In a world that is filled with constant chaos, movement, and business, we need to be able to find peace. I chose to read “10-Minute Mindfulness” (Scott & Davenport), simply due to the fact that it mentioned feeling less stressed. The book gives great examples of simple habits that can be formed in order to live a less stressful life. It gives habits that can be used at different times throughout the day to help control the way your day is going and to find peace and the feeling of accomplishment. I will explain a couple of the habits which I found to be the most interesting and helpful. In the book the habits are actually talked about for different times throughout the day. You have morning, mid-morning, afternoon and evening habits that will help relieve the stress …show more content…
I have learned over the past three years that incorporating exercise or running into my daily schedule has not only helped with my physical ability but has also improved my stress. To relieve my stress I can go run and listen to music and when I am finished I have a totally different attitude. This book has the same concept, but on a larger scale. I realize that I need to set daily goals, and work towards those. The book breaks down the mindful habits into morning, mid-morning, afternoon and evening habits. One habit that I found interesting for the morning was that of waking up and having an attitude of gratitude.
If I wake up and think of what I am thankful for instead of things that I am dreading or not looking forward to, it will change my outlook on the day. According to studies “gratitude can improve your relationships, your self-esteem and even your sleep”. (Scott & Davenport, p. 40)
Another morning habit is to make your bed. I have never thought of making my bed as being something that affects my day or mood. Making my bed is considered a “keystone” habit, which is a habit that causes success in other parts of life easier. “Making your bed in
Whether they are positive or negative, our habits are an integral part of our lives. Because of this, when Professor James VanderMey addressed the 33rd annual Honors Convocation at Mid Michigan Community College, he decided to speak on the topic of habit. In his speech, entitled “Remarks on Habit,” VanderMey (argues against Sartre’s point of view by) discusses the advantages of having good habits, especially the habits represented by the Diploma Qualification Profile, a series of proficiencies that students learn as they are educated at Mid Michigan Community College. First, he shows that good habits lead to creative problem solving. Then, he argues that our habits make us who we are. Finally, he shows how good habits may grow and multiply. Habits, especially DQP habits, are positive and useful, because they allow one to think creatively, become a better person, and find innovative ways of doing.
Its practice has been seen to be efficacious in healing and improving the quality of life of many people. Whether in terms of enhancing mental health or preventing illness, gratitude is one of life’s vitalizing ingredients. Clinical trials indicate that the practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting positive effects on a person’s life. It can lower blood pressure, improve immune function, promote happiness and well being, and spur acts of helpfulness, generosity and cooperation (Emmons & Stern, 2013). Emmons and Stern (2013) from their experiments, assert that gratitude has one of the strongest links to mental health and life satisfaction in any personality trait, more so than even optimism hope or compassion. They maintain that people who experience gratitude can cope more effectively with everyday stress, show increased resilience in the face of trauma-induced stress, recover more quickly from illness, and enjoy more robust physical health.
Exercise improves your mood and energy, and it boosts your physical and mental health, so make time each day to walk, dance or otherwise move your body.
When one thinks of meditation, what comes to mind? Does one think of group of 1970’s hippies sitting in a circle singing about peace? How about relaxing music being played? How about trying to form one’s body into a pretzel-like shape? What if meditation has nothing to do with the background music being played or what position one’s body is in? Meditation is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “the act or process of spending time in quiet thought” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meditation). Meditation is just simply sitting in a quiet room and thinking about one’s life. The act of meditating is much simpler than many people think. Through deep concentration and relaxation, meditation becomes an altered state of consciousness.
For thousands of years people have practiced mediation for spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Albeit there are many mediation types, in this paper I will be discussing and focusing on mindfulness mediation. Before further exploring mindfulness mediation, it is crucial to define mediation as a whole. Tang, Holzel, & Posner, 2016 state “Meditation can be defined as a form of mental training that aims to improve an individual’s core psychological capacities, such as attentional and emotional capacities” (p.213). Having that in mind, we can dive into mindfulness mediation. Mindfulness meditation is defined as “nonjudgmental attention to present-moment experiences (Tang, Holzel, & Posner, 2016).” A useful analogy to consider is going to the gym, going to the gym allows one to enhance the body, well similarly, practicing mindfulness is akin to taking the mind to the psychic gym, it enhances it. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on your breathing and then bringing your mind’s attention to the present all while dismissing discursive thoughts and maintaining a special focus on breathing.
