So, what is mindfulness? The literal definition, “a quality of awareness of something,” seems simple at first, but when applied can become a bit more complex. Not to worry, we will work here to discuss, identify, practice, and hone techniques that can make mindfulness a part of everyday life. For example, stop reading and focus on only the things that you can hear. You may need to close your eyes in order to promote a greater awareness of sound. Go ahead, give yourself 30 seconds of mindful listening. What did you notice? The sound of the TV in the other room, the hum of the washing machine, or perhaps you were able to focus on the sound of your breathing? Let’s hear a bit of mindfulnes
Mindfulness is the new black. It has garnered much attention throughout the mental health field as a means to cope with stressors and improve overall capacities for frustration tolerance, awareness, and daily functioning. Have you tried flipping through your newsfeed or Facebook recently without seeing an article or post about mindfulness? Mindfulness has become more mainstream. Throughout this series we will look at all things mindfulness from basic definitions and roots, to benefits and applicable everyday techniques. The ongoing conversation about becoming more self-aware is nothing new, but has certainly been revitalized with the increase in applying time tested Eastern thought process
