Mindfulness.
You’ve probably heard this word before. It’s rather popular at the moment, and the term is regularly bashed around.
I bet you’ve got a fair idea of what mindfulness is. For this reason, I won’t launch myself into a literature review. Just to clarify, for those who aren’t familiar:
Mindfulness is living in the moment.
Let me explain…
Most of the time, we aren’t actually present in the current moment. For example, when you’re at the pub with your friends, you might actually be thinking about all the work you have to do tomorrow (living in the future), or how you should have finished that essay before you went out on the town (living in the past). Mindfulness helps you to live in the only moment that really exists: the present one. This helps you to keep ruminating thoughts about the past (which feed depression) at bay, and ward off anxious thoughts about the future.
How it’s done…
There’s loads of ways to practice mindfulness, but for now, let’s start with something really simple. A while ago, I went through a ‘rough patch’ and saw a psychologist. She told me to concentrate on my breath; such as how it feels in my nose, my mouth, my chest etc… and really concentrate on those feelings. She told me to breathe deeply and imagine how it feels to get oxygen to my tense muscles. She also suggested that I think about how the ground feels under my feet, or which parts of my legs are touching the settee.
This takes you away from ‘cognitive overdrive’ and reminds you of the presence of the rest of you- that you are made up of more than just thoughts! It brings you back to RIGHT NOW.
I love this technique because it can be done without anyone knowing you’re doing it, like a special ‘secret weapon’ against stress. What’s more, you can do it anywhere, any time: on the train, in the pub, right before an exam…
Remember though, it is a new skill, and therefore takes practice! The more you do it, the more effective it will be for you! If you start now, you’ll be a ‘pro’ by the January deadlines!
Enjoy living in the moment :-)
By Megan Bean
