When someone is described as being mindful, it typically means they pay attention to what is happening to the mind, body, and surroundings, and they remain present while both curious and compassionate. But what does mindfulness do? Well, one of the best definitions comes from Dr. Shauna Shapiro. “Mindfulness helps […]
Life can be overwhelming. Our minds filled with chatter, our view of the world tainted and distorted, and our ability to be present, lost. Does it sound familiar? It should do. Life is often frantic and exhausting. And it is impacting our happiness, health, education, work, and even the economy. […]
The evocatively named Forest bathing (or Shinrin-Yoku) surfaced in Japan in the 1980s as both a treatment for burned-out technology workers and a way to reconnect the population with the country’s extensive network of forests. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it turns out that immersing yourself in nature and mindfully using all five […]
You are probably here because you are somewhere on your personal journey to practicing mindfulness. Maybe you are at the beginning, getting ready to start a habit, or perhaps you are an experienced mindfulness practitioner looking for a new tool. Regardless of where you are on your journey, this post […]
“I can’t get to sleep. The meeting didn’t go well this morning, and I have to talk to my boss tomorrow. Could I have done something differently, and how will I handle tomorrow? I just want my head to be quiet.” Falling and staying asleep can be difficult. Our minds—recovering […]
In this post we will be… oh… are you still here? Did your thoughts drift? Are you thinking of something else? Or are your thoughts hopping from one idea to the next? Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the right post to be […]
Developing a mindfulness practice has been proven to offer a myriad of positive benefits for the body, mind, and soul. (Davis & Hayes, 2011). But sometimes, it’s easier said than done. Have you ever wanted to bring more mindfulness into your life, but struggle to make time in between your […]
Rumination... the unhealthy pattern of behaviors where we continuously think about something that happened in the past, to the point of seeing negative effects on our health and wellbeing. At some point in your life, you may have faced this unhealthy habit, or something close to it. Worrying obsessively or […]
Mindfulness represents an in-the-moment and nonjudgmental way of responding to thoughts and feelings (Kabat-Zinn, 2005). It involves “Paying attention to something, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 2012, p. 1). Given its ability to enhance emotional balance and well-being, mindfulness represents a useful therapeutic […]
One of the most fascinating things about mindfulness is that it's a powerful practice that can be applied to almost any area of our lives. While there are heaps of mindfulness resources on our blog and countless other articles and research on this life-changing tool, one area you might be […]
If you've ever laced up your running shoes and covered a few kilometers in the great outdoors, you'll likely understand the simple joys a good run can bring: the feeling of fresh air in the lungs, appreciating the beauty of nature, perhaps even finding that elusive flow state. But in […]
Imagine you are sitting to meditate, and you find yourself distracted. For some reason, you cannot focus on your breath. After a few moments, you hear your inner voice saying, "Why can't you sit still? What's wrong with you?" Mindfulness allows us to hear that voice, acknowledge it, and even […]
Ever found yourself driving and suddenly unaware of how you got to your present location? Do you find yourself walking fast to get somewhere and missing the experience of getting there? How about plowing through your meal without tasting it? We are all susceptible to the “busyness” of life and […]
Mindfulness is the connecting bridge between our mind and the present moment. It is the art of staying aware of what is happening right now, what we are thinking about this very moment, and how we are feeling at present. Jon Kabat Zinn, the proponent and one of the most […]
Mindful eating is not a trendy new diet or simple lifestyle change that is guaranteed to help you shed your extra weight. It’s not about molding your body into a more desirable shape or helping you increase your strength, and it’s not here to tell you what you should and […]
The essence is mindfulness is being aware of what the present moment offers. It may seem like a straight-forward, even simple, concept but tuning in to the here-and-now can be challenging and fraught with barriers. You may have observed in your clients’ increasingly busy lives that time is not taken […]
You have probably heard about mindfulness before. After all, it’s a pretty big topic lately; even those who are not involved in the world of positive psychology have likely to at least have heard about mindfulness. As a reminder, mindfulness is “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware […]
We have all heard the term "mindfulness" but what does it really mean in terms of the brain and in terms of neuroscience? Being present in the moment is very empowering. It means focusing your awareness on the here and now. It’s about embracing each moment of the day and […]
Much is known about the benefits of mindfulness and the benefits of yoga, but what happens when you combine the two together? A relatively new form of yoga called Mindful Yoga, applies traditional Buddhist mindfulness teachings to the physical practice of yoga, offering even deeper insights into the mind and […]
In the hustle and bustle of modern life it is more important than ever to find ways to become attuned to our inner state and what is happening around us. We are bombarded with sensory stimuli that prevent us from being fully present in the moment - with ourselves, others […]
If you have dipped your toes into positive psychology, you have likely discovered one of the more popular and potentially life-changing topics within the field: mindfulness. It’s a topic that has grown in interest and potential over the last few decades, and it’s even gone “mainstream” (e.g., turned up on […]
You’ve heard of mindfulness. Maybe you’ve even tried practicing mindfulness or read about its role in helping to manage stress. You’re not alone—we live in an extremely fast-paced world, and sometimes, we forget to check in with ourselves. In this article, we'll look at what mindfulness really means, how you […]
