This blog post was written by Liadan Gunter, Life Coach at Nivati. You can see more of their content on the Nivati platform and on the Nivati blog. If you want to learn more about Nivati, click here.
The world moves quickly. Deadline after deadline. Appointment after appointment. Meeting after meeting. Life is full of commitments and moments that string together with few breaks in between. At least, it sure can seem that way, and it can actually become that way…if we let it. It’s not only our doing, of course; a lot of it’s just the way the modern world is structured. But we do have more control than we think! It’s vital that we make space between the commitments we have—otherwise, that string of commitments can feel overwhelming.
This is easier said than done, and you may be wondering, “Sounds great, but how do I do it?” You may have heard people around you say phrases such as “be mindful” or “practice meditation.” Sure, we can roll our eyes at these comments; I certainly used to. I used to think these were things people would just say to avoid talking about certain issues. However, I discovered that there’s tremendous power in these practices—the power to take control over our overwhelm and anxiety and achieve more calmness and mental control.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a form of meditation in which you focus on being aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the present moment, without interpretation or judgment. Have you ever had a feeling or a thought that you just don’t want to deal with, or one that gets you down? Mindfulness allows you to take a step back from your thoughts and feelings, and gives them a space to just be. Emotions and thoughts are kind of like the weather: they come and go, they shine and snow, and if we’re not careful, we can get swept up in their storms. Next thing we know, we’re caught up in our own feelings of inadequacy or the pressure of time or any of a thousand other things that distract us from our projects, our hobbies, our lives.
This is where mindfulness comes in. It allows you to create a non-judgemental space in your inner world. It allows you to take a moment for things to just be (which, contrary to popular opinion, can help you accomplish things faster—it’s when we try to bulldoze our way through these things that overwhelm can take over). Taking a mindful moment can give you the pause you need to later return and get those things off of your to-do list. It also trains your brain to be able to direct your attention and thoughts with more ease and structure.
Is Mindfulness Helpful?
The science backs it up with a resounding yes! In fact, research has shown that mindfulness helps to relax the body and mind and reduce stress, anxiety, depression, pain, high blood pressure, and even insomnia.
Research also points to changes in behavior, brain activity, and brain structure following mindfulness meditation training—such as enhanced self-regulation, attentional control, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.
Meditation and the Brain
Following mindfulness training, specific brain regions show altered function, activity, and structure. These neurological changes underlie the psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation.
Take the anterior cingulate cortex, or the ACC. The ACC sits a little behind your forehead and plays a major role in many cognitive functions, like attentional control. Practicing mindfulness leads to changes in the ACC which help with enhancing your attentional control. So the more you practice mindfulness, the more you’re able to focus.Remember the thousand distractions that drag you away from what you want or need to do? By exercising your ACC with mindfulness, you essentially strengthen the muscle that pulls your focus back where it needs to be.
Practicing mindfulness also alters your fronto-limbic network. This network is like a circuit between several brain structures; when engaged, it helps you regulate your emotions with more ease. That means that when an uncomfortable or difficult emotion comes up, the more you’ve trained mindfully, the easier it will be for you to manage these emotions. This also makes it less likely that you’ll get carried away by your emotions in times of stress.
Beyond the structural changes, meditation also influences brain activity, promoting a shift from the default mode network (responsible for mind-wandering and self-referential thinking) to the task-positive network (associated with present-moment awareness and focused attention). This shift cultivates greater clarity of mind and the ability to respond consciously rather than react impulsively to life's challenges.
This means that after consistently practicing mindfulness, your brain is able to be more self aware. In other words, you’re able to be more aware of yourself, your internal states, and how you feel. This is really beneficial for understanding yourself so that you can make decisions more in alignment with what you truly desire.
Anxiety, stress, and depression are often exacerbated by fears, worries, or ruminations about the past or future. The benefit of having greater present-moment awareness is that it allows you to focus more deeply in the now, which can shift your perspective away from your worries about the future or past to the moment you’re actually living. Practicing mindfulness consistently will empower you to make the most of this skill outside of when you’re actively meditating. Doing so will make it so that when you’re faced with troubles, you’re able to switch your focus more easily to the present moment than you would be if you weren’t practicing mindfulness meditation.
The benefits of mindfulness also extend beyond the individual level, and they also impact interpersonal relationships and social dynamics. By fostering empathy, compassion, and emotional resilience, meditation contributes to more harmonious interactions, reduced conflict, and improved overall well-being within communities.
How to Practice Mindfulness: 5 Mindfulness Exercises
Practicing mindfulness exercises can help you rewire your brain, direct your attention away from distracted and negative thinking, and engage with the world around you and provide more structure to your thoughts.
To practice mindfulness, you can:
- Focus on your breathing: Close your eyes and feel each breath as you inhale and exhale. If your thoughts wander, take note of them as objectively as you can, and bring them back to your breathing.
- Experience your environment: Direct all of your senses—touch, sound, sight, smell, and taste—to your immediate surroundings.
- Live in the moment: Find joy in the simple pleasures and the present activity you're engaging in.
- Take a walk: Maintain awareness of your senses and the movements that keep your balance.
- Do a body scan: Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms at your sides, palms facing up. Direct your focus to each part of your body in sequence, moving from toe to head or head to toe. Take note of any sensations, emotions, or thoughts associated with each part of your body.
The best news about these exercises is that you can do them anytime and anywhere, and they don’t need to take up a huge part of your day. Even five minutes can be enough to reap some benefits if you make it a routine. Some of these structured exercises, such as the sitting meditation or body scan, benefit from a quiet environment free from distraction. So depending where you are, you may opt for a different exercise. One thing to note is that there’s a substantial amount of research that shows that mindfulness meditation is extra beneficial when practiced outdoors.
Final Thoughts
The science of mindfulness meditation has compelling evidence for just how transformative these practices are on the brain. In fact, by consistently engaging in meditation, you can experience structural and functional changes in your brains that lead to enhanced emotional regulation, improved attention and focus, and increased overall wellbeing.
This remarkable adaptability allows you to rewire your brain to break free from habitual thought patterns to reduce the impact of stress and anxiety on your life.
It is essential to remember that mindfulness is a practice that requires commitment and regularity to yield lasting benefits. Just as physical exercise strengthens the body, meditation is a mental exercise that hones the mind. Consistency and patience are key as the brain gradually adapts and rewires itself over time.
Whether you are seeking stress reduction, enhanced focus, or emotional resilience, the evidence shows that mindfulness meditation can be a powerful tool to harness the potential of your brain and transform your life. So why not take a few moments each day to sit, breathe, and discover the transformative benefits of mindfulness for yourself?
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