Mindfulness is everywhere. In danger of being touted as the solution for just about everything.
Many people come to mindfulness with a goal in mind. A veritable bucket list of less stress, better sleep, reduced anxiety and depression, greater focus, increased resilience, more creativity, better relationships, less pain, increased confidence, and self-esteem.
Mindfulness can help you achieve all of these, but they are happy byproducts. The goal of mindfulness is to help you know yourself, gain insight and awareness, so you can become your own best friend.
When you slow down, you get to know ourselves, in all your different shades. And when you befriend yourself, you can develop a sense of wholeness and completeness that is uniquely yours, and always available.
The Stoics say it is not what happens to you that matters, but how you respond to it. Outside events are beyond your control, but your perception of them and your responses to them are entirely yours.
You have the capacity to notice your own thinking. To observe any tendency to be judgemental of yourself, or unforgiving, to be hard on yourself in a way your best friend never would be. As you develop in awareness, you can choose to be more compassionate, more understanding. In this way you can build a different relationship with all parts of yourself.
