Mindfulness 101
Mindfulness is a trendy topic that seems to be everywhere these days.
Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who created the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, describes it in the following way:
“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.’’
So, what is all the hype about?
In our modern world, with an overload of information and stimulation, our mind often takes flight, and we lose touch with ourselves, as well as with others.
As a result, we tend to overthink and overanalyse about things that have happened in the past or we fret and worry about the future. And this makes us stressed and anxious.
But what if I told you that a significant amount of our suffering comes not from our experiences themselves, but from the way we respond and assign meaning to those experiences?
Enter: Mindfulness!
The idea is that by becoming more present and fostering acceptance of the present, we can change our relationship with our thoughts, feelings, and sensations so that we can attend to them without becoming overwhelmed and controlled by them.
Dr. Kabat-Zinn offers the following metaphor: “In cultivating mindfulness, we are going beyond or behind our thinking, much the way you might find a vantage point in a cave or depression in the rock behind a waterfall.’’
In other words?
You’re not under the waterfall, caught in the swirl and pounding of thoughts, emotions, and sensations, nor are you trying to stop or change them. Instead, you’re behind the cascade, observing all that’s happening, without evaluation.
As a Mindset Coach, I’m a huge advocate for mindfulness and often integrate this into my coaching sessions with clients.
It can be useful in helping us manage our mental health and wellbeing by providing tools to build confidence, manage stress, maximise creativity and relate and deal with uncomfortable or challenging moments, building resilience.
It can also help us make better strategic choices, enhance performance, and increase our presence and engagement in relationships, with ourselves and others.
So, how can we become more mindful?
The good news is that ANYONE can do it.
Mindfulness is an awareness. It’s just an honest observation about what you are experiencing in the moment (not to be confused with meditation, which is a practice).
We all have the capacity to be present, and we can cultivate these innate qualities through everyday activities; a shower, a walk, or simply eating food.
Mindfulness is about observing all our emotions, not just the positive; taking the time to chew and enjoy the taste of our food, or noticing the vivid colours and beauty of nature, but also noticing our anger and the thoughts and sensations that accompany that, or our pain when we feel betrayed.
