One of the most widely adapted practices in the psychotherapy field in recent years has been the inclusion of mindfulness in conjunction with more conventional therapies as well as being a distinct treatment modality on its own.
While formal Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programs (MBSR) have received the most notice, the use of mindfulness in addressing depression, anxiety, social comfort, and pain control is quite widespread.
Mindfulness teaches us to focus on the present; our breath; the comfort of the chair in which we are sitting; the atmosphere of the room; the beauty of our natural surroundings; and the activity that we are performing. When we are mindful we are not criticizing ourselves for past mistakes or dividing our attention with extraneous thoughts that can interfere with us doing our best.
As a positive psychologist, I owe a debt of gratitude to mindfulness for providing me with a tool that enables me to experience heightened awareness of positive experiences – and to teach this awareness to my patients.
There is a lot in the world these days that is troubling, but there are also a lot of good things happening for each of us. Just today, I was able to appreciate my good health by going to the gym, followed by a visit from our grandchildren – and my wife and I spent the better part of the day in a variety of activities on a beautiful day that was made possible by gorgeous weather and by the fact that our son and daughter-in-law involve us in their children’s lives. I could only fully appreciate the day if I was fully present throughout the experience. I wouldn’t have been mindful if my focus was on work that I still have to get done or on the potential consequences of living in a world that has much unfairness and dangerousness.
Being mindful doesn’t always mean that that we are focused on happiness. For example, mindfulness means that when I am working with a patient s/he is the most important person in the world to me at that moment. Similarly, when I am working on a project to better my profession or my community or my world, that project has my total commitment during the time that I am actively working on it.
If you are mindful, it helps you notice the pleasant things in your life when they are occurring. It helps enrich your relationships. It can help you to eat healthier, sleep better, and appreciate your various efforts at bettering yourself – even when there are no immediate extrinsic rewards. And when you are working, it can make you more focused and productive.
If you don’t feel like you are “here” right now, or if you are having a hard time relating to the whole concept, a good place to begin would be by sitting comfortably, concentrating on and appreciating your breathing, and prepare to notice small but significant good things that will be happening for you as the day goes on.