Bewildered and Confused…
Are you, like me, a bit bewildered and confused about what is happening now in our country? Watching the current dramas unfold and not knowing how things will play out can be beyond frustrating. It fair does your head in, doesn’t it?
So I took a look at what the NHS has to say about mental health. And it prescribes a dose of mindfulness to help bring some calm and balance into the mix. It advises us to pay more attention to the present moment – to our own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around us, and how this this can improve our mental wellbeing. Do check your mood on a simple mood assessment tool offered on the NHS web site, see https://bit.ly/2W6SDcm. I did, and it is clear and helpful. It continues: “Some people call this awareness ‘mindfulness’. Mindfulness can help us enjoy life more and understand ourselves better.”
Professor Mark Williams, a leading light in Mindfulness delivery and research tells us that when we are caught up in our thoughts, a euphemism I suspect for worry and anxiety, that this drives our emotions without us really noticing. In other words we get so involved with endless stories swirling around our in our heads that we can’t see how they dominate our daily lives and affect our behaviour – and our sleep and more.
Mark Williams continues: “An important part of mindfulness is reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience. This means waking up to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the present moment. That might be something as simple as the feel of a banister as we walk upstairs. Another important part of mindfulness is an awareness of our thoughts and feelings as they happen moment to moment. It’s about allowing ourselves to see the present moment clearly. When we do that, it can positively change the way we see ourselves and our lives.”
I have been practising and delivering mindfulness training for many years now and know that its practice can positively change the way we meet the events around us, and help us to maintain a bit of equilibrium in rocky times. So whilst we await the outcome of events seemingly out of our control do come along the next free mindfulness taster session happening very soon on Tuesday 5th February. Contact me to find out more and reserve your place: Sue Weston 07962 798 779, mindfulness@sueweston.com and at sueweston.com/mindfulness-based-living-courses/