What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment. When we focus on what's going on right now with all our attention, we do not second-guess past actions or decisions (what we call rumination) or worry about the future. Thereby, we are able to avoid anxiety.

Think about it...

If you were to sit down and create a list of things that cause you stress, maybe it would look like this:

I'm worried I won't have enough money to pay rent next week
I'm afraid I will end up alone
I'm upset about that argument I had last night
I'm dreading going to work tomorrow
I'm in physical pain and I can't stand feeling like this much longer

Do any of these stressors exist in the present moment? Or are we creating stress thinking about what's passed or may come?

Awareness and Choice

We can think of mindfulness as a life philosophy based on attitudinal foundations. We will cover those in more detail in Mindfulness: Attitudinal Foundations.

We can train ourselves to be more mindful by practicing these attitudes. In the section Mindfulness: Learning Tools we will share some of these exercises.

Bringing more intention to life allows us to live a life with more choices. Often, we are caught in our usual ways of thinking and behaving. We often have similar emotions and ways of experiencing the world based on habit and past experience. For instance:

Because people have let us down in the past, we might expect them to do it again
Because someone was unkind to us once, we might expect others to be unkind to us
Because an experience was uncomfortable in the past, we might expect a similar one to be uncomfortable in the future

Sometimes, allowing past experience to guide our decisions can be a wise conscious decision. Other times, though, subconscious thoughts or expectations can be harmful.

An example of a harmful subconscious thought or instinct is implicit bias, the unconscious expectation that certain groups will behave in specific ways. Implicit bias is a basis of racism, bigotry, or prejudice.

Mindfulness teaches us how to bring choice into how we experience day-to-day life. We learn how to be more selective about what we respond to and how. By bringing awareness to this moment, we are more likely to notice any potentially harmful thought patterns or instincts. In doing so, we can take preventative action:

We may notice that we're becoming anxious or stressed before we make a rash decision or lash out at someone verbally
We may recognize the symptoms of loneliness starting and reach out to connect with a friend before we become too depressed to do so
We might realize we're emotionally reactive and decide not to engage in potentially combative conversations

Mindfulness can also help us make the most of more constructive thoughts or patterns, too:

We may notice we're feeling motivated and tackle a project we have been putting off
We may notice we're feeling gratitude toward someone and take time to share it with them

Everyday practices to try

It is often said that practicing mindfulness is simple, but it is not easy. The following are simple exercises you can try on your own. As you practice them, over time they will become habitual and help you become more mindful in everyday life.

Practice Being Content

While we encourage people to be happy in the moments that come and go, with these practices you might find yourself becoming more content. Contentment is a state of continued satisfaction. It can be described as a state of allowing whatever comes to come. It means being satisfied in the big picture of your life. While happiness brings short bursts of positive physical and emotional well-being, contentment brings an ever-present awareness that creates a lifestyle of well-being. Bringing awareness to your thoughts, emotions, and actions can begin to shape an overall reality for you that is quite pleasant to be in.

What can bring you contentment? It can be something simple:

Appreciating a meal
The feeling of slipping into bed and feeling your body relax at the end of the day
Noticing the beauty of a sunrise or sunset
Noticing the sound of birdsong outside
Appreciating the satisfaction you feel when you do something well
Appreciating the pride you feel when a loved one succeeds

By noticing these moments of happiness and nurturing them into periods of contentment, we are building our ability to exert choice over our emotions and the situations in which we find ourselves.

As you develop a mindfulness practice using the tools in Mindfulness: Learning Tools, see if you can calendar and pinpoint times or situations in which you would have reacted differently before and now you are responding in contentment. Some examples of natural changes that come with mindfulness practice might include:

Not getting angered as easily by others (rude drivers, argumentative neighbors)
Not losing your patience with family or friends
Not taking offense at intended personal slights or negative comments
Taking an unexpected setback in stride
Remaining calm in a situation which would have previously upset you

Move Mindfully

Select an activity you enjoy. You could try:

Walking
Stretching
Swimming
Yoga
Gardening

Start the activity by taking several conscious breaths. Notice how your mind and body prepare for movement. Bring focus to your motion. Put away judgements about yourself. Maybe slow down a bit to be aware of every part of your body. Continue to focus your attention back any time your thoughts wander and simply be present in your body. Use your senses to notice everything around you. Notice how your body reacts to the sunlight. Pay attention to the air on your skin. Feel of the earth (or water!) beneath you.

Pay attention to your breathing without trying to change it. Just notice it. Try to keep this level of attention to your movement for as long as you can. Notice how you feel now and if it is different than how you felt at first.

Next, as you prepare to start the activity, scan through your body mentally. Note any sensations that arise. Notice any tensed muscles, any soreness or stiffness, or perhaps energy. You can even create a feeling of awe or gratitude for the ability to move your body in this way.

You can bring mindfulness to any movement. Even simple things like walking to the mailbox or opening the refrigerator can be mindful. You can do this just by bringing awareness to the way your body moves. Try to let go of any other distractions you might be having. Maybe notice what it is like to be more fully present with your entire body, rather than being caught up in your emotions.

Explore more

Fredrickson BL. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions Links to an external site.. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2004 Sep 29; 359(1449),1367-78. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2004.1512. PMID: 15347528; PMCID: PMC1693418.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain and illness. New York, NY: Delacorte.