Mindfulness

The First Stress Management Technique

In Your Relaxed-and-At-Ease Guide to
Stress Management Techniques

Mindfulness is the practice of noticing your experience without judgment.

I could be eating, brushing my teeth, driving my car, watching tv, talking to a friend on the phone... Well hopefully you get the picture.

Most of the time, most of us are just doing what we're doing - and NOT AWARE of our experience... Not really feeling or sensing it... WE'RE IN IT... just doing it.

Does that make sense? When we practice mindfulness, we practice observing ourselves - and our surroundings - while we're doing the things of life.

This is also called "developing your observer."

This is NOT the self-critical, judgmental observer that "can't believe I just said that..." Nor is it the self-conscious, "I fell so stupid" part of ourselves.

Instead this observer is neutral. In it's eyes, you can't do anything wrong - and neither can I. What is - IS.

Does that make sense?

All right... let's try something that should help you get it even better...
Bring your awareness to your breath. Notice either the breath coming in and out at the tip of your nose or the movement of your torso as you breathe. Either will do.

Okay. I'm going to assume you've noticed something.

The part of you that noticed your breath is your observer. The act of noticing it is called mindfulness.

Make sense?

Most of the time we're just breathing. It's unconscious and we're doing it without awareness. We're in it. Just doing it.

When we practice mindfulness, we're still doing whatever it is we do... the difference is - our observer is present.

So - what's the big deal you might ask...

For me, this is the first approach in my list of favorite stress reduction approaches because...

It brings me to the present moment.

When I'm observing my experience without judgment - and not just in it- I can change. It gives me the tool to liberate myself from my unconscious habits.

Without it, all the other techniques can feel good... getting a massage feels good, being in nature feels nourishing, being with friends is fun...

...But they're likely to be temporary experiences that do not last.

With mindfulness, you have a tool to be present in this moment... To choose in this moment your response to any situation that arises and therefore really change.

It is a key to using your Emotional Guidance System which helps you moment by moment shift your thoughts, actions and words into alignment with what feels the most easeful...

...To intentionally activate the Law of Attraction so that you can manifest all that you Really desire...

...And to recognize Communication Barriers like defensiveness so you can use Effective Communication skills to defuse the situation.

Without your observer you could be forever unconsciously lost in your experience... repeating the same patterns and behaviors year after year... and getting the same results... year after year.

If you'd like to learn more about how to practice, visit the mindful movement page or the mindfulness meditation page.