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What Exactly is Mindfulness?




Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.

How Do We Do it?
  
This concept is one that we share with many of our clients, and it truly is not as easy as it sounds. Every day we trudge through countless sensations, experiences and thoughts that are either subconscious, seemingly happening to us or pretty much out of our control. So with all of those challenges how does one "do" mindfulness. Well first let's make the distinction between the two types that can be practiced. 

Informal

This method of mindfulness can be done anywhere, anytime and in the midst of any activity, really! It can be practiced when walking the dog, washing the dishes, flossing your teeth or even playing with your children. The most important way to accomplish informal practice is to witness the moment-to-moment experiences down to their finest detail. The only true way to do this will be to quit the old adage of multitasking and rather one-task. Leaving room for only one experience or observation leaves less room for other thoughts and experiences. Moving mindfulness in, may help to move anxiety, stress and depression out.

Formal

Formal mindfulness requires a budget of time, but it is so vital to our wellness both mentally and physically. Formal practice can be done in as little as one minute or up to a number of hours. It can include activities such as; meditation, yoga, progressive relaxation, exercise, art, music, poetry, writing, baths, massages, acupuncture or a number of other activities. These acts alone are not what cause the state of being mindful, but your intention to witness the activity in it's entirety and the ways your body experiences these actions without any judgement is what creates mindfulness.


Why is This so Important?

Because our lives depend on it! Here are just a few of the ways mindfulness benefits our bodies on a physical level:
  • help relieve stress
  • treat heart disease
  • lower blood pressure
  • reduce chronic pain
  • improve sleep
  • alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties
The benefits also manifest on psychological and emotional level. Here are some of the mental health issues mindfulness can assist with:
  • depression
  • substance abuse
  • eating disorders
  • couples’ conflicts
  • anxiety disorders
  • obsessive-compulsive disorder

Turning It Into Practice

In order to enjoy the practice of  mindfulness you must do exactly that, practice. Mindfulness is not always an easy state to achieve, especially in our sensory-driven, goal-oriented, multitasking society. So what we want to offer you at Kelley Counseling, during the month of October, is a way to be accountable. We challenge you to follow us on Facebook as we post our 31 Days of Mindful Practice in the month of October. Most activities will take only minutes. We do encourage some sort of tracking whether it be through commenting on our blog or Facebook page or in your own journal. This way you can store away these skills for future use, along with further reinforcing the skills by processing your experience through writing.

We Look Forward to practicing with you!

Amelia Kelley


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