Practicing Mindfulness

Upon deciding to write this blog entry, I searched and brainstormed for the perfect idea to dive into. But, instead I decided to focus on the theme of the week as summer comes to an end, school for the kiddos starts back up, and the overall adjustment to heavier traffic and preparation for fall tasks at work. Taking time for ourselves is one of the most widely missed “tasks” of society, often leaving us wondering “what am I missing?” Many of my clients over the last few days, even weeks, have asked me what they can do to alleviate their anxiety symptoms as these adjustments take place. The question I immediately resort to being, what have you done for yourself recently? I receive puzzled looks and astonishment. Even though as a therapist I stress the importance of using coping skills, mindfulness is often missed. Why? I’m finding it’s due to the intention of sitting with the self, turning inwards, and tuning out the world around us which is not an easy thing to do especially if we’re always on the go. According to Hoffman & Gomez (2017), mindfulness is a process in which oneself brings mental awareness to the current state of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations through embodiment of endearment and openness. While it is simple to participate or complete an activity like a coping skill (i.e., meditation, yoga, deep breathing, walking), it also takes patience and cognitive awareness to be mindful.

You might be asking yourself, how can I incorporate mindfulness without feeling overwhelmed? A good start can be setting small goals to establish routine and positive habit forming behaviors with a reward in mind. For example, if the goal is to meditate daily for twenty minutes, set five to ten minute increments each morning or evening to complete a meditation and at the end of the week if completion occurs, you might take yourself to dinner, or get your favorite ice cream, or a new decoration for your home. For some, taking small steps just as that can create a sense of routine without feeling as if you have to do your mindfulness task, but rather get to take a break. Implementing small changes in your routine, even as simple as a single word (“have” and “get”) takes pressure and labeling off of something that is designed to be enjoyable. Now that the basis for mindfulness has been set, how are you going to practice mindfulness?

Be kind to you,

Valerie Falcone, MS

Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern

321-621-4228

References

Hofmann, S. G., & Gómez, A. F. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression. The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 40(4), 739–749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008