Accepting everything for what it is. For example, when you feel anxiety, you recognise that this emotion isn’t “good” or “bad”; it just is.
To be clear, it is not the same as allowing your mind to be left to its own devices. Doing that is what causes us to get stuck in that ruminating spiral so many of us have become accustomed to. Instead, mindfulness is a practice. You’re training yourself to come back to the moment you are presently in. As I write this, I mindfully acknowledge that I am sitting in a coffee shop. I feel where my body is making contact with the chair and floor beneath me. The belongings in my left pocket are causing the left side of my jacket to feel heavier than my right. And I focus on the sounds that fill my environment.
Where Does Mindfulness Originate From?
Before westernising, mindfulness was predominantly found in Buddhism and Hinduism as part of their meditations. Though all religions hold a sense of mindfulness, whether you are deep in prayer or fully present in song,.
Why Should You Practice Mindfulness?
We all have habitual patterns and behaviours instilled in us throughout life, and then by the time we’re adults and these habits have become so embedded, we just settle on, “That’s just how we are.” But if neuroscience and neuroplasticity have proven anything, it’s that our brains and minds can change. So, if you’re like me and being caught up in your thoughts and feelings is all you’ve ever known, then I can vouch for this skill. Thank goodness I took the time to cultivate and continue to practice mindfulness, because it truly is life-changing.
A Few Of The Benefits Of Mindfulness
Similar effects to antidepressants. – Studies have shown that the effects of long-term mindfulness and meditation are comparable to those of antidepressants. Plus, they continue to last. Whereas the effects of antidepressants only last as long as the chemicals are in your system,.
Increased awareness of your habitual patterns. – When you take on an observer’s role, you can better recognise ways of thinking and reacting that are more harmful than helpful to you.
Emotional awareness and regulation improve. – Due to the increased awareness, you’re better able to recognise what emotion you’re feeling in the moment and then apply more specific mindfulness skills (like deep breathing) to slow your amygdala down. The amygdala is part of your brain’s limbic system and is responsible for emotional processing and reactions. With a less reactive amygdala, you’re able to respond instead of react.
Regulate blood pressure. – Studies have also shown that regular mindfulness and meditation can actually lower blood pressure. When you’re mindfully meditating, you’re deliberating putting your body into a state of deep relaxation, which is different from our resting state or when our fight-or-flight response is activated. This state slows our heart rate, reduces stress hormones, and dilates our blood vessels, reducing pressure.
Increased ability to detect and shift out of rumination with more ease. – Becoming more aware of our mind and when it wanders gives us more control to mindfully redirect it in a way that gives us more peace.
Stronger immunity. – Research has shown it can strengthen our immune system. I honestly can say that since regularly meditating and being mindful, I haven’t been that unwell. Before, I was sick all the time, taking so many medications. Now, even when I get a cold, it’s usually over by the next day. Mind-blown? I know mine too!
You just start to see the world in a better light. – The improvement in mood and optimism helps you find the magical moments in everyday life. I swear I’ve seen more heart shapes on my travels, from a dent in the pavement to how strands of grass lay on the ground.
How To Practice Mindfulness?
Mindfulness can either be practiced formally or informally. I’d recommend incorporating both into your life. Formal mindfulness is when you intentionally set time aside to practice an exercise (such as meditation). Whereas informal mindfulness is where you integrate it into your day,.
There are so many mindfulness practices to choose from, with the following being a few of the ones I practice:
Set an intention when you wake up. – This can help put your mind in a more mindful direction right off the bat. At the moment, my morning intention is, “Today I am healing and growing for me. And that is enough.”
Formal mediation practice. – Almost every day, I meditate twice daily (sometimes more if I feel emotionally vulnerable). I actually use the app “Balance,” which I love, because there’s a whole range of meditations to try.
Breathing techniques. – There are so many of these, from box breathing to extended exhaling, and this can be practiced formally or informally. I tend to use it throughout the day when I feel myself getting stuck in my thoughts or emotions. It helps bring me out of my mind and settle my nervous system.
Labelling. – Again, this can be part of a formal meditation or done informally to reground yourself. I use this, like I do my breathing, to bring myself back when I feel overwhelmed. Sometimes, I will practice while I’m driving and label what I see, such as a blue car, a street light, or a or a tree. Other times, I’ll internally label. Whether it’s labelling when each foot steps on the ground or what emotion I’m feeling in that present moment.
So explore. Trial and error. See what works for you. You’ll be more engaged if you find techniques that connect to you.
Do you practice mindfulness? Why do you like it? I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment or just fill out a contact form!
Other mindfulness or meditative practices can be found here Mindfulness Exercises: 73 Ways to Practice the Technique – MHS (mhs-dbt.com)
[…] Learn to give every emotion, even the painful ones, their space. Knowing we can and will wade them out, we lessen their sting. But it’s important to understand that accepting the presence of these emotions does not mean we accept them as truth. We recognise them as a passing moment that will only flow through once allowed. Mindfulness is essential when practicing emotional acceptance. Check out my blog post Practice Mindfulness: How To Reconnect To Your Inner Peace. […]