What Is The Point Of Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the simple practice of paying attention to the world around you in a particular way; on purpose, without judgment and always in the present moment. As a Waikiki therapist, I often encourage patients to incorporate this practice into their daily routine.

Waikiki Therapist

There’s been a lot of talk of mindfulness in the psychology world, but many of you may be wondering what the point is of this practice? What benefits does mindfulness have to offer?

First, let’s take a moment to talk about the origin of mindfulness. The ancient art of practicing mindfulness has roots in Buddhism. The goal of this practice is to redirect your thoughts away from your usual preoccupations and toward the present moment to appreciate the world around you.

What can mindfulness do for you?

Improve Your Well-Being

Mindfulness helps improve your overall well-being by allowing you to savor each moment as it happens, rather than allowing your thoughts to wander towards the future or the past. Always being aware of and mindful of the present moment also allows you to become fully immersed in activities and allows you to handle adverse events with greater ease.

Simply put, focusing on the present moment prevents you from getting caught up in worries about the future or regrets of the past. You become less preoccupied with self-esteem and your goals of achieving success. You are better able to form deeper, more meaningful connections with others.

Improve Your Mental Health

In recent years, mindfulness meditation has been incorporated into treatments for a variety of mental health issues, including:

• Substance abuse
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Eating disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

How can mindfulness help patients overcome these difficult conditions? Experts believe that part of the reason why mindfulness is so effective is because it allows people to accept their experiences, including their painful emotions, rather than just reacting to them in a negative way or avoiding them altogether.

Improve Your Physical Health

Studies have also found that mindfulness techniques actually offer physical benefits as well. Incorporating this practice into your daily routine can help:

• Alleviate stress
• Improve chronic pain
• Aid in the treatment of heart disease
• Improve your quality of sleep
• Lower your blood pressure
• Alleviate digestive and gastrointestinal issues

Therapist in Waikiki, HI

While mindfulness appears to be simple in practice, it is a technique that is difficult to master. Becoming aware of the present moment and driving your thoughts away from worries about the future or regrets of the past requires a consistent, daily practice to reap all of the benefits listed above. If you are interested in speaking with a Waikiki Therapist, contact East West Therapy today by calling (213) 880-8262.