People often see anxiety as negative; something to get rid of as soon as possible. However, anxiety serves a healthy purpose and even though it is uncomfortable, it is our bodies trying to tell us to “Pay Attention” to our “selves”. In this day and age, we push through our stressful, busy lives feeling like there is barely enough time to get everything done. As a result, we stay disconnected from our experiences, thoughts,  and feelings.  These thoughts and feelings can easily turn into anxiety without us even realizing it.  

Mindfulness is a non-judgmental way of paying attention in the present moment that helps us to reconnect with ourselves and create new awarenesses.  These awarenesses are the first step toward change.  Accepting whatever we notice is the next step toward change.  Parodoxically, we must first accept our anxiety before we can change it.  Mindfulness gives us information about ourselves and our lives that we need in order to live serenely.  It is a way of living that helps us to stay present as opposed to worrying about the future or regretting the past.

Learning to pay attention to ourselves and increasing our self-awareness, or being “mindful” , is a life long coping skill that empowers us to heal from the inside out.  Practicing mindfulness can be done throughout your day or in formal meditation. To learn more about mindfulness, check out www.mindfulness.com.

 “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”   Jon Kabat-Zinn