When I first heard the word mindfulness, I pictured some state of mind one only finds in a yoga class. Yet the word itself proves otherwise. Originating out of Buddhist practices, mindfulness is the ability to actively be aware of your thoughts, feelings and the environment around you. Mindfulness also integrates a feeling of acceptance and ownership toward your thoughts and feelings by removing judgmental views and centering in the present.
Now, you may be thinking, “Okay, that sounds great… but I’m a busy college student. What does this mean to me?” My answer is… a lot. A recent study done by the University of Miami showed that students who took a seven-week mindfulness training course improved attention, decreased stress and lessened mind wandering against a control group who didn’t receive training.
The benefits of mindfulness were also cited in areas of test taking polling higher scores comparatively than those who didn’t take the course. What’s not to like about a clearer head, sharper focus and improved grades?
The best part is that anyone can practice mindfulness techniques. Whenever you have a moment to yourself, all you need is a pair of headphones and Tools for Peace’s free app, “Stop, Breath & Think. Stop, Breath & Think.” It is a guided mindfulness and meditation app that gets you in synch by becoming aware and broadening your perspective.
When you open the app, you’re brought to a colorful menu with several different options: A progress monitor, a list of all the different meditations they have and a little tutorial on how to meditate. Right at the top, they guide you to stop for a moment, take a good breath, and really think how you feel today mentally, physically and emotionally. After going through the prompts, you’ll get a list of different mindfulness meditations customized for you ranging from three to ten minutes.
After I gave it a try, I felt recharged and amazed that it was really that simple. As the semester gets underway, try to avoid the feeling of everything seems to collide at once by just taking a few moments to be mindful, whether it’s walking to class, when you wake up or when you fall asleep. I’m sure you will be amazed about what you’ll start to notice.
Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net
