Is mindfulness just a fad?
Over the years I’ve heard many clients share their reluctance about trying mindfulness practice. I’ve heard mindfulness described as “hokey” or “just a fad.” I’ve also heard many people say they don’t have time for this practice – there are just too many things to get done in a day!
Research shows that a daily mindfulness practice can help you calm down your nervous system. It can improve the functioning in the part of your brain called the prefrontal cortex. This is the area of your brain responsible for executive functioning such as memory, flexible thinking and self-control. Daily mindfulness practice can help you fine tune this part of your brain by learning to focus your mind on the present moment. This part of your brain is what helps you when are taking tests or doing something that requires your undivided attention.
Let’s look at the top 3 myths vs. facts about mindfulness:
Myth 1: I have no time for mindfulness practice.
Fact: Mindfulness can be practiced any time, any place and for as long as you want. The benefit of developing a daily mindfulness habit is improved focus and productivity. You can start with just a one-minute practice each day and work your way up. Daily practice helps improve your productivity in the long run because you’re giving your brain a mental break. You will then have energy to do more!
Myth 2: Mindfulness is a new age fad that people will lose interest in eventually.
Fact: Mindfulness has a long history with roots going back to the era of Confucius. In western mental health treatment programs, mindfulness is quickly becoming what’s considered an important component in evidence based treatment approaches to help people overcome many ailments including anxiety, depression and addiction. Mindfulness is an overarching category. Meditation is one type of mindfulness practice but there are many others. There are many ways to practice mindfulness, but it starts with giving yourself permission to focus and reflect by tuning out distractions and tuning into yourself.
Myth 3: I can experience a “blank” mind with mindful meditation practice.
Fact: One purpose of mindful meditation is to recognize helpful and realistic thoughts versus unhelpful and unrealistic ones. The mind produces thoughts like eyes produce tears. The mind is always working but this practice teaches us to “tame” it so we can effectively manage difficult thoughts that arise. Our minds are still working even when we sleep! There is no such thing as a blank mind but you can learn to cultivate a calm mind.