Acceptance of this moment as-is prevents suffering. There may be pain, but it does not have to become suffering, which is full of judgment and negative thinking. Mindfulness brings clarity, which helps you make a good decision about how to end whatever pain you may be experiencing. It is an easy practice to begin. Learn how here.
To completely experience the here-and-now, truthful mindfulness is required. Mindfulness and honesty are intricately intertwined as you must be completely honest with yourself about what is going on at any given moment. Genuine honesty first relates to one’s inner truth about instincts and emotions—even when conflicting or involving ambivalence. Once this inner-genuineness is addressed, it […]
Begin personal change with mindfulness, then use a disciplined approach to follow through with the application of behaviors and thoughts that bring you closer to the results you want. Learn more about Mindfulness-based Counseling in Austin. Jonathan F. Anderson, LPC-s has worked in the helping profession since he started college in 1990. After completing his […]
In practicing mindfulness, both intellectual understanding AND experiential knowing of things are important as both are quite real and “of-the-mind.” Think of intellectual understanding as knowing something ‘in-theory,’ whereas experiential knowing goes beyond theory and is actually experienced in reality. I intellectually understand what jumping out of a plane must be like, but I do […]
Mindfulness is a word that is becoming more and more familiar to the general public. And I’m glad the word is being used so much; it bodes well in a world that is full of so much violence and heartache. A mindful mind helps relieve suffering because it is a practice of noticing what “is” […]
Look at the child in this picture. That stare . . . it’s called the 10,000-mile stare and you see it when somebody is totally absorbed in the moment. His eyes are open, but he is completely present with the smell of the flower. That’s mindfulness: absorption in the present moment. No judgment, just presence. […]
I’ve discussed the importance of mindfulness in almost every post on my blog, so I figure that doing a brief series on mindfulness would be helpful. Visit the Mindfulness Archives to see all articles about Mindfulness. Learn more about Mindfulness-based Counseling in Austin. Jonathan F. Anderson, LPC-s has worked in the helping profession since he […]
Metacognition is one of the most beneficial results of a mindfulness practice. Remember that mindfulness is simply noticing what is in your awareness, but without the judgment of good or bad. Consider the mild pain associated with a splinter in your finger. Mindfulness of the mild pain would say, “Ah. There’s a pain signal. It […]
When we think of efficiency, we tend to imagine something that requires the least amount of effort to obtain maximal results. In Positive Psychology, there is an idea called Flow Theory that is based on the premise of balancing traits to enter the “flow zone.” The gist of flow theory is that when balanced, skill […]
You’ve probably seen meditation in the news over the past few years. It is an empirically validated practice that changes your brain structure, chemistry, and functioning. And it’s not about an empty mind . . . it is actually a mindfulness practice. It is possible to find moments of peace. And it is possible to […]
In dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), there is a wonderful explanation of how the best of our thinking and feeling minds can be accessed. This “Wise Mind” is based on the idea that the thinking brain and feeling brain both have validity and can be used to inform each other during difficult times. Read about Flow-Theory […]
Flow Theory is an integral part of Positive Psychology. It refers to a zone where you lose track of time, experience yourself on “auto-pilot,” etc. We’ve all been there, and we can recreate it! When you’re “in the zone,” or “feeling the groove,” or just “flowing,” you are in a state of balance between traits […]
When letting go really hurts it can be extremely difficult to release the attachment fully. Whether it’s letting go of an unhealthy relationship, or letting go of a bad habit, the letting go can seem easier said than done. Very often, this is because we put ourselves in illusory boxes that seem to only have […]
When it comes to not getting things done, we can be extremely creative about feeling good about it. Does this sound familiar, “To be at my most productive, I need some down time.” Or, “Sleep is really important, so I’ll just sleep in today . . .” It’s when you wait until later to get […]
Gratitude and optimism are related in that each requires the seed of the other. Even when you are suffering, if you can find something, no matter how small, to be grateful for, you are more likely to see opportunities to make things better. Gratitude is sometimes called “Counting your blessings.” My mom used to say […]
Non-Attachment: Want without wanting If you are not attached to anything being this way or that, then it is difficult to suffer. This idea is so simple that it can be hard to understand. Practicing non-attachment is a practice in letting go of judgment. Giving ourselves permission to want things/circumstances seems to fly in the […]
Ever wonder what makes you who you are? Family (Genetics, conditioning in childhood and the environment it happened in) Life Choices Neuroscience (The brain science of what we do and why) Sometimes we see self-awareness as only being aware of our existence. It’s equally important to understand how neuroscience and genetics also impact how we […]
Choosing your reality Can we choose reality? Depends on what you call ‘reality.’ We cannot choose to have gravity not exist. We cannot choose for photosynthesis to not happen in a living plant. But. . . We can choose how to behave, and even how/what to think (of course, some things feel very automated, usually […]
2016 - Jonathan F. Anderson, LPC-s