We as people often view ourselves as machines. The lifestyles that we have to curate around ourselves requires an intense schedule that we often find it hard to slow down and make time for ourselves. Mindfulness is the route that people look to when making goals to bring balance into their lives. But why does it matter? What's the role of mindfulness in reducing stress?
The simplest answer we can really give ourselves is that we deserve to rest. Mindfulness gives people the opportunity to ground themselves, and more importantly slow down. In today’s day and age people want to constantly maximize the output opportunity of pleasure or pleasurable experiences, while minimizing discomfort or other distractions (Siegal, 2010).
In other words, it’s good for our mental wellbeing to slow down and allow our bodies and mind to stabilize before we can move forward with any tasks or goals we may need to get done. You’d be surprised that taking the time to partake in mindfulness not only helps manage stress, but overall improves your initiative to get the work done once you’ve found the time to ground yourself.
Here are some other important benefits that mindfulness has when reducing stress.
Enhances Emotional Regulation: By increasing awareness of your thoughts and emotions, mindfulness allows you to observe them without getting caught up in them. This can lead to more balanced emotional responses, reducing the intensity of stress reactions.
Improves Coping Strategies: Mindfulness fosters a more flexible and adaptive approach to stress. Instead of reacting impulsively or feeling overwhelmed, you can develop a more thoughtful and measured response to stressors.
Enhances Focus and Concentration: Mindfulness improves your ability to concentrate and stay focused, which can prevent stress from accumulating due to distractions and multitasking. Better focus helps you manage tasks more efficiently, reducing stress related to deadlines and workload.
Boosts Resilience: Regular mindfulness practice can build psychological resilience, helping you bounce back more effectively from stressful situations. It fosters a mindset that is more accepting of challenges and setbacks.
Improving Sleep Quality: Mindfulness techniques can reduce insomnia and improve overall sleep quality by calming the mind and reducing the racing thoughts that often accompany stress.
Do any of the aforementioned resonate with you? Even if practiced in moderation, mindfulness can benefit all that take the time to try it (King & Fresco, 2019). It is important to remember that mindfulness is an aspect of stress management that requires practice and consistency. For some, this can come off as something that doesn’t come easily to them as it would others. At Wellness Tree Counseling, we know it can be difficult to make the decision to start therapy. Our team of therapists would love to learn more about what’s going on for you now and how we can support you on your wellness journey. Contact us today to book a free intake screening call. We look forward to supporting you on your wellness journey!
References
King, A. P., & Fresco, D. M. (2019). A neurobehavioral account for decentering as the Salve for the distressed mind. Current Opinion in Psychology, 28, 285–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.02.009
Siegel, R. D. (2010). The mindfulness solution : everyday practices for everyday problems / Ronald D. Siegel. Guilford Press.
About Wellness Tree Counseling...
Our mission at Wellness Tree Counseling Services is to promote wellness through a culturally sensitive lens so that individuals, families and communities are encouraged to rise to their full potential and engage life in meaningful ways.
Our vision is to provide the BIPOC community with comprehensive holistic care that empowers and equips them with skills to work toward improved mental health and well-being. We take great pride in treating the whole-person.
Our core values of Wellness Tree Counseling Services is to treat each individual with C.A.R.E. (Compassion, Affirming, Respect, & Empathy)
To learn more about our services, please visit www.wellnesstreecounseling.com
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