The Essence of Mindfulness Explained
We have all been told at one time or another to be mindful. Whether we were walking in a crowded place, in someone else’s home or just a general statement from our parents or teachers. The question remains did we fully understand what they meant? What does mindfulness mean? Did they fully understand what they were telling us to do?
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is being aware and conscious of the present moment that we are in. Mindfulness is a mental state of being present in your own life. An easy way to define mindful and be mindful is something that our parents and teachers have told us many times, “pay attention”.
While being mindful or paying attention, we are aware of our feelings, emotions and actions and how they affect other people or things around us. We must handle these in a proper manner and assume responsibility for ourselves. Many of our daily activities must be done mindfully, because the more routine they become the less mindful we tend to become about them.
Why be Mindful?
We should all want to be mindful and present in our lives and activities at all times. That however doesn’t always seem to be the case. We all have a moment where we are not paying attention and miss a detail, or forget something we need, maybe bump into someone as we walk through the store. Besides just simply having manners, being polite and kind there are many reasons to be mindful. Being mindful of our actions is important so we are aware of how we behave, how we are treating others, or what is in the world around us.
Being mindful of our emotions is being aware of how we are outwardly displaying what we feel on the inside. And Being aware of how we feel, how we behave and how we handle our emotions keeps us from becoming mechanical through life, it keeps us aware of ourselves and what is around us. In addition to personal management skills, it also improves our mental and general health in many ways. When we are healthy and happy we treat ourselves better, treat other people better and accomplish more of our life goals.
Let’s be Mindful!
Being mindful is an important part of life. It is being taught in schools, workplaces, hospitals and more all over the world. Mindfulness has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It also improves health and memory function while reducing compulsive tendencies. Being mindful can make you happier in general, so give it a try.