Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past while, you’ll have heard of mindfulness, and how it can restore calm and relaxation in your life. It’s something most people have an opinion on, though many don’t know the ins and outs of it completely.
At the recent Women in Enterprise gala dinner event in Derry, Helen McCrarren – a business woman and mindfulness teacher – shared a few tips about the technique in her role as guest speaker. Mindfulness, she said, can cut the relapse rate of depression by 50%. It can create a feeling of calmness and rewire your brain, introducing clarity and focus in your life.
So, what exactly is mindfulness?
“It’s a way of being, not a way of doing,” said McCrarren. “It’s a way of being with ourselves and being in the world. It’s paying attention on purpose in the present moment without judgement.”
Indeed, most people are rarely ‘in the present moment,’ we were told. We try to multi-task; we rush and stress and don’t pay full attention to any one activity at a time. With mindfulness, you stop and take stock. It’s therefore a case of “mindfulness versus autopilot.”
“You’re planning to be with yourself and by yourself with mindfulness,” said McCrarren, adding that there are attitudes we can take to be more mindful. Some of these include:
– Being non-judging
– Having patience
– Showing acceptance of your situation
– Being non-striving
The act of mindfulness is not always a relaxing state either, she said. Rather, it can promote resilience in difficult situations and build our emotional intelligence.
Whether you’re completely new to the concept of mindfulness, or already practice it, there’s certainly something to be said for taking time out to think and be more aware of any given situation. To be in the present moment.
With the busyness that is running a business, it was definitely a relevant presentation for all of us networkers at the gala event, which took place at the Maldron Hotel. Having kicked off the evening with a spot of networking and exhibiting, we later enjoyed connecting over dinner, all of which was much enjoyed and very worthwhile. New relationships were forged, new ideas were discovered and perhaps, we all left with a resolution to be a little more mindful in the future…