How does mindfulness help me?

Mindfulness is a way to stay focused in the present because too often our minds become cluttered with the distractions of modern life. Just like Harrison, many people may feel overwhelmed at times. Ask yourself: How much time do you spend thinking about the past? How much time do you spend worrying about the future? A lot? Well that’s totally normal!!! But we don’t want to forget about the present because the present matters too. We want to be able to enjoy and live fully in the present moment and this is what mindfulness helps us to do.

People who regularly practice mindfulness will tell you how much more in control of their lives and calm it makes them feel. But don’t just take their word for it. Scientific research shows that mindfulness makes people happier and healthier; it lowers blood pressure and cortisol levels, increases immune response, improves sleep and even enhances creativity. (source: https://mindfulnessinschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/MiSP-Research-Summary-2012.pdf)

In fact for people suffering from depression, when mindfulness was combined with CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy – the best known counseling treatment for depression), the combination resulted in the same improvements that would have been seen from taking an antidepressant.

Not enough proof that mindfulness works? Well how about actual changes in your brain? MRI scans (Magnetic Resonating Images – like a super x-ray without the nasty side effects) show that meditating for a half hour daily can increase grey matter density (our brain cells) in an area essential for focus, memory and comprehension. Prior research showed monks (who have meditated for approximately 10,000 plus hours) had extraordinary growth and activity in this part of the brain.

But how exactly can mindfulness help you in your daily life? Mindfulness helps the average person to stay on task because it trains the brain to stay focused. Moreover, it helps the average person to be less controlled by his/her thoughts, which in turn causes a decrease in anxiety and stress.

In fact 163 studies show that mindfulness lowers anxiety levels. How? Largely by being able to stay focused on the present moment and to not be controlled by negative thoughts. Mindfulness teaches the brain that when a negative thought pops into your head, you don’t have to be overwhelmed by it. Instead, it becomes just another thought, one that you can choose to pay attention to, or one you can ignore. Settling the mind like this changes, for the better, the actual size of the brain area that promotes fear, anxiety and paranoia – the amygdala. Yes, you read that right – mindfulness helps shrink the area of your brain that promotes anxiety! (Source: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/what-does-mindfulness-meditation-do-to-your-brain/)

Post Question:

What do you do to control the negative thoughts in your head?

Answer the post question here

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What's being said

  • WLKHS2308
    Posted at 15:19h, 02 March Reply

    I control my negative thoughts by using them as motivation to get better and work harder. For example say i get a bad grade i don’t dwell on it i instead learn and work harder to get a higher grade on the next test.

  • WLKHS2322
    Posted at 15:14h, 02 March Reply

    mindfulness helps me because sometimes i spend a lot of the time worrying about anything, and in order for it to stop i have to get the stuff im worrying about done or at least sort through it. but mindfulness is helpful sometimes because i realize there is no need to be worrying so i stop.

  • WLKHS2313
    Posted at 15:10h, 02 March Reply

    In order to control the negative thoughts in my head, I try to focus on the happy things in life and I try to surround myself by the people that make me happy. In order for my to try and get rid of all of the negative thoughts in my head, its important for me to distract myself.

  • WLKHS2309
    Posted at 15:06h, 02 March Reply

    When I have negative thoughts in my head I try to do other things to get my mind of those thoughts. For example I would go outside and play lacrosse, listen to music,watch a move anything to help be over come those bad thoughts. When I have these thoughts I have to be mindful about how I am feeling and try to change the way I see these bad thoughts.

  • WLKHS2310
    Posted at 15:05h, 02 March Reply

    The things that I do to control the negative thoughts in my head is to think about positive thoughts, go on a walk, playing basketball, or working out. Thinking about positive thoughts helps me because it makes the negative thoughts disappear and it fills my mind with happiness . Also, going on a walk clears my mind, it helps to get fresh air and look at nature. Playing basketball or working out helps me because it takes my mind of the negative thoughts and it fills my mind with the things I am doing at that moment.

  • wlkhs2321
    Posted at 15:05h, 02 March Reply

    I take walks, I try my hardest to think positive, sometimes I listen to music, i talk to friends.

  • wlkhs2312
    Posted at 15:03h, 02 March Reply

    To control the negative thoughts in my head I usually think about the blessings in my life or the good things and fun events that are upcoming. This helps me because me as a person loves to daydream and daydreaming about happy things and things that make me happy gives me peace of mind.

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