- By Hannah Perry
When I was in college I used to write my friends
“stream of consciousness” emails. Let me say these friends are still my best
friends today, mostly because they put up with such ridiculous emails about my
life, and even encouraged them. These emails rarely had punctuation and would
jump from one thought to the next as fast as my brain could travel. At the time
I wasn’t aware I was practicing mindfulness but as our lives continue to be
more and more cluttered by outside “noise” it’s a practice I believe is becoming
more and more important today. Think about it. When do you sit alone and just think, or pray, or meditate? Even when we’re driving in our cars our attention is outside of the vehicles (as it should be!) in addition to the radio or passengers. Even when we’re trying to rest we start scrolling through our phones and checking facebook, email, messages.
Well, I suggest we spend some time practicing mindfulness; which is a practice involving paying attention to the moment, bringing one’s complete attention to the here and now. Mindfulness has been proven to help with anxiety, relaxation, and stress reduction. Some tactics include: writing in a journal (forcing yourself to sit and focus on your thoughts) and meditation (sitting for 10 minutes and strictly focusing on your breathing – I like to also think of things I’m thankful for).
Instead of turning to life’s distractions when you’re feeling overwhelmed, give it a shot, maybe it’ll end up being a rejuvenating practice that you’ll routinely add into your life.
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