Mindfulness
Mindfulness is about consciously choosing to direct attention to what is going on in the present moment. In our everyday life, especially when we’re stressed, the feeling of being present in the moment can be lost. We do things, but our focus is somewhere else.
Sometimes it’s practical to do things on autopilot, but if most things in life happen that way, it can feel empty, or like you lose touch with yourself. Mindfulness is the opposite of being on autopilot.
The benefits of regularly practising mindfulness are:
- You train your ability to notice when you are present and when not, to notice what your attention is like (Neutral? Evaluative? Judgemental?), as well as to direct your attention from the place where it ends up automatically to the place where you want it to be.
- It helps you get distance from negative thoughts, stress and worry. Since you cannot “get rid of” unwanted thoughts, it’s wise to practice noticing them, letting them be without acting on them, and thus giving them less power over your life.
- Mindfulness is helpful in regulating strong emotions. It helps you stop and make yourself aware of what you feel, what the feeling wants you to do, and gives you time to think about how you want to express the feeling (Cry? Write down what you feel? Breathe and let the feeling take its course until it passes? Listen to music? Talk to someone?). This can make the feeling more understandable and a little easier to tolerate.
Remember that mindfulness is not the same as relaxation, and that the goal isn’t to feel a certain way. The goal is to be open to what is going on right now, without judging or valuing the experience.