What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness can be an effective skill when dealing with anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and other mental health issues. Learning how to be mindful can feel like a new approach to existing which strongly encompasses acceptance and awareness.
Often, we can feel pulled to the future or the past- feeling anxious about uncertainty or living in regrets and painful experiences that are far behind us. Mindfulness teaches us to observe and label thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the body in an objective manner, living in the moment and staying full present. Mindfulness is a tool that we can use to avoid self-criticism and judgement while identifying and managing difficult feelings.
Practicing Mindfulness:
Observe your thoughts and emotions and explore why they might be coming to the surface. To cultivate acceptance, try to avoid judging or pushing away unpleasant thoughts and feelings. Emotions are natural and everyone has them- acknowledging them can help you understand yourself better and move forward.
Try practicing the acronym R.A.I.N.
R: Recognize/ realize that you’re experiencing a sensation, thought, or emotion.
A: Accept without judgement!
I: Investigate with kindness (where is this feeling coming from? What is happening beneath the surface?)
N: Notice what you need (to talk to a support person, to breathe, go for a walk, or give yourself some compassion.)
7 components to mindfulness:
Non-judging. Be an impartial witness to your own experience. Become aware of the constant stream of judging and reacting to inner and outer experience.
Patience. A form of wisdom, patience demonstrates that we accept the fact that things sometimes unfold in their own time. Allow for this.
Beginner’s Mind. Remaining open and curious allows us to be receptive to new possibilities and prevents us from getting stuck in the rut of our own expertise.
Trust. Develop a basic trust with yourself and your feelings. Know it’s OK to make mistakes.
Non- Striving. The goal is to be with yourself right here, right now. Pay attention to what is unfolding without trying to change anything.
Acceptance. See things as they are. This sets the stage for acting appropriately in your life no matter what is happening.