Mindfulness, and how to tackle it!
by Gail Arno, ECM Care Manager
Mindfulness…the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Seems simple enough and yet most of us struggle daily with trying to adopt this approach.
Imagine a snow globe, all shook up—most of the time that is what our brains resemble. All shook up, agitated, making it hard to see clearly and yet when allowed to settle down the snow globe affords things to become clearer and easier to see. So, it is with our minds.
A wandering mind can be an unhappy mind and it is documented that our minds wander about 49% of the time they are working. One of the main goals of practicing mindfulness is to lessen that agitation, allowing us to focus on what is in the here and now. Thanks to this practice you just might find stress relief, pain reduction and improved reaction to anger and less overall anxiety in your daily life.
Some steps to practice mindfulness:
- Set aside some time (find your mind’s quiet place).
- Observe the present moment as it is (pay attention to the moment without judgment).
- Let your judgments roll by (acknowledge them and then let them go).
- Return to observing the present moment as it is (this is a practice of returning again and again).
- Be kind to your wandering mind (don’t judge yourself for whatever comes up, clear, and begin again).
We already have the capacity to be present, and it doesn’t require us to change who we are. Mindfulness is dose dependent…the more you do it and put it into practice the more mindful you will become. Give it a try and see what great outcomes you find.