More and more magazines, books, YouTube videos and Instagram stories for a better life sprout from the ground. From minimalism to hygge to spiritual myths. In the search for inner peace, there are seemingly endless paths - so many that this oversupply and the search for the "right" path in the labyrinth of methods sometimes causes more confusion than relief. AND THAT IS STRESSFUL. Because in addition to the actual problem, there is also a lack of clarity about possible solutions. Everyone seems to have THE method for a better, more fulfilled life.
Mindfulness is a term that also seems to be a trendy word, but which is becoming increasingly important in the clinical field but also in the workplace. Currently, more and more international corporations like Google or German companies like SAP and Volkswagen are focusing on mindfulness training and meditation for their managers and employees.
But what good is mindful living really?
The society from the student to the top manager is often overwrought and stressed. Due to digital media, social networks, constantly accelerating work processes, many people lack Moments to pause. This is where mindfulness can be an important help. Mindfulness is an attitude from the Buddhist tradition Brown, Creswell and Ryan summarize it in the "Handbook of Mindfulness" as the meditative status of being in the full and complete moment. This enables us to consciously perceive ourselves without immediate evaluation in order to get out of habitual patterns of behaviour.
How mindfulness helps you in everyday life
Mindfulness enables you to focus better.
By concentrating on the here and now, the basis of the mindful posture, you focus on the moment in your actions. In this way you are more present with yourself and others and can better prioritize what is important right now. This helps you to listen and work with concentration or simply to relax.
Mindfulness enables you to better deal with negative feelings
Due to the observant attitude of the Non-values in mindfulness, it is possible to observe and accept feelings, especially negative ones, without letting them overwhelm you. You can look at your feelings from a distance and thus interrupt spirals of feelings. For example, if you are worried or afraid, you can first observe the feeling without immediately judging it as "terrible". This way you can look at it and question it. This gives you the option to take a different perspective and thus to deal better with negative feelings.
Mindfulness allows you to reduce stress
By observing what happens in the here and now, you are able to identify your personal stress factors. So you can identify your Better perceive needsto derive an appropriate action, as you no longer follow an automated stress pattern. Mindfulness also helps with emotional stress.
Being careful means neither to judge you for the past nor to worry (unnecessarily) about the future. You can ask yourself, for example, what use this concern is to you and look at it lovingly, or ask yourself what could happen in the worst case. You can use a find a solutionto calm you down and then the real situation in the present to pay attention again. Mindfulness thus also contributes to clarity in complex, stressful issues.
The practice of mindfulness must be observed: Mindfulness does not work at the touch of a buttonIt is an attitude that must be practiced in order to be successful.
Especially learning the practice of meditation is essential for this, as it has been proven to cause changes in the brain that contribute to the effects mentioned above. Neuronal changes in the brain that affect cognitive abilities and emotional Regulatory capacity as well as a proven stress reduction, are, according to the current state of the study, only visible after 8 weeks.
Mindfulness exercises can additionally support the awareness and learning experience for the respective brain regions.
Mindfulness exercises for everyday life
Mindful Standing
Stand calmly and observe the soles of your feet and feet. Pay conscious attention to how the weight is distributed on your feet and spread it evenly.
Careful walking
When walking, consciously perceive how you lift your legs with every step and make sure that you consciously roll your feet evenly. In addition to focusing on the matter at hand, you will also increase your body awareness and can - if necessary - establish more health-promoting movement patterns such as rolling your feet completely.
Mindful Eating
Take a piece of fruit, smell it and eat it slowly and enjoyably piece by piece. Chew every bite with relish and keep your attention on the piece of fruit. If other thoughts come up, try to focus on the piece of fruit again. Only bite into it again when you have completely chewed and swallowed the last piece. (This is of course also conceivable with other foods).
Careful tooth brushing
Choose an everyday exercise, such as brushing your teeth or washing your hands, which you will do regularly and which you will now repeat several times a day with full attention on this activity - without distraction.
This article is a guest contribution from Alexandra Schollmeier
I help people to get to the bottom of their stress, solve problems and relax physically and mentally.
My goal is to encourage people to recognize and use their resources and to shape their lives according to their individual values and needs.
You can find further information on alexandraschollmeier.de.
(LifeBalance Coach)
Literature:
- K.W. Brown, J.D. Creswell, R. M. Ryan: Handbook of Mindfulness. Theory, Research, and Practice. The Guilford Press. New York, 2015.
- Jon-Kabat-Tin: Healthy through mediation. The great book of self-healing with MBSR. Knaur. Munich 2013.
- Chade-Meng Tan: Search Inside Yourself. Optimize your life through mindfulness. Goldman. Munich 2012.
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