Mindfulness meditation combines the strategies and benefits of two different activities: mindfulness and meditation. First, this article will talk briefly about what each activity is. Next, it will share easy and actionable ways to implement mindfulness meditation in your life.
Table of Contents
- What is mindfulness and why is it important?
- What is meditation and what are its benefits?
- Actionable Strategies for Adding Mindfulness Meditation to your life
- Conclusion
*A quick note about anxiety and anxiousness. You might see these words used in this post and others on this website. Anxiety is an emotion we all experience, but for some of us, it is a mental health disorder. Mindfulness is beneficial for reducing anxiety for all of us, but often those of us with an anxiety disorder need other help as well and that’s ok.
Remember, many adults deal with some kind of mental health disorder and it should be treated with the same dignity and importance we accord to physical ailments. We should all drink water, but people who have a broken bone should drink water and see a specialist. Mindfulness is a lot like water.*
What is mindfulness and why is it important?
Mindfulness is a hot topic these days, but what exactly is it? Neatly put, mindfulness is simply being fully present in the moment. Notice, I said “simple” not “easy.” A lot of us live fast-paced lives in a demanding world. We are more accessible and mobile now than we have ever been before. As a result, finding moments of stillness and tranquility has become more crucial than ever.
Under the surface, mindfulness is about more than living in the moment. It is about cultivating awareness of who and where we are and what we’re doing. It is about not being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. It’s about understanding our emotions and accepting them.
Like with many activities, a lot of us assume we’re either mindful or not, but in reality, mindfulness is a skill we can improve. Let me repeat that: MINDFULNESS IS A SKILL, NOT AN INHERENT TALENT.
Like with any skill, the more you practice, the better you’ll get. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier to practice mindfulness than, say, basketball, mathematics, or art. And the benefits are significant and many.
Benefit Number 1: Mindfulness helps us break down our preconditioned responses. Most people carry responses built over their lifetimes. These patterns are important. They free up room in our brain for other, more detailed activities, but they aren’t always ideal and it’s easy for us to get stuck in a rut. Mindfulness allows us to identify healthy (like gentleness with a child) and unhealthy (frustration with traffic) automatic responses.
Benefit Number 2: Mindfulness helps us put space between ourselves and our reactions. By being more mindful, we actual learn to view ourselves and our responses in a non-judgmental way. Not only does this give us room to be happier with ourselves, it also makes us more understanding of others. And research shows that people who are more understanding of themselves and others live longer, have healthier relationships, and tend to make more money. This also reduces anxiety because it allows us to separate ourselves from our reactions not just to the present, but also to the past and future.
Benefit Number 3: The more you practice mindfulness, the kinder, calmer, more playful, and more patient you will be. As a result of these four factors improving, you can expect greater enjoyment out of your relationships with friends, families, and even coworkers. You can also expect better sleep of a higher quality.
What is meditation and what are its benefits?
Meditation is a practice that has its roots in many cultures dating back thousands of years. Mindfulness meditation in particular has a close tie with Buddhism. However, its popularity all over the world has surged in recent years as experts have confirmed its numerous benefits.
Meditation is actually pretty simple. It’s just the practice of focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to train attention and awareness. It’s designed to clear the mind and establish emotional calm. I once had a yoga teacher introduce meditation by giving the each student a piece of candy and telling us to sit and focus on the feeling of it melting in our mouths. It was astonishingly peaceful. Meditation can be done sitting or moving. It can be done alone or with others nearby, but generally does not involve interacting with others. You might also hear it described as “flow state.”
Mindfulness meditation is a combination of meditation and mindfulness practices. It involves cultivating a heightened awareness of the present moment without judgment. There are three major aspects to mindfulness meditation.
First, present moment awareness. Mindfulness encourages focusing on the present moment, letting go of past regrets and future worries. It involves fully immersing yourself in the current experience, whether it be your breath, sensations in the body, or the sounds around you. And mindfulness meditation is all about doing this an intentional way.
Second, non-judgmental observation. Mindfulness invites you to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Instead of labeling thoughts as good or bad, right or wrong, you simply acknowledge them and allow them to pass without attachment. One of my favorite books is called Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury. There is a quote in that book that reads, “The waves are not the ocean, the thoughts are not the mind.” Acceptance of yourself your thoughts is the first step toward building the life you want.
