Mindful As.

Boring. Boring, boring, boring. BORING.

Is that what you think when you think of mindfulness? I recently presented to a bunch of very switched on Year 9 students. Interestingly, when I asked them if they had ever experienced anxiety, stress, bad sleep patterns, depression or worry, their hands SHOT UP in the air, some with both hands raised. But when I asked them if they had ever heard of mindfulness or tried any techniques to help with their issues, they were totally MEH about it.

Mindfulness, to their minds, was boring. They hadn’t made the link between how the mind can be the key bad guy when it comes to all that whirling, swirling thought and emotion – but with the right training can be the goodest of good guys (yep, there’s a metaphor in there).  It seems like mindfulness needs to get better PR in some demographics, right?

Of course, that’s why the Calm Mind Project exists, to get mindfulness into the hearts and minds of our most valuable assets – students, teachers and parents (we love you guys, nnnaaaaaaawwwwww). You are the superheroes that will help shift the epidemic of anxiety and depression that is getting in the way of life being amazing for lots of kids and adults. And we stand for amazing. Calm Mind Project is like a shot of Vitamin C – we want to help you fight a cold, not fix you once you already have one.

So let me give you a big dose of mindfulness in one completely non-boring sentence. And it contains something that we all love – a present. Mindfulness is us being completely present, alive and awake to right now, without reaction or overwhelm. Be. Here. Now. Three words. That’s all. You’ll never miss a moment of your magnificent life when you aren’t sucked back into the past or worrying about the future.

Mindfulness is the best present you can give yourself, and you can give it to yourself every minute of every day for free. Imagine that! And it’s my gift to you with the Calm Mind Project. The other great thing about mindfulness is that EVERYONE can do it. It doesn’t discriminate, you don’t need to be smart, pretty or cool (although of course, if you practice mindfulness, we think you’re pretty cool!)

In my next blog – more presents! Stay mindful.

Love,