Mindfulness

     

Mindfulness brings about a refreshing clearness to life and the visions I have for myself and the life I choose to live.

Mindfulness brings mental and emotional warmth, the kind you physically feel when you drink a warm cup of coffee or tea on a bitter winter day. 

Mindfulness brings laughter, expression, and understanding. 

Mindfulness brings self awareness and self worth allowing you to grow to your full potential and capacities. 

Mindfulness brings peace of mind, body, and soul to connect your whole being. 

Mindfulness bring balance. 

     Over the last six or so weeks I have been sharing with here on my blog the struggles I have been facing with my depression and anxiety battle. Last week I shared that the situation seemed out of control and in some regards felt unmanageable and I enlisted help from many others around me to find strength and perseverance in the never ending journey to find balance within myself. As many of you who struggle with depression, anxiety, or any battle for that matter know it is a process that is forever evolving, growing, and moving forward even if you are not ready for it to. 

    I had been introduced to mindfulness and the practice of guided mindfulness meditation over two years ago when I started seeing my current therapist. She had introduced me to it at one of my very first sessions with her. The first time I went through the exercise of a 20 breath mindfulness practice I felt odd, stupid, and honestly wasn't sure how in the world this was helping me at all but here I am two years later going through a 10 to 30 minute mindfulness practice each day. Some days twice a day. This time spent in a relaxed but fully awake and aware state allows me the chance to connect all parts of me together. As I begin balancing and connecting mind, body, and soul together I become fully aware of what my body, mind, and soul is telling me I need and things I may want. I become fully aware of each emotion I feel and can recognize the emotion and decide how I want to handle it; do I acknowledge it or do I let it go. It refreshes me and connects me to a relaxation and fully awareness of self. 

    I hadn't been using this technique much over the last 6 weeks until this week after seeing my therapist this weekend. While with her this weekend we worked through mindfulness exercises that helped me to reconnect with my very unconnected self. As I have continued to practice mindfulness each day through guided mindfulness and through momentary practices in my daily life I can feel myself connecting and putting my body, mind and soul back together so I am aware of what I need, for me to be healthy and happy. 

   I am sure to some of you reading this it sounds crazy, trust me I was in the same place not that long ago but I promise with patience, perseverance, and education on how to best utilize this technique in your every day life you can find amazing benefits. For anyone interested I am currently using a guided mindfulness meditation track from Jon Kabat- Zinn called Guided mindfulness meditation series 2. He has many different guided practices that you can find on iTunes or amazon. Take a peek! I promise if you are truly invest in it, it won't disappoint. Throughout the next week find time to connect with your body, mind, and soul.