techniques – Mindfulness to overcome stress and anxiety

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is just one of the common practices that helps divert your attention and purposely focus on what is happening at the present moment – accepting it without judgement. It is achieved when a person reaches a certain state where they become more aware of the present moment while acknowledging and accepting whatever it is that they are feeling, thinking, and the bodily sensations that is overflowing in their body.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Improves well-being

Mindfulness increases your capacity to support many attitudes that contribute to a more satisfied life. The state of mindfulness makes it easier for one to enjoy the pleasures of life. It also allows you to be fully engaged in activities and increase your capability to face future untoward events. Many people who practices mindfulness see the differences on different aspects of their lives – they worry less about their stressors, the present and the unknown future. They become less preoccupied on the pressure to be successful and are able to make better and deeper connections with other people.

Improves physical health

The mind and the body are interrelated. One works because of the other. When one is harmed, it causes the other to disfunction. Using mindfulness to connect the body and the mind is a great way of improving one’s physical health. Many studies done showed significant results on using mindfulness in relieving stress, lessening the chances of having a cardiac disease, lowers blood pressure, reduces chronic pain and improves sleep.

Improves Mental health

Mindfulness, as a part of science, has its own contributions when it comes to treating a person suffering from any mental health problems. Psychologists and Psychiatrist proved the success of using mindfulness in treating a number of mental illness such as: depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, conflicts, anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The ability of state of mindfulness to help a person accept their experiences – past, present and future. It has a great impact on how people who are suffering from such disorders are able to cope with it.

Mindfulness Colouring

Mindful colouring is another technique of mindfulness where you bring one’s awareness to the present moment by consciously focusing on colouring and designing. Unlike the other techniques where you focus on breathing, mindful colouring focuses on the weight of the pencil on your hand, the shade of colours that you are painting or colouring your paper, and the feelings that is filling your body as you are doing the activity.

Mindful colouring is almost similar to meditation. We let go of any thoughts about tomorrow or yesterday or when you are going to finish the activity. If you catch yourself thinking about the past or the future, revert your mind again to what you are doing in the present moment by describing it. Let go of your judgements while colouring and don’t think if what you are doing is good or bad, amazing or terrible and whether the outcome will be good or not. Remember, the focus of mindful colouring is the process of it, not the possible outcome of colouring. There is no right or wrong way to colour. Think of it as one way of expressing yourself. In mindful colouring, we pay attention on what is happening on the present with curiosity, openness and acceptance.

Effects of Mindfulness Colouring

According to researches, mindful colouring was found to be a great way to reduce a person’s anxiety and stress. It diverts one’s attention from the stressor and allows them to switch off these thoughts and focus on colouring.

It was also found to improve sleeping patterns especially for people who are having a hard time sleeping. It improves a person’s vision and motor skills. The semi-mediative state that the mindful colouring has caused can provide us with some much-needed brain relief by lowering the activity of the amygdala, the part of the brain which controls emotion. Lastly, it helps build our focusing skills that is definitely helpful in studying and foster a sense of compassion.

The One-Minute Principle For Self-Improvement

At the heart of this method is the idea that a person should practice doing something for a single minute, every day at the same time.

Almost all of us periodically set ourselves a new goal or challenge — and just as often in the end we fail to achieve it. We end up telling ourselves that we’re just not ready yet, that we’ll do it next week, next month…next year.

We might even pursue them with zeal at the start. But once we’ve made a small amount of effort, we’ll tell ourselves we’ve done enough, and it’s time to take this whole “starting a new life” thing more slowly.

Why does it always turn out like this? The answer’s fairly obvious: because we try to achieve too much, too fast, we get sick of the new responsibility and, because it’s difficult to change old habits and try something new.

Kaizen is the simple technique of practicing something for one minute every day.

Just One Minute A Day

In Japanese culture there exists the practice of Kaizen, which includes the idea of the “one-minute principle” for self-improvement. At the heart of this method is the idea that a person should practice doing something for a single minute, every day at the same time.

You can’t do Kaizen just once or twice and expect immediate results. You have to be in it for the long haul. — Masaaki Imai

Clearly, it shouldn’t be any trouble for absolutely anyone — even the laziest person — to carry out a given task for such a small amount of time. Whereas you will more often than not find an excuse not to do something when faced with carrying it out for 30 minutes or an hour a day, you should be able to do it without any misgivings for just 60 seconds.

Even the biggest mountain can seem smaller if you take it one step at a time.

The Pursuit of Continuous Improvement

Whether it’s doing press-ups or reading a book in a foreign language, in this case the task before you won’t seem like something unpleasant which you have to get through, but will instead be an activity which brings you joy and satisfaction. By taking one little step at a time, you will move on to the path of self-perfection and achieve great results.

When you’re inspired by such feelings, you will gradually begin to increase the amount of time you spend doing the task which you have set yourself.

It’s important to overcome that lack of confidence you might have in your own abilities, as well as free yourself from those feelings of guilt and helplessness.

A simple technique that requires daily discipline to achieve noticeable results.

Celebrate Each Step Forward

You need to experience a sense of victory and success to move forward. When you’re inspired by such feelings, you will gradually begin to increase the amount of time you spend doing the task which you have set yourself.

Maybe at first just for five minutes more, but then this will soon turn into half an hour, and then even longer after that.

In this way, the one-minute principle lets you see the progress you’re making right before your eyes.

Each step that you take in your personal growth is a cause for celebration.

Change and Wisdom

Kaizen originated in Japan. The word itself contains two roots — “kai” (change) and “zen” (wisdom). It was invented by Masaaki Imai, who believes this philosophy can can be applied just as successfully to the world of business as it can to one’s personal life.

The word itself contains two roots — “kai” (change) and “zen” (wisdom).

At first glance, this practice might seem doubtful and ineffective for people who have grown up in Western culture, with its emphasis on the idea that results can be achieved only by undertaking immense efforts.

Imagine what you could achieve through the pursuit of continuous improvement.

Applicable for Everybody

But elaborate, challenging programs of self-improvement which deprive a person of huge amounts of energy can simply end up exhausting them, and leave no tangible results. Kaizan is something that anyone can attempt in virtually any sphere of their life. In Japan, for example, it is often applied to improve management techniques.

All you have to do is understand what it is you want to achieve, and you’re already set to go.

First published on http://upliftconnect.com/japanese-overcoming-laziness/ by Helen Noronha

What Is A Mindfulness Colouring?

Mindfulness

Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness Colouring

Effects of Mindfulness Colouring

One minute a day – an ancient Japanese self-improvement strategy