Action4Balance

If you are a regular visitor here am I sure that you have learned many effective stress management techniques.

Do you practice them? At least some? At least ‘perfect’ antistress longevity lifestyle basic pillars?

(Need help in holding you accountable contact me at info@action4balance.com)

But are you really able to empty your mind, be here and now and fully enjoy your destress activity or enjoy a healthy meal? Or your mind constantly wanders and is bombarded with endless thoughts?

Have you noticed that much of your stress comes from thinking about the past or worrying about the future?

Mindfulness - the ability to focus on increasing present moment, the here and now experience, which is the foundation for a mindfulness based stress reduction is the topic of this entry.

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness," writes Victor Frankl in Man's Search for Meaning

You too have choice - choice to decide what thoughts to think and what actions to take, choice to be mindless aka reactive or be mindfull aka pro-active in order to create the life you desire.

Have you noticed that much of your stress comes from thinking about the past or worrying about the future? Much of your stress is self induced, indeed.

When you allow your negative thoughts to reign and yourself to be unaware of your daily choices and responses, you are living mindlessly.

You live in a reactive manner, only accumulating extra stress and letting it damage your health, personal and professional life.

When you learn to live mindfully, you learn to observe your behavior, thoughts and reactions to the challenges in your lives.

When you live mindfully - in the present moment, and your attention is focused on what you are doing here and right now, there is no space for worries, fears, desires, or anything that could be stressful.

Mindfulness is a proven remedy against the downward spiral caused by automatic negative thoughts - well known stress trigger.

Mindfullness allows you to catch yourself before you go into a habitual reaction that leads to stress.

Rather than getting stuck in reactivity, you should breath, pause and make new choices about how to respond. Be pro active instead of reactive.

There always is a choice. Make those that bring you healthier thinking, relaxation, connection with others.

Take Action:

Try this mindfulness meditation - walk mindfully.

Most of you cover long distances daily. This makes walking a good opportunity to practice mindfulness.

1. Stand up, relax your abdominal muscles. Take several deep breaths. Mentally repeat the word "in" with each inhalation and "out" with each exhalation.
2. Start walking. Pay attention to your breathing and your steps.
3. When any thoughts interrupt your focus, make a mental note of this and return to your walking and breathing.
4. Pay attention to your sensations of walking. Notice which muscle contracts, which relaxes. Other feelings in your body. Notice the ground texture - is it hard of soft. Become aware of rocks, trees, flowers, animals, cars, smells, sights and different people.
5.Don't think your thought, catch them and let them go.

Any simple activity can become a meditation when you try to continuously focus your attention on it.

You can practice mindfulness when you brush your teeth or wash dishes or ear your healthy colorful meal.

Don't let any thoughts to distract you - note them and then go back to the task with renewed concentration.

There is nothing to be achieved. There is only observation.

For a great stress relieving mindfulness meditation audio session, try the Mindful Living: A Collection of Teachings on Love, Mindfulness, and Meditation

Recommended Reading:

Full Catastrophe Living by Kabat-Zinn, Jon, the creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Related entry:

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - Stay Here and Now.

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