Research has demonstrated many benefits associated with a regular mindfulness practice including:
Mindfulness is Not:It’s often helpful to consider what mindfulness is not:
![]() Mindfulness is simply being present and attuning to internal and external stimuli in that moment without placing value or judgment on those experiences. This sounds easy enough but is actually a skill that develops over time and requires practice. Below are some suggestions for incorporating mindfulness into your life: Try meditation. Happify, an organization that uses positive psychology, science, and technology to help individuals “lead happier, more fulfilling lives,” has an excellent video on their website to introduce mindfulness meditation and how to begin your practice. Often, when I introduce the idea of meditation, the response is, “I can’t sit still for that long” or “I just can’t focus my mind like that.” There are many different types of meditation, including prayer, focused breathing, guided meditation, and yoga nidra. Find one that’s right for you. It’s also important to remember that meditation is a practice, meaning that it takes time to develop and to reap the benefits.
These are a few ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. And remember, there is no right or wrong way to practice mindfulness. There is only your way. References Bowen, S. et al. (2014). Relative efficacy of mindfulness-based relapse prevention, standard relapse prevention, and treatment as usual for substance use disorders: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 71 (5), 547-556. Davidson, R.j., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rozenkrantz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, S.F., … Sheridan, J.F. (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65(4), 564-70. Goyal, M., Singh, S., Sibinga, E. M.S., et al. (2014). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174 (3), 357-368. Greater Good Science Center. (2017). What is mindfulness? Retrieved from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/mindfulness/definition. Heffner, K.L., Crean, H.F., & Kemp, J.E. (2016). Meditation programs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Aggregate findings from a multi-site evaluation. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 8(3). 365-74. Jacobs, I., Wollny, A., Sim, C., & Horsch, A. (2016). Mindfulness facets, trait emotional intelligence, emotional distress, and multiple health behaviors: A serial two-mediator model. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 57, 207-14. Kuyken, W. (2016). Efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in prevention of depression relapse: An individual patient data meta-analysis from randomized trials. JAMA Psychiatry, 73 (6). 565-74. Loucks, E.B., Britton, W.B., Howe, C.J., Eaton, C.B., & Buka, S.L. (2015). Positive associations of dispositional mindfulness with cardiovascular health: The new england family study. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 22, 540-550. Lutz, A., Slagter, H.A., Dunne, J.D., & Davidson, R.J. (2008). Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive Science, 12 (4), 163-9. Marchand, W.R., (2012). Mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness based cognitive therapy, and zen meditation for depression, anxiety, pain, and psychological distress. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 18 (4), 233-52. Mindful Schools. 2017. Research on mindfulness. Retrieved from https://www.mindfulschools.org/about-mindfulness/research/. Modessto-Lowe, V. et al. 2015 Does mindfulness meditation improve attention in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? World Journal of Psychiatry, 5 (4), 397-403. Morin, A. 2015. 7 scientifically proven benefits of gratitude. Retreived from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201504/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-gratitude. Neff, Kristen. 2017. What is self-compassion? Retrieved from http://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/. Tomfohr, L.M., Pung, M.A., Mills, P.J., & Edwards, K. (2015). Trait mindfulness is associated with blood pressure and interleukin-6: Exploring interactions among subscales of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire to better understand relationships between mindfulness and health. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 38, 28-38. Wagner, W. G. (2008). Counseling, psychology, and children. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Wong, S.Y. et al. (2016). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy v. group psychoeducation for people with generalized anxiety disorder: Randomized controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 209 (1), 68-75.
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