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Calm the chatter with Mindful Changes

We hear this word "Mindfulness", "Mindful" all the time.  It's becoming a word which is quite over-used.  What exactly does it mean?   Simply put, Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment, this exact moment in time.  And, while being aware of this moment, Mindfulness also has the added practice of being accepting of this present moment with kindness, non-judgment, and compassion.

When we are being mindful, we are simply observing our thoughts and feelings (almost from a distance), being aware of any critical and "judgy" thoughts....thoughts about the moment or experience being "good or bad"; allowing the moment to be as it is.  Instead of letting our life pass us by, slip through our fingers, living mindfully means savouring each moment or experience, living in the moment, noticing each moment and awakening in the experience. 

Most of our daily stress and anxiety comes from our thoughts and the daily demands and distractions of our lives. When we are not in sync with our mind/body needs and the demands of our daily lives, we live in a state of chronic, low-level stress. 

The words "live in the moment" draw our attention and we feel desirous of that feeling of "living in the moment."… But how many of us actually "live in the moment?" … How many of us know how to "live in the moment"? Instead, we analyze or ruminate about the past, wish upon the future and think about how to maximize future pleasure and avoid future pain.

 

When we observe our thoughts, we notice that when left alone, our thoughts tend to be uncontrolled, unsettled, moving from the past to the future without rhyme or reason.  

Mindfulness works by building our capacity to maintain moment-to-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, and to be present in our environment.

Mindfulness brings about an awareness, without judgment, of our thoughts as we're having them, and we can start exploring and learning more about ourselves, look for the essence of who we are by asking the questions about our thoughts; what is causing these thoughts, how are these thoughts helping; why do we feel the way we do? 

The practice of mindfulness is a technique and skill that is systematically developed to allow us to be able to have present-moment awareness and to tame our mind and its wandering.  With the simple (but not easy) practice of Mindfulness, we decide what we are thinking about, we are aware of what we are feeling, we know what our body is needing, and we live life in precisely the present moment. 

Mindfulness practice has many important benefits in many areas of life including reduction in our daily stress response, increased emotional stability and regulation, increased ability to think clearly and make better decisions, increased ability to focus and pay attention, improved sleep quality, reduced stress and anxiety.

Mindfulness skills are used in various realms in today's society, including health care, schools, and rehabilitation therapies. In psychological practice, there are clinically effective mindfulness therapies designed for people with mental-health conditions, including anxiety, stress, depression, ADHD, insomnia, eating disorders, substance abuse, and addiction.

We have known for a long time that chronic stress has a negative effect on our health and well-being. Current mindfulness research also shows that mindfulness teaches us many techniques to de-stress and improve relationships and performance. It makes so much sense to learn the skills and techniques of how to be mindful in all that we do.

 

Do you feel stuck? Lost? Depressed? Overwhelmed? Each of us can experience all of these feelings, and it's with courage that we reach out to those who can help and support us to turn the overwhelm into clarity and balance.

 

I'm a Mindfulness and MeditationCoach with years of experience, and my mission is to support you as you reduce your overwhelm, hurried, multi-tasking life and :

  • re-energize,

  • re-discover your strength  

  • re-focus

with daily, intentional mindful changes that you can incorporate into your life to live a life a calm and clarity.   

Frequently Asked Questions

How does mindfulness practice work?

The practice of mindfulness has the following three components: present moment-to-moment awareness, experiencing the present, and acceptance of the experience with non-judgment.

  • Mindfulness works by building our capacity to maintain moment-to-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, and to be present in our environment.

  • Mindfulness supports our being able to step out of the negative looping that our thoughts can fall into. It frees our minds from the stress of being in the past or constantly thinking about the future. 

  • Mindfulness brings about an awareness, without judgment, of our thoughts as we're having them, and we can start exploring and learning more about ourselves, look for the essence of who we are by asking the questions about our thoughts; what is causing these thoughts, how are these thoughts helping; why do we feel the way we do? 

The practice of mindfulness is a technique and skill that is systematically developed to allow us to be able to have present-moment awareness and to tame our "monkey mind," so that we decide what we are thinking about, we are aware of what we are feeling, we know what our body is needing, and we live life in precisely the present moment. 

What are the results of mindfulness practice?

Mindfulness practice has many important benefits in many areas of life including reduction in our daily stress response, increased emotional stability and regulation, increased ability to think clearly and make better decisions, increased ability to focus and pay attention, improved sleep quality, reduced stress and anxiety.

Mindfulness skills are used in various realms in today's society, including health care, schools, and rehabilitation therapies. In psychological practice, there are clinically effective mindfulness therapies designed for people with mental-health conditions, including anxiety, stress, depression, ADHD, insomnia, eating disorders, substance abuse, and addiction.

