Are You Mindful or Mind-full?

​This is an extremely busy time of year, especially as major holidays are quickly approaching, and it is easy to get caught up in all of the stress. Mindfulness skills are one way you can remain in the moment to maintain your composure.

What is mindfulness?
 
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us. When we are mind-full instead of mindful, we are mentally absent from the richness of life. Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you are being mindful. The great thing about mindfulness is that anyone can do mindfulness practice!
 
Why perform mindfulness practice?
 
Mindfulness allows you to gain a better understanding of your pain, allows you to better connect with those around you, focuses your mind, reduces brain chatter over time, and lowers stress.
 
How can you use mindfulness to reduce levels of stress?

1. Savor the moment: Often we are so trapped in thoughts of the future or the past that we forget to experience, or enjoy, what is happening right now. Instead, relish in whatever you are doing at the present moment. Really notice and bring your attention to the temperature of the water as you shower, notice the flakey pastry as you enjoy your dessert, really pay attention to the beat of a song. Research shows that individuals experience more joy, happiness, and other positive emotions when they take a few minutes each day to actively savor something they usually hurry through.
2. Mindful breathing: You can choose to stand or sit for this exercise, and it can be done anywhere at any time. Start by breathing in and out slowly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, letting your breath flow effortlessly in and out of your body. Focus your attention on your breath and let go of your thoughts. Simply let thoughts rise and fall on their own accord and be at one with your breath. If your thoughts begin to wander, that is okay! Work on returning your awareness back to your breath. Continue to breathe for about one minute. When you feel more confident try two or three minutes!
3. Mindful observation: This exercise is simple but powerful as it allows you to notice and appreciate seemingly simple elements of your environment in a more profound way.  Begin by choosing a natural object from within your immediate environment and focus on this object. This could be anything, including a table, pencil, flower, or even the clouds. Try not to do anything except notice the item with which you are looking. Relax into watching the item for as long as your concentration allows. Notice the colours, shapes, textures, and visually explore every aspect of its formation. Allow yourself to connect with its energy and its purpose within the natural world.

 
Remember, you can implement mindfulness practices to help you remain in the moment and maintain your composure when dealing with difficult situations. We all already have the capacity to be present, and it doesn’t require us to change who we are. But we can cultivate these innate qualities with simple practices that are scientifically demonstrated to benefit us in many ways. Let us show you how you can use mindfulness practices to reduce tension and stress in your life.