Mindfulness is a term thrown around so much, yet many people do not really understand what it means or why it is useful. Part of the reason for this is the lack of agreement in the definition of Mindfulness. Often people think of meditation when they hear or read Mindfulness, but it is so much more and can be a lot more fun for those who find meditation boring or hard to do.
Mindfulness is the awareness, non-judgement through openness and curiosity and acceptance of your internal and external experience. These 3 components are all important, in fact, in my own research non-judgement and acceptance were found to be more important than awareness, which is most commonly referred to and mentioned in many mindfulness exercises.
Unfortunately, this has led to some bad press and negative experiences. If you are only aware that you are experiencing intense distress or discomfort, without the right support, this can lead to more distress and discomfort! Without knowing how to not judge your experience, it can be extremely hard and seem counter-intuitive. Furthermore, without being able to not judge a negative experience, it is often very difficult to accept it.
For these reasons, it is very important to not close your eyes, if it feels unsafe to do so! If you have a history of trauma, guidance from an experienced and trained trauma professional.
With the right training and mindfulness tools, Mindfulness can be a very powerful tool to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and many more mental health and physical health difficulties.
Smiling mind is a not for profit organisation that aims to help children and young people develop mindfulness skills to thrive. It is also used in many schools to support students.
They have some great activities tailored to suit all age groups, through their website or app.