Is Mindfulness Beneficial?

Mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment and accepting what is happening as it is.

When you hear the word “mindfulness,” you may think that you have to do proper meditation, such as sitting in zazen formation and being aware of your breathing, but actually, there are no rules as long as you can focus your mind on here and now.

Of course, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, and the like should be avoided as acts of mindfulness since they can cause physical and mental harm in consequence.

The act of accepting what is happening in the present moment as it is has been proven to have a positive effect on our body and mind.

Mindfulness can;

◎ Reduce the amount of time you spend dwelling on pessimistic and negative thoughts.

By focusing on the present moment, you spend less time thinking about things that are uncertain or painful to answer.

Negative thoughts can drive you further and further away.

Spending that time and energy into the present will lighten your heart rather than using them on rumination.

◎Reduce stress.

Focusing your mind on what is happening now will help you control your feelings.

When you are able to control your feelings, you are able to respond calmly and without reacting emotionally when something stressful happens.

This way, you will not be further stressed out by negative emotions as a reaction to stress.

◎Have a positive effect on the physical aspect.

Unfortunately, it cannot cure the disease itself, but it has been proven to reduce the mental burden caused by chronic illnesses and other conditions.

One of the many common mental problems that occur with chronic heart disease, cancer, chronic back pain sufferers, etc., is anxiety and depression.

Those mental symptoms can further exacerbate medical conditions and lower quality of life (QOL), especially the quality of well-being (HRQOL).

Mindfulness has been reported to lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression and enhance HRQOL.

This means that it can play a role in preventing medical conditions from deteriorating.

◎ Help us realize our physical and mental state.

When we are in a state of mindfulness, we are fully active in all five senses.

Therefore, we can notice unusual physical reactions through the stimuli we receive with our bodies (smells, tastes, textures, sight, how we hear sounds, etc.) and feel even better by becoming more sensitive to pleasant sensations (such as the good smell of flowers or the smooth texture of food).

We do most of the routine things while thinking about or doing something.

For example, eating while watching TV, driving while listening to music, or thinking about your next appointment while talking to someone.

This means that our minds are always preoccupied with external activities and we are unable to pay attention to within ourselves.

To be mindful only of what we are doing at the moment is a way to know our physical and mental state and to improve our feelings.

The key to mindfulness is to use all of your five senses and focus on one thing at a time.

For example, when eating a meal, choose a quiet place, smell the food, smell the texture, taste it sweet, sour, or spicy, or how the aftertaste is, etc.

Just be sensitive to everything that you feel through the five senses, and accept them as they are.

You may even try eating with the opposite hand from your dominant hand to make you more focused.

Here are some examples of activities that might help you become mindful (↓).

Try what you think you can do.

– Eat

– Drink water (coffee, tea, etc.)

– Driving

– Taking a walk

– Taking a shower

– Cleaning

– Tidying up

– Bed making

– Hanging the laundry

– Read a book 

– Deep breathing

– Body scan (focus on each part of the body to feel their condition)

– Viewing a natural landscape

– Yoga

– Workout

– Jogging

– Stretching

– Coloring

– Journaling

There are probably other things you do or want to do in your daily life.

Please try out the things that you feel are effective and continue to do them.