Huffington Magazine Issue 84 | Page 62

Exit scripture. Buddhist philosophy developed an entire science of training the unruly mind to help anyone overcome its constant fluctuations to achieve stillness, and eventually, enlightenment. But even if it’s not enlightenment you’re after, developing a good relationship with your mind is critical to building a life that is successful on your own terms. Here are nine habits of mind to start cultivating right now for less stress, more creativity, less distraction and more enjoyment in life. MAKE TIME FOR STILLNESS. Meditation has been around for thousands of years, and it’s perhaps the single most powerful tool out there for gaining mastery over your mind. The mental health benefits of meditation are virtually endless, from addiction recovery to reduced anxiety and depression to enhanced creativity and improved cognitive function. Meditation can actually increase neuroplasticity, making it possible to literally rewire the brain. “Meditation research, particularly in the last 10 years or so, has shown to be very promising because it points to an ability of THE THIRD METRIC HUFFINGTON 01.19.14 the brain to change and optimize in a way we didn’t know previously was possible,” neuroscience researcher Zoran Josipovic, who has conducted brain-imaging studies on Buddhist monks, told the BBC in 2011. PURSUE MEANING OVER PLEASURE. Not all happiness is created equal, and in your own pursuit of joy and bliss, keep in mind that Whether they realize it or not, people often approach computers and tablets with a state of mind less conducive to learning than the one they bring to paper.” the type of happiness you’re after can make all the difference. A recent UCLA study found that eudaimonic happiness — that which was linked to having a larger purpose or sense of meaning in life — was linked with healthy gene activity, whereas hedonic, or pleasure-seeking, happiness was not. Those who were happy because they had a sense of purpose in life had lower inflammatory gene expression and higher anti-