Have you ever been in a situation where you feel you cannot breathe or you just cannot move or do anything all you need is to sleep all day. And how did you manage that? How did you pull yourself from that dark space? Did you adopt healthy measures like yoga, meditation, and connecting with real friends or did you indulge in alcohol to drown your sorrows? Truth is most, if not all of us, have been in a dark place where their mental health was declining and the stress was too overwhelming to manage. You look and friends and family you think they cannot help you in that, you are hopeless and alone, but it is not over yet! Mindfulness has proven to help most people manage stress, become better, and do better. It is an essential wellness tool that all of us should adopt.

If it is that helpful, what is this Mindfulness?

I believe mindfulness to be an exercise of staying in the current moment, being conscious of your emotions, feelings, sensations, and thoughts without judgment. For instance, if you lost a seven-year relationship, and your emotions are all over, mindfulness will help you stay grounded, it will help you understand that it is okay to feel the pain of loss, and as humans, we are allowed to grieve. The understanding will help alleviate the connected anxiety, overwhelming thoughts, or stress ensuring a much sober mind. Using the current environment like the breeze, or the chirping birds’ sounds you get calm and retain a sense of harmony and peace.

What is the Link between Mental Health and Mindfulness?

Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress normally arise from future worries or focusing on previous matters. Mindfulness, however, encouraged us to concentrate on the ‘now,’ like what are you feeling now? What is your condition now? Concentrating on the now lowers the tendency to worry about what will happen next and stress on the things that failed before, resulting in mental calmness. Individuals who embrace mindfulness are healthier, happier, and more successful as they often conduct their activities from a deeper connection with themselves and their spirit.

Mindfulness in stress management

 Stress is a mental health challenge that can be effectively managed through various mindfulness activities. For instance, taking deep breaths is a mindful exercise that begins by closing one’s eyes and deeply inhaling through the nose, holding for four seconds, and exhaling slowly through the mouth. The approach triggers one’s parasympathetic nervous system, lowering the stress reaction. Mindful journaling is another mindfulness method that involves writing down one’s feelings and thoughts, concentrating on how they feel physically and emotionally. For instance, for a heartbroken person writing how she felt physical heart pains and emotional despair, helps to discharge her pent-up emotions, providing clarity and a profound link to their mental state. Body scan contemplation, which involves lying comfortably on the floor and concentrating on every body part, from the toes to the head, is another helpful mindfulness method. The approach helps in releasing tension from every body part, enhancing the release of physical distress.

Mindfulness is very important in our mental health and stress management journey. It requires a conscious mind to handle challenging life decisions without falling apart. Embracing a mindfulness lifestyle will ensure a stress-free, and peaceful lifestyle. Take that mat and meditate, sit on the floor, and listen to the birds as you take deep breaths, your mindful actions will bring good results.