Mindfulness. What’s stopping you? Maybe you’ve been thinking about trying mindfulness on for size but there are a few things that are putting you off? We bust 5 of the most common mindfulness myths, paving your way towards pain free mindful practice.
Mindfulness what’s stopping you? 5 Mindfulness myths that are getting in your way.
Mindfulness what’s stopping you Myth 1.
It’s for yogurt knitting hippy types
Mindfulness is for everyone. You don’t have to be a hippy to get started, but if you are, that’s fine too (if you’re a yogurt knitter we’d like a few lessons though). In fact, you might be more than a little surprised to learn exactly who is using mindfulness. It has been practised by sports psychologists to enhance performance, UK Parliament, the US Senate and high performing business leaders such as Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey. Even staff at Google are using it to reduce stress and increase their efficacy.
Mindfulness what’s stopping you Myth 2.
You have to sit cross legged on the floor for hours.
Not true. This is one of the more common mindfulness myths, the fear that you’ll have to tie yourself into pretzel like knots. Mindfulness can be practised informally by walking, running or, one of our favourites, eating. You might decide to sit down for formal mindfulness practice but being comfortable before you start is key and posture shouldn’t be a barrier that prevents you from giving mindfulness a go.
Mindfulness what’s stopping you Myth 3.
You have to empty your head of all thoughts.
Another mindfulness myth. Mindfulness isn’t about clearing your mind, it’s about bringing awareness to what is happening as it happens. You’re not trying to empty your mind of thoughts or block anything out. Instead, mindfulness involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judging them. Imagine that you are sitting by the side of a stream, watching a leaf float by on the water, it’s the same with mindfulness and thoughts. We notice them, bring a gentle curiosity to them, watch them along with our response to our thoughts, eventually allowing them to float away.
Mindfulness what’s stopping you Myth 4.
It’s hard.
You’ve tried it before and your mind just won’t stop chattering. You’re constantly distracted and you just can’t do it. There is no goal with mindfulness. You’re not trying to achieve anything. Your brain is like any other muscle in your body and mindfulness is a form of mental training. It’s like going to the gym and doing repetitions to build a muscle, you’re doing the exact same thing. Your mind wanders, you notice the distraction without beating yourself up for noticing it and return your focus to the breath. It’s training for your brain!
Mindfulness what’s stopping you Myth 5.
You don’t have time.
Start with whatever works for you in terms of time. A minute a day is a great start and you can build from there. Research suggests as little as 10 minutes a day will make a difference to your wellbeing and your brain so what have you got to lose?
How Mindful Are You? Visit our resources page to take our free mindfulness test and find out more https://planetpositivechange.com/how-mindful-are-you/
