the benefits of mindfulness

I am currently (2026 and 2027) training with Mindfulness UK so that I can offer an "Introduction to Mindfulness" course. You can book this here

Mindfulness gives us the opportunity to slow down and pay attention to what is happening in the present moment with curiosity rather than judgement.

Rick Hanson calls Mindfulness 'the skillful use of attention'. You become more aware of your thoughts, actions and words and learn to adapt and regulate these to the benefit of yourself and others.

Through simple, practical techniques, Mindfulness can help us notice our thoughts and emotions more clearly, making it easier to respond calmly instead of reacting automatically. (I definitely found I was calmer during the England football match recently!)

This is partly because continued practice helps to activate the pre frontal cortex (clear thinking part of the brain) . Regular practice has been shown to lessen the stimulation of the amygdala and reduce automatic reactions. You can respond to situations more thoughtfully.

Over time, many people find this helps reduce stress, build resilience, and improve their overall sense of wellbeing.

The MindfulnessUK Compassionate Mindful Resilience (CMR) programme that I am training in, also combines mindfulness with compassion, encouraging us to be kinder to ourselves.

A very practical upside of regular kindness practices with yourself and others (just smiling or saying a friendly hello can be a good start) is that they help to promote positive social connections and over time, reduce the stress response in the body, so lowering, for example cortisol (stress hormones).

By developing emotional awareness and self-compassion, we can strengthen our resilience, improve our relationships, and feel more connected and equipped to handle the ups and downs of everyday life.

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