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It’s a fast-paced world we live in, and it can be very easy to find oneself consumed by anxieties about the future or regrets over the past. And that’s where the idea of mindfulness comes in, possibly one of human history’s most ancient practices and equally relevant today. So let’s take a deeper look at what exactly mindfulness is, why it is so hot right now, and the science behind why we think mindfulness can change not only us, but society.
Mindfulness is one of those buzzwords you hear getting thrown around a lot, but I think that can make it tough to understand what it truly means. At its core, mindfulness is about being present — observing what’s happening in the moment and letting your thoughts and feelings pass through without judgment. The best part? Mindfulness doesn’t need to be complex or solemn! And there are plenty of ways to make your routine just a bit more mindful. For instance, you might begin your day by taking a few slow, deep breaths or savoring the flavors and textures in every bite of your next meal. These little moments can add up and help you stay grounded throughout the day.
What Is Mindfulness?
As already stated, mindfulness is about being “present”. Mindfulness invites us to let things be as they are without needing to fix them. In fact, we are encouraged to be non-judgmental toward our thoughts and feelings when meditating. It’s not about being right all the time; it’s about practicing to get better every time. Starting a practice of mindfulness is not difficult. Mindfulness can also be easily incorporated into your daily life and activities.
How Does Mindfulness Help?
At the same time, mindfulness can function as something of an elixir for your brain and cognitive functions. The first and most obvious way mindfulness assists us is that it helps to mitigate stress and anxiety. Learning how to use mindfulness to stay in the moment and relax our body and mind can help us not just survive, but thrive. Another thing I like about mindfulness is that it lets our brains take a break from the kinds of thought cycles we end up in. Mindfulness helps us be still in our minds while focused on the ever-present now. So much practice concentrating can actually make you more attentive and focused. This is because mindfulness can help us teach our brains to focus better.
Why Do People Embrace Mindfulness?
You can engage in mindfulness practice anytime — while driving, walking, or performing routine activities. Look around you and be mindful of five objects or details. This will help remind you to stay present. You can also try mindful eating by savoring each bite, practicing mindful walking, and focusing on your surroundings.
Mindfulness isn’t simply about being relaxed; it’s about having awareness of the moment, no matter what it represents. The more I practice, the more I stop to smell–and marvel at–the roses.12
Expressing yourself by writing down your feelings or reflecting on where you are is very important. Even if you are not a writer, you might still find value in putting pen to paper. The key thing to remember with journaling is that there is no right or wrong way to journal. Journaling is less about the final product and more about the process. You don’t even need to have your life figured out or be a writer before you start journaling. Journaling is waiting for you when, and only when, you’re brave enough to give it a shot.
What Is Journaling?
Journaling can be any writing that seeks to articulate thoughts, ideas, challenges, or experiences. Whether you want to express gratitude, explore more about yourself, or reflect on personal goals, there are all sorts of things journaling can be good for. Journaling prompts exist for almost any subject if you are one of those people who have a hard time thinking of something to write about.
How Is Journaling Helpful?
Keeping a journal can also be an effective way of looking after our mental health, as it allows us to process our thoughts and emotions. Journaling provides the space to dump all that heavy stuff we carry on a regular basis. We gain insight when we record our thoughts and feelings, and if we see patterns or triggers. Even just jotting down how we feel can serve as a catalog of our progress toward our goals or areas we’re trying to improve.
Journaling Ideas
Occasionally, people feel blocked from journaling simply because they have no idea what to write about. People often hone the most beneficial ways to journal with practice. A few of the popular ways to journal are as follows:
Prompts: Use journal prompts to bring entry topics even more specifically. For example, if they wanted to work on increasing their confidence or struggling with self-confidence, part of the prompts were there to ignite just some of the underlying themes that maybe bring that up. Through these prompts, people can discover answers to questions they don’t even know yet.
Brain Dump: A type of brain dump is a substitute term for brain dump journaling, in which people jot down whatever thoughts are on their mind without worrying about coherence. This practice allows people to leave their thoughts and feelings in the journal and experience some release from them in the process.
Lists: If the thought of writing full sentences, let alone paragraphs, feels like an insurmountable demand right now, making a journal list should be something you consider. For instance, one could attempt writing a list of things currently causing stress or a list of the things for which they are grateful.
Journaling doesn’t have to “fix” anything in order for it to be beneficial. Journaling can feel therapeutic and grounding. Journaling works like venting to a friend, in a sense. You will generally feel better after, and you might even feel less lonely. Journaling is not about penning perfect paragraphs or deep poetry. It’s about figuring out the thoughts and feelings that may become knotted in our minds. Keeping a journal invites us to access the tools of writing to help ourselves through anything we are experiencing.345
- Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016 ↩︎
- Davis, D. M., & Hayes, J. A. (2011). What are the benefits of mindfulness? A practice review of psychotherapy-related research. Psychotherapy, 48(2), 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022062 ↩︎
- Pennebaker, J. W., & Smyth, J. M. (2016). Opening up by writing it down: How expressive writing improves health and eases emotional pain (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press. ↩︎
- Wright, J., & Chung, M. C. (2001). Mastery or mystery? Therapeutic writing: A review of the literature. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 29(3), 277–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069880120073003 ↩︎
- Baikie, K. A., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338–346. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.11.5.338 ↩︎