We have known for a long time that chronic stress has a negative effect on our health and well-being. Current mindfulness research also shows that mindfulness teaches us many techniques to de-stress and improve relationships and performance. It makes so much sense to learn the skills and techniques of how to be mindful in all that we do.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a translation of sati, a Pali term (the language in which the teachings of the Buddha were written), which connotes awareness, attention, and remembering to be aware and to pay attention at each moment. Sati/mindfulness also incorporates the practice of non-judgment, acceptance, kindness, and compassion.

 

"Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience." 

~ Psychology Today

Mindfulness training has its roots in Buddhism; however, Jon Kabat-Zinn, a professor of medicine emeritus and the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Centre for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, has brought the skills and techniques useful in practicing mindfulness to the mainstream. He maintains, and research studies show, that the practice of mindful living can greatly enhance our lives, increase our mind/body connection, and reduce stress and anxiety. 

Why do most of us have low-level, daily stress and anxiety?

Most of our stress and anxiety comes from our thoughts and the daily demands and distractions of our lives. When we are not in sync with our mind/body needs and the demands of our daily lives, we live in a state of chronic, low-level stress. 


For example, we can be so narrowly focused on the task at hand, or so caught up in our hopes and plans, schedules, and reactions that we seldom live in the present moment. The stress this causes builds daily exponentially, and because we are not aware of it, our days pass with constant frustration, worry, and disconnection in our families and relationships.

The words "live in the moment" draw our attention and we feel desirous of that feeling of "living in the moment."… But how many of us actually "live in the moment?" … How many of us know how to "live in the moment"? Instead, we are always analyzing or ruminating about the past, wishing upon the future and thinking about how to maximize future pleasure and avoid future pain. Our minds constantly compare ourselves with others, and we are inevitably faced with disappointment.

"Monkey mind" is a term that has come about from the fact that our minds are in a constant state of roaming…one thought will lead to another and another.  When we observe our thoughts, we notice that when left alone, our thoughts tend to be uncontrolled, unsettled, moving from the past to the future without rhyme or reason. 

Benefits of Mindfulness

In the larger picture, mindfulness practice eventually brings about long-term changes in mood and levels of happiness and

well-being. Scientific studies and research have shown that mindfulness training helps prevent depression and positively affects

brain patterns underlying anxiety, stress, depression, and irritability. The data also shows that those who practice mindfulness

meditation regularly see their doctors less often and spend fewer days overall in hospital.

Tests show that memory improves, creativity increases, and reaction times become faster. Mindfulness brings our awareness to

many people and situations we may take for granted in our daily lives. It increases our feelings of connectedness and help us in

responding to situations rather than reacting to them.

According to The Greater Good: the Science of a Meaningful Life, mindfulness practice has no fewer than 12 specific, studied,

and documented benefits.

Mindfulness practice:

  • Is good for our bodies: practicing mindfulness meditation boosts our immune system's ability to fight off illness.

  • Is good for our minds: mindfulness increases positive emotions while reducing negative emotions and stress and may be as

good as antidepressants in fighting depression.

  • Changes our brains: mindfulness increases density of grey matter in brain regions linked to learning, memory, emotion

regulation, and empathy.

  • Helps with focus: mindfulness helps us tune out distractions and improves memory and attention.

  • Fosters compassion and altruism: mindfulness training makes people more likely to help others in need and increases activity

in neural networks involved in understanding the suffering of others, in regulating emotions, and might boost self-compassion.

  • Enhances relationships: mindfulness training makes couples more satisfied with their relationship, makes each partner feel

more optimistic and relaxed, and makes them feel more accepting and closer to one another.

  • Is good for parents and parents-to-be: mindfulness may reduce pregnancy-related anxiety, stress, and depression in

expectant parents. Parents who practice mindfulness report being happier with their parenting skills and their relationship

with their kids, and their kids were found to have better social skills.

  • Helps schools: teaching mindfulness in the classroom reduces behaviour problems and aggression among students, and

improves their happiness levels and ability to pay attention. 

  • Teachers trained in mindfulness also show lower blood pressure, less negative emotion and symptoms of depression, and

greater compassion and empathy.

  • Helps health-care professionals cope with stress, connect with their patients, and improve their general quality of life. It also

helps mental health professionals by reducing negative emotions and anxiety, and increasing their positive emotions and feelings

of self-compassion.

  • Helps prisons: mindfulness reduces anger, hostility, and mood disturbances among prisoners by increasing their awareness

of their thoughts and emotions, helping with their rehabilitation and reintegration.

  • Helps veterans: mindfulness can reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of war.

  • Fights obesity and eating disorders: "mindful eating" encourages healthier eating habits, helps people lose weight, and helps

them savor the food they do eat.

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