When we here at Solid Ground discuss being mindful, we may use the term self-aware interchangeably. Being self-aware of the quality or state of your own being is a crucial part of being mindful.

This takes time to master, but has HUGE benefits on a mental wellness level. Mindfulness is a practice – something you do repeatedly. While there are multiple benefits to having a solid mindfulness practice, we highlight these 3 here.

1. Pull frontal lobes back online. Our frontal lobes are responsible for the logic processing in our brain. When we purposefully engage this part of our brain we harness the ability to think logically about how our external circumstances are impacting us.

2. Link logic with emotion. Once we use of frontal lobes to think logically about a situation, we can rationalize why we might be feeling a certain way, or why a situation is impacting us the way it does. This helps us build a roadmap for how to minimize the stress of the situation.

3. Identify where tension is located in the body. Our body naturally responds to stress by tightening muscles in preparation for fight or flight.

Mindfulness, especially activities such as a body scan, can assist us in identifying those areas we naturally hold our tension and help us to release it throughout the day.

These three things can have a big impact on releasing stress as we accumulate it throughout the day. Remember it is best to tackle stress as we encounter it, rather than letting it grow big. Mindfulness is a key tool in that process.

Take a moment right now and see if you can identify where you hold tension in your body.

Long-term benefits of mindfulness include a greater awareness of how life is impacting you, more peace mentally & emotionally, and an increased ability to navigate difficult circumstances.

This is accomplished through the practice of sitting with oneself with the intent to hear your physical and emotional feedback. Bringing those items swirling in the undercurrent of your thoughts and feelings to the surface so you can more effectively navigate the waves of life.

We often receive feedback around mindfulness that sounds like “well, I tried but it didn’t work, so I guess it’s not for me” or “yeah…I failed at that”. The truth is there is no pass or fail, or ANY grade associated with being self-aware. As we have mentioned, it’s about the practice of listening to yourself for some insight into what you need to be doing for yourself. Therefore, you can’t fail because no one else can determine that for you.

What CAN happen is time we set aside to listen to ourselves doesn’t return any specific needs. That’s ok! The time was still beneficial. As we begin to help our body and mind understand we are paying attention, then the needs will become more apparent.

Our challenge to you today is to re-try something you previously wrote off and see what happens this time. Stay well friends