What is Mindfulness and Why is it Important

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present where you are and on what you’re doing to reduce overwhelming feelings. Everyone has the ability to engage in mindfulness, which can offer benefits such as reducing stress, enhancing performance, increasing our attention and insight on those around us, and more. 

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What is Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of maintaining awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment in the present moment. Mindfulness requires acceptance of our thoughts and feelings without believing there is a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel. When engaging in mindfulness, you focus on the present moment rather than focusing on the past or what the future may hold. 

Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation but entered the American mainstream in recent works as part of a program that was launched at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn transformed meditation to a common practice of health promotion grounded in science. Now, professional athletes are using meditation to improve their performance, as well as CEOs and Silicon Valley programmers, although mindfulness can be practiced by anyone.