Mindfulness

Being actively attentive to your thoughts, actions and feelings without judgment is the general basis of mindfulness. Mindfulness asks us to give a certain level of awareness to our experiences as a way of deepening our connection with ourselves. By taking the time to slow down, listen and observe ourselves, we give ourselves permission to have our various experiences – good, bad or neutral. The point is to allow this insight that would normally go unnoticed. It gives us the opportunity to become familiar with certain trends and patterns that may show up. These will include specifications of the experiences like the people with whom we interact, timing of different situations, places of occurrence, changes in our mood and bodies, etc.

The goal is that once we are able to learn more about ourselves through mindfulness, we can then begin to make changes in our lives according to the behaviors that no longer serve us well. Results of this can mean improved relationships, deeper self awareness, more effective stress management, and more. One main key is to be intentional about not judging yourself or others for what you observe.

Not everything that you observe will be good, and this practice takes bravery knowing that and still proceeding with the process. It’s all about accepting the things that you find in your experiences. Exploring them more to make connections to past traumas will also be beneficial. Many times people have deeply rooted behaviors for which they are unaware of their origination. This is also one aspect of mindfulness that will become more highlighted.

Discoveries via mindfulness can be subtle, but they are usually apparent with patience and dedication. Once a person develops a certain level of awareness by practicing mindfulness, observations naturally become more heightened. This deeper connection then becomes valuable for making healthier choices and decisions. It’s good to note that not everything will lead to change or need to change. Often it’s just about the observations and gaining a deeper understanding of why you experience certain things the way you do that’s most important.