What's better than Mindfulness?

‘’Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it’’. - Sharon Saltzberg

Want to gain enjoyment from life, Practice Mindfulness.

What is mindfulness?

Involving a special effort to give full attention to what is happening in the present moment – to what’s happening in your body, your mind or your surroundings, just in a non-judgmental way.

Mindfulness is a technique which can help people manage their mental health or simply gain more enjoyment from life. A way of approaching our thoughts and feelings so that we become more aware of them and react differently to them.

Mindfulness originates in Buddhism, but being mindful is a skill that anyone can learn. You do not have to be spiritual, or have any particular beliefs, to try it.

How can mindfulness help?

Mindfulness can help you to:

• Increase your awareness of your thoughts and feelings

• Manage unhelpful thoughts

• Develop more helpful responses to difficult feelings and events

• Be kinder towards yourself

• Feel calmer and able to manage stress better

• Manage some physical health problem, like chronic pain.

Does mindfulness work for mental health problems?

Studies show that practicing mindfulness can help you manage mild depression, anxiety and other common mental health problems.

How does mindfulness work?

In mindfulness you try to become more aware of your thoughts, emotions and physical feelings.

• Notice when you get caught up in negative thoughts, so that you can manage them

• Become aware of the effect that thoughts or events have on your body, so that you can look after yourself

• Be able to make a choice about how you respond to your thoughts and feelings

• Observe that thoughts come and go and do not have to define who you are or your experience of the world.

Mindfulness helps you to keep calm by becoming more in touch with the situation.

When you do any mindfulness exercise, for key steps: (Source: Mind-For better Mental Health)

• Pay attention – for example, when you shower in the morning, make a special effort to really pay attention to the feel of the water on your skin.

• Notice – when your mind wanders, which is just what minds do, simply notice where your thoughts have drifted to.

• Choose and return– choose to bring your attention back to the present moment, usually by focusing on your breath, body or something in your surroundings.

• Be aware and accept– Try to observe and accept the feelings with friendly curiosity and without judgment.

• Be kind to yourself– remember that mindfulness is difficult to do and our minds will always wander. Try not to be critical of yourself, and gently escort your mind back every time it wanders.

A harmless way to keep yourself healthy both physically and mentally.