I’ve been reflecting on mindfulness this week following the passing of Thich Nhat Hanh, described as the “father of mindfulness”. Defined as a state of consciousness where the focus of attention is on present moment internal and external phenomena, there are a number of well-known mindfulness practices, including meditation and focusing on the breath.
There is increasing empirical evidence that mindfulness has many positive benefits. These include improved memory and motivation, increased creativity and job satisfaction, as well as enhanced psychological well-being. Another outcome of mindfulness may be increased goal attainment, as the ability to focus attention more effectively on what is important can lead to selecting goals that are more autonomously motivated. The feed-back loop of having greater intrinsic motivation results in heightened effort which leads to higher goal achievement. This then strengthens feelings of self-efficacy. A flourishing perception of self-efficacy (the confidence that one feels in being able to successfully perform a particular task) results in increased performance and a greater sense of fulfilment.
The benefits of mindfulness are clear. I have often found that the simple technique of taking three focused breaths at the start of a coaching session can be incredibly helpful with coaching clients. This short pause and deep breathing helps us both to let go of outside concerns and centre in on our conversation. However, I have yet to be successful at incorporating the habit of meditation into my daily life. Somehow, my thoughts drift towards actions and my to do list. I consequently can find myself flitting from one task to another or there being a lack of focus to my thoughts throughout the day.
Recently, I realised that I find my greatest feeling of mindfulness when I am walking in nature. Last week I spent time in the Lake District. The weather was glorious for January and the hills beckoned. Setting a goal of reaching the top, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as I climbed up the rocky path and taking occasional breaks to celebrate the progress towards my goal, provided the opportunity to focus my attention on the here and now, and appreciate the beauty of our planet. The reward of incredible views at the top increased my motivation to climb another peak the following day despite tight calf muscles. And, I found the clarity of my thoughts significantly increased as a result. I have returned to work with renewed focus. My first blog post is a result of this.
What mindfulness practices have you found that work for you?
