What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is a new buzz word. People practice mindfulness at school, work, in the community, and many other places, but what is this mindfulness that everyone is talking about, and why is it so important? Mindfulness is a method that reduces stress, depression, anxiety, anger, and helps us feel happier overall. Mindfulness is being in the present moment, and accepting it without judgement. It means being in the present moment with our thoughts, emotions, body, and actions. Even practicing a minute of mindfulness has many positive effects on our bodies, brain, and emotions. There are many techniques to practice mindfulness into your everyday life. It may be something as simple as focusing on your breathing, or noticing the temperature and the movement as you wash your hands. Mindfulness is letting any other thought we have that isn't on the present moment pass by like a car. Mindfulness takes practice. The more we practice, the more automatic it will become in our brains, and the better we will feel. You can learn different mindfulness techniques, and choose your favorite ones to help your whole family! Why Practice Mindfulness? Mindfulness has many benefits for children, teenagers, and adults on our emotions, brain, world view, and body. Often when we are feeling strong emotions, our brain is not in the present moment. We are often thinking of the what ifs, the future, or the past. Practicing mindfulness can help us be grounded in the present moment, which in turn helps reduce our unwanted emotions. When practicing mindfulness, the pre-frontal cortex (or smart brain), in charge of decision making, emotional regulation, and personality is activated, improving our emotions and decisions. The Hippocampus, the part of the brain in charge of memory, is also activated when practicing mindfulness. The Amygdala (the safety brain), the part of the brain that gives us strong emotions, is less activated when practicing mindfulness. Because of these activations in the brain, there are many benefits for us. Here is a list of just a few of these benefits:
The Basics of Mindfulness: 1. Set Aside some time (it can even be "I'm going to try it right now while I wash my hands") 2. Observe the Present Moment as it is (ex: "I'm feeling ____ right now" or "I am sitting on this soft couch and I hear some birds outside") 3. Let your judgements and thoughts pass by Let them pass by like a car. If you start judging your emotions, (ex: "I have no reason to feel this" or "I shouldn't be mad right now") take a mental note of them, and let them pass by like a car. 4. Return to the present moment as it is Our minds often get carried away in thought, and that's ok. It takes mental training to focus on the present moment. 5. Be Kind to your thoughts, emotions, and wandering mind The key to mindfulness is accepting the present moment. Practice noticing your thoughts and emotions without judgement. (ex: Instead of saying "Why is my mind always wandering?" say, "I notice that thought. Now I'm going to let it pass by and go back to focusing on the present." or "I'm feeling ____ right now, and that's ok.") For specific mindfulness techniques, please check more articles in the mindfulness section on the blog, google some techniques, or talk with your school counselor. Free Mindfulness Apps:
Here are some more helpful articles and resources about Mindfulness: https://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research-on-mindfulness/ https://www.mindful.org/7-things-mindful-families-do-differently/ https://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath https://www.mindful.org/why-mindfulness-belongs-in-the-classroom/ (we use mindfulness a lot at school) https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvOHzBRBoEiwA48i6AoH_a91JH9wYmdlhuGcMgeAJDhoatMdhwAI9qecKVyZNDok7K1Vl8RoC8awQAvD_BwE https://www.smilingmind.com.au/thrive-inside?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9deVadoIM4aMQkL8-eHp1BpyB7oy0O0fdpD4hWSvPUDrnqHDGMZeRfUCDkMWpdAGADRO-_ElDPrpzhSseP68AcqQTWIA&_hsmi=85501402
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
June 2021
Categories
All
|