YOUR MIND MATTERS

Ever felt like those tiny thoughts in your head slowly progress into incessant chatter, only to find that you are fighting a war in your own head?

We are not truly living life if we are stuck in a constant battlefield with our mind.

Mindfulness practices can help to centre us in the present moment and increase self-awareness. Once we are more self-aware, we can relate better to ourselves and to others. We are better equipped to handle stressful events with a calm mind.

Many people misinterpret the role of mindfulness as being an act which helps to ‘clear the mind’ – a feat which is virtually impossible. To be more precise, mindfulness is about living fully in the present moment by acknowledging and accepting one’s emotions and thoughts and learning to respond with a non-judgemental attitude, rather than react to them.

Day in, day out, we live our lives in a state of rush and stress without pausing to savour experiences and recognise our emotions. As a result, our minds and bodies are often out of sync with each other, we feel drained and dissatisfied without fully understanding the reason behind it. As most of us function on autopilot, we often feel frustrated or impatient without knowing why and act out in unproductive ways. We essentially become ‘mindless’. By using mindfulness to respond, rather than react, emotional regulation can be improved.

Mindfulness is more than just a daily meditation or yoga session; it’s about developing a new perspective and a more reflective mindset. It is important to understand what we can and cannot control, but more importantly, it is about understanding that we always have a choice in our actions and it is those choices we make about how to deal with life’s twists and turns that will determine our success and happiness. By accepting our true selves, imperfections and all, we are able to figure out which parts of our life we CAN change and take the appropriate steps to creating our own path to happiness.

There are numerous benefits to be reaped by practicing Mindfulness meditation everyday:

(It offers both short-term and long-term benefits)

• Reduction in stress, hypertension and anxiety

• Improved sleep quality

• Better ability to focus, mental clarity and memory

• Improved immune function/ability to cope with illness

• Improved skin health

• Anti-ageing effects

• Improved creativity and decision-making

• Promotes a compassionate and loving approach

• Better self-image, understanding who we are