Hi there! I’m Maahir and I’m an undergraduate Psychology student. I recently turned 20 and that’s why I’m calling this series “Turning the corner”.
I’m sure being caged up in your home these past several months has not been easy for you. It hasn’t for me either. Having your thoughts spiral downwards is completely normal when you’re alone. What’s helped me deal with my thoughts productively has been taking some time out everyday to practice mindfulness, even for just 5 minutes.
In the past I’ve been prone to persistent feelings of low self-confidence and uncertainty. This year, I decided to engage in some sort of mindful activity daily. It has helped me to reframe my situation and make sense of my thoughts in ways I couldn’t imagine.
Looking at oneself from the outside can be challenging and is not something that is attainable with a quick fix. The first piece of advice I’d give someone who is beginning their journey is to orient themselves with the process rather than an outcome that they have in mind – to take what’s there on the good and bad days.
Mindfulness is defined as simply being aware of the present moment. However, when we use it as a psychological tool we should think of it as experiencing what is happening in the present without judgement or expectation. It is a separation between thought and our current experience.
Often, we conceptualize thinking as what constitutes the mind itself. In practicing mindfulness, we learn to conceptualize thinking as an activity of the mind instead. We realise that the mind wanders of its own accord and that every thought we experience does not define who we are. Over time, practicing and integrating this experience into our daily lives.
Practicing some sort of mindfulness activity even for 5 minutes a day has shown improvement in psychopathic symptoms related to depressions and anxiety over a time period as small as 8 weeks. This should show that it could benefit anyone with regular stress experience.
Activities can include meditation, walking (preferably in nature), or simply intending to be mindful for a given period of time. How I personally prefer to prescribe it is a guided meditation for 5 to 20 minutes a day and occasional mindful walks. It does not have to be an event for which preparation causes even more stress, simply intending to experience the present without projecting any expectations onto it can help. Incorporating it into one’s routine and having a set time everyday to practice can help with adherence. Most importantly, make it fun for yourself!
