What is mindfulness?
“Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training.” Jon Kabat-Zinn.
M – Moment to moment attention
Time is never wasted if you learn from it & pay attention to it.
I – in the here and now
Be present in the moments. When you listen – really listen.
N – non-judgemental attitude
“A day spent judging another is a painful day. A day spent judging yourself is a painful day”. Buddha
D – detach for unhelpful thoughts.
Don’t believe in everything you read, think or hear. Detach for anything that makes you un happy.
F – forgive and be grateful
Refrain from spending too much time in the past regretting what we did or didn't do.
U – unconditional acceptance
The greatest gift you can give someone is love & accept who they are
L – learn like a child
Be a sponge & get excited it (Remember we had to fail many times before we could walk & we never thought it couldn’t be concurred).
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall”. Confucius.
How can you be more mindful and how can mindfulness help you?
Mindfulness can change the way you think and feel about your experiences especially the stressful moments. It can really improve your ability to manage difficult situations and make wiser choices for yourself and others.
Try to add in 10-15 minutes of mindfulness techniques:
- Start your day with some basic stretches or yoga, connect with your body listing to its tensions and stress. Help relieve them – starting your day as you mean to go on. Ready for the day ahead.
- Take a break in the day, to focus on your breathing. We should breathe about 12-20 times per minute (in through the noise, into the belly & out through the mouth).
- Focus and surround yourself with the people that make you feel good.
- When you look – really see, observe; taking everything in. Appreciate every moment.
- When you think, don’t judge over think - focus on how you are feeling.
- When you eat & drink, really taste it. Appreciate it.
- When you relax – clear your mind: include body-scan meditation
- When you sleep, focus on your dreams. Turn your passion into your job. It’s is easier than finding a job that matches your passion. After all we spend most of our time there.
Lastly: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today day is a gift that’s why it’s call the present.” #YMCAclubExperts
We are running an Evening and Weekend course on Mindfulness, Tuesday 23rd January.