What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is basicly a tool. A tool to that helps you move your focus from your thoughts to something you can see, hear, count, sense ect.
That’s it.
This calms your nervous system and gives you a time-out in your head.
It may sound simple, but beeing present like that is actually one of the most challenging things you can be asked to do.
Researchers at Harvard found that 47% of our lives, we are mentally somewhere else than where we physically are.
It’s quite unfortunate to have spent 14 days in Barbados and only been fully present for half of that time…
The purpose of mindfulness is essentially to savor life more fully.
Besides getting more out of the things you already do, mindfulness can enable you to handle unpleasant situations and change your relationship with your thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations.
Want to get started? Try my free tools on Spotify:
How did it start?
In the 1970s, Jon Kabat-Zinn was among the first to introduce mindfulness to the West, adapting Buddhist practices into a secular, evidence-based program which he called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). MBSR rapidly gained traction in medical, psychological, and educational fields, spreading mindfulness practices throughout Western society.
Saki Santorelli, EdD, MA, joined Kabat-Zinn early on and later became the Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In this role, Santorelli played a key part in advancing MBSR and integrating it into various medical and educational settings.
Their joint work helped mindfulness gain worldwide recognition and influence, with the evidence-based approach driving extensive research that demonstrates mindfulness’s effectiveness.
🌿”As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
Rumi
How does mindfulness help?
By practicing mindfulness, you can experience a range of benefits. For instance:
- Lowers stress by reducing cortisol levels and promoting relaxation.
- Improves focus and concentration, helping you stay on track.
- Enhances emotional regulation, making it easier to manage reactions under pressure.
- Boosts overall well-being, increasing satisfaction in daily life.
- Eases anxiety and depression symptoms, cultivating a positive mental state.
How to get started?
To get started with mindfulness, try for instance these simple exercises:
- Mindful breathing: Imagine breathing in through your left nostril and exhaling through your right. Then inhale through your right nostril and exhale through your left. Repeat a few times.
- Mindful drinking: Pay attention to the taste, temperature, and sensation of whatever you drink today.
By incorporating mindfulness into your daily life, you can cultivate greater awareness, reduce stress, and foster a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you.
What else can I do?
You can get far if you know only one number:
The number 4.
How?
Breathe in on 4. Breathe out on 4.
Then breathe in on 4. Hold on 4. And out on 4.
And then breathe in on 4. Hold on 4. Out on 4. And pause on 4.
4-4-4-4
Some call it box breathing.
I call it The green LEGO brick.
🌿If you have children and access to LEGO bricks, it’s a great idea to teach them this technique and give them a green LEGO brick to keep in their pocket as a reminder to use it.
(Fun fact: Did you know that LEGO is Danish and derived from ‘LEG GODT,’ meaning ‘play well?)
Three essential things to know about mindfulness:
- Practice regularly: Consistency is key. Even a few minutes each day can make a difference.
- Be kind to yourself: Mindfulness is not about perfection; it’s about observing without criticism.
- Embrace the journey: Mindfulness is a lifelong practice, and each moment of awareness is valuable.
“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn