Mindfulness is the practice of gently focusing your awareness on the present moment over and over again.
It often involves focusing on sensations to root yourself in your body in the here and now. It can be practiced during formal meditation or during everyday activities, like cooking, cleaning, or walking.
It’s the nature of the mind to think, analyze, and figure things out. That’s its job. That means that left to its own devices, the mind will constantly seek out new stimuli, new things to think about, and new ways to check out from reality.
Mindfulness practice is a way to gently retrain the mind to settle into the present moment. It’s kind of like becoming a parent to your mind rather than letting it control you. In the end, the mind is simply a willful toddler.
By practicing mindfulness over and over with patience and compassion for yourself, you can teach the mind to be still.
The benefits of mindfulness have been well-documented in research:
- improving cognitive ability
- slowing brain aging
- reducing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms
- increasing a sense of well-being
- helping with pain management
- improving quality of life for those living with chronic conditions
Mindfulness is a very broad category, and the ways to practice are almost limitless. You can try particular techniques to see what works for you, like:
- mindful eating
- mindful walking
- mindful commuting
- mindful colouring or doodling
No matter what methods you use, it’s important to find ways to integrate your mindfulness practice into your life in ways that are meaningful and enjoyable to you.
It’s important to try and stay focussed on the here and now, it’s so easy to let your thoughts distress and gang up on you. If you have found you are struggling with your mental health, you can send us a message here on our website, email or call us. Help is available and you are not alone.
