Our minds are constantly reminiscing about the past or worrying about the future. Very few people know how to live in the present. Mindfulness can help people become more aware of the here and now. Knowing that life can only be lived in the present moment should be a great incentive to try mindfulness and incorporate it into every aspect of our lives. The more aware we are of ourselves and our relationships, the better we can interact with the world within us and the world around us.  

One easy way to practice mindfulness in your everyday life is to pay attention to your breathing and bring yourself back to the present when you are feeling stressed. Taking the time to do a body scan can give you crucial information on things that you might be feeling just below the surface of your consciousness. You can also practice self-inquiry mindfulness which gives you a deeper understanding of your fears and triggers. Lastly, mindfulness helps you to observe your mind and your thoughts. You also learn that just because a thought comes to your mind doesn’t make it true.  

Self-reflection is important because it gives you a deeper understanding of your emotions. Self-inquiry is different from self-reflection. Self-inquiry means staying with feelings without trying to analyze them, suppress them, or make them go away. Instead, you acknowledge those feelings, and you give yourself permission to feel those things. Even if it feels scary or counterproductive. By doing this, you can help to dissipate them. Society has taught us that we need to do everything we can to be comfortable and soothe. Everything needs to be picture perfect, so we need to hide the things that are less than perfect, including feelings. The more you sink into those uncomfortable feelings, the more you will be able to see what’s the feelings. You might find out that your fear is disguising itself as anger for protection.  

When you practice mindfulness, you are able to be aware of your thoughts and see what needs you are trying to fill. You can look deeper and see what emerges. You become aware of your inner rules and judgements. You realize why you do certain things in different situations. You can then decide whether you are handling a situation the best way possible. The more information you have, the better your decisions.  

Hopefully this week’s blog can show you the benefits of self-reflection and makes you curious enough to try it for yourself. 

For more information, please check the following resource.  

Stahl, B., & Goldstein, E. (2019). A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.