Mindfulness works

Mindfulness Works

Adulting is frequently overrated, in my opinion. The constant barrage of responsibilities and daily tasks can become overwhelming and potentially impact our overall mental and physical well-being. The seemingly endless amount of information that we are subjected to regularly can begin to affect our stress levels causing us to become more detached and resentful of the things that we once loved.

So, how does mindfulness play into this, you ask? Glad you asked...

As we get older, we are somewhat conditioned to become more socially involved. You may have been called the weird kid for playing with the bugs at recess. You may have been ridiculed for being studious in high school. You may hear comments from family and/or friends about your lack of a relationship or children. This is what don Miguel Ruiz refers to as the “Domestication” of humans. Honestly, I love that word as it applies to this process.

One of the things that gets removed from our altered in our adult lives is the concept of play. Yeah, I know, the “concept of play” is different for every person, but let me ask you a question. Have you ever witnessed a child in deep play or coloring? If you have, you know that the entire house could crash around them, and there would be little if any attention paid to the situation. This is the level of play that I am referring to. I know some who refer to their gym time as mindful practice, which is how they perceive it. However, frequently, when we call ourselves engaging in mindful practices, we are not truly in the moment.

The first thing I teach people about being mindful is to learn to appreciate the moment. I have scripted a brief mindful presence exercise that can help you begin to engage mindfully. Another thing that I teach people is how to take time out for yourself. Coloring is a great mindful activity. This is because when we are truly engaged in this activity, the farthest forward we think is what color is next. This is truly a mindful activity because we are actively engaging in the activity in front of us.

Mindfulness and stress reduction have been a passion of mine since I started my practice in the field of mental health. I am currently working on writing scripts and recording videos for mindful activities as a stress reduction tool.