Why
mindfulness is important may seem obvious once you understand what mindfulness
is. Don’t be fooled! Many people use the words mindfulness and meditation
interchangeably. Meditation is a mindfulness tool but is NOT mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the practice of purposely setting your attention on something.
For example, it can be an object, your surroundings, your feelings, a person,
or the sensations in your body.
Why Mindfulness Is Important
Mindfulness
is about calming your mind and living in the present moment. However, you will
experience many life-changing benefits from becoming more mindful.
1. Mindfulness Improves Your Well-Being
As
you become more mindful, your satisfaction with life grows because you improve
your physical and mental well-being.
Physical Well-Being
Being
more mindful enables you to use your mind’s power to be healthier. For example,
you will learn to make better food choices as you become mindful of how your
body reacts to poor food choices. You will learn to pay attention to your hunger
cues and stop eating when you are full. Your body talks to you. Learning to
listen will promote your physical well-being. Furthermore, the state of your
mind impacts your body. Specific emotions (e.g., anger, sadness, embarrassment) can be
linked with particular health outcomes (e.g., cardiovascular disease,
musculoskeletal disease).
Mental Well-Being
Practicing
mindfulness can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
2. Mindfulness Teaches You to Enjoy Life
You
can learn to enjoy life again using mindfulness. As you practice living in the
present moment, you take in everything and make the most of your time. Here are
some ways to practice this:
·
Pay
attention: Practice listening to others with more intention. Open your mind
without judgment.
·
Rediscover
the old: Look at your familiar surroundings and find something new you never
noticed before.
·
Remember
to breathe: As you draw your attention to your breath, you will often notice
that it is shallow. Take a few cleansing breaths.
·
Lift
your chest proud: Most walk around, never noticing our stance. Lift your chest,
and feel tall and proud.
·
Listen
to your senses: Take a moment to absorb sounds, colors, smells, and sensations.
3. Mindfulness Enables You to Be Truly Present for Others
When
you learn to become mindful, you absorb each moment with those you love. You
are more present for them, you pay attention to their conversation, and
remember what matters most. You learn to eliminate distractions and create
meaningful interactions.
4. Mindfulness Changes Your Brain
Did
you know that mindfulness has the power to modify your brain’s structure?
Mindfulness practices like meditation can reduce age-related brain degeneration and improving
cognitive functions. You can change your brain’s neural pathways
using mindfulness as you practice creating new thoughts. Moreover, neuroimaging studies have
demonstrated structural changes in many brain regions relating to paying
attention and regulating your emotions when people practice
mindfulness.
5. Mindfulness Helps You Regulate Your Emotions
Besides
improving your overall mental well-being, mindfulness can be a powerful tool to
regulate your emotions. This doesn’t mean not experiencing certain emotions.
Rather, it means developing a certain self-awareness to notice your emotions
and become curious about their meaning. This awareness then enables you to
self-regulate.
Avoidance,
suppression, and rumination are associated with anxiety, depression, and eating
disorders. On the other hand, acceptance, attention, and intention lead to the decreased mental
proliferation of other negative emotions (which leads you to
ruminate on your emotions).
Written
by a woman named Sylvie, fitness trainer and holistic coach
From a Christian point of view, mindfulness can be especially helpful when it comes to lowering anxiety and depression because it helps you to focus only what is currently going on, instead of worrying and feeling anxious about tomorrow or next week. When you focus only on the present, your brain only deals with what is currently going on. Anxiety and depression can enter the brain when you worry about what is coming up. So, to lower the anxiety and depression, focus only on what is going on in the present.
Think about it! You and I only have what is currently before us. We don't have the rest of the day, tomorrow, the following days, next month or next year. This is not fatalistic thinking; it is the truth! So, put away the worries of tomorrow, next month or next year. Focus only on now! By doing this you will be happier and your anxieties about the future will be smaller, more manageable and you will enjoy the hours and days that God gives to you!
God Bless and be happy!
