Practicing Mindfulness

What is Mindfulness?

  • Intentionally living with awareness in the present moment

  • Without judging or rejecting the moment

  • Learning to be in control of your mind, instead of letting it control you

What are Mindfulness Skills?

Being In Control

  • Mindfulness skills are specific behaviors that make up mindfulness

    • Choosing what to pay attention to and for how long​

    • Becoming mindful allows you to be conscious of your options in a situation

  • Our automatic responses prevent us form

    •  Seeing clearly

    • Solving problems 

    • Expressing emotions effectively 

    • Communicating effectively 

    • Attaining peace of mind

  • Lack of control can cause the inability to stop thinking about certain things, complete/ concentrate on a task or person

  • Some skills that help regain control/ mindfulness are

    • Not judging the space around you, just observing​

    • Coloring pages

    • Taking deep breaths

    • Yoga

    • Meditation

The Three States of Mind

  • Emotional Mind

    • Hot 

    • Mood-dependent

    • Emotion-focused

    • The emotions are in control

  • Wise Mind

    • Seeing the value of both reason and emotion

    • Self-respect

    • Values

    • Long term goals

    • Reasonable and emotional minds integrated together.

    • Being able to hold the facts and our feelings of a situation at the same time.

  • Rational Mind

    • Cool

    • Analytical​​

    • Rational 

    • Logical 

    • The facts are in control

How Skills

  • Don't Judge:

    • Don't evaluate as good or bad 

    • Acknowledge your values, your wishes, your emotional reactions, but don't judge them

  • Stay Focused:

    • Focus your attention on only one thing at a time

    • Let go of distractions and notice where your attention shift

  • Do What Works:

    • Be effective, focus on what works

    • Don't let emotions control your behavior

    • Play by the rules

    • Act skillfully as you can to achieve your goals

    • Let go of negative feelings

What Skills

  • Observe

    • Just notice the experience in the present moment

    • Use your five senses to understand your surroundings

  • Describe

    • Put words on the experience 
      Describe "who, what, where, and when"

  • Participate

    • Get in the zone
      Fully experience whatever you're doing
      Experience even negative emotions
      Try to get yourself in wise mind
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