The Magic of Mindfulness
At its core, mindfulness is the art of being fully present in the current moment.
It involves cultivating an awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. Rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, mindfulness invites you to neutrally engage with the richness of the present.
There’s a famous Victor Frankl quote that says “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In the space there is the power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Mindfulness is all about creating and accessing that space, or pause, between stimulus and response. And making good use of that pause to intentionally align our responses with our values.
When we come to full presence, it gives us access to our authentic selves and our skills, as well as our inner resources and strength.
Why Mindfulness Matters
Stress Reduction: In our fast-paced lives, stress can feel inevitable. Mindfulness offers a powerful antidote. By focusing on the present moment, you can break free from the cycle of stress, reducing cortisol levels and promoting a sense of calm.
Enhanced Focus: Have you ever found your mind wandering during an important task? Mindfulness can help. Regular practice has been shown to improve attention and concentration, allowing you to approach tasks with heightened clarity.
Emotional Regulation: Life is full of ups and downs, and our emotions often follow suit. Mindfulness provides a toolkit for managing these emotional fluctuations. By observing your emotions without attachment, you can respond to challenges with greater clarity and composure.
How To Do It
Mindfulness practice looks different for everyone. Go with whatever wellness approach works for you to slow your reactions down, grant you the ability to self-observe, and build your capacity to metabolize challenges.
Controversial opinion: I personally don’t care whether your practice involves meditation, breath work, running, hiking, walking, playing music, yoga, jiu-jitsu, gratitude, journaling…or even something different each day.
The key is to build a consistent relationship with mindfulness – being present enough with yourself to know what your body needs and how much of it day by day – rather than a rigid relationship with a practice. Do it your way.
Mindfulness is Magic
All our power and choice are found in the present. Ruminating on past choices, or even dreaming about the future, is not presence. We can only receive love and help in the present. Growth and connection can only happen in the present. The only place we have the willingness and ability to act is in the present.
Mindfulness is a tool that brings us to presence and to all the magic available there.
Photo by Hedi Alija