We hear a lot about mindfulness today and with good reason; learning some basic techniques of mindfulness has been shown to help people reduce stress, become less emotionally reactive, gain greater focus, and reduce worry.
Mindfulness is a surprisingly simple concept to understand yet can be a bit challenging in our hectic and distracting world to put into practice. Basically, mindfulness means living in the here and now. It’s about being present in the moment to your thoughts, feelings, surroundings, and even bodily sensations without judgment. The concept has been around for many years but has been studied more rigorously for about the past fifty years.
The research on mindfulness points to numerous physical and emotional benefits. They include:
Stress reduction
When you learn to become mindful of your thoughts and feelings in the moment, you can identify triggers that cause stress and use techniques to cope with them. Mindfulness also helps you be less reactive to stressors and approach situations with a calmer, more centered mindset.
Improved mental health
When you practice mindfulness, you learn to observe your thoughts non-judgmentally which can help you develop a more positive outlook on life and reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mindfulness can also help you become more self-aware, which can lead to better decision-making and improved relationships.
Increased physical health
Research shows that mindfulness practice can also lead to physical improvements such as lower blood pressure, better sleep, and reduced inflammation. When you are mindful, you become more aware of your body, which can help you identify areas of tension and release them. Mindfulness can also improve your immune system, making you less susceptible to illness.
Better emotional health
By learning to be present in the moment, you can better understand the experiences and feelings of those around you and develop greater empathy and compassion toward others. Mindfulness can also help you manage difficult emotions like anger, fear and sadness. Instead of being consumed by negative emotions, you can observe them without judgment and learn to let them go.
With these many benefits, mindfulness can help you improve your overall quality of life and lead to a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness. A mindfulness practice helps you become more attuned to the present moment, better able to appreciate the little things and more grateful for the people and experiences in your life.
While there are many online resources, books and audio sources for information about mindfulness, this is a topic that I also find helpful to engage with clients around to help access the full benefits of the practice within a therapeutic setting.
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