Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, shares how mindfulness training – that is being really curious about what is happening in our minds and bodies at certain moments – can be helpful in creating new habits.
He simply and brilliantly explains how we can use mindfulness in order to create new habits – that is moving from knowing something in our head (knowledge) to really knowing something in our bones at a deeper level (wisdom).
“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally … it’s about knowing what is on your mind.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
9 Attitudes of Mindfulness
Click here to view JKZ’s short, brilliant video on 9 Attitudes of Mindfulness.
A hundred times a day
I remind myself
that my inner and out life
depend on labors of other people,
living and dead,
And that I must exert myself
in order to give
in the full measure I have received
and am still receiving.
– Albert Einstein
Love is not about getting what we want.
Love is about how we live with what we are given.
—C. W. Huntington Jr.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jellaludin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks
Here’s a simple four step approach to being more mindful, that is more deliberate and thoughtful about how you respond to any kind of moment – pleasant or stressful.
Stop: Pause.
Take a Breath: It might be half a breath, one breath or ten breaths – really depends on the situation you are in, and the pace of your experience, so work with what you have.
Observe: notice what’s happening. Pay attention to and honor your thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Say “YES” to this moment, accepting that it is here.
Proceed: what’s the appropriate response here given what you are noticing? Make a decision based on choice versus habit.