If you haven’t heard of it yet, mindfulness is simply the practice of being aware of what’s happening in the present moment without try to change it or judge it. It’s something all human beings can do.
Whether it’s just being aware of what’s going with your senses, or your thoughts, you’re being mindful.
Mindfulness has been shown by several research studies to offer positive benefits for people who experience anxiety.
Below we’ll talk about the different mindful attitudes you can adopt to reduce anxiety and stress.
1) Volition or intention
This is the attitude that supports all other attitudes. When it comes to mindfulness, your intention is to work within yourself to gradually transform your anxiety and find peace. By setting the intention to work with your anxiety, you’re setting the stage to no longer see your anxiety as an enemy, but rather as a friend.
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2) Beginner’s mind
This is a mindset in which you act as if everything you encounter is your first time. Meeting anxiety in this way, with curiosity, can play an extremely important role in transforming your experience. Wheneever you approach situations in this way, new possibilities arise that you never would have thought of.
3) All things come and go
According to Buddhists (and science) the only law in the universe is change. This can be liberating for your anxiety, becuase no matter how bad it seems now, it will eventually pass.
4) Acceptance
This all about meeting your experience as it is. You acknowledge that anxiety is present and accept that it’s there, rather than trying to change it.
5) Nonjudgment
When you have anxiety, it can be easy to add a layer of judgment onto these feelings. This can only make anxiety worse. However, if you let go of evaluations, your anxiety can simply fade away. It can reset your mind in a more balanced state.
6) Letting be or allowing.
This is similar to nonstriving. For example, if anxiety comes up as you meditate, you could choose to work with it by allowing the feeling to be there. In time, you can learn to ride a wave of anxiety until it dissipates, just as a storm runs its course in the sky.
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7) Self-compassion
This is treating yourself with kindness. Sadly, we tend to beat ourselves when we have anxiety. However, we simply need to realize that anxiety is actually normal. All anxiety is trying to do is warn you of a threat, even if it’s being too over protective. See it as a friend, rather than an enemy and don’t beat yourself up about it.
8) Balance
From this perspective, you understand that all things change and that your experience is so much wider and richer than temporary experiences of anxiety and other difficulties.
9) Honor your Feelings
Fighting against your emotions and thoughts will only increase anxiety. Slow down and acknowledge what you are feeling and the reasons why. By approaching your feelings with a calm mindset you can stop negative emotions in their tracks.
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