The Power of Mindful Meditation

Did you know that a mere 10 minutes of mindful meditation can increase your chances of success?

My Personal Journey with Mindfulness

You all know that I talk a lot about mindfulness and taking time out to quiet the mind, but I have never shared my personal experience with this practice. I thought I would give you a little insight into my world.

How My Education Shaped My Mindfulness Practice

I credit my encouragement of meditation to my undergraduate studies at John F. Kennedy University, where I studied liberal arts with a concentration in psychology. In my studies, I was expected to broaden my horizons and expand my knowledge by taking classes from various areas outside of psychology. My choices included classes such as World Religions, Science, and Spirituality. Reflecting, I wholly appreciate the enrichment these classes brought to my life because it was here that I learned the value of mindfulness and meditation.

Mindfulness vs. Meditation: What’s the Difference?

Mindfulness is different from meditation in that mindfulness is a way of being. It is being always present and not allowing your thoughts to race out of control in your head, bogging down your ability to be in the moment. For example, always seeing the world through your phone’s screen is not practicing mindfulness. The screen acts as a barrier to the real world. Constantly taking pictures or selfies while on vacation or taking pics of your kids to post them is not being in the present moment. You get the picture.

Meditation: A Practice to Complement Mindfulness

Meditation is a practice. It complements your state of mindfulness. It is taking a few minutes out of your day to literally quiet your mind and be in your body. Sounds hard to do? It can be initially. It is a learned skill that must be practiced (hence the name “practice”), but if I can do it with my crazy, racing Capricorn mind, you can, too!

How Mindfulness Helped Me Succeed

I attribute my success in completing my undergraduate degree in just three years to my mindfulness meditation and journaling practice. During the time that I was in school, I was a mother to four kids in various stages, from toddler to teen, volunteering at the elementary school, rape crisis center, and domestic violence center, and going through my tumultuous psychotherapy process. I took full-time classes at the college and university for a year, bouncing between Pittsburg and Pleasant Hill. It sounds like a lot when I type it out and read it. It was a lot, but I did it, and no one lost their life (joking, not joking!)!

Your Challenge: 3 Minutes of Mindfulness

I have a challenge for everyone this week. I challenge everyone to take 3 minutes before they start their day to focus inward and calm their minds. It could be just 3 minutes after getting out of bed before they shower and get ready for work or just 3 minutes while sitting at their desk before they turn on their computer. Try this every day and see what results you produce.

Additional Resources

Here are some articles to peruse at your leisure:

Difference between mindfulness and meditation:
https://positivepsychology.com/differences-between-mindfulness-meditation/

Success and meditation:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/business-meditation-executives-meditate_n_3528731
https://motivationgrid.com/why-meditation-will-make-you-more-successful/

Author: Coach Paullette