The content we feed our minds affects our mental state. Here Growing Heart shares a bunch of free tools, tips and online resources that you may find useful in your mindfulness journey.
Pema Chodron offers her wisdom: “The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.”
Take some time each day to look after yourself and look into yourself. Moments of mindfulness generate powerful neurological healing and growth. Just as you wake, and before you go to sleep are wonderful times for inner reflection and mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness is a special way of paying attention that can help with how you cope with everyday life or deal with tough times, with proven scientific benefits for your physical and mental health.
Mindfulness is about training yourself to pay attention in a specific way. When a person is mindful, they:
Focus on the present moment
- Try not to think about anything that went on in the past or that might be coming up in future
- Purposefully concentrate on what’s happening around them
- Try not to be judgemental about anything they notice, or label things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’
- We spend so much time thinking over stuff that has happened in the past, or worrying about things that may happen in the future, that often we actually forget to appreciate or enjoy the moment
- Mindfulness is a way of bringing us back to experience life as it happens
Being mindful can help to;
- Clear your head and reduce chatter and clutter
- Become more aware of yourself, your body and your environment
- Slow down your thoughts
- Slows down your nervous system
- Increase concentration
- Relax
- Manage stress
Click on the image below to play a five minute mindfulness soundscape.