It seems simple. But many think that “it’s too hard” or “they don’t have the time.”
Stopping. Pausing. Paying attention on purpose without judging yourself.
The accumulating scientific evidence of mindfulness suggests that the investment may be small compared to the big benefits you could experience.
Several studies (see references below) have shown mindfulness, as a habit, not only benefits your overall well-being, it can positively support your life in many specific areas, including:
Physical Benefits
If greater overall well-being isn’t enough incentive to practice mindfulness, studies have shown that the act of paying attention in the present moment can have physical benefits. While not a simple fix or substitute for medical care, mindfulness meditation can help lower blood pressure, improve sleep, improve heart health, and evoke a stronger immune response.
Emotional Benefits
Part of paying mindful attention to your mind and body is that it helps support emotional regulation. Instead of attempting to change emotional experiences, you can see them for what they are - information. Then it’s a matter of how you use and respond to the information.
Emotional benefits of mindfulness practice include greater stress resilience, improved mood, reduced anxiety and depression, and greater empathy.
Mental Benefits
It’s common knowledge that physical exercise benefits the body. Mindfulness meditation is an exercise for your brain. Just as with physical exercise, it can get easier as you go along; you get stronger and can end up with positive results you didn't expect.
The scientifically-proven mental benefits of improved attention, greater creativity, better memory, reduced bias, and increased grey matter in the brain can have a great impact on your day-to-day life.
Behavioral benefits
Have you ever thought, "That's just the way I am," when it comes to how you act? As in: I'm impatient. I get angry easily. And so on.
Mindfulness helps you recognize that you are at choice when it comes to your behavior. So, instead of reacting, you have the opportunity to come off autopilot and use awareness to pause, think and respond. Behavioral shifts resulting from mindfulness practice include less reactivity, greater persistence, more ethical behavior, and greater patience.
Which one of these life areas would you most like to influence for yourself?
If you are ready to learn how to lead a more mindful life or add mindfulness to your organization, schedule a complimentary call to learn more.
References:
For reviews, see Ryan & Creswell (2007), Glomb et al. (2011), Good et al. (2016), and Black & Slavich (2016).
