Sobriety Post Pandemic - Practicing Mindfulness and Awareness

It's been nearly two years since the pandemic, and the world has changed drastically.

The majority of the population now lives with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders resulting from losing loved ones, friends, homes, and jobs. One way to cope with living in this new world is to practice mindfulness and awareness.

This is our opportunity to slow down and live life more consciously with gratitude for what we have left.

What Is Mindfulness and Why It Matters

Mindfulness means focusing your awareness on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

According to the NCCIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health), practicing mindfulness can improve your well-being in many ways, including reducing stress and anxiety, boosting immune system function, increasing personal satisfaction, decreasing emotional reactivity, and more.

The NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) claims that mindfulness is like exercising a mental muscle, increasing your ability to cope with difficult emotions.

It seems that the practice of mindfulness helps you become more attuned to yourself and others while reducing negative thoughts and stress levels.

Practicing Mindfulness and Awareness

In the aftermath of the pandemic, practicing mindfulness and awareness means looking at life differently.

You may not control what happens in your day-to-day life, but you can choose how to respond—with anxiety or with calmness.

It's time to focus on the most important things to you—the things that bring you true happiness.

Maybe you want to spend more time with your family, focus on work (or at least search for a job), or volunteer in your community.

The practice of mindfulness helps you put these goals into perspective and gives them the attention they deserve.

Starting slowly is always best; otherwise, you'll burn out quickly.

What makes you happy? What gives you a sense of accomplishment and brings you closer to others in your life?

Maybe it's time to meditate, work in the garden or take a walk with a friend.

Practicing mindfulness means that you're awake to life—to all of its beauty and all of its ugliness.

You're awake to the joys of living but also to the struggles that accompany them. It means that you accept both aspects equally, without judgment or expectation.

Practicing mindfulness is a way for you to get in touch with yourself—to become more aware of what you feel and what you need.

Living a life worth remembering can include the moments of struggle, as well as the moments of happiness.

Conclusion

Mindfulness is a practice that could have an impact on your life. From increasing happiness to decreasing stress, there are many benefits of practicing mindfulness and awareness in our lives. With the daily pressures we face today, it’s essential to find ways to reduce them for better health and well-being. Our Los Angeles rehab center specializes in helping people become more mindful through therapy sessions or workshops like meditation classes. We can provide the tools necessary for building peace of mind one moment at a time. Contact Innovate Recovery & Rehab Center here if you want help becoming more mindful!