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh is a good read that I would recommend to all that I encounter. You do not have to have a specific religion or be Buddhist to find this book helpful. I find this book helpful to people in all walks of life because it explains why staying in the present is crucial to our mental, physical, and emotional health. This practice aids in reducing anxiety and depression and increases awareness, deep breathing, and self discipline. I like the way the book walks you through each practice and gives you an analogy behind each practice. Hanh vividly tells stories in this book that pulls you into the present. His words are simple yet beautiful and are easy to follow. The exercises he teaches in the book are not
Good physical and mental health can improve your quality of life in your older years. In addition to promoting your independence and keeping your body strong and energized, the American Council on Exercise states that physical activity also prevents and improves age-related conditions, such as osteoporosis and arthritis, and lowers your risk of injuries, and health conditions, such as stroke and heart disease. Paired with good mental health, this combination can add years to life. (See References 1)
Nursing students report higher levels of anxiety than the overall population of college students, in part due to heavy course loads, rigorous exams, long hours of clinical experiences, and ongoing pressure to get good grades in a very competitive environment. The educational goals of the academic nursing program are to cultivate students’ creative and critical thinking abilities and promote continuous self-development (Song, Y., et al 2015). Thus, nursing students must not only endure burdensome theoretical learning, but also experience clinical practice. Myriad stressors exist in nursing students’ experiences, including meeting professional
There are many benefits to exercise. Physical activity can help increase self-esteem and reduce stress an...
IPsyc: Question 24 - If you practice one of the conscious-altering techniques we discussed, what does it do for you?
Exercise is a vital component of life. Exercise can contribute to a healthier mental and physical lifestyle. The human body is meant to stay in motion, regardless of whether the motion comes from vigorous exercise or simply walking around a shopping mall. Regular exercise can reduce the risk several disorders and disease; including heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In addition, it can help improve an individual's appearance and delay the aging process. Exercise reduces stress, lifts moods, and improves sleeping behaviors. It is an easy and effective way to live a healthier life, yet the concept is continually ignored.
I had a bit of a rough week trying to keep up with a few issues that were building stress and my ability to stay positive. I’m a bit behind on a few different things but chapter 11 was just what I needed, inspiration. As I did my mindfulness meditation sessions this week I had some mixed results as far as my ability to focus but, after working through chapter 11 it truly did allow me to find some inner inspirations, therefore, better focus and clarity to be able to find mindfulness in the present moment.
How much time do you spend thinking about tomorrow or yesterday while not thinking about today? Constantly dwelling on the past or dreaming about the future prevents you from experiencing happiness today. Spending too much time thinking about the job you lost last year or the vacation your planning next year will prevent having happiness now. Enjoying each moment of a day is one of the most important steps toward having inner fulfillment and happiness. By focusing on the moment, you are able to complete the other essential steps to have complete lifelong happiness.
I like to refresh my memory on the concepts this book has to offer. Every time I go back and read it again, it always offers new information that I have seemed to look over, so I’m constantly applying that new information that I catch. This is a great book because it actually offers helpful information that you are able to use in your daily life. It provides daily exercises that you are able to do throughout the day to remind yourself to stay on track. “One of the best ways to bring more truth into your life is to conduct a quick self-assessment. Assign a numerical rating to each area of your life using a simple 1-10 scale” (pp.20-21). The assessment list it provides things such as money & finances, career, habits, daily routines, health, social life and spiritual development. This activity makes you go into introspection and really look at how your ratings and see what area of your life is needing improvement and what areas is your life you are already doing well
Physical fitness have numerous benefits including muscle strength, muscular endurance, brain activity, preventing obesity and lowering risk or major body problems. Reduces gaining weight, improves losing weight and less likely to have accidents later in life. Also improves ones lifespan, living a healthier life and improves sleeping. Physical activity helps reduce ones stress, anxiety, and depression also improves over all life. A half hour or so of physical activity daily can yield benefits. Also can improve ones flexibility (Brezina), which can effe...