“Mindfulness” has been a popular term since the beginning of the self-care movement about 5 years ago. According to one recent study, Millennials and Gen Z reported using the internet to search for self-care strategies, alternative therapies, and information related to nutrition and fitness. No wonder you see so many products focusing on self-care and mindfulness right now!
So what is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a state of observing the present moment, by paying attention to our thoughts, emotions, body reactions, and the surrounding environment. You are mainly observing them, without judging as good or bad.
I love how Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley put it this way, “When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.”
This is a particularly hard concept to grasp on, for us growing up in an Asian household. We have been taught to plan for success and prepare for the worst in the future, as well as, learn from our failures in the past and take action to fix them. Just observing one’s emotions and thoughts are not as common in a regular Asian family.
Mindfulness = meditation? Or being “zen”?
The word “mindfulness” comes from the Buddhist element “sati”, which means awareness in ancient Southeast Indian languages. Asian countries with Buddhist influences have the familiarity of using mindfulness meditation to reflect on thoughts and emotions. Back in ancient times, mindfulness practices are treasured as a noble practice in East Asian and Southeast Asian societies.
With the development of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in the late 1970s, mindfulness becomes a tool for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), which is scientific and secular.
This means you don’t have to become a Buddhist to practice mindfulness or MBSR-based meditation!
How would mindfulness help us?
Numerous research has shown that mindfulness has many positive benefits.
Here are some physical health benefits:
lower production and level of cortisol (stress hormone)
increase immunity
increase density of grey matter in the brain (linked to memory, attention, and decision-making)
improve sleep quality
On the other hand, here are some mental health benefits from practicing mindfulness:
reduce negative thoughts, depression, anxiety, and aggression
reduce bias and prejudice
improve concentration
boost resilience, self-esteem, and self-compassion
cope better with negative feedback, rejection, and social isolation
OK, I know mindfulness is good for me. What’s next?
This is derived from the mindfulness scale developed by researchers at La Salle University and Drexel University. After the quiz, you will know how much awareness you pay to your emotions and surrounding environment, and get specific tips on how you can promote more mindfulness in your life.
Journal your thoughts.
Grab a notebook and a pen - that’s all you need! Writing down your thoughts helps to organize them. Just let your thoughts flow out freely without anyone judging. I highly suggest going back and reading what you wrote down because you may gain insights from them and determine what you need.
Meditate.
Meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and taking 5 deep breaths. If you have taken the quiz above, they will suggest different forms of meditations that are beneficial in your case. Also, there are apps that offer guided breathing and meditations, such as Calm, HeadSpace, The Insight Timer, Buddhify and The Mindfulness App.
Move your body in enjoyable ways.
Find a form of exercise that you enjoy, whether it is running, going out for a short walk or stretching for 10 minutes on your yoga mat. When you find enjoyment in exercise, you will find yourself attuned to your body needs more, and get more focused. This will help with mindfulness!
Note that if you experience severe mental illness and have self-harm tendencies, you might struggle with mindfulness. These types of emotional pain are much harder to deal with. If this is you, please seek the support of a therapist as soon as you can!
Applying mindfulness to our daily lives is not easy and takes continuous practice.
I hope you will become more mindful about how different things affect your daily lives - culture, personal issues, work, family - and that it will help you on your way to finding balance in your wellness journey!
