FITNESS & BODY
HEALTHY
BEAUTY
· DECEMBER
· DECEMBER
2018
2018
THE POWER OF
MINDFULLNESS
M
any people assume that mindfulness is a New Age fad that offers nothing to
them as far as improving their lives. They may know it's about being aware
of what's happening at this very moment and paying great attention to our
thoughts and emotions in regards to it, but many people don't realize that
mindfulness can keep us from overreacting and being overwhelmed. This is why
mindfulness has such a positive impact on those who practice it.
Think about the opposite end of the spectrum. Think about what it must be like to live with
constant regrets about the past and worries about the future. It may be difficult to imagine
focusing, or even wanting to focus, on the here-and-now when your mind and body are anything
but at peace. Leading healthcare professionals believe that through the practice of
mindfulness, they can reverse, or at the very least lessen, the stress patients may
be experiencing.
WHY ARE THEY SO OPTIMISTIC?
Well, because studies have shown the positive effects of slowing down
and embracing mindfulness and all it has to offer. It is profoundly healing
and can assist in the prevention of disease as well as its diagnosis and
treatment. It will help patients as they go through palliative care and, if
practiced by family members and caregivers, it can make the entire troubling
situation less troubling for all.
SO HOW DOES
MINDFULNESS HEAL?
By going into a deep state of mindfulness, making yourself push
away the negativity and irrational thoughts or stressors, the mind goes in
search of internal resources that ease the tension. When we begin to alleviate
that tension, the physical ailments all but disappear. It can promote
healing and peace in our lives. Knowing that there's someplace to
compartmentalize all that ails us sparks a shift in the way we think
and the way we carry ourselves.
Mindfulness gives our minds the feeling of spaciousness, which
promotes clarity. It's a signal for your mind and body to release
stress and find its center, a new starting point with your eyes
and mind wide open. It becomes the foundation to help patients
make good decisions and navigate all that is stressing them.
Another important benefit is that mindfulness will allow you
to have less emotional reactivity and more stability
of mind. Not overreacting emotionally helps
bring greater clarity. It's a new way
of being in this world and being in
control of how your mind and
body react to stressors.
By Julia Jaramillo
28 HEALTHY MAGAZINE