The answer to this question is a bit of a no brainer! Everyone can benefit from mindfulness training!
If you are someone who rushes frantically from place to place, is always on the go, has a never-ending to-do list, and is prone to high anxiety, then you can benefit from mindfulness.
If you are a corporate executive working 12-hour days, with meetings and responsibilities, and you are really burnt out but you keep on going, to the point where actually, you are a bit of a workaholic and your family life is beginning to suffer, then you can benefit from mindfulness.
If you are a busy stay-at-home mom, or a working single mom, or a married and working single mom, you can definitely benefit from mindfulness. CEO’s, students, retirees and really anyone can also benefit from mindfulness.
No matter what your role in life, or what your circumstances, you can definitely benefit from mindfulness. Even if you have it all, feel happy and content, and have a wonderful partner, children and everything the way you want it, YOU can still benefit from mindfulness!
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is an ancient practice that emphasizes being aware of each moment as it passes, keeping you focused on the present and reducing out of control thinking that keeps stuck in the past, ruminating over and over about the way things were, or perpetually in the future, worried and anxious about possible scenarios which haven’t happened yet.
Essentially, mindfulness helps us to become more “present” to our lives, more present to what is actually happening right now, rather than being fixated on fantasies, dreams or obsessions. By staying in the present moment our lives become more real and we begin to live more authentically.
The upshot of this is that we have a more positive, richer, and deeper experience of life and all the exquisite beauty that life has to offer. This leads to feelings of contentment and inner peace, and helps us connect better with others around us, thus improving our relationships!
Seriously, everybody needs mindfulness training!
What happens is, as we become more aware of the present moment, the mind loosens its tight grip on its fear-based preoccupations, and this sends the message to the para-sympathetic nervous system that all is well and it can begin its work of calming the body down so that relaxation can ensue.
It is very simple to do, you do not need to purchase any special equipment, and just about anyone can do it.
The easiest way to get started is to become aware of your breathing:
- Breathe in. Notice the act of breathing in. Feel the cold air coming in through your nostrils.
- Breathe out. Notice the warmer air as it leaves the body through your nostrils.
- Become aware of other bodily sensations as you do this.
- Do not judge the process or yourself.
- Just observe and notice what happens when you do this.
It is so simple to learn how to do this that even children can do it and indeed, in more and more schools it is being offered as a way to relax and focus the children so that they can pay attention in class better and therefore improve their ability to study.
It is useful if you have been diagnosed with ADHD, if you have autism, bipolar disorder or any other diagnosis of mental illness. It is helpful if you are suffering from chronic pain, from stress, anxiety, depression, or serious physical illness, for instance cancer.
Mindfulness can keep your thoughts off your problems and stressors pains and keep you living a life of fullness, even when faced with adversity.
In short, mindfulness is good for your physical, mental and emotional health! Try it today!
