Why Mindfulness is a Super Power

Mindfulness is simply being aware of how our actions impact others.

Staying Mindful

It’s easy to spend a whole day thinking about what comes next. You finish one task while planning another, replay a conversation on the drive home, or head outside only to spend the walk worrying about work.

Mindfulness is the practice of noticing where your attention has gone and bringing it back to what’s happening now. You don’t need an empty mind or a perfectly quiet room. You can start by paying attention to your breath, your surroundings, or the person in front of you.

That small shift can give you room to pause before reacting—and more opportunity to enjoy the parts of your day you might otherwise miss.

Meditation gives you a way to practice that attention. As you sit and follow your breath, your mind will wander—to plans, worries, or something you forgot to do. When you notice, you return to the breath. Each return is part of the practice, even on days when you spend more time distracted than focused.

What is meditation? As the Mayo Clinic explains, “Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction.

You can:

Change your perspective

If you have never meditated before, don’t be daunted by the idea of it. There is no one “right” way to do it, as long as you find focus and get in touch with your emotions. 

Now, this is a more “traditional route” — you can simply sit still in a dim room, light some candles, shut your eyes, and breathe in and out deeply and purposefully.  If you need some direction or guidance on how to get started, consider tuning into a Mayo Clinic’s Guide on meditation. Another solid way to dive deeper into mindfulness meditation is to participate in breathworks.  Which is a guided meditation that prioritizes breathing techniques, inward focus, and present moment awareness.  Above Water Adventures utilizes breathworks as part of their Orange County recreational curriculum to help facilitate breakthroughs, and move past barriers.

• Free Your Mind

A short meditation can give you a break from working through the same worries over and over. For a few minutes, you have something simple to return to: your breath, the sounds around you, or the feeling of sitting still. The problems may still be there afterward, but you’ve given yourself a pause before deciding what needs your attention next.

• The Perks Of Practicing Meditation

Healthline lists some of the benefits of meditation. It reduces stress, controls anxiety, promotes emotional health, enhances self-awareness, can generate kindness, improves sleep, decreases blood pressure, and helps control pain, among other positives. These benefits can make meditation a useful part of caring for yourself when everyday pressures start to build.

Make it your mission to set aside some time each day, or at least a few times per week to meditate. Do it first thing in the morning, before bedtime, or whenever you have time to sit still and be silent. There’s nothing formal you need to do, just find your focus and forget the fear.

• Keep At It

Try practicing regularly, including on days when you feel relatively settled. A few minutes can give you a chance to notice what’s on your mind and how you respond to it. If stress or anxiety keeps getting in the way of daily life, acceptance and commitment therapy offers a structured way to work with those patterns, using mindfulness alongside practical steps toward what matters to you.

• Start Now

Meditation looks different for everybody. You might prefer sitting quietly and following your breath, moving through a yoga practice, or spending time outside. The ocean, a trail, or a nearby park can give you something to focus on beyond whatever has been running through your mind.

Try a few approaches and notice which feels worth returning to. You don’t have to feel positive or peaceful every time. Some days, the practice is simply noticing that you’re distracted and bringing your attention back—to your breath, the water, or the ground beneath your feet.

Written by Tom Bostrom