Mindfulness. It is a word that has a spiritual vibe around it. Maybe even a hippy vibe. Yet the word has a wonderful meaning. Mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” These are the wise words of Google. And I think Google is right: Mindfulness is quite therapeutic! Yet I did not even realise I was practising mindfulness until I reflected upon my week. But not in the ways you might think. Here is what I did this week and how it unconsciously helped me stay calm throughout an intense week.
Pausing and reflecting
The thing that I started doing this week was to pause. To take a break. To just let my thoughts wander and reflect on the world around me. In particular my friends. This week made me realise how important friends are. And what they mean to me. Sometimes life just flows, and it’s good to take a step back once in a while. To see and reflect what you are actually doing, and what is going on around you. Your friends are one of the most essential assets in your life. And sometimes being friends becomes so normal, that you forget how special of a connection you actually have. Pausing, taking a breath and giving yourself some space gives your mind a place to wander and think about the stuff that you’re doing. And this is exactly what I did these weeks.
It can however also be somewhat painful. What you might realise when reflecting on your life is not always the thing you hope for. A friendship that you might have been neglecting too much. Someone you haven’t been showing initiative to or someone you may have not spoken to in a long time. And it’s hard. Our lives get busier and busier and there are choices we have to make. What do we want to do and what things are less important to us? But in that process, we sometimes forget how special the connections are that we have with our close friends. The wandering of the mind has made me realise the loosened friendships and has helped me regain the secure connections I may have lost in the busyness of life.
The power of walks
But how does one escape the busyness of life? How does one find the time to reflect on life? And how do you set your mind to it? To mindfulness. I found my answer in walking around the campus during my breaks. Walking is not only good for your vitamin D or the activity you get, but it is also highly beneficial on a mental level. You get to escape the sometimes somewhat busy workspaces on campus by walking through the beautiful forests next to the campus. It creates a moment of rest for your head. A moment to not think about all the things you have to do for an upcoming exam or deadline. A moment in which your mind can wander. This week made me appreciate the importance of walks. Walks inspire your mind to think about stuff that you might not always want or do think about in normal circumstances.
The walks don’t even have to be alone. Sometimes talking to a friend about their lives can also be inspiring or clarifying. Having someone to share whatever is going on in your life. Sharing information and not keeping it all to yourself is essential for coping with it. Whatever that may be. And the other way around is also true. It’s nice to be there for someone in need. To be a good friend and listen to their stories and how they are doing. That is what friendship is all about. Being there for one another when you need it the most.
Final message
And that summarizes my message very nicely. Taking a break from life. Being mindful about what you are doing and want to be doing is undervalued so much. Give yourself a break once in a while to reflect on what you are doing. Whether that is by taking a walk every so often or whatever other way works for you. Take the time to pause.