Articles & Essays
Incorporate mindfulness into your life to decrease stress,
and improve your mood
By Jennifer Gray, MA, LCPC, CADC
June 14, 2014
"Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally." Jon Kabat-Zin
Mindfulness is considered a practice because it is something that we can incorporate into our lives on a daily basis, with no particular end in mind. The purpose of mindfulness is to be more in the moment, to stop and smell the roses. We often find ourselves sleep walking through our lives, suddenly awaking to find that we have virtually no recollection of the past day, the past week, or even the past year. We are in effect squandering the days of our lives with no appreciation for the miracles to be found in each moment. Its almost as if we weren’t even there.
Incorporating a mindfulness practice into your life is a way of reversing the trend of modern life. It is a way of slowing things down, and acknowledging the constant wonder that exists all around us. This is a simple practice that involves the use of all of your senses. Mindfulness can be practiced by: paying attention to the smell of the cut grass and the lilacs as you leave your house in the morning, noticing the way your soft cotton shirt caresses your skin, and appreciating the bright red color of your refreshing pomegranate iced tea as you bring the cup to your mouth. These sensory experiences are brought to you by the here and now. Our senses allow us to experience this very moment. When we find ourselves in our heads; worrying about work, wishing we had worn the brown shoes instead, or thinking about what we are going to eat for lunch, we are taking ourselves right out of the moment.
Suspending judgment is an important part of this practice. When we tell ourselves we are not doing it right, or we could be doing it better, we are making a judgement. Although this self talk is a natural part of how the human mind tends to work, these negative judgements are also a large contributor to stress, and ultimately they can depress our mood and lead to feelings of unhappiness. So notice these thoughts as you are practicing mindfulness, avoid making judgements about these thoughts, and gently guide your attention back to the present moment; to the noise of the birds, and the warmth of the sun on your shoulders.
Even without changing anything else in your life, the practice of mindfulness can make you feel better and happier.
and improve your mood
By Jennifer Gray, MA, LCPC, CADC
June 14, 2014
"Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally." Jon Kabat-Zin
Mindfulness is considered a practice because it is something that we can incorporate into our lives on a daily basis, with no particular end in mind. The purpose of mindfulness is to be more in the moment, to stop and smell the roses. We often find ourselves sleep walking through our lives, suddenly awaking to find that we have virtually no recollection of the past day, the past week, or even the past year. We are in effect squandering the days of our lives with no appreciation for the miracles to be found in each moment. Its almost as if we weren’t even there.
Incorporating a mindfulness practice into your life is a way of reversing the trend of modern life. It is a way of slowing things down, and acknowledging the constant wonder that exists all around us. This is a simple practice that involves the use of all of your senses. Mindfulness can be practiced by: paying attention to the smell of the cut grass and the lilacs as you leave your house in the morning, noticing the way your soft cotton shirt caresses your skin, and appreciating the bright red color of your refreshing pomegranate iced tea as you bring the cup to your mouth. These sensory experiences are brought to you by the here and now. Our senses allow us to experience this very moment. When we find ourselves in our heads; worrying about work, wishing we had worn the brown shoes instead, or thinking about what we are going to eat for lunch, we are taking ourselves right out of the moment.
Suspending judgment is an important part of this practice. When we tell ourselves we are not doing it right, or we could be doing it better, we are making a judgement. Although this self talk is a natural part of how the human mind tends to work, these negative judgements are also a large contributor to stress, and ultimately they can depress our mood and lead to feelings of unhappiness. So notice these thoughts as you are practicing mindfulness, avoid making judgements about these thoughts, and gently guide your attention back to the present moment; to the noise of the birds, and the warmth of the sun on your shoulders.
Even without changing anything else in your life, the practice of mindfulness can make you feel better and happier.
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