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

Leave a Reply to WLKHS2204 Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

What's being said

  • Francesco Michilli
    Posted at 14:45h, 28 February Reply

    Mindfulness helps me because it helps me calm down. Also it helps because my brain regroup and also makes me less stressed, so i can think about things with my head fully relaxed.

  • WLKHS2113
    Posted at 14:45h, 28 February Reply

    To control my negative thoughts i will usually listen to music i like or just take deep, concentrated breaths just to feel like im slowing myself down. Anything calming i’ll do.

  • WLKHS2103
    Posted at 14:42h, 28 February Reply

    I don’t really try very hard to control my negative thoughts. I more or less just suppress them.

  • WLKHS2104
    Posted at 14:42h, 28 February Reply

    Personally sometimes I get very overwhelmed when I have multiple negative thoughts and I will just let it stress me and ruin my day but now I like to write down my negative thoughts and organize them and work through them one by one on how I can change it or make it better for myself and I go over the true deepness of my negative thoughts “is it really as bad as i’m making myself think?” and most of the time the answer is no! this helps my stress substantially.

  • WLKHS2118
    Posted at 14:41h, 28 February Reply

    I think about all the positive things and only think about good outcomes and try not to think about the bad that could come out of the situation

  • WLKHS2120
    Posted at 14:39h, 28 February Reply

    For me i personally like to always think positive. But sometimes the negative thoughts occur because they happen to every individual. So when this happens I like to think that the bad moment will happen for a little while and when its over life will be great. Also if something negative happens i always tell myslef that it could always be worse. These really help me when the negative thoughts occur

  • wlkhs2415
    Posted at 17:01h, 27 February Reply

    In order to control the negative thoughts in my head, I usually take some time away from either my school work or social media and just try to relax for a little. Sometimes, this helps me just focus on myself for a little and then I am able to return to my school work or being with family and give them my full attention. Sometimes it is just better to take a break and return your focus to the issue at a later date.

1 3 4 5 6 7 12