Mindfulness: You don’t have to be a guru to practice
You may hear the word “Mindfulness” and think I can’t do that or I have no training in mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness before you get to a place of crisis, extreme stress, or an unplanned major life event, can be beneficial as you enter those seasons. You do not have to set expectations that you cannot live up to, instead start small, such as just on the weekends, or 5-10 minutes when you wake up or go to bed, or between classes or meetings. As a therapist, I often begin sessions with a short mindfulness practice as a way to model a new skill, and as a way to stop, pause, and bring calm to the therapy space.
According to the American Psychological Association, research shows that mindfulness-based therapy is especially effective in reducing depression and anxiety (APA, 2019). Furthermore, studies revealed that mindfulness helped treat specific problems such as pain, smoking, and addiction (APA, 2019). Mindfulness influences pathways in the brain by changing brain structures in regions related to attention and emotion regulation, leading to a less likely reaction of negative thoughts or unhelpful emotional reactions in times of stress (APA, 2019).
The good news is that it is free and you can do it almost anywhere! There are different types of mindfulness modalities, some of the most common being breathing practices, grounding, and body scans. If you are curious and ready to improve your attention, be in the present, or decrease overall stress in your life, I challenge you to give it a try! My favorite mindfulness practice is a body scan before falling asleep.
Here are a few resources that I have found helpful, as well as different ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life:
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (great for insomnia and practicing before bed)
Body Scan (Mark Williams)
Faith-based/Spiritual Meditation Resources- Pray as You Go and Soul Space
