My Approach – Mindfulness
Mindfulness
Take 3 full breaths…
Notice the air entering and leaving your lungs. Feel the rise and fall of your belly and the slight hissing sound of the air passing through your nostrils…
Check in to notice the temperature of your skin right now…
Feel your feet pressing against the ground…
If you get distracted by thoughts, do your best to return your focus to the breath.
Whether we’re doing coaching or therapy together…
… you’ll likely hear me reference Mindfulness as a foundation of my approach.
I find this ancient set of practices to be very useful, and there are plenty of studies backing me up on that.
Mindfulness means that we focus on the present moment with a non-judgmental, curious, and compassionate attention.
It may not seem all that profound to notice how it feels to breathe or sit in a chair (and even I didn’t get it for a long time). However, when you realize how much of your stress is directly related to the way your mind is compulsively pulled to the past and future, then feeling the simple silence of your present moment can feel like a huge relief.
When attention is stuck in the thinking mind, we can lose touch with our gut-level intuition – and our choices become limited or compulsive. Mindfulness can help us reclaim the decision-making power that exists in the gap between an event and our reaction to that event.
These practices can be helpful for various reasons…
…and I find that they can continue to deepen over time.
- Increase self-awareness so you can know and love yourself more fully.
- Rewire your brain to instill new, healthier habits.
- Empathize with others for deeper connections.
- Decrease stress and anxiety for better performance and more enjoyment.
- Appreciate and enjoy your life now instead of always waiting for a better future.
If you want to learn how to incorporate Mindfulness into your life, take a look at the Services I offer and contact me for more.
Here are some guided meditations to get you started with your mindfulness practice!