So, you’re juggling deadlines, meetings, and probably at least one person (boss/kid/parter) demanding your attention–while trying to also keep your sanity intact. The last thing you might think to do is to sit down and mindfully reflect. But what if I told you that this ancient practice could be your new best friend?
Let’s dive into why creating a mindfulness practice isn’t just for monks and how it’s been a game-changer in both ancient and modern worlds.
What’s Mindfulness Even About?
Mindfulness is essentially about being present–really present. It’s like giving your brain a spa day, where it can lounge about and focus on what’s happening right in the moment, rather than constantly running through life’s ongoing chaos.
Put the brain on “save-battery” mode.
Who Says Mindfulness Is Important?
Like Everyone. All great religions and intellectual movements have discussed mindfulness and present moment living. Don’t believe me? I’ll save you some study time and give you some examples:
Ancient Wisdom:
All the way back to the time we discovered the earliest communications, mindfulness was seen as an important part of life.
Buddhism: Mindfulness started as a Buddhist practice, where it’s all about keeping your mind from wandering off into the land of stress and regret.
Hinduism and Jainism: Other ancient traditions also had their versions, focusing on self-awareness and spiritual growth.
Modern Science:
And if games of telephone aren’t your thing, mindfulness has been studied extensively by modern scientists.
One impactful study on mindfulness was done in the 1970’s. Jon Kabat-Zinn decided to test if mindfulness could actually help with stress. Spoiler alert: It did. He created the Mindfulness-Based-Stress Reduction (MBSR), check it out if you get a chance.
Today, research continuously backs up what ancient sages already knew, that mindfulness helps with stress, emotional balance and overall happiness.
Mindfulness in Positive Psychology
Positive psychology is all about finding what makes life good. Mindfulness fits right in, helping people to focus on their strengths, savor their work and avoid getting bogged down by stress.
How Mindfulness Helps:
- Stress Reduction: Use your brain like a built-in stress ball. A few minutes of mindfulness can make your day less hectic.
- Emotional Balance: Rather than getting upset easily, mindfulness helps you stay cool and collected.
- Life Satisfaction: When you’re living in the present moment, you get more out of life. You experience fully and it makes living a bit more enjoyable.
From Aristotle to Your Home Office Desk
Even Aristotle, more years ago than we can even imagine, was all about living a balanced life and using reason to achieve happiness. Eudaimonia. Fast forward to today, and mindfulness importance is still a key concept in the study of human behavior.
Mindfulness is a powerful tool to help us stay rational and balanced, even amidst the chaos of modern life.
Why is Mindfulness So Hard, Though?
We all see it; the need for rest and present moment focus. It’s easier to spot in others than in ourselves.
Modern life gives us many distractions, leading to an overactive brain. It’s tough to take time for stillness when there are so many things needing your focus. Mindfulness isn’t about stopping the racing thoughts, it’s more about not letting them take over your life.
Another trick of the brain is it will focus on where you need it. So at time, when going through traumatic situations, mindfulness creates the space to work through those traumas. And many of us don’t want to open that Pandora’s box, so we avoid stillness.
Some people think mindfulness is just for zen-like retreats and not for everyday life. They think they need a specific reason, location or scheduled activity to spend time being still.
And then there never seems to be enough time. You have to oversee the kids getting to school, you have to work to make a living, you have to take care of family members and your partner, you have to be a supportive friend. When struggling to find time for mindfulness, look here first. We often cut the time spent on ourselves, ,first, because it’s the easiest thing to do.
Focus on the Present: You Might Like It Here
With all the evidence that mindfulness leads to a happier path, why not give it an experiment?
Haven’t even started to think about mindfulness? Start small. Schedule a 10 minute appointment with yourself. Set your timer for 10 minutes. Until the time is up do not have any responsibilities to others, simply just be present where you are…breathe, let your brain go silent. How do you feel?