How Mindfulness Helped Me Last Week
On thing that might help today
Researchers reviewed more than 200 studies of mindfulness among healthy people and found mindfulness-based therapy was especially effective for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
Over the last year I’ve been designing a new way for people to embed a regular mindfulness habit while also experiencing more of the cognitive and emotional benefits. It’s called The Mindfulness Test. The first dates will be in January, invite to follow in the next month.
Before then I’d be grateful for your help. Please answer 5 simple questions on mindfulness here. Is open to everyone, from those who have only done mindfulness once to those who have a regular habit in place. Your thoughts matter to me, please do today if you can.
How Mindfulness Helped Me Last Week
One of the things I’ve noticed during my research is that the benefits of mindfulness are often described in broad ways like ‘reduce stress’. The challenge with this is it’s harder to visualise what the benefit will look like for us.
The harder it is to visualise the benefits the more challenging it is to feel motivated enough to sustain our practice into a protective habit.
We are all familiar with the energy drink that ‘gives you wings’. The name of the drink is synonymous with ‘helping us stay awake’. It’s just sugary water with a stimulant. However, from an advertising perspective it’s brilliant because the benefit is very clear If I want to stay awake and get stuff done I should drink x
However, when it comes to mindfulness the potential benefits often seem a bit fuzzy. What’s a clear outcome mindfulness will provide me with today?
Part of the reason for this is that the benefits of a regular mindfulness practice are often more subtle than expected. This subtlety can cause us to overlook the significant benefits it provides.
So by way of an experiment I will share with you over the coming weeks some of the ways mindfulness has benefited me recently. With a view this might help you begin, come back to, or develop this protective habit.
How Mindfulness Has Helped Me Over The Last Two weeks
First off here is my current mindfulness practice. It has varied across the years depending on my needs, aims and family commitments.
About 7 minutes early morning after gym or swim. I sit down on a cork block with my legs crossed. I focus on my breathing and return my attention to the present. I find mindfulness much easier to do after my body has been moving beforehand - it feels like a nice rest.
About 5 minutes around 3pm. Same position, same type of practice. In summer outside, in winter inside with a window open so I can hear noises outside. I find noises are an effective way to bring my attention back to the present and practice non judgement. When I hear a noise I reactively label annoying (builders drilling, the neighbour singing, leaf blowers etc) can I get to a point where I let that judgement pass and the noise is just a noise?
Experience 1 from last week:
I noticed during one morning practice that I was feeling sad and frustrated about my dads condition. I felt angry that he was moving from old to elderly and I felt overwhelming sadness that he is in pain everyday.
I reflected on this after my practice and realised I was feeling the injustice of the fact that the people we love die at some point - its so hard! I started to consider what I could do, what I could control. I rang him later that day to discuss different ways he could manage his pain. I realised half way during that call that he just needed someone to vent to. I focused on listening and helping him feel heard. After the call I still felt sad but that sadness had been tempered with a feeling of love and connection. At the root of it mindfulness was the ‘compass’ that helped me make that call.
Experience 2 from week before last;
I noticed during a practice earlier in the week that I hadn’t been able to feel calm for a few days. During the mindfulness there was always a feeling of agitation. That feeling of agitation then became of source of frustration and round and round this frustrating cycle went for the next few days.
Fortunately I’ve learnt before to keep practicing and the benefits will return. During my morning practice a few days later a flicker of insight appeared (these flickers or ‘ah ha’ moments are, in my experience, one of the most useful benefits of mindfulness) that I’d taken on two new projects in a short space of time. I was working harder than usual, which would imply I needed to adjust and increase my recovery time. I needed more recharge time to compensate for the extra energy and concentration I was giving out.
I planned that Sunday to have a recovery morning. Swim, sauna, then long walk in nature (left phone in the car). Time to disconnect from everyone else, all the things I have to ‘do’. Giving myself permission to be. To move from thinking ‘everything is ok’ to feeling like everything is ok. Often a big difference between the two. As the famous saying goes ‘feeling is believing’. Its easier to believe something is true if we really feel it. That evening I felt calmer, grounded and closer to the things that matter most.
Take 4 breaths now. Inhale. Hold for a few seconds, long slow exhale. Every conscious breath makes a difference.
“Slow and steady often wins because it keeps you motivated. When you make progress, you want to keep going. When you break progress, you want to stop.” - Unknown
You are a good person, doing your best. That’s enough.
Wishing you a restorative autumn walk this weekend. Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel
