Anxiety, stress, and depression can stealthily creep into your life.
Although uninvited, these negative thinking patterns can spiral out of control and weigh you down before you know it. In time, battling these issues may become a daily struggle.
In searching for an uplifting method to keep problems at bay, consider practicing mindfulness. It will build you up!
Practicing mindfulness is similar to exercising a muscle. The more you exercise or practice, the stronger and more expert you become and the mare it will build you up.
5 Ways Mindfulness Can Build You Up
1. Mindfulness Is a Way to Relocate Yourself
Opposed to escapism where you disengage into wishful thinking, mindfulness means relocating mentally, to a more tranquil zone while still focusing on the present moment.
Remember, you place your mind wherever you want it to be for however long you want it to be there. When taking a moment to practice mindfulness, you acknowledge your emotions and you also fully experience all bodily sensations. Both the past and the present are still very real, but you don’t focus on either.
For example, using your breath as an anchor in the present moment, allow your mind to calm down and bypass the busy space in your brain. Rather than controlling your thoughts, simply pay attention to them. When your thinking drifts off and you need to anchor again, guide yourself back to the present by focusing on your breath.
You may be surprised where your mind takes you or doesn’t take you. Be attuned to its wandering and try not to react to your thoughts. Just let them flow out and let yourself be in the moment.
2. Mindfulness Allows You to Watch How Your Mind Works
As you allow your breathing to ground you in the moment, you will also notice how quickly your mind wanders.
Mindfulness lets you observe how your mind works and you may even notice patterns of thinking that don’t serve you well.
For example, one thought may lead to another which will lead to another. This is normal. If you notice your body’s reacting negatively to these cascading thoughts, refocus on your breathing. These sensations may give you some insight as to how your the thoughts begin to spiral.
3. Mindfulness Leads to Self-Compassion
Pain is a natural part of life. You can’t escape it. But it doesn’t have to rule you with an iron fist. Understanding that you are a multi-dimensional being who experiences pain in this life will help you to feel more empathy towards yourself.
Being mindfully self-compassionate will help you to accept gracefully, that you are suffering right now. Learn to practice being kind and patient with yourself when life is overwhelming or challenging.
4. Mindfulness Helps You Build Tolerance
Maybe you feel like you need to implement some changes in your life. When you try to change it, though, you may find that it is more difficult to change than you ever imagined. This realization could make you feel out of control or like you’re not in charge of your own life. You may also experience feelings of hopelessness or not strong enough to create the change you want.
Remember, mindfulness is a proven way to strengthen you from the inside and to help you know that you are okay even in the midst of this experience and that you can tolerate difficulties and challenges.
5. Mindfulness Gives Permission to Feel and Acknowledge Your Emotions
In practicing mindfulness or self-awareness, you have the opportunity to learn about yourself. Rather than harshly judging the thoughts you think or the emotions you feel, simply take note.
Through being mindful, you can give yourself permission to feel and acknowledge what emotion is present. In turn, your emotions tell you how you are perceiving what is happening around you. Acknowledging them gives you the awareness to choose if you want to act and how.
Of course, mindfulness meditation requires practice to be most effective. To gain the most benefits, a regular meditation practice is recommended, just as a regular workout routine is the best way to become physically fit and strong.
