Mindfulness

What is Mindfulness?

We all can learn to identify, interrupt, and shed patterns that make life harder. 

We all can learn to get out of our own way.

We all can tamp down our own stress.

We all develop self-awareness which provides insight.

All one needs is an open mind and sense of curiosity.

Think about how many times a certain conversation, interaction, or relationship - often circumstances you cannot predict or control - has caused you to react in a way that then creates more stress, worry, anger, or relentless ongoing churning in your head. We get headaches, clench our jaw, we are awake in the middle of the night, we are often preoccupied and worried about what is coming next. Often, we rehash things that happened, we beat ourselves up which adds to our own distress.

Daily life is stressful, especially in these challenging times. While we cannot change much of what happens in any given day, we can change how we choose to respond to it. The practice of Mindfulness helps us do that.

Mindfulness meditation is proven to reduce stress, anxiety, feeling of overwhelm, anger, to increase focus, happiness, and resilience.

An age-old practice based in neuroscience, Mindfulness means paying attention, becoming aware in the present moment, to what is going on within and outside of oneself, doing this without judgment. We learn to tune into ourselves, observing our habitual reactivity, and to insert a pause.  As a result, we gain insight, tuning into our innate wisdom instead of reacting on autopilot. Mindfulness is a mental skill set developed through practice which in turn rewires the neural pathways.  We do not need to go down those same old ruts in the road of our minds that make things harder for ourselves. 

By bringing awareness to the present moment, observing our reactions, feelings, and thoughts - we get a choice:  react, or respond? There is freedom in becoming aware of our reactions and thoughtfully responding in our own best interest.