The workplace can be a fast-paced, stressful environment. Is it possible to thrive, rather than flounder, in the work environment? The key may lie with mindfulness – gently noticing what is going on for us, in the present moment, without passing judgment. Though the research is somewhat lagging in the […]
You’ve heard it said before—probably many times—that it’s important to live in the present moment. You also might have heard similar pieces of advice like: “Don’t get caught up in thinking about the past or the future—live in the now!” “Be present in your own life.” “All you have is […]
Mindfulness is not only a popular topic for researchers and academics; it’s also becoming quite the mainstream phenomenon. One of the reasons for the popularity of mindfulness is its simplicity. It is easy (relatively, anyway), inexpensive, and can be practiced by anyone at any time. Although it might sound like […]
Have you ever done yoga? For most people these days, the answer you get to that question is “yes.” Yoga is one of the most popular physical activities and group classes in the United States, although it wasn’t always that way. Yoga’s reputation started out in the West as something […]
Does the idea of giving your own mindfulness training appeal to you? Or have you been thinking about integrating mindfulness into your practice or programs? If so, Mindfulness X© is meant for you… https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-x/ Mindfulness X© has been improved and extended based on the invaluable feedback from 1,000+ practitioners. This […]
Mindfulness has been proven very helpful for many people. The combination of psychology and the practice behind mindfulness appears to be the perfect approach to help people better understand how the mind works and how to put insights into practice to create a more balanced life. Do you want to […]
No matter how established your personal mindfulness practice is, sometimes you can use a little extra inspiration. Luckily, when it comes to mindfulness, there is no shortage of inspirational quotes you can use to give yourself that extra bit of motivation. Whether you are looking for recent quotes or age-old […]
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an interestingly named treatment. If you’re as lost as I was when I first heard the term, then you’ve come to the right place. In this piece, you will learn what DBT is, how it works, and some of the most useful and applicable components of […]
Here at PositivePsychology.com, we have been discussing several different aspects of mindfulness. We explored various ways to learn about mindfulness, practice it, and even study the art of teaching mindfulness to others. But where did mindfulness come from? And why have so many people in the West recently become so interested in […]
If you’ve been following this blog, you know that there are countless ways to apply mindfulness in your everyday life. You have probably also noticed that there are tons of benefits of practicing mindfulness regularly. Although we’ve talked about these benefits in a few other places, we thought it would […]
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to embrace their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty for them. It may seem confusing at first, but ACT paired with mindfulness-based therapy offers clinically effective treatment. After all: Running away from any problem only increases the distance from the solution. The easiest […]
Mindfulness books are exploding in popularity in Western culture. Countless resources are now available on the topic, and it can be hard to know where to start. This article provides a wide-ranging collection of books relating to mindfulness. Whether you’re looking to mindfulness as a way to help yourself, your children, […]
We all deal with stress on a daily basis, whether we’re old or young, large or small, lofty thinkers or practical doers. Even the most practiced meditator and the yogi who radiates peace experience this inevitable aspect of the human experience. Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those […]
As smartphones become more and more ubiquitous in today’s world, questions arise as to how they affect mindfulness. It’s clear that used compulsively or constantly, smartphones can be enemy of mindfulness, however, that’s not our only option. Rather than treating the usage of smartphones and mindfulness as oxymorons, we should […]
Mindfulness interventions, like positive psychology itself, are focused on bettering peoples’ lives no matter what their situations are. As positive psychology is interested in increasing the well-being of all people, it makes sense for positive psychology to include mindfulness interventions. Here is an overview of mindfulness training programs around the […]
Mindfulness has been a popular topic at the PositivePsychology.com, with frequent pieces on what mindfulness is, how it has been incorporated into therapy, and ways to practice mindfulness for adults, children, and teens. For some people, it can take a lot of time and effort to understand what mindfulness is […]
Mindfulness is the state of mental calmness, often achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment and accepting any feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Regular practice enhances your overall health and reduces stress levels significantly. These videos delve into the science and joy of mindfulness, with several examples of how to […]
The thoughts, feelings, and emotions that we experience every day shape the nature of our reality. Our life is what our thoughts make it. Marcus Aurelius Countless hours have been spent debating and discussing the implications of quotes like this from Roman Emporer and philosopher Marcus Aurelius. The idea holds […]
Mindfulness can boost the quality of our lives in numerous ways. In today’s rush, we all think too much—seek too much—want too much—and forget about the joy of just being. Eckhart Tolle What does mindfulness do to spark "the joy of just being" that Tolle references? And, how can we teach […]
People who meditate are happier, healthier, and more successful than those who don’t. The amazing benefits of practicing meditation and mindfulness are available to everyone who has the time to practice these skills. If you have already tried meditation, mindfulness or other positive psychology interventions before, you may have thought it "wasn't […]
