The Tools: Mindfulness

Here's a laundry list of the things mindfulness meditation can do for you:

• Mindfulness can improve attention and focus.

• Mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety.

• Mindfulness can enhance emotional regulation.

• Mindfulness can improve cognitive flexibility.

• Mindfulness can improve decision-making skills.

• Mindfulness can improve communication skills.

• Mindfulness can enhance creativity.

• Mindfulness can improve overall well-being.

• Mindfulness can improve athletic performance.

• Mindfulness can improve musical performance.

• Mindfulness can improve academic performance.

If you haven't started yet, what's keeping you?

Mindfulness is often one of the first tools I introduce to the athletes and elite performers I work with (right after we identify values). It's a skill that's simple, not easy. It's also commonly misunderstood as airy-fairy, and people are quickly disillusioned when they can't "clear their mind" (that's not the goal, nor is it possible).

I think the best way to explain mindfulness is that it's actually a form of attention training. The goal isn't to get rid of thoughts, clear your mind, or reduce anxiety - those are all positive side effects of the practice of learning to stay present. If you can train your attention to be here, now, you'll find that there are a lot of good things in the world for you to absorb and that the present is a tougher place for anxiety and depression to enter.

Unfortunately, for most people, when they sit down to train their attention the first time, they find it pretty challenging. When they notice their mind has an awful lot of thoughts and won't seem to "quiet down," their natural inclination is to give up and say mindfulness simply doesn't work for them. This might even be a familiar story for you. 

But this would be like being bummed that you can't squat 315 the first time you walk into the gym. If you want to get stronger at anything, you have to train.

If you can persist past the first few difficult sessions, mindfulness is a skill that can truly change your life. And there are a number of ways you can do it. 

The most popular way we hear about is breathing meditation. This is where you sit down, close your eyes (usually), and focus on your breathing for a short period of time. I typically recommend starting with as little as 2 minutes. Each time your mind wanders, you just bring your attention back to the breath. Each time you are distracted and come back to the present, it's like doing a mental rep. 

The reality is you can be mindful doing almost anything, though - so if sitting and focusing on your breath isn't your thing, there are several alternatives.

The one I find myself recommending most is mindful music. Essentially, you play an instrumental track, and you tune your attention to one part of the track. You focus on that piece as long as you can. When you get distracted, you let go of the distraction and find your way back to the same track. You can do this for 3-minute sprints several times a day, and I often find that people are more engaged with this kind of training.

Here are some other creative alternatives:

• Mindful coloring. You can find some great mindful coloring books online.

• Walking meditation. Simply pay attention to the way your body moves and feet touch the ground.

• Eating meditation. Eat slowly and notice the sensations, textures, smells, and more associated with eating.

There's no right way to do it, and the benefits seem to accrue over time, no matter what form you do. In fact, some studies suggest that as little as 100 minutes is enough to start eliciting structural changes in the brain. In other words, 100 minutes of training leads to some real brain growth.

Over the course of the next week, consider integrating 2-5 minutes (at least) of meditation into your day. It can be done anytime, anywhere - just get started.

Here are some free resources for you to check out:

• UCLA’s Mindfulness Center

• Stop, Breathe, Think