Why mindfulness?
We may be here physically, but often our mind is elsewhere. So - where is it?
- The mind ruminates over the past by going over and over things we can’t change - and speculates unhelpfully about the future, by worrying or over-planning ... or even catastrophising.
- These thoughts can seem so real that they trigger our stress reaction and emotions such as anxiety
- The mind tries to hold our entire, extensive and complex ‘to-do list’ in our head - and it's exhausting
- The mind is often somewhere else altogether - so we are on autopilot with:
- Our actions – e.g. driving, eating
- Our behaviours – we react when situations (or people!) push our buttons
So - we are often not fully ‘present’ - in fact the mind is wired to wander for 47% of our waking hours, say the guys at Harvard. Not only does this mean we are often preoccupied unhelpfully by what's on our mind, we also miss the richness of what’s here.
What is mindfulness?
Simply - mindfulness is being aware of whatever is here, in this moment, without judgement.
Try it for yourself right now.
Just pause - and notice. Notice your thoughts, your breath, the physical sensations in your body … the sights, sounds and smells of what’s around you. How IS it to be here, right now, in this moment? Simply pause, breathe ... and be. There – you are aware.
How might it help me?
When you become aware of what’s here in the present moment, you have a choice point. You can choose:
- Where you want your attention to be
- To let go of being caught up with unhelpful thoughts and emotions
- To respond helpfully to what life throws at you, with focus, calm and clarity - not just react to it
- To make a wise decision and take a helpful action, which supports your health and well-being
Very simple – and very empowering.
Mindfulness is not a ‘magic wand’. It won’t make all the difficult stuff go away. But it WILL give you tools so that you can deal with it much more effectively.
Does it 'work'?
Yes.
There’s an extensive database of scientific research proving mindfulness really does ‘work’. But it is not a quick fix. Just like going to the gym to work out your physical muscles, if you want to be mindful you need to practice mindfulness regularly to embed a new mindfulness ‘habit’. It took us a long time to get into our old, unhelpful habits - so it takes a while to replace them with new, healthy habits.
Regular mindfulness practice over a number of weeks is scientifically proven to bring about positive brain changes, resulting in many benefits to physical and emotional health. These include decreasing stress and anxiety, and increasing effectiveness, memory, learning and empathy.
So - stay with it, embed it in your daily life ... and live your best life possible.
How can I bring mindfulness into my life?
I have been helping people in and out of the workplace to successfully bring mindfulness into their life - and reap the many benefits - since 2012. Let me help YOU to bring mindfulness into your daily life and make positive differences, in whatever way is right for you - including scientifically-accredited courses, bespoke 1:1 sessions and Mindful Coaching programmes. And if you are interested in bringing mindfulness into your company or organisation, so that you and your colleagues can reap the benefits to physical and mental health, as well as living everyday life with more ease, then you might like to check out my Workplace Mindfulness page. Just contact me for an informal chat to find out more.
There's a whole wealth of e-books, apps and websites out there that can also support you developing and embedding your mindfulness practice, so I have recommended some of my preferred resources for you to explore.
And you may also like to explore the related practice of Forest Therapy - walking slowly and pausing, with mindful awareness, to connect deeply with nature and enhance physical and mental wellbeing.
Please do contact me for further information on any aspect of mindfulness and mindfulness-related practices - I would be delighted to help you.