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Why Bother Being Mindful?

Why Bother Being Mindful?

Apr 15, 2024

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Gill Hasson

Gill Hasson

Jan 21, 2025 00

    • Mindfulness needn't be restricted to rigid meditation routines, it can be implemented gently throughout the day
    • Gill Hasson explores how staying present could reduce feelings of anxiety and depression

You may think that being mindful requires an ability to completely clear your mind and go off into an altered state in an attempt to get to a better place. Not so; mindfulness does not involve complex meditation routines. Mindfulness is not about having an empty mind or suppressing thoughts and feelings. Nor does it require years of practice, sitting in the lotus position in a flowing white robe on a beautiful beach.

There's nothing mystical about mindfulness. To be mindful simply means to be aware and engage with what's happening right now. It's about being in the moment.

If you've ever become absorbed in a crossword puzzle or a board game, sung your heart out or 'lost' yourself in a book or a film, a letter you were writing or work that you were doing-then you've experienced mindfulness; you've been totally in the moment.

Children are great role models for being in the moment. Watch children as they play; they're not thinking about what happened yesterday, or what they're going to do later today. They are simply absorbed in what they're drawing, making or pretending to be.

When they're upset, yell and cry-nothing else matters but what has upset them. They'll cry about it, and then move on; the offending situation gone and forgotten.

And, if you've ever taken young children to the cinema, you'll know that they find everything new and amazing. They stare at the bright lights in the foyer. They stare at everyone sitting around them. They move the seats up and down, gawp at the big screen and flinch when the loud music starts. They clutch at you when it gets scary and they laugh out loud when it's funny. They live each moment fully.

Cats also show us how to live in the moment. When I watch our cat Norman, I'm sure he's not thinking about the new brand of cat food he had earlier in the day or worrying about what's for dinner. He's absorbed in what's happening right now. Norman simply lives from moment to moment.

You can become mindful at any moment. You can do it right now. Stop everything. Focus on what's happening. What can you hear? What can you smell? Look straight head; what do you see? What can you feel? What can you taste?

Don't give it any thought; you don't need to like or dislike, approve or disapprove of what's happening. You simply need to be aware of it. Even if nothing is there, just be aware of your breathing; the sensation of the air as it enters your nose or mouth and fills your lungs, and as it goes out again.

Your amazing mind

Does all this seem a bit pointless? How can this non-doing approach be of any value? Let me explain.

The ability to think; to think back on past events and to think about the future-to plan ahead-is a feature that defines us as humans.

As well as being capable of thinking about things that are happening, we can think about

  • things that did and didn't happen
  • things that have happened
  • things that might happen
  • things that may never happen at all.

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Gill Hasson

Gill Hasson delivers teaching and training for educational organisations, voluntary and business organisations and the public sector. She has 20 years' experience teaching and writing on a range of wellbeing issues; confidence and self-esteem, self-care, overcoming anxiety assertiveness and resilience. Gill is the author of more than 22 books; the bestselling Mindfulness, Mindfulness Pocketbook, Emotional Intelligence, Positive Thinking, the Sunday Times bestseller How To Deal With Difficult People, plus other books on the subjects of resilience, communication skills and assertiveness including Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace, published in 2020 and co-authored with Donna Butler.
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