Head Games: Mind the Moment to Strengthen Your Health
And what to do when you’re too busy to bother
Professional athletes and musicians practice hours each day to perfect their craft.
Know what I’m practicing? Looking at my screen too much. Snacking on junk. Worrying about things I cannot control. Getting distracted. Procrastinating. Evidently, I’ve become quite talented at these things.
Why would someone practice habits that contribute to a decreased level of health and well-being? Answer: they aren’t doing it knowingly. Ignorance is bliss until it sabotages your health. To change emotional and physical behaviors, you need to develop the ability to recognize and objectively observe your thoughts as you are thinking of them.
Mindfulness gives you that power, but it takes practice. No time to spare? Cheer up, my friend! Your day is already filled with opportunities to exercise your mental muscles. Once you learn how to spot these moments, you’re on your way to strengthening your emotional and physical health.
Body + Brain
In order to recognize opportunities to practice mindfulness, you need to know what mindfulness is … and isn’t. Forget sitting around and chanting or floating through every waking moment feeling serene (goals, though)…
