Article Contents

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness simply means living in the present, to be aware of our body, thoughts, feelings and surroundings without any judgements.

Three components of mindfulness-

‌The three components that help in mindful awareness are as follows:

Intention– our intention to be aware of our body, thoughts, feelings and surroundings.
Attention– our attention to the present moment i.e. observing our present feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.
Attitude– our attitude that is free from any judgements and attitude of curiosity.

How to practice mindfulness?

Have you ever felt lost while doing any particular task? Are you living in your present moment? If no, mindfulness is for you. Mindfulness is an easy practice to learn. Let’s look at some of the ways we can practise mindfulness in our daily lives.

Eating mindfully –

When you have your meal and you are distracted by your mobile, laptop, television or talking to someone, you do not pay attention to the delicious taste and smell of the food. You may even feel hungry and unsatisfied with your meal because you ‘missed out’ on the fact that you ate your meal. Hence, when having a meal focus on your meals – its smell and taste.

Walking mindfully –

When you take a walk in nature, pay attention to your body movements and your surroundings. Pay attention to your muscles moving, observe everything going on around you – listen to the sounds, look at things around you, feel the air around you, smell the fragrances around you.

Take a mindful shower –

When taking a shower, pay attention to the smell of your soap, to the water gushing down you. Notice the temperature, is it cold? Is it hot? Be conscious of your thoughts and feelings.

Pay attention to your senses –

Let’s practice the ‘‘Five Senses Exercise’ together now!

First of all, take a deep breath in and breath out.

Now, look and name 5 things you see around you.

Name 4 things you can touch and feel around you.

Name 3 things you can listen to.

Name 2 things you can smell.

Name 1 thing you can taste now.

Finally, bring awareness to your body. Are you sitting comfortably? Are you feeling relaxed? Notice your bodily sensations and be aware of it.

Traits of a mindful person:

Mindful people can have positive traits as follows-

Open-minded – mindful people are open-minded, they take things positively. They are open and curious to learn from others.
Optimistic – mindful people are optimistic, they react to situations positively.
Non-judgemental – mindful people do not judge others or situations. They have no fear of experiencing things.
Live in the present – these people are aware of the present moments, they know what is happening around them.
Good at observation – they observe everything that they see, hear or feel.

Is mindfulness the same as meditation?

Mindfulness and meditation have similarities but they are not the same. Mindfulness is a quality whereas meditation is a practice. Mindfulness can be used in the treatment of mental health.

The Buddhist concept of mindfulness –

Mindfulness is a technique extracted from Buddhism and modern Vipassana. It involves the training of ‘Sati’ which means being aware of present events.

Benefits of being a mindful person

Mindfulness improves well-being–

Being mindful helps you develop attitudes that are essential for a satisfying life. You learn to enjoy and live in the present moment without any worries or judgements.

Improves physical health –

It helps to relieve stress, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep and reduces chronic pain.

‌Mindfulness and mental health

Mindfulness helps to reduce stress, enhance creativity, improve concentration. It can also help manage anxiety, chronic pain, depression, eating disorders, etc. It also helps to enhance short term memory.

According to research, mindfulness can help treat anxiety, depression and mood disorders.

‌Conclusion

Mindfulness brings various positive psychological effects. It improves our overall well being. While some people find mindfulness helpful, others may not. If you have tried it and it does not help, it’s ok, do not blame yourself!

References –

https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-mindfulness

https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm

https://www.mindfulnessmuse.com/mindfulness/8-basic-characteristics-of-mindfulness