What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is when you are remaining focused on a single present moment. Rather than your thoughts wandering all over the place, ping-ponging between the past and the future, they are instead grounded in what is physically around you.
For example, as I write this, I can take a moment to shift to a more mindful state. Taking my mind away from what preoccupies me, I instead ground myself in my senses.
Starting with my feet, I uncross them and let them rest flat on the ground, taking the time to feel the floor through my heel and toes. Moving up my body, I can feel how my chair fits the curvature of my spine. Further up and out, the pads of my fingers connect with the plastic sensation of the keys on my keyboard as I pound out this sentence.
Moving away from touch, I shift my focus to what I can hear. Through my computer speakers, the soft swell of the worship music I am listening to as a work is not only a sensory treat, but it uplifts my spirit. Then, quietly, I can also hear the occasional rumble of traffic.
By focusing on those sensory details in this specific moment, I am deliberately taking my focus off of my anxieties and placing them on what is right here in front of me, and it helps to calm me.
But oftentimes, especially in the deepest moments of depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns, it is hard to practice mindfulness on your own, especially if this is a new concept to you. That's when seeking guidance from someone who specializes in mindfulness can be very helpful.
Looking for a therapist, a yoga teacher, or even a guided mindfulness video series on youtube can help walk you through the steps of mindfulness to help you manage your mental health. Never be anxious to seek out help, its why therapists, yoga instructors, and others went into their professions, to help others to reach equilibrium in their lives.
Contact us at admin@covenantwaywellness.org to schedule a therapy session to practice mindfulness with one of our resident counselors, interns, or Dr. Sarah Williams.