To be “mindful,” you must practice clearing your mind. It can be confusing, but there is a real reason that freeing your mind to use your mind is good for your health and well-being.
Science now backs up the art of awareness. Mindfulness meditation helps you clear clutter from you mind, observe your thoughts, and accept the moment without frustrating judgment or reaction.
You might practice mindful movement with yoga poses, which reveal how you handle challenge and discomfort. The process asks you to be aware of your body and breath to uncover the truth of what’s going on, rather than ignore it, push through it, or be in denial.
Here are five big reasons mindfulness makes your life better, period.
- You’ll Be a Better Person. Mindfulness changes your brain (according to Harvard research and other studies). Those who meditate to clear their minds are less likely to have knee-jerk reactions and are more flexible to handle life without drama. Making better decisions from experience is also a bonus of mindfulness.
- You’ll Be Less Stressed. Mindfulness teaches you to live in the moment and to pay attention to real thoughts, feelings, and your body without judgement. You’ll dwell less on what happened or what could happen. You’ll be less likely to make up stories that are too far from reality. Worrying less means you’ll be less stressed, and as we all know, stress hurts your health.
- You’ll Have a Better Memory. The practice of being in the moment can help your mind wander less, which produces greater focus and information intake. Studies show that being mindful helps us learn and remember, because the mind simply has better memory capacity.
- You’ll Get Sick Less and Enjoy Life. A UCLA study showed mindfulness helped HIV patients’ immunity. Yet another study found mindfulness had a positive effect on blood pressure. If all your vitals are good, your body will be stronger to battle viruses and illnesses, and you’ll be doing what you love, instead of being stuck in bed.
- Your Relationships Will Be Better. Mindfulness also helps you better understand emotions and what trigger them. This eventually allows you to be less destructive to yourself and others. You might begin choosing more supportive friends and partners or being more harmonious in your current relationships. You’ll also treat yourself better, because you’ll be more connected to your own actions.
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