When talking with others about an uncertainty you’re experiencing in your life, you may have gotten the same piece of advice more than once: practice mindfulness. It’s talked about so much that it might feel like it lacks meaning. It may even feel insulting as if you don’t think about your actions, but that’s not the case at all.
Mindfulness isn’t just a trendy term. It’s a practice and a focus of meditation that we can all benefit from. Before we talk about how everyone can benefit from mindfulness, we’ll discuss what mindfulness and mindfulness meaning.
An Overview of Mindfulness
The mental state of being fully aware of our thoughts, feelings and place in the world is called mindfulness. In other words, it’s being consciously present. Many people frequently fall back into a state where it’s like they’re on auto-pilot. It might be a way for the brain to function efficiently, or maybe it’s a strategy for people to protect themselves from uncomfortable feelings or circumstances.
Sometimes people are not aware of their feelings until after an initial reaction. Then they’re faced with the burden of interpreting their feelings after a reaction at a time when that reaction isn’t necessarily relevant anymore. This can be very confusing and doesn’t help to understand why you reacted that way in the first place.
Practicing mindfulness can help to ground your thoughts and feelings. You can develop an acute awareness of how you feel and how your experiences affect you, without having to play catch-up.
Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness can alleviate emotional pain and confusion for people who experience an array of unwanted experiences that may be part of everyday life. It can also help to control the physical consequences of those experiences as well as the habitual mechanisms people use to remedy themselves.
Mindfulness can relieve pain leading to:
- Stress
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Uncontrolled emotions
- Interpersonal conflicts
- High blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal discomfort
- Overeating
- Substance use
- Tension headaches
- Shame
- Feelings of helplessness
It can help to promote more positive feelings:
- Purpose
- Control
- Self-worth
- Confidence
- A greater understanding of self
- Emotional resilience
Practicing Mindfulness
You can practice mindfulness meditation in a variety of settings that don’t require the help of a professional.
Self-compassion: Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. Acknowledging that can help you to go on and not dwell on the past. Try talking to yourself as though you were talking to a good friend and give yourself the comfort and the motivation to move forward with confidence.
Breathing: While it might sound obvious, many people forget to breathe in times of stress. Practicing deep breathing while paying close attention to the action and how it makes you feel can focus your thoughts on the present.
Acceptance: Accept your feelings as they are without judging them. Feelings aren’t inherently good or bad. Assigning them one way or the other places judgment on them.
Mindfulness meditation is a practice that can help anyone reach their goals. Learn more about mindfulness at Sage Your Mind.
