MINDFULNESS

What is mindfulness? It is simply a state of awareness and focus. It means bringing alertness to what you are doing here and now with interest and openness. How do you practise mindfulness? Think about when you are eating something. Sitting in front of TV with a bowl of sweets you may just eat one after the other without thinking about it – you just do it. Instead of eating fast and without any thoughts about what you put into your mouth, use the occasion to focus on the amazing thing and appreciate it fully?

 

If you want to feel really well you can train your mind to focus on what is positive by being mindful. Mindfulness means remembering to be aware of what you are doing while doing it. If we do so, we reduce the influence and effect of unsupportive thoughts and feelings. How can mindfulness help you in your daily state of affairs? Start engaging all senses and focus on what you are currently doing, even if it is a boring task. Thoughts may come up that are not what you would prefer to dwell on. You then look at thoughts for what they are, namely just words, stories or sounds. Let them pass through your head without restraint. Allow emotions to flow through you without fighting them.

 

Practise mindfulness daily as it is a skill that needs to be learned. Repetition is the mother of learning. You might start eating your breakfast by focusing on the taste of the food. If other thoughts come into your mind return to the actions you are currently performing. To become skilled at mindfulness choose a difficult or laborious task you have to do and that you might like to avoid doing. Complete it mindfully. Notice every movement, any smell that might occur and ask yourself if there is any sound connected to it.

 

Mindfulness can be used to smooth out negative thoughts that are unhelpful to you. Your inner voice might produce judgements of yourself such as the words “I am unworthy” or “I am ugly” etc. If this happens to you, step back and look at it from outside. Accept that it is there and that it is words coming from a thought in your mind. Look at the thoughts and let them come and go.

 

Several times I have heard the saying that “love and pain are intimate dance partners” and that painful emotions are part of life. If we don’t feel the painful emotions very strongly we don’t feel the enjoyable emotions very strongly. If we try to fight negative thoughts we are wasting our time. Instead remove the power of them so they don’t control you. The purpose of our mind is to make fast judgements (is this dangerous?) and we cannot stop it.

 

However, mindfulness allows you to change your mind. In the cases where the focus is on unhelpful thoughts or feelings, turn the image down and step back, and then focus on your current task. Accept a thought as just being a thought. Let it pass through your mind like clouds that drift along and disappear.