Mindfulness - What is it and How Can It Help You?

The modern world is so fast paced, we are constantly bombarded with information and many of us are over-stimulated and overwhelmed. For me mindfulness is one of the most helpful tools in my toolbox to help me deal with all the modern life has to offer!

So What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention, or bringing the awareness, to the present moment without judgement.

Sounds simple right?

But how do we do this when we have a never ending to do list, multi people wanting our attention and lots of noise around us?

There are a number of things we can do, here are some examples:

• Take some deep breaths and really pay attention to your breath as it enters and leaves the body.

• Scan through your body with your awareness and become aware of all the sensations you an feel. Try not to judge or label the sensations as good or bad, just be aware.

• Look around wherever you are at your surroundings, be aware of all that you can see, the different colours and textures, the light and the dark.

• Bring your awareness to your senses and pay attention to what you can smell, hear, see, feel and taste.

It’s important to remember that these are all practices and we are trying to be present without judgement. The first time you do it you might find that it’s difficult and your mind keeps trying to distract you. Try to be gentle with yourself and just guide yourself back to whatever you were focussing on.

As with all things the more you do these practices, the easier it becomes.

How Has Mindfulness Helped Me?

My own experience of bringing mindfulness into my life is that it has supported me in so many ways to make my life better.

It has been a major tool in healing my back pain. It helped me to be more present with the pain and understand what helped and what didn’t. By being more mindful about what I was doing and where I was sitting I was able to manage and heal the pain.

It’s helped me to reduce my stress levels, because I am more present, less reactive and worry less. I instead try and focus my energy on what I am in control of and can impact.

But most importantly, I feel more joy. When I am more present and aware I notice all the things around me that bring me joy, it might be a beautiful sky, a rainbow or some lovely flowers. It can be anything really, but being more present and mindful really enables me to see all the beauty and feel all the joy.

If you would like to find a mindful way to manage your stress, join Elevate - A Group Coaching Adventure for Mindful Stress Management. Find out more here.