Mindful Monday: The Benefits of Mindfulness

Have you noticed that Mindfulness seems to have become quite popular these days?  Are you seeing it mentioned everywhere like I am?  I was surprised to see that it is even a component of the Pete Evans paleo program that I am doing at the moment. On reflection though, I shouldn’t have been surprised at all. In the program they cover good foods and their nutritional and health benefits, exercise/training, and also include mindfulness for a holistic approach to good health and well-being.

How we think and our levels of stress and/or anxiety have a huge impact on our health. I know this from my own experiences!  What we eat and how often we move does not complete the whole health story!

Why is Mindfulness becoming so popular?

Because modern life has become far too hectic!  Our minds never rest and it is impacting on our health – physically, mentally and spiritually!

It’s not just the juggling of busy jobs with family and domestic responsibilities that make life hectic. It is also our monkey minds constantly jumping from one thought to another – our mental ‘to do’ lists; thoughts, analysis and regrets over the past; and fears and anxieties for the future.  Add to all this our modern-day addiction to screen and social media time.  It means we rarely switch off.  Our minds seldom rest and sit peacefully in the present.  Hands up who is still checking their phones in bed at night (Twitter, Email, FB, Instagram, Pinterest and so on)? Do you find yourself dwelling on the past and worrying about the future?  Is your mind constantly racing from one thought to another?

Mindfulness is a way to slow down our busy minds, to breathe, to be present, and to calm and centre ourselves.  We need to ‘chill out man’!!

Here is a list of some of the benefits from practicing Mindfulness:

• It’s proven to help alleviate symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety
• It helps to slow down an over thinking busy mind (‘monkey mind’)
• It increases our feelings of happiness and contentment
• It assists us in changing unwanted habitual reactive behaviours
• It improves insight and understanding of ourselves (self observation / objective self-analysis)
• It can improve our relationship with others
• Improved ability to focus
• Improved emotional control
• It can improve our immune functioning!
• It can help you sleep better
• It can provide a greater sense of overall wellbeing.

Mindfulness practice can be a powerful tool for achieving an improved overall wellbeing and sense of peace within yourself. It is not complex or unattainable. It is simply a process of waking up to life and being here right now. To achieve the benefits you do need to make a conscious effort to practice consistently.

In my last Mindful Monday post, I pointed out that Mindfulness can be practiced in meditation and outside of meditation. The image below only makes reference to mindfulness practiced as meditation but the benefits it lists relate to both mindfulness practiced in and outside of meditation.

Are you aware of your monkey mind?  Do you practice mindfulness?  Anyone can – even a busy mum!  We all eat.  We all have showers.  Begin by being mindful in your every day activities – starting with one mindful activity a day.  Refer to my last post for some helpful ideas for starting out.  You are so worth it!

Ciao for now,

[This post is linked up with One Mother Hen’s – #OpenSlather]