Bringing Mindfulness to Life

This blog post comes courtesy of Sleepopolis.

by Josh Hurst

Oftentimes, anxiety makes its way into our daily lives. It could be the result of work stress, difficult relationships, a sudden move, or a tragedy. And although this anxiety manifests in different ways, one common result is insomnia.

If absence makes the heart grow fonder, what happens when everyone’s presence is constantly felt? Obviously we love our family members, but the simple fact is, spending most (or all) of your time together at home can leave you all feeling a little crazy. We all need time alone, a chance to let out stress, and the resources to battle cabin fever. Without these options, it’s easy to find ourselves in the red zone.

I took an unbiased look at my own behaviors, especially the ones that I’m not particularly proud of, and they are indeed based on trauma that has come back as a reaction not a memory, as Bessel van der Kolk explains in his work.  It’s so easy to lose our rational voice when we are suffering. 

“I don’t meditate because I’m not good at it.”  I’ve heard this countless times and my reply is always, “the reason I meditate is because I’m not good at it.”

Recently adversity seems to be the name of the game and it takes a lot to survive it.  It's everywhere we look.  Sometimes it's hard to feel the difference between drowning and swimming, but hope can't be lost.

Technology and information have evolved at an incredible rate.  Everything is available to us at all hours of the day and the content never ends.  You could read or watch for millions of years and still not digest it all.  The human brain isn’t wired to handle this extreme overload, especially the fragile brain of a child.  Taking breaks to allow the brain to heal and process our world is essential.  

We can only control the present moment.  If we set our worries and regrets aside to grant ourselves and others peace through love, it’s hard to find a downside.  The more positivity and compassion we can send out, the less suffocating negative experiences will feel.  Here's a way to start that practice!

Mindfulness and meditation practices have just recently been scientifically explored for mental health benefits, and studies have shown mindfulness interventions very effective in their ability to decrease fear of negative emotions and increase willingness to experience such emotions.

You don’t have to suffer with full-blown insomnia to feel the ill-effects of a bad night either, as sleep disturbances can have just as big of an impact on your daytime mood and energy levels - often happening for no apparent reason. All very frustrating, you’d probably agree, however, if you’re someone who suffers from broken sleep or have a child who does, you shouldn’t despair, as there is a helpful solution.   

The stresses and strains of daily life take a toll on us all and while this is not news to anyone, the effect it is having on the youth of today is perhaps not as well-documented. The over-stimulation by 21st-century technology combined with lives spent with little or no downtime is leaving the minds of children tired, anxious and depressed.

There’s little doubt that empathy is a good quality for a person to have, but is it an ability that you simply have or you don’t? Well, there is evidence that rather than being something that’s just in the genes, empathy is an ability that can be developed through meditation and mindfulness techniques - that’s according to a report published in the Journal of Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.

The great thing about meditation is that it’s accessible to everyone and it’s simple. The misconception of meditation only being for hippies, yoga gurus, or Silicon Valley executives is something that’s stopping so many from enjoying the benefits of a mindfulness practice.