mindfulness
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Timaru
Posts: 3
mindfulness
Does anyone out there have any experience/advice around using mindfulness as a technique to deal with unhelpful thoughts? I have been recommended to give it a try and really wanted to know if it works and how difficult it is. I have read a bit about it and it seems a bit tricky?? I am really interested in your thoughts… Thanks
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 590
I have enough experience to know that it helps me. I do simple things like focusing on the sound my boots make when I walk, allowing myself to hear the sound of birds. And even noticing the vibration on my feet when I'm on my bike.
There is more to mindfulness than this however even simple things like those can make a big difference in keeping thoughts in check, and in order.
I think you may be trying to read difficulty into it, which may be why you're finding it complex.
Good luck and never give up.
There is more to mindfulness than this however even simple things like those can make a big difference in keeping thoughts in check, and in order.
I think you may be trying to read difficulty into it, which may be why you're finding it complex.
Good luck and never give up.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 190
I've been recommended to do mindfulness, and it seems like a great tool that applies in maaaannnyyy areas in life!
One thing that I think is super key about it is the non--judgemental aspect. It's like observing your thoughts as clouds in the sky passing by without reaching out to grab or follow them, and without judging yourself for having them, or for feeling like it's hard.
It will take practice! There are some audio minfulness things out there for free as well!
Good luck! Definitely give it a try! It's ok if it's hard, no one starts out perfect!
One thing that I think is super key about it is the non--judgemental aspect. It's like observing your thoughts as clouds in the sky passing by without reaching out to grab or follow them, and without judging yourself for having them, or for feeling like it's hard.
It will take practice! There are some audio minfulness things out there for free as well!
Good luck! Definitely give it a try! It's ok if it's hard, no one starts out perfect!
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 770
I had a great teacher once at my comminute college and this was an optional assignment :
Practice three different kinds of mindfulness for a week and write about it.
No joke I lost weight by practicing mindfulness while eating (which meant no eating in front of the tv, which meant I only ate about a quarter of what I normally ate)
I have ptsd so the body awareness that comes with mindfulness felt extra helpful to me. It was also very helpful practice because I am so judgmental of myself and am easily my biggest critic while being everyone else's biggest cheerleader.
Min fulness really helps me just notice the judgements - with out getting hard on myself for being hard on myself
I feel like moving , Tai chi, walks, stretching , body scans, awareness exercises are the easiest for me. Easier then sit down type meditation
Practice three different kinds of mindfulness for a week and write about it.
No joke I lost weight by practicing mindfulness while eating (which meant no eating in front of the tv, which meant I only ate about a quarter of what I normally ate)
I have ptsd so the body awareness that comes with mindfulness felt extra helpful to me. It was also very helpful practice because I am so judgmental of myself and am easily my biggest critic while being everyone else's biggest cheerleader.
Min fulness really helps me just notice the judgements - with out getting hard on myself for being hard on myself
I feel like moving , Tai chi, walks, stretching , body scans, awareness exercises are the easiest for me. Easier then sit down type meditation
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 770
I had a great teacher once at my comminute college and this was an optional assignment :
Practice three different kinds of mindfulness for a week and write about it.
No joke I lost weight by practicing mindfulness while eating (which meant no eating in front of the tv, which meant I only ate about a quarter of what I normally ate)
I have ptsd so the body awareness that comes with mindfulness felt extra helpful to me. It was also very helpful practice because I am so judgmental of myself and am easily my biggest critic while being everyone else's biggest cheerleader.
Min fulness really helps me just notice the judgements - with out getting hard on myself for being hard on myself
I feel like moving , Tai chi, walks, stretching , body scans, awareness exercises are the easiest for me. Easier then sit down type meditation
Practice three different kinds of mindfulness for a week and write about it.
No joke I lost weight by practicing mindfulness while eating (which meant no eating in front of the tv, which meant I only ate about a quarter of what I normally ate)
I have ptsd so the body awareness that comes with mindfulness felt extra helpful to me. It was also very helpful practice because I am so judgmental of myself and am easily my biggest critic while being everyone else's biggest cheerleader.
Min fulness really helps me just notice the judgements - with out getting hard on myself for being hard on myself
I feel like moving , Tai chi, walks, stretching , body scans, awareness exercises are the easiest for me. Easier then sit down type meditation
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 48
I go to two therapist and my addiction one is always talking about mindfulness and I just feel like I can't stop my thoughts I always bounce from one thing to the next..."Squirrel!!!" I have a few books on it and my other (new only been twice) is going to start DBT with me. But I so want to work on mindfulness I think it would help so much
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
I am a super newbie but I love the concept of mindfulness I find breathing practising to breath properly I have slight asthma so its helping me with that too I think
There will be others who know a lot more on this than I do
Good luck & good on you
There will be others who know a lot more on this than I do
Good luck & good on you
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 25
I did a dbt program, which is just a fancy scientific way to say mindfulness.
Greeneyed - it's ok to not be able to stop your thoughts. The fact that you are noticing them is the first step. Notice them, then let them float away and re-focus on your breathing. Another one will surely come, but just repeat the process: notice it, then let it go.
What I really like about dbt/mindfulness is that there is actual legit science to back it up, based on brain scans. It really really works. My therapist told me when I was going through dbt that it's completely ok to have these thoughts jumping in. The point isn't to rid ourselves of our thoughts. The point is to notice them and then re-focus on breathing (or whatever else you're trying to focus on). Every time you re-focus, you're training your brain. In other words, the action of re-focussing your thoughts is the goal and the real "work" of the whole thing. If you didn't have any thoughts then you couldn't actually do mindfulness.
I'm no expert at all but I'm trying to get into a daily mindfulness practice again. I find I'm more likely to drink if I'm not really "with" myself. By being connected to myself I can make the choices that I truly want (to not drink).
I use SMART because it is essentially dbt/mindfulness. A lot of the exercises are the same for both therapies. Kills 2 birds with 1 stone.
Greeneyed - it's ok to not be able to stop your thoughts. The fact that you are noticing them is the first step. Notice them, then let them float away and re-focus on your breathing. Another one will surely come, but just repeat the process: notice it, then let it go.
What I really like about dbt/mindfulness is that there is actual legit science to back it up, based on brain scans. It really really works. My therapist told me when I was going through dbt that it's completely ok to have these thoughts jumping in. The point isn't to rid ourselves of our thoughts. The point is to notice them and then re-focus on breathing (or whatever else you're trying to focus on). Every time you re-focus, you're training your brain. In other words, the action of re-focussing your thoughts is the goal and the real "work" of the whole thing. If you didn't have any thoughts then you couldn't actually do mindfulness.
I'm no expert at all but I'm trying to get into a daily mindfulness practice again. I find I'm more likely to drink if I'm not really "with" myself. By being connected to myself I can make the choices that I truly want (to not drink).
I use SMART because it is essentially dbt/mindfulness. A lot of the exercises are the same for both therapies. Kills 2 birds with 1 stone.
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