Unhappy and Overwhelmed? It Might Have Something To Do With Your Mind Wandering
SUMMARY:
Mindfulness is the opposite of autopilot
Benefits of mindfulness
Mindfulness practice is like a strength training for your brain
Research found correlation between mind wandering and happiness
FREE mindfulness assessment with 3 simple mindfulness practices you can do today
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
Ever drive to a routine destination like work or your kid’s school and when you reach there, you have no recollection of your drive because your mind was on autopilot?
Or you walked into a different room to grab…wait, what was it again that you went there for? Your mind was replaying that conversation you had with your coworker earlier in the day or worrying about your dog’s health. You seem to be moving through life on autopilot, busy but not getting much done, and feeling overwhelmed most of the time.
Can you relate?
THAT WORD AGAIN: “MINDFULNESS”
Mindfulness is essentially the opposite of autopilot. Mindfulness is the state of intentionally focusing our attention on the present moment in a kind, curious, and non-judgmental attitude. And what’s more, mindfulness gives you space from your thoughts and emotions.
Image Source: Positive Psychology via https://positivepsychology.com/importance-of-mindfulness/
It is a mental practice that helps you to be more aware of your internal conversations, thoughts and feelings as they come up so that you have the space and control to decide how to respond, rather than automatically reacting.
Think of mindfulness like you being a boat on the ocean. Being more mindful allows you to stay upright and balanced whether your boat is on calm waters or rough waves.
Furthermore, research has shown many other benefits of mindfulness including reduction of stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and increase in memory, compassion, and strengthening of immune function (Positive Psychology).
A STRENGTH TRAINING FOR YOUR BRAIN
Mindfulness is a simple concept, but it’s not easy. Our minds naturally want to wander. Because practicing mindfulness is a mental training, the most important thing to practicing mindfulness is consistency. Like going to the gym on a regular basis to strengthen the muscles in your body, practicing mindfulness regularly is key to experiencing its benefits.
SO HOW MINDFUL ARE YOU?
Do you have a strong ability to stay focused? Are you aware of your thoughts and external surroundings as they arise?
Research found that we spend 47% of our waking hours thinking about something other than what we’re presently doing, and this mind-wandering typically makes us unhappy. The findings suggested the frequency of time our minds leave the present moment to be a predictor of our happiness (The Harvard Gazette).
Take this FREE mindfulness assessment to get a sense of how mindful you are. Included in this assessment are 3 simple things you can do to practice mindfulness in your everyday life today.
Get the FREE Assessment & Tips here!
