Mindfulness is a non-judgmental way of paying attention to the present moment. It is awareness of our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.
In addition to letting go of judgment, it's crucial to remain in the present moment with curiosity, wisdom, and kindness. Our minds are naturally wired to judge and label, which serves to protect us from threats. However, switching off this judgment to fully engage in the present moment can be immensely challenging. This is why mindfulness is a continuous practice, just like going to the gym.
Labeling
Life can be stressful - at work, at home, in social settings, you name it. Remember, our minds are constantly labeling (aka judging) in order to keep us safe. This helped our ancestors to stay alive and understand imminent danger when they were being chased by a sabertooth tiger.
When we judge like this, our minds don’t understand the difference between the danger of being chased by a sabertooth tiger and the danger of getting an annoying email from a boss. Our bodies go through the same reaction - the sympathetic nervous system turns on (this is our fight or flight response) and we react out of fear.
Conversely, when we are able to pause, and flex our non-judgment muscle, we save ourselves from the automatic, emotion-fueled reactions that we may regret later.
When we are able to practice mindfulness, we can choose how we want to respond. This not only feels better, but it also saves our bodies from a lot of harmful stress that can result in negative implications to our health.
Without regulating your reaction to these events, you can become exhausted, directionless or easily distracted. (For more on this, check out "Decreasing the Effects of Stress"). Mindfulnes helps us preserve our energy.
Final Thoughts
Mindfulness brings us back to the present moment. It takes us out of living in the future with racing thoughts or worries (aka anxiety) or harboring on the past.
By the way, this doesn’t mean you can’t plan for future events. However, it’s helpful to set aside time to plan and think about the future, instead of letting future thoughts inhabit your mind all day.
I can’t express this enough - mindfulness is a practice! Practice in moments that feel risk-free. Give it a shot, and don’t forget to notice the good.
Mindfulness isn’t just about being aware when something is stressful. Mindfulness helps you to feel joy in the simple moments.
Being able to more naturally understand what brings you joy will make all the difference in your decision making.
- What are some common situations that trigger strong emotional responses for you? For example, getting stuck in traffic.
- What happens to you physically when this happens?
- What are some common thoughts that go through your mind when this happens?