Power of Mindfulness

Mindfulness in theory is extremely straightforward. Simply put, it’s the practice of being fully aware of what is happening right now. 

Why then, does it seem so elusive? 

So many of us are accustomed to over-stimulation from the outside world - things directing our attention away from what is happening now. The more time we spend in our heads thinking about things that aren’t happening right in front of us - things that have already happened, or have yet to happen - the less time we spend being mindful. 

BE HERE NOW. 

Ever heard the phrase ‘Be here now’ in relation to mindfulness? That is because encouraging our minds to ‘be here, right now’, is essentially what mindfulness promotes. Think about it. If you’re constantly preoccupied with worry about something that happened in the past - keep in mind that ‘the past’ in this sense can mean anything up to several minutes ago - are you truly focusing all your attention in the here and now? 

The same goes for the future - over-anticipation of an event, day, or any time which is separate from what is happening RIGHT NOW is ultimately irrelevant to the present moment. It will not, (and cannot) affect your present situation. 

Eckhart Tolle stresses this in his teachings and it’s a very important skill which mindfulness teaches - to let go of past and future. 

‘Surrender to what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be’ - Sonia Ricotti 

Being present and not holding on to past emotions or events is a huge part of what is taught in mindfulness. The importance of LETTING GO of previous experiences and feelings is vital if we are to truly live in the now and glean maximum potential from our current situation. 

As Eckhart Tolle and countless other mindfulness experts have declared; ‘thoughts aren’t facts’, and so we NEED to stop thinking that they are. How many of you have ever wrongfully believed something you told yourself without factual validation or foundation, and ended up a ball of anxiety or with excessive and needless worry? 

Letting go can be a very difficult skill to master, as our minds are particularly good at convincing us a thing has been let go, when it fact it may not be the case. Whether it’s letting go of the feeling of the need to be busy, letting go of a person, place, experience - whatever it is, mindfulness is the key. 

I don’t need statistics here to tell you that increases in instances of anxiety, depression, and various other forms of mental illness have been brought to the forefront of our awareness in recent years. This, and the fact that mindfulness seems to work effectively against them is a huge reason people are expressing more and more interest in it. 

So how does it help? 

Mindfulness calls our attention back into the NOW, while symptoms of anxiety include preoccupation with potential future events or past occurrences. It makes sense that mindfulness works. But mindfulness is not something that can simply be achieved once and then will be available for good. 

Engaging with a regular mindfulness practice is the only way to build up stamina and awareness to the onset of anxiety or other symptoms of poor mental health - the more we familiarize ourselves with our personal ‘now’, our personal state of being present, and become comfortable with it, the more accessible it becomes. 

This means that our ability to rationalize a situation and draw ourselves back into balance is increased with practice, and so mindfulness simply becomes a tool we can access easily and use to our advantage. 

Mindfulness meditation reduces anxiety, decreases your reactivity to external events and triggers which are proven benefit of a regular mindfulness practice. Self-awareness and self-observation are vital skills in which people who regularly meditate have been proven to have higher levels, and these are tools which help us become less reactive and more mindful of ourselves. 

A few really easy way to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life is simply to Slow. Things. Down. 

Slow down eating your meals and really take the time to taste the food. Slow down your walk to work/college and take the time to notice your surroundings. Slow down your quick responses to interactions. Whatever you’re doing, and wherever you’re going, challenge yourself to observe one new thing every day, and you’ll be amazed at how much calmer you feel. 

When we slow down, we automatically become more mindful and our attention gets more focused on the task at hand. This not only optimizes the levels of productivity, but also enjoyment levels! 

There are several methods which are effective in helping us to slow down and boost mindfulness, some of which include: 

-Breath control 

-Getting sufficient sleep

-Minimizing distractions 

Slowing down not only the way we move our bodies, but our minds, too. This is vital if we are to understand and reap the benefits and importance of mindfulness. 

Ready to slow down and cherish every moment?

If you’re still a little bit unsure where to start with your mindfulness journey, I’d recommend simply trying out some basic guided meditations. My two favorite apps are - Headspace or Calm.

Start small - 5 or 10 minutes a day, and then gradually start to increase it. Make up your mind to stay put for that long, and notice the fluctuations from day to day in your breathing, your attention, and your energy. Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t quite ‘work’ the first few times as there is no such thing as a ‘bad’ mindfulness - it all helps us to delve deeper and cultivate awareness, even if it’s one half a second at a time! The more busy, distracted and uneasy you are - the more you NEED mindful meditation! As the old Zen saying goes... “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day - unless you’re too busy - then you should sit for an hour!!”  

I love sharing this topic with people who are eager to start experiencing mindfulness! If you have any comments, questions, or feedback of any kind, please leave it in the comments below - I’d really love to hear your thoughts!!! 

If we have not met, my name is Allison Dunn and I am the owner of Deliberate Directions, and I absolutely love supporting people who are motivated to learn the importance of mindfulness. I am motivated to help people who want to be deliberate about gaining clarity, understanding, and focus which are the amazing benefits of mindfulness.