4 Common Misunderstandings About Mindfulness
Recently, I delivered a Mindfulness workshop for national athletes on “How Mindfulness Practices Help Athletes”.
Before the workshop, I interviewed some of the athletes to understand their needs. During those interviews, I realized that there is confusion on “what Mindfulness is” and most importantly on “what Mindfulness is NOT”.
It made me realize most people are confused about the term ‘Mindfulness’ regarding what they see on social media.
Due to the bombardment of social media posts promoting “happiness at all costs”, we see Mindfulness as an easy way to immediate gratification.
Therefore, in this newsletter, I want to share my thoughts on this misunderstanding.
What is Mindfulness?
In basic terms “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we're doing”. It is an easy concept to say “I am fully present NOW” however it is really hard to apply.
Why? Because our mind is often thinking of the PAST events and finding ways to stay in regret, resentment, or failure. We do this with thoughts like, “I wish I didn’t tell him that”, “I could have done better” , and ”how could she do this to me”.
If we are not in the past, then we are thinking about the FUTURE which creates stress and anxiety. “Will I get a promotion”, “I don’t want to see her, how should I behave in the meeting with her”…
This is why the ability to be fully present NOW requires real effort. We simply need to be mindful of it and train our brains.
What Mindfulness is NOT?
It is NOT “being positive and happy all the time”
It is amazing to have a positive attitude towards life and mindfulness. Healing modalities help you to build this attitude over time. However, life goes on and we will have all the emotions like sadness or anger. Mindfulness can help you to navigate those challenges so that you don’t feel stuck there and move on with ease.
It is NOT “I have figured everything out, I am mindful and I am done”
I wish it was possible to figure out everything in our healing journey 😊 However the reality is that self-development is a journey, not an end goal. Sometimes people expect that they will also be calm once they practice a couple of meditations and they blame the model when that doesn’t happen.
Mindfulness practices can help you navigate life at every stage. Mindfulness is a tool, not a one-stop solution.
It is NOT “a ritual”
Rather than a ritual, it is a technique that you can use anytime and anywhere.
Mindfulness or healing practices should be able to help you at any time in your busy daily life. An example of this could be a 3-minute mindfulness meditation that helps you ground and balance yourself before a heavy meeting. Rituals are great when you have time for self-care, however, you should have a toolbox of practices that you can use anytime and anywhere. The win here is to use them when you need the most.
It is NOT “a religion”
Most people are confused in thinking that Mindfulness is related to Buddhism and promotes a religious activity. It is true that some of the techniques like meditation are related to Buddhist philosophy however, the way Mindfulness is used for mental health and wellness is far from any religious practice. I see deeper alignment and permanent results when my clients combine Mindfulness techniques with their own spiritual practices and faith.
🌷 April is the month when trees and flowers begin to open and bloom, I hope you are enjoying the view. The word April comes from the Latin root of “aperire” which means open. The energies here are helping us to open our hearts and start new beginnings.
If you are also willing to open your heart to a healing journey, lets chat. Book a free call here to explore if this spring is the right time for you. 🌼