Mindfulness is often confused for being fluffy and esoteric. From my experience, however, the practice has got me in touch with reality like nothing ever has.

Putting it very simply, here’s why:

When we strengthen our awareness of the present moment, we begin to recognise the following:

1. LIFE
Our lives are filled with pleasant and unpleasant moments. Joy and distress, as a result, are an inescapable part of life. We tend to attach ourselves to the pleasant and avoid or resist the unpleasant.

2. EVOLUTION
Our brain has evolved to have one primary purpose, which is to keep us safe and alive. This ‘mandate’ tends to produce thoughts centred around what is incomplete, uncertain, worrying, threatening etc ..

3. NEGATIVITY
This so called ‘negativity bias’ often results in us overlooking what is going well in our lives. So, we end up weakening this capacity for joy and appreciation.

4. RUMINATION
Our brain tries its best to solve what is often unsolvable, resulting in a cascade of ruminating thoughts that cause us even further distress.

5. COPING
This often leads to coping behaviours that make us feel good in the short-term but are not supportive in the long-term and just prolong the distress.

Mindfulness helps us disrupt this unsupportive cycle of distress by

🌱 bringing awareness to it
🌱accepting how it is for now (this is not passive)
🌱offering ourselves kindness and care
🌱choosing to redirect attention elsewhere (this is not escaping)

So, essentially the practice offers us a gateway to clearly see, befriend our human experience, and make skilful choices that support our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around us (so, this is by no means selfish either).