Third, acceptance and self-compassion. Mindfulness is about acceptance and self-compassion. It involves treating yourself with kindness and understanding, fostering a sense of well-being and reducing self-criticism. A lot of high-powered people panic at this point. They worry that if they aren’t critical of themselves, that they won’t continue to grow and improve.
But research shows that this isn’t true. People actual grow more when they identify what they are doing well and apply those strategies to other areas of their lives. It’s called asset-based learning. Before we can get to asset-based learning, we have to get to acceptance. It helps us avoid cognitive dissonance.
*If you want to learn more about this and see how it’s being applied to education, click here.
Mindfulness meditation in particular has a lot of benefits. It reduces stress by helping you develop a healthier relationship with your thoughts and feelings. It improves focus and concentration by boosting cognitive abilities. It actually rewires your brain to make quicker connections with less stress. This is particularly helpful in the workplace and academic settings. It helps with emotional regulation and helps develop emotional intelligence. It helps you respond to situations with greater clarity and less stress. Finally, in contributes to over all well-being, including better sleep, greater happiness, and a greater sense of life satisfaction.
It helps you build the life you want by giving you a deeper understanding of yourself, your feelings, and how you want to make decisions.
So how do you do it?
Actionable Strategies for Adding Mindfulness Meditation to your life
This section will discuss three easy steps for mindful meditation along with some tips and tricks.
Let me first preface this by saying that the more you practice, the easier it is to add mindfulness meditation into your everyday life. At first, though, you might have to start by being a bit more intentional about where and when you practice.
Three Easy Steps to Practice Mindful Meditation
First, try finding a quiet space and time. Honestly, for me, this is often my car when I get to my parking spot at work or laying in bed at night before I go to sleep. I can lay back and close my eyes in my car and passersby just assume I’m taking a nap or listening to music. In bed, practicing mindfulness meditation helps me avoid the glow-vacuum that is my phone.
Second, get comfy. Sitting or lying down work well for me, but there’s no reason you can’t pace or go for a walk or a hike. In fact, hiking a familiar trail is a great way to practice mindfulness meditation. You can always stop and sit on a rock and embrace the sunshine. New to hiking? Click here. Moving meditation is common in a lot of cultures and might be easier for those of us who struggle with anxiety, depression, or attention deficits. There is no one right way to meditate.
Third, focus on your breath. There’s nothing special about this other than the fact that your breath is a constant sensation so it works well as an anchor. As you breath, notice the sensation of every inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath without judgment. When you feel ready, expand your awareness to how your clothes feel against your skin. Then focus on what you can hear, what you can see (if your eyes are open), what you can smell. Just give your attention wholly to your physical inputs.
Tips and Tricks:
Try to start with short sessions if you’re new to mindfulness meditation. As it becomes more familiar, your practice time will probably increase. Remember, it’s ok if your thoughts wander away. Try to accept feelings and thoughts as they come and go. Recognize them for what they are and then re-center on physical sensations. It’s totally normal to find yourself caught up in thoughts, emotions, etc– wherever your mind goes, simply come back again to the next breath. The more you practice, the easier it will be. Be kind about your wandering mind. The goal of mindfulness meditation isn’t to empty your mind, but to be gentle with your mind.
If mindfulness meditation is a bit overwhelming. Try mixing it in with some other activities, like in the 5-day Nature Challenge below.
Conclusion
Mindfulness meditation is a powerful and accessible tool for cultivating inner peace in our fast-paced world. By adding principles of present moment awareness, non-judgmental observation, and self-compassion, we can experience a wide range of benefits, physical, mental and emotional. And keep in mind that mindfulness meditation (all meditation, really) is about the process as well as the product, so embrace the journey.
Whether you’re new to meditation or experienced, remember that consistency is key. If once a day is too often, try once or twice a week (like Tue/Thur) before bed. The best part about mindful meditation is that it isn’t hard work. It’s peaceful and even occasional practice brings benefits and leads to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
What are your top techniques for mindfulness or meditation? Let me know in the comments below!