Mindfulness is the ability to stay in the present moment, and to be more aware of where we are and what we are doing. It allows us to be calm and less reactive to events happening around us.
Another important feature of mindfulness is to be free from any of our thoughts that may come up. It is best to be non judgemental for any thoughts that do arise, and then allow them to pass.

The more we experience mindfulness, the easier it becomes to remain in the present moment. This practice is very helpful, especially when we are at places that we tend to ruminate, such as commuting, doing housework or driving. Mindfulness is a skill, and it may be difficult at first to experience it. Therefore it is important to practice some types of meditation, as it will help us experience mindfulness on a more regular basis.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness provides many mental health benefits, along with physical health improvements as well. Mental health improvements include reduced anxiety, worrying, stress and improved sleep. Some physical health benefits include a lower blood pressure and reduced body tension. When we practice mindfulness regularly and long enough, we will also experience an improvement in well being.
The key to achieving mindfulness is to practice a form of meditation on a regular basis. An example for beginners would be about 10 minutes each day, whilst trying an easier type of meditation to begin with. This could include listening to audio recordings, such as a guided meditation or breathing exercises. To find out more about meditation click on the link below.

Mind Full, or Mindful?

A popular way to describe mindfulness, is to compare the phrase of being “Mind Full”, versus “Mindful” as shown in the image. The person is experiencing many anxious or worried thoughts about their life. This is distracting them from the experience of being in the park. This is labelled as being “Mind Full” , as their mind is full of thoughts and distractions.
However, the dog is not distracted, and therefore is in a state of mindfulness, or being “mindful”. The dog is experiencing more fun in the park, by being mindful of their favourite environment.

It is important to practice and achieve mindfulness, so we can better enjoy our experiences. This will help ourselves to be less anxious and worried in these environments. A popular way of achieving mindfulness is by practicing meditation. Please click on the link below to find out more.