Benefits of Mindfulness
As we continue to explore this topic I would like to direct our attention now to the benefits of mindfulness meditation. Certainly, they are numerous and vary in form.
It has been my personal experience that these practices have resulted in an increased ability to self-regulate even the most severe blunder of emotional interruption. This is often described as feeling "hi-jacked by your emotions." As a sensitive individual living with various forms of mental illness I can admit this happens early and often. Mindfulness has allowed me to regain some control over the chaos, and even remain somewhat objective. This does not alleviate the suffering, but it allows me to detect patterns and prepare accordingly.
*It is important to note here that ANYONE can benefit from Mindfulness, and it is not somehow restricted for the mentally or chronically ill.
Additionally, I have noticed a noteworthy increase in resilience toward stress. As someone who has a long and detailed history of poor coping skills, this has become invaluable for my wellness.
Most beneficial of all has been the ability to take life one day at a time, and avoid the big picture. I think we spend a great deal of energy worrying about potential stressors, what-if's, and why-me's that ultimately lead to a less productive outcome. We can not participate in our own happiness if our state of mind is constantly clouded by worrisome clutter. This is the greatest injustice and misuse of imagination.
Indeed there are sleep-related and dietary benefits as well. My insomnia has improved, and as a woman who often indulges in junk food, awareness has afforded me the decision as mine. I am currently working on reducing emotional eating. That said, you will have set backs, road blocks, and challenges while practicing mindfulness- and that's okay. These are all growing pains to a better and stronger you!
Please list your personal health benefits below.
Additional reading from a trusted source-
Benefits of Mindfulness: Practices for Improving Emotional and Physical Well-Being
Mindfulness mediation has helped me a lot personally
Prior to becoming a listener, I joined the site as a member. My issues that I struggled to manage at the time were all related to anxiety.
Mindfulness is part of my daily psychological fitness routine. With anxiety, I found that two things were true. Firstly, focusing significantly on the future. Secondly, my mind constantly whirring at break neck speed. Mindfulness helps with both of these issues but even though my anxiety is well managed, I still practice. Why?
People spend many hours and hundreds of dollars exercising their body but forget their mind. This is as much about keeping my mind fit and trim and healthy to be honest. Just as if you don't exercise your body, things can go out of balance, such is true of the mind in my opinion.
Thank you for sharing your experiences here. We're all different and what we get out of the practice differs from person to person :)
@Roadie Thank you, as always. Cognitive fitness is extremely important. I stumbled across 7 Cups while researching psych internships- and it has absolutely changed my life. I couldn't agree with you more. Keeping yourself healthy and alert psychologically certainly promotes strength, resilience, and clarity. This is especially useful during times of crisis. I am so sorry you struggle with anxiety. I do also and it can be debilitating. ♡ Another interesting idea that helps me is to remember that both the past and the future are not real. They do not exist. That is not to say pain and worry don't exist, but the actual state of being in and of itself is simply a conceptualization. Nothing other than right now is truly real, thus promoting my insight to stay in the present moment as much as possible. I read somewhere we only spend something like 10% of our time in a state of self awareness. We can all benefit from increasing that number.
"There are so many advantages to meditation. When I first originally thought of this post, I indeed wanted to make it 100 benefits long (think big right!), however, I wasnt sure I could find more than perhaps 20-25 benefits. Well, I made it happen! Meditation is as powerful as I thought it would be. Here is the definitive list of benefits that meditation can provide you with."
There are so many benefits of meditation. It doesn
