The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly interested in the concept of mindfulness and how it can benefit those who practice it.

There is more and more research coming out that supports the many benefits from a mindfulness practice. What are some of those benefits, you ask? Well, according to Positive Psychology: Harnessing the Power of Happiness, Personal Strength, and Mindfulness,  a special health report published by Harvard Health Publications:

Mindfulness improves well-being:

• Increasing your capacity for mindfulness supports many attitudes that contribute to a satisfied life.
• Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events.
• By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are better able to form deep connections with others.

Mindfulness improves physical health:

If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered the benefits of mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. Mindfulness can:

• help relieve stress
• treat heart disease
• lower blood pressure
• reduce chronic pain
• improve sleep
• alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties

Mindfulness improves mental health:

In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems, including:

• depression
• substance abuse
• eating disorders
• couples’ conflicts
• anxiety disorders

That’s quite an impressive list! But what is mindfulness exactly? One definition I ran across is “A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique”.  Jon Kabat-Zin, a professor of medicine emeritus who started the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is often considered one of the founders of this Western approach, defines it as paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.  

So, if it has so many benefits, why aren’t more people practicing it? What I hear frequently from people is that they either think they can’t or they’ve tried it and it “didn’t work” (or, my personal favorite, they don’t have time!). The operative word is practice. This isn’t something that you do once, like a meditation for example, and POOF you are a mindfulness master!  It takes a commitment to being consistent with practicing and it doesn’t even have to be for very long each time. Each time you practice, either a meditation, a deep breathing exercise, or yoga, or mindful eating, you will get better at it and will, over time, begin to reap the benefits. According to a recent article on CNN.com, “Scientists studied meditation newbies enrolled in mindful attention training for eight weeks and found improvement in the region of the brain that regulates emotion.” Impressive!

Following are a few strategies for you to begin to incorporate mindfulness activities into your daily routine:

 Guided Meditation 

 There are a number of great apps out there that can walk you through a meditation. Simply Being, Stop, Breath and Think, PAUSE, and The Mindfulness App are just four of many you could try. I encourage you to test out several as you may find one you like more than others.

 Yoga

 Yoga can have a profound impact on your ability to focus and relax as well as increasing strength and flexibility. You can try out a class as your local gym or yoga studio, or there are some great videos on You Tube. I particularly like Yoga by Adrienne on You Tube.

 Mindful Eating

By eating mindfully, you enjoy your food more and are more aware of portion control. Some strategies are:

• Try eating with your non-dominant hand.
• Set a timer for 20 minutes and take that time to eat a normal-sized meal.
• Take small bites and chew well.
• Before opening the refrigerator or pantry, take a breath and ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?”. Do something else like reading or going for a short walk first.
• Use chopsticks if you don’t normally use them.
• Don’t eat in front of the tv or any other electronic device

Mandalas or adult coloring books

 You can find these everywhere these days. Coloring (and other forms of artistic expression) is a great way to decrease stress and increase focus on the task at hand.

Progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing exercises

Both of these strategies are outstanding to help yourself be aware of holding in tension and making a conscious, mindful effort to relax and let go. You can find a number of these easily on line or via the app store.

I hope you can see how mindfulness, in its many forms, can be beneficial for you. If you’d like help on how to incorporate mindfulness practice into your daily life, give us a call at 256.258.7777 or email at info@thebalancedlifellc.com. We’d love to help you live a life of peace and purpose!