Why Be Mindful?

As the sun sets, it is shining on the grasses in the field, causing them to light up and glow.

What do you focus on as you go through your day? Are you aware of your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and what is happening around you and inside of you? Being mindful, is paying attention to your inner sensations and emotions and what is happening around and in you right in the moment. Being mindful is being fully aware and observing of the present moment.

There is an old saying, "Stop and smell the roses." My dad used to stop us kids when we were hiking somewhere and ask if we were actually noticing the plants, the scenery, and what was around us. Often, we were just running around playing, chasing each other, and exploring. We were having a great time, and thought it was funny that our dad would ask us to pay attention to the plants around us. Now, I find so much value in being mindful. I find it soothing, calming, and helpful to be mindful in the moment.

Being mindful is staying present in the moment, whether we are feeling peaceful and joyful, or out of sorts and uncomfortable, or even in pain or deeply upset. It's easy to want to stay present with the easy happy feelings. Its another thing altogether to want to stay present with difficult feelings and sensations. So why would one do that? How is it helpful to sit with and observe and stay attuned to painful and difficult feelings?

Staying present with what comes up in the moment is how feelings and sensations get processed. It allows us to be fully immersed in our experience so that it then can pass through and not get stuck. When we suppress our experiences because they are uncomfortable, and we don't give them the time of day, that they can continue to haunt us over and over when we have a trigger that reminds us of that experience. This is how trauma from the past effects us in the present. Rather than mindfully staying present with the sensations that arise in a given situation, if we numb ourselves out, the sensations will not be able to be processed and absorbed and then released from our bodies, minds, and emotions. When we can stay present with the sensations that arise, no matter how difficult, they have the opportunity to settle into our conscious awareness, our memory, and are then able to pass through and out of us. We don't forget them, but the charge has been released.

There are so many things happening in the world that can cause anxiety, stress, and discomfort. There are so many stories on the news and events happening around us that are upsetting. There are so many stressors within our families and communities. At times, I am sure we can all feel ourselves getting caught up in the stress of these events or triggered into uncomfortable feelings due to events. A strategy that can be very helpful to stop the worrying, is to focus mindfully on the present moment. This is how we process the experience right in the here and now.

Staying mindful in a moment can slow down the worry and thoughts running around in one's head. It pulls us out of our spiraling thoughts into the actual present moment, which is usually not what is running through our heads. It gives one the chance to slow down and relax enough to give the nervous system a break from the stress. Often when we worry it is about things that are in the future or the past, but rarely what is happening in the moment. If one stays present in the current moment, unless it is dangerous, it can bring a sense of calm and peace. If you are up for it, here is an activity you can try on your own.

Mindfulness Activity

Here is how I like to be mindful. If you feel willing, take a moment to try this for yourself. Being mindful, again, means to pay attention to the present moment. Stop and notice where you are, and notice that in this moment, here and now, you are safe (if you are). You are in a safe place right now. If you feel comfortable, take a moment and give this a try.

Awareness of What is Around You:

Right now, look around you and notice what you see. Use your senses to be fully immersed in your environment. Rather than labeling what you see, focus on the colors, shapes, textures, shades of light and darkness... Keep noticing what you see around you. Then focus on the smells. Are the smells familiar, unusual, pleasant or unpleasant, just notice them. Notice how you feel when you smell them. Do you smell anything? What sounds do you hear? Are they close or far, what do they sound like? Are they jarring or soothing? Notice if you have a taste in your mouth. Is it familiar? Do you like it, dislike it? Is it sour, salty, bitter, sweet? These are ways to stay mindful of the environment around you. This process can help you to ground in the present moment of safety. You can also mindfully notice your body, by using your internal sensations to be fully immersed in it.

Awareness of What You Feel Internally:

Your body, emotions, and sensations may be feeling comfortable or uncomfortable in this moment, but notice that right here, right now, you are in a safe place. You could choose to stay focused on the internal sensations in your body at this point rather than what is around you. Do a body scan to notice what sensations you are experiencing right now. Are you holding tension in your body? If so, where? What does it feel like? Is the feeling vibrating or still? Are the sensations heavy or light? Are they tense or relaxed? Take a deep breath and feel this awareness, comfortable or uncomfortable. Notice where the sensations are showing up in your body. Are they all over? Are they focused in one spot? Are they painful or uncomfortable, or are they pleasant and comfortable. Keep noticing without judgement what you are observing internally. Stay present with the sensations. Notice if this is hard or easy for you. You don't have to do anything else other than noticing what is there in this moment. Are you able to stay present with what is in your awareness now? If you have trouble staying focused, just notice that. There is no right or wrong way to do this. If you notice yourself going to your thoughts, come back to the present moment, here and now, and notice what you observe. Take a deep breath, and notice what this was like for you. Everything is information. We can learn and grow from all of our experiences. If you would

like to write what this experience was like for you, I would love to hear about it.

More Information About Mindfulness from an ACT Perspective:

Russ Harris gives some more helpful information about mindfulness in his book, ACT Made Simple (ACT stands for Acceptance Commitment Therapy). He states "Mindfulness means paying attention with flexibility, openness, and curiosity" (p 8). He further explains that there are 3 important parts to mindfulness. I like these because they give more details about what it means to be mindful.

1. Awareness: Be in the moment and not caught up in your thoughts. So notice the

sensations you feel. Use your senses and experience what is happening in the here and

now.

2. Attitude of Curiosity and Openness: Stay present with your experience whether it is

pleasant or difficult. Instead of avoiding and running from painful emotions and

sensations, turn to them in wonder and notice with a curiosity and openess what you are

experiencing. Notice what it feels like and where you feel it. Just notice and observe.

You don't have to do anything else.

3. Flexibility of Attention: Harris explains that flexibility of attention is "the ability to

consciously direct, broaden, or focus your attention on different aspects of your

experience." We can focus on what is happening around us. We can focus on what is

happening inside of us psychologically and physically. And we can be aware that there is

the part of us that is thinking about what we are experiencing. We experience the

sensations, and we also have the part that is aware that we are experiencing the

sensations. This allows one to detach from the thoughts, images, emotions and

sensations.