{"id":17467,"date":"2021-07-26T09:52:33","date_gmt":"2021-07-26T13:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/briwebapp.net\/cklofm\/?p=17467"},"modified":"2021-07-26T09:55:49","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T13:55:49","slug":"mental-health-monday-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/briwebapp.net\/cklofm\/blogs\/2021\/07\/mental-health-monday-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health Monday: Awareness"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A person\u2019s experience of time tends to be subjective and heavily influenced by their emotional state. Fears and insecurities about the past and the future can make it difficult to fully appreciate the present. The key is learning how to pay attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mindfulness can take place through meditation sessions or smaller moments throughout the day. To cultivate a state of mindfulness, you can begin by sitting down and taking deep breaths. Focus on each breath and the sensations of the moment, such as sounds, scents, the temperature, and the feeling of air passing in and out of the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shift your attention, then, to the thoughts and emotions that you\u2019re experiencing. Allow each thought to exist without judging it or ascribing negativity to it. Sit with those thoughts. The experience may evoke a strong emotional reaction. Exploring that response can be an opportunity to address or resolve underlying challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do I practice mindfulness?<\/span><\/p>\n

To cultivate awareness, observe your thoughts and emotions and explore why those specific ideas might be surfacing.\u00a0<\/span>To cultivate acceptance,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0avoid judging or pushing away unpleasant thoughts. Emotions are natural and everyone has them\u2014acknowledging them can help you understand yourself better and move forward.<\/span><\/p>\n