Practicing Mindfulness For Better Well-Being

Medically reviewed by Paige Henry, LMSW, J.D.
Updated October 11, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

Meditation and mindfulness are standard techniques many individuals use to cope with daily life stressors and mental health concerns. For many, worrying about the future or regretting the past can cause stress. Mindfulness is a technique to bring your awareness and attention back to the present. This practice can occur within one session or become a routine you can add to your daily life. Understanding the history of this technique and how you can use it to improve your well-being can help you integrate mindfulness practice into your life.

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Mindfulness may help you cope with the symptoms of mental illness

What are the benefits of mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a state of being in which you focus on the present moment. When practicing mindfulness, the intention is not to eliminate thinking altogether. Instead, the ultimate goal is usually to center your attention on the present moment instead of the past or future. Mindfulness can help relieve various concerns and physical symptoms, including but not limited to stress, symptoms of anxiety and depression, rumination, and some forms of chronic pain. It may also improve sleep, provide you with a sense of calm, and assist in managing emotions. Some studies have found that mindfulness in the form of meditation can increase hippocampus size, which is a part of the brain responsible for cognition and memory.

Practicing mindfulness meditation

When practicing mindfulness, you may find yourself trying to focus on the present yet worrying about the past or the future. It can be normal to have racing thoughts during mindfulness or mindful movement if you're new to the practice. 

When your mind wanders, it may be tempting to fight it. However, doing so may cause more frustration. Instead, try to let the thoughts flow through your wandering mind without focusing on them. Notice them as they enter, then let them go, envisioning them floating in and out. If it helps, you might imagine your thoughts as leaves flowing down a river.  

Continually try to ground yourself in the present by noticing the physical sensation of the ground beneath your body or feet, how your body feels against your clothing, what you can smell, your own breathing, and the sounds around you. Observing your thoughts and sensations without judgment can be a vital component of mindfulness. 

The East vs. the West: Benefits of mindfulness

Mindfulness has become popularized in Western culture but originated from Eastern practices and Buddhist philosophies. Mindfulness may reduce stress by reminding individuals to be fully present in the moment. These practices have elements derived from Buddhism, the teachings of Buddhist monks, and Zen philosophy, which is the genesis of where the idea of being in the moment began.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is a meditation and yoga teacher who studied mindfulness in the East and was one of the first to bring this practice to the West. He created mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). This practice has been popularized and turned into a form of therapy called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). These teachings and practices from Eastern cultures and philosophies have been incorporated and transitioned into Western culture.

When you're focusing on the rising and falling of your breath, you're learning how to manage your thoughts and feelings. Jon Kabat-Zinn did intensive mindfulness research at the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts. He is known for body scan meditation and promoting the benefits of meditating. Kabat-Zinn's mindfulness research was considered ground-breaking by many. He showed how to cultivate mindfulness in everyday life, and his research indicates how powerful mindfulness can be. In addition, Kabat-Zinn was responsible for a significant transition from mindfulness as a religious practice to a form of therapy.

Jon Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness and stress reduction

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., is a scientist, writer, and meditation teacher who was one of the pioneers in mindfulness. He's known for creating body scan meditation and integrating mindfulness into mainstream society. Kabat-Zinn taught countless students how to incorporate mindfulness meditation practice into their everyday lives. 

Kabat-Zinn is the Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. It is there that he founded the renowned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic. Since 1979, Kabat-Zinn has been helping numerous people cope with mental health issues, often with mindfulness as a tool. He saw the connection between mindfulness and stress management and noted how practicing mindful living had a powerful impact on people's spiritual and emotional lives. 

In 1995, Kabat-Zinn started the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society. He retired from the medical center in 2000, but the Center for Mindfulness has expanded in recent years. Dr. Saki Santorelli took over in 2017 and helped the center grow and flourish into an internationally renowned institution.

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Mindfulness meditation and stress reduction

Developing daily meditation has been proven to improve the quality of life. People who have stressful jobs or lives but also take the time to meditate often find their lives more manageable because of mindfulness's calming effects. The extent to which mindfulness benefits someone depends on the individual, but multiple types may benefit from the practice.

