(sun ok / Shutterstock.com)
Practicing mindfulness in your everyday life can help your overall wellbeing and mental health. Mindfulness can help you tap into calmness by staying in the present moment when life throws you a curve ball instead of letting stress and anxiety take over.
What is mindfulness?
But what exactly is mindfulness? Many people think that mindfulness is just about meditation but that is only one aspect, according to a blog on Harvard Health. A good definition of mindfulness is that it is an awareness of what’s going on inside and outside of yourself as well as an awareness of your own thoughts.
But this doesn’t mean that you stop noticing the world around you, according to the National Health Service. In fact, a big part of being mindful is noticing the sights, sounds, tastes and smells around you. This can be as simple as smelling a flower or listening to the rain falling on your roof.
Mindfulness and overall wellbeing
Being aware and living in the present moment can help you find more joy in the surrounding world. When you are fully aware, you can begin to see the world with new eyes.
Mindfulness allows you to be aware of your thoughts and emotions. You will become conscience of negative thoughts and you can work through them. This awareness can help you notice signs of anxiety or stress earlier and help you work through them.
That’s where meditation can help. Mindful meditation allows you to sit quietly and pay full attention to your breathing and the parts of your body. Breathing exercises can help relax and destress you.
Mindfulness helps to reduce stress
For some people, chronic stress is a very big problem. In today’s world, stress can come from noise, traffic, work and even family life, according to verywell mind. No one is immune from these stressors but they do not have to cripple you
A meta-analysis of studies published in the Journal Nature Human Behavior found that mindfulness practices can be adapted to sooth feelings of anxiety and stress. One of these approaches is known as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), an eight-week program that combines elements of mindfulness and yoga that helps people address the issues that contribute to their stress, according to verywell mind.
Other mindful practices like deep breathing, walking, or Tai Chi have been known to reduce stress. While mindfulness cannot make stress and anxiety disappear, it can give you the coping mechanisms to get through life’s up and downs and come out stronger and more well-adjusted on the other end.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
5 Ways to Stay Calm and Why it Matters
Discover the Art of Mindful Meditation Right Where You Are
9 Ways to Find Calm Intervention When You’re Feeling Anxious
