Mental Health Matters: Mindfulness

By Michelle Deminick on December 16, 2022.

Is your mind full or are you mindful? There are many stressors, challenges and problems in the world and most people tend to pay attention and worry about those stressors and problems of day to day life. Instead of being present and experiencing the moment, on average people either live in the past or the future. Most of the time your thoughts can consume you or maybe you find yourself engaging in distraction with social media and other devices. So why are we not enjoying the gift of the present moment?

Do you ever feel that your aversive emotions and negative thoughts are insidious and unruly, and just don’t stop?

Did you know that on average, we have between 35 and 48 thoughts per minute? Hard to believe, isn’t it? A Harvard study found that our minds are wired as such that they wander about 50% of the time – in fact, our minds wander mostly when we are on our commute, working, and when we are looking at a digital screen.

Research has shown that practising mindfulness does not reduce distractions – it helps us to handle those distractions better, by taking advantage of the way our mind is wired. Being present in our day to day makes it easier to enjoy the pleasures in our lives as it unfolds. Focus and concentrating on the here and now helps us become fully engaged in our tasks – we are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past. Practising mindfulness teaches us to be aware of the present moment while acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations in a non-judgmental way. Being mindful allows us stay in control of our thoughts so they do not hinder us and take us places we do not want to go. Practising mindfulness is an important technique in managing our stress and calming our mind and nervous system. It’s a busy fast- paced world! When we rush to complete all of our daily tasks, we may find ourselves losing our connection with the present moment – and missing out on the actual experience.

Christmas is coming upon us. This time of year can be very stressful for many, whether we are striving to make ends meet, have lost someone or a relationship, do not enjoy the Holidays because we are alone or past memories and hurt. Bring mindfulness during this time will help calm the stress in our bodies and tame our thoughts.

If you are not sure how to practise mindfulness and interested to learn how, Canadian Mental Health, Recovery College, has a course titled, “Taming your thoughts,” to teach you what mindfulness is and how to practice. We also have a class, every Monday at 10 a.m. to practise meditation and mindfulness.

If you are interested please come check out the groups and courses that CMHA, Recovery College has to offer.

Michelle Deminick is the Recovery Trainer at Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Southeast Region and can be reached at recoverytrainer@cmha-aser.ca or 403-504-1811. To find out more about CMHA programs and/or events visit http://www.cmha-aser.ca. If you are in crisis, call the Distress Centre at (403) 1-800-784-2433.

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