The Power of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a conscious decision to be present with your attention. It’s about having control of your thoughts and managing your emotions.
It’s a way to bring peace into your life by starting with yourself and what you can control. It’s about finding the calm while you’re amidst the storm.
It’s a strategy for life and a powerful one.
The mind is just like a muscle –
the more your exercise it, the stronger it gets and the more it can expand.
~ Idowu Koyenikan ~
I was introduced to Mindfulness through a 6-week course I did 4 years ago called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn developed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and it’s now offered around the world. It completely changed my life and helped me tremendously during an incredibly stressful period in my past.
What it provides is:
- The opportunity to practice compassion and self love
- Allowing yourself to observe and not judge your thoughts
- Emotional management
- Deep listening for what’s really going on
- New and positive thought patterns
If you’d like to explore Mindfulness here are some resources I recommend:
- Insight Timer App – Provides thousands of mindfulness meditations for free
- www.mindful.org
- John Kabat Zinn – Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) – look for one in your area