What if I told you that there was something that could reduce anxiety, depression, and somatic distress; help you cope with serious illness, such as chronic pain; improve your sleep, lower your blood pressure, and boost your immune system; create new pathways in your brain and improve your ability to abstain from substance use? I imagine you'd want to know about it! That thing is mindfulness.
Mindfulness can be simple in concept but challenging in practice. I get it. Our culture has not exactly prioritized our ability to live in the present moment. We are bombarded with fear messages in the media, which pull us into future worry. We are taught to multitask, which makes it almost impossible to be present with everything we are doing. However, we old dogs can learn new tricks! Think of this as something you have to practice it in order for it to take root. It's like weight lifting--you have to commit to it to see progress. Mindfulness is one of those habits that you can build and it will become easier over time.
Here is where you can start:
When you are stressed (media! family! work! inner thoughts!) or feeling a moment of overwhelm (darn multitasking!)...
Pause.
Breathe.
Put away any distractions.
Find a place outside, if you can.
Notice what is around you (sights, smells, sounds, sensations).
Breathe.
Find something to say thank you for.
Say to yourself, "I am in this moment and in this moment only. The past has passed. The future does not exist. The only thing that exists in my life is what is here, right now."
Soothe your body by patting your chest over your heart, or patting your shoulder, or rubbing your hands together to warm them up and then place them gently over your eye sockets and breathe.
An extra challenge for you this week is to stop multitasking and see what happens. Only do one thing at a time and give it your full attention. Remember, these are new muscles we are exercising. It feels hard and there is resistance, but resistance helps things grow.
留言