Mindfulness. What is all the hype? We all have minds, and all our minds are full of stuff.
The stuff in our minds tells us we are hungry, tired, bored, eager, worried, anxious, excited, and/or sad. Our minds place judgment on others as well as ourselves. Our minds can reflect on the past, tell us what other people are thinking, and can even predict the future – or so we believe.
In just two seconds, my mind can recall the last time I lost my temper with my young son, remember his painful expression, experience guilt, and then predict that I will certainly lose my temper again soon- creating a sense of doom. My mind can also tell me what other people are thinking of me, thus causing extreme shame.
What if I could find that split second before my mind raced with false beliefs that lead to a sense of guilt, doom and shame? What if I were able to depict my erroneous thoughts and beliefs, and then simply watch them roll by versus riding along with them?
Those two seconds will look much different; thus sparing myself hours of depressive mood and irritability. Awareness is the starting block and foundation for mindfulness. Without the awareness block, there is no mindfulness.
Let’s take a look at those two seconds again, but this time with awareness. With awareness, I can take a deep breath and simply watch the thought pass by. I can acknowledge that I am attempting to predict the future and read other people’s minds and overgeneralize that I am a horrible mother.
I can also be aware that anxiety, fears, and worry about other people’s judgments serve the evolutionary purpose of keeping me safe and within cultural norms. But, going too far with my thoughts wrecks havoc on my mind and body and no longer serves its evolutionary purpose.
These are just a few examples of what is termed “cognitive distortions,” or more simply – “twisted thoughts.” We can also think of them as erroneous thoughts, or thoughts that make us believe and behave in a certain way. In other words, our mind can play tricks on us. Does your mind play tricks on you? Next, let’s explore the various ways our mind can mess with us, thus allowing us a strong foundation for our mindfulness journey.