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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