Self-care strategies like mindfulness can seem difficult to understand and implement in your daily life. Like so many things worth doing, developing and maintaining a state of mindfulness can take practice and patience. The good news is that beginning a practice of mindfulness can be as easy as a Youtube or Google search. It can include such methods as guided meditation, controlled breathing and body scanning. There are many reasons that the development of mindfulness can be worth the investment into your brain and emotions. Here are three ways the practice can improve your day-to-day life.
1. Emotional Health
The practice of mindfulness helps you connect with the physical sensations connected to your emotions. What does your body feel when your emotions flare? In many online anger management courses Virginia residents learn to breathe through the clenched, tight feelings that can present during periods of strong emotion. A sense of gentleness and self-love can be engendered when you observe yourself without judgment and watch the way your body responds to your mental state. This can help you react in more rational ways and feel more emotionally healthy.
2. Relationship Improvement
Unresolved trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms can affect relationships of all types, from your spouse to your boss. Often, your body has kept a score of past traumas and can respond to situations in a way that may not make sense to the other person. This can lead to unnecessary conflict and hurt. Mindfulness can help you recognize unhealthy mindsets and patterns, giving you a tool to heal damaged relationships. It can give you insight into your actions and help you control the way you navigate interactions with others.
3. Physical Growth
Because mindfulness helps you connect with your body in the present moment, it can do wonders toward improving your physical health. If you’ve experienced insomnia, even just ten minutes of mindful meditation before bed can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system and tell your body it’s safe to sleep. Being present in the now can improve anxiety and depression. It can reduce stress and alleviate hypertension, and it can assist in building better attention and coping strategies for stress.
It can feel a little scary to be quiet and observe your mind. You may wonder what will pop up when you stop distracting yourself and let your brain go where it naturally will. While the experience can be uncomfortable at first, practicing mindfulness can be an incredible tool in your kit to improve your life every day.
