Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a topic that is gaining popularity among many individuals and also in the psychology world, where it is being used in therapeutic settings.  In no way do I claim to be an expert on the topic, however, I have been reading a book about mindfulness and also studying aspects of it in my Behavior Modification class. What is mindfulness?  Mindfulness stems from Buddhism and other meditation practices.  The actual, official definition of mindfulness is often a topic of debate but the general idea of mindfulness is bringing your complete attention to the present moment in an effort to become completely aware of your body, sensations, and emotions in a non judgmental way.  In doing so, we are more likely to acknowledge the emotions we are feeling and accept them, rather than reacting in a way that will negatively impact our minds and body (such as feeling upset, angry, anxious, or tense, as well as reacting and enjoying positive moments in our life). Practicing mindfulness is something I think many people have never even considered.  As I started reading the book Wherever You Go, There You Are, a book written by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who uses mindfulness practices to treat the chronically mentally ill as well in the education, development and growth of psychologically health individuals;  I really began questioning myself and my ability to practice mindfulness.
How many of us can say that we take time during our day to slow down and consciously notice the present moment, not making any inferences on what is happening, but simply acknowledging the here and now.  To be honest, I rarely do this, but have been working on my mindfulness practices since beginning Wherever You Go, There You Are.  Mindfulness is also an important aspect of yoga,  and since I have been attending a yoga class regularly, I have been forced to engage in mindfulness techniques.  It is not easy for me to slow my mind down, in yoga class I often find myself thinking about school work that needs to be done or happenings in my life.  As I progress in my yoga, I am making strides in my ability to focus just on my body and breathing during my hour of yoga and let everything else go for this time.  In no way have I mastered or even come close to perfecting mindfulness and there is still much reading on the topic that I hope to accomplish over winter break.  In a society where we have extremely high levels of stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, I believe many people could benefit from the practices related to mindfulness and I am excited that it is becoming a popular practice in  many cognitive behavioral therapies. If people could learn to slow down and take in the present moment, maybe we could learn to be happy with what we have and who we are, and the beauty that lies in the simple things rather than wanting, consuming, and buying happiness.  Many adults in my life have told me to start enjoying each day when I am still young, because each year as you get older the time goes by more quickly than the last. I do not want to look back at my life thinking that it went too quickly or wishing I would have enjoyed certain moments more, and I think that practicing mindfulness will help me accomplish just this.  The next time you are feeling tense, happy, angry, or anxious, I dare you to practice mindfulness, take in the present moment, and tell yourself "this too shall pass."