Mindfulness is a topic you may be hearing more and more about these days. The practice of mindfulness has been steadily gaining attention not only in the medical and mental health communities, but also in the corporate world and amongst athletes of all levels as a way to improve performance.
So what is all the buzz about? There is a growing body of scientific evidence that shows mindfulness can improve both physical and psychological symptoms such as pain, anxiety, and depression. It has also been shown to create positive changes in relationships, attitudes and the ability to concentrate and manage emotions. The benefits sound great, but what exactly is mindfulness and how do you practice it?
Mindfulness is very simply the practice of cultivating awareness and acceptance, of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment. In today's busy world, who doesn't need to focus on being present? When I first started to get curious about mindfulness, the concept seemed unfamiliar, a little obscure, and even complicated to me. I pictured someone sitting cross legged for hours upon end in meditation. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that mindfulness doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming, and that it is actually accessible in many forms. It really is something that anyone can practice throughout their day and benefit from.
A common and very effective, proven mindfulness practice is the technique of sitting and focusing on one's breath in meditation. Mindfulness is also available in less formal approaches such as walking, eating, daily household chores, any kind of intentional movement like swimming, running, or yoga, playing and instrument, coloring, reading, etc. Any activity that focuses our attention on the present moment, on what is real and what is actually happening can promote mindfulness. Try going for a short walk outside and tune into the sensations in the bottom of your feet. The next time you eat, take your time, notice the taste, texture, the color and aroma of the food. Notice that times in your day where you tend to zone out. Is it while driving, while folding laundry, while checking your email? Try focusing solely on that one task completely for a given period of time.
Ultimately, mindfulness allows us to see things as they are without judgement, to shift our attention to the present moment and away from our habitual thought patterns, default reactions, anxieties, emotions, feelings, to-do lists, or any of the other many distractions of everyday life. A result of a mindfulness practice is the decrease in the tendency to react emotionally or impulsively to a certain situation a stimulus, which, in turn, can lead us to better choices and more responsible, rational responses. For example, the next time you feel uncomfortable, stressed, anxious, overstimulated, or someone pushes your buttons, try mindfulness! Instead of immediately reacting with emotion, stop, create a pause, become aware of the situation and notice what is actually happening. Notice the sensations in your physical body, take a few deep breaths, and then respond from choice. Mindfulness doesn't equal calm, but calm is often the end result as mindfulness gives us the awareness and space to respond responsibly and make a shift from reaction to choice, a choice that is consistent with the end result that you want. After you have made your choice, check in. How do you feel? What has changed?
Explore mindfulness from a place of inquiry and try a variety of approaches to find what works best for you and what creates the most ease in your life. Remember that mindfulness like any other skill, sport, or workout is a practice: the more you do it, the better you will get. If you are ready to learn about bringing awareness and space into your life or you are curious about how to start and establish a personal mindfulness practice, consider scheduling a private or small group meditation session at RT+!