Have you heard of the word Mindfulness? It is a popular buzz word in the mental health field right now but the concept has been around for a long time. It is often associated with yoga, deep breathing, and meditation. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Mindfulness is: 1) the quality or state of being mindful; 2) the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis; also: such a state of awareness.
In this every changing, technological, fast paced world, we are constantly and consistently bombarded with information. It can be overwhelming and stressful. We can easily get “sucked” into the spiral of busyness. We all reach a point where we need to take a step back and take a breathe. Do that now: take a deep breath in and then slowly release your breath, pushing all the stress out of your body. Do this a few more times, envisioning yourself breathing in light, goodness, happiness, peace. Breath out stress, darkness, struggles. Did your body relax a little?
There are physiological benefits to deep breathing. There is also a benefit to not struggling with the past or future but staying in the “moment.” We cannot do anything about the past and we do not know the future. We do have ability to control the present. You are breathing in the present. You can let all the challenges, struggles, stressful thoughts drift through your mind and bring yourself back to the present. You decide and choose to be present and enjoy the moment. Feel at peace.
May your path be filled with deep breaths and being present!