Exploring mindful techniques for awareness

Mindfulness and guided meditation may be effective ways to reduce stress levels. It is common for many thoughts and negative emotions to come up when you're trying to meditate. Your thoughts and emotions may be there, but mindfulness is often about letting them exist without trying to change them.

You can practice mindfulness at any point in your life, and there are many ways to do it. For example, you can try sitting meditation or practice mindfulness by focusing on an object, such as a tree outside. Mindfulness meditation isn't necessarily done in any one way; it can be a versatile and personalized practice.

One way to learn about different mindfulness techniques is by reading. Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote a best-selling book called Wherever You Go There You Are. In this book, he outlines mindfulness meditation's basic practices and emphasizes the present moment's value.

How to cultivate mindfulness

Mindfulness is a state of mind you can learn to practice in your daily life. You may learn how to do this by attending mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. To cultivate the positive emotions associated with mindfulness, try to consistently remind yourself to stay in the present moment by training your brain to return to it. Returning to the present might mean finding a mantra, making a mental note to center your focus, keeping reminders on your phone, or setting designated times to disconnect from technology.

Depending on your needs and lifestyle, there are often several ways to check back into the present moment. In mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, guided meditation may teach you how to manage your thoughts and feelings. Guided meditation may help you cope more effectively with the challenges you're facing throughout the day. Studies have found that even ten minutes a day of meditation can have positive mental health impacts.

Practicing daily mindfulness 

You may be able to integrate mindfulness practices into your daily life in many ways. Mindfulness meditation is one of them, and another may be eating mindfully. Mindful eating involves taking a moment to savor food as you eat it and become aware of how the food makes you feel with all your senses. This simple practice of eating mindfully may reduce stress, as you are not forcing yourself to rush through your lunch. It might also encourage you not to place judgment on what you're eating. 

Guided meditation for mindfulness

Guided meditation can be another way to cultivate mindful awareness. You can find guided meditations online, through meditation apps and podcasts, or you can ask for suggestions from your therapist or friends. Initially, it may help to have somebody as a guide to show you how to meditate and direct your thoughts rather than do it yourself. One of the tenets of mindfulness, which comes from Zen Buddhism, is to have a teachable heart or a beginner's mind, which essentially means being open-minded and curious about the practice.

Even people who are experienced meditators can benefit from guided meditations. With guided meditation, paying attention to the technique may be more effective, which can be life-changing for those who believe they can't engage in the practice due to concentration issues. Learning mindfulness may take time, but it may become easier the more you practice.

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Mindfulness may help you cope with the symptoms of mental illness

Counseling options 

If you're experiencing difficulties in your life, making mindfulness practices a part of your daily routine can be a productive way to reduce stress, relieve symptoms of mental health conditions, and improve your overall well-being. For many individuals, mindfulness helps them by supplementing the benefits of traditional therapy. If you're interested in trying mindfulness-based therapy, consider online counseling.

Benefits of online therapy and mindfulness for mental health

Through online therapy platforms like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist familiar with mindfulness techniques and strategies. They can guide you through practice and help you overcome the challenges you're facing in your life. By attending therapy at home, you may feel safer and calmer while practicing these new skills. 

Studies have also found that online therapy can effectively manage and treat various symptoms of mental health conditions. One study assessed the efficacy of an online mindfulness-based intervention for treating mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers found that participants experienced reduced stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. These findings support the idea that therapy and mindfulness can each help improve mental health. 

Takeaway

Mindfulness is a practice that you can incorporate into your daily life to manage your overall mental well-being. It is a habit you can learn to rely on when you need to move past the unexpected stressors life may throw. While you might experience positive results from cultivating mindfulness in your life, sometimes the practice isn't enough on its own. In these cases, therapy can be a supplement and a teacher. Consider reaching out to a therapist trained in mindfulness-based therapy to learn more about the practice and get started.
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