What is mindfulness?

We’re hearing a lot about mindfulness these days as if it is brand new concept. Mindfulness isn’t something new. It has been around for over 2000 years. Its roots come from Zen Buddhism. In the Zen Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is part of meditation. In fact, Zen means meditation. In our western culture we don’t have to use it for meditation although we certainly can. Mindfulness is achieved by being very aware of what is happening now. We aren’t worrying about what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow. We are paying close attention to what is happening right now. We aren’t judging what is happening but are keenly aware of it.

In this difficult economy it is important to develop resilience to help get through it. People who don’t have resilience can suffer more than they need to when going through tough times. Here are some steps you can take to help you build resilience so you can cope with whatever life throws your way. Mindfulness is listed first and is given more attention because it is such a valuable tool. If we can get ourselves to spending most of our time in the present moment we can be much happier and enjoy life much more. Mindfulness can be defined in several different ways but in this context, it means being fully present in the present moment. The past is over, the future isn’t here yet, and being in this very moment is a gift. That’s why it is called the present